Hooliganism seems set to play a role in the decision of which country will host the 2012 European Championships, ahead of the vote in Cardiff today.
Italy are bidding for the right against two joint bids -- from Hungary-Croatia and Poland-Ukraine.
Italy are the favorites to win the vote but it is their record on hooligan violence that may well come back to haunt them, a factor that has not been lost on Luca Pancalli, the extraordinary commissioner for the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).
"I'm optimistic," he insisted. "Paradoxically, I would have had many more doubts if there had not been what has happened."
Hot Topic
Soccer-related violence has been a hot topic around Europe this season, ever since a policeman was killed after clashes broke out during the Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo in February.
More recently, several Manchester United fans were stabbed while attending a Champions League match against Roma in Rome, during which the away fans were also baton-charged by police.
But Pancalli is remaining defiant.
"We have never doubted," he said. "Firstly because violence is not a problem inherent only in Italian soccer. There have been problems elsewhere."
"Added to that, the political classes, the Olympic Committee [Coni] and the federation have responded seriously and quickly, like never before," he added.
That has not stopped Italy's rivals from trying to make the most of the country's problems, though.
Problems
However, Poland and Ukraine's bid is itself beset by problems, with Ukraine gripped by a political crisis and Poland's soccer authorities recovering from a corruption scandal.
"The events in Kiev certainly don't help us but there's no need to panic. Ukraine will have democratic elections and the situation will become stable again," said Polish Sports Minister Tomasz Lipiec before turning his attentions to his own country.
"The fact that we have launched an anti-corruption campaign can only work in our favor," he added.
And having defended his own bid he attacked those of their rivals.
"You can also talk about unstable governments in Italy, as well as corruption in football. Plus they have a hooligan problem. Hungary also has political stability issues, while there's a problem with stadium security in Croatia," he added.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was