FIFA
Aussies praise FIFA bans
The Football Federation of Australia yesterday welcomed worldwide bans imposed on two English players over a match-fixing scam in state soccer that has been linked to an international betting syndicate. The federation hailed the move by world soccer’s governing body FIFA to extend the Australian bans on Southern Stars players Joe Woolley and Reiss Noel after they were convicted of manipulating games. Reports say the scam in the Victoria State League netted its participants about US$2 million in illicit winnings and that authorities suspect it has links to one of the most notorious alleged match-fixers, Singaporean Wilson Raj Perumal.
PREMIER LEAGUE
Reds ask for ‘96’ scarves
Liverpool are calling on fans worldwide to show their support for the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster by sending in club scarves. A memorial service at Anfield on April 15 will commemorate the 96 fans who died as a result of a crush at the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest in 1989. The club said Kenny Dalglish, the Reds’ coach at the time of the disaster, wrote to all 92 English League sides asking them to donate a scarf that will be laid out alongside those from members of the public on the pitch to form a “96.” Former Liverpool greats, including Dalglish, Ian Rush, John Barnes, Jan Molby and Robbie Fowler, will also be involved in a charity match at Anfield to celebrate the lives of the victims on April 21.
WORLD CUP
World Cup ball challenged
Brazilian sportswear manufacturer Penalty has created a rival to the official FIFA 2014 World Cup ball named Gorduchinha, or Little Chubby, the moniker many Brazilians say they wanted in the first place. The ball is painted with a stylized Brazilian flag and bears the message: “Created by Brazilians” and is meant to compete with the official Brazuca ball made by Adidas and named in an online poll of 1 million fans last year. Brazuca is a playful slang word for native Brazilians. Penalty is capitalizing on the anger of those, including 1994 World Cup winner and Congressman Romario, who say Gorduchinha, which was coined in the 1970s by radio commentator Osmar Santos, never made the short list name, despite being more Brazilian than the three FIFA-imposed choices.
FRANCE
Zidane’s son called for U16
Luca Zidane, the second child of French soccer great Zinedine Zidane, has been called up for a France U16 training camp, the French Football Federation said on Monday. The 15-year-old Luca Zidane plays as a goalkeeper and like his brother, Enzo Zidane Fernandez, is being groomed at Real Madrid, where their father is assistant coach. The camp is to run from Monday to March 27. Luca Zidane took part in a training session with Real’s professional squad last weekend, while his brother was called up for medical tests with France’s U19 squad last month after he chose to represent the Blues despite having played for Spain’s U15 team.
ASIAN CUP
Socceroos named top seeds
Hosts Australia have been named top seeds for next year’s Asian Cup and will avoid being drawn in the same group as defending champs Japan. Australia, who were beaten by the Blue Samurai in the 2011 final, are in the first of four pots with Iran, Japan and Uzbekistan. Australia (ranked 63rd) get the top seed as hosts, while Iran are the top FIFA-ranked team at 42, followed by Japan (48th) and Uzbekistan (55th). The draw will be held on Wednesday next week.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two