Tag Archives: Professional soccer

Cristiano Ronaldo says he desires to go away Juventus

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Cristiano Ronaldo has instructed Juventus that he desires to go away

August 27, 2021, 12:19 PM

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TURIN, Italy — Cristiano Ronaldo has instructed Juventus that he desires to go away.

Nobody is aware of the place he’ll go, nevertheless.

“Yesterday Cristiano instructed me that he not plans to play for Juventus,” coach Massimiliano Allegri stated Friday, including that Ronaldo will miss the Serie A match towards Empoli in consequence.

Manchester Metropolis is contemplating an possibility to purchase the Portugal ahead after its high goal, Harry Kane, stated Wednesday he was staying at Tottenham for now.

The 36-year-old Ronaldo, who has been FIFA’s world participant of the 12 months 5 instances, has just one 12 months left on his contract at Juventus, which he joined from Actual Madrid in 2018.

The switch window closes on Tuesday.

Ronaldo didn’t begin Juventus’ opening match of the Italian league season, towards Udinese final weekend, amid experiences he had requested to be on the bench. He got here on within the second half and had an injury-time purpose dominated out in a 2-2 draw.

Each the membership and Allegri insisted it was a training resolution to maintain Ronaldo on the bench at first.

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Extra AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports activities



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US-based Krause Group takes management of Parma soccer membership

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Parma has change into the most recent Serie A crew with overseas possession after the U.S.-based Krause Group bought a 90% stake within the membership

September 18, 2020, 11:24 AM

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PARMA, Italy — Parma grew to become the most recent Serie A crew with overseas possession Friday when the U.S.-based Krause Group bought a 90% stake within the membership.

“The acquisition of Parma Calcio 1913 is the achievement of a long-held dream,” stated Kyle Krause, the chairman and CEO of the Krause Group. “My household and I’ve a deep-rooted, intergenerational ardour for each soccer and our ancestral residence of Italy.”

In Italy’s high tier, Roma and AC Milan even have American possession, Inter Milan is run by the Chinese language-based Suning Group, Fiorentina is led by an Italian-American and Bologna has a Canadian proprietor.

The Iowa-based Krause Group is “the father or mother firm for a various set of companies that embrace comfort retail, logistics, Italian wineries and hospitality, actual property, agriculture, and soccer golf equipment,” based on the corporate’s web site.

Parma, a two-time UEFA Cup champion within the 1990s, fell into monetary bother in recent times and had a sequence of possession modifications.

The crew was dismantled in 2015 and needed to restart from Serie D. Parma returned to Serie A in 2018 and completed 11th final season.

Parma opens this season by internet hosting Napoli on Sunday.

“Parma are fighters and bouncing again from Serie D with three consecutive promotions in three years is a testomony to their resilience,” Krause stated. “As president I promise to combat for them each step of the best way. I’m honored to don the yellow and blue and play a small half within the venerable historical past of this proud crew. I stay up for rising the crew, the game, and its fandom in Parma, Italy, and the world.”

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Extra AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports activities



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Swiss bank penalized over alleged FIFA, Venezuela corruption

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Switzerland’s financial market authority has penalized Julius Baer bank for violating its obligations to combat money laundering over a nearly nine-year span

By

JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press

February 20, 2020, 7:58 AM

3 min read

GENEVA —
Switzerland’s financial market authority has penalized Julius Baer bank for violating its obligations to fight money laundering over a nearly nine-year span.

The sanctions are related to alleged corruption linked to Venezuela’s state-owned oil company and global soccer body FIFA.

The authority, known as FINMA, cited Julius Baer for a “serious infringement of financial market law” and barred it from carrying out “large and complex acquisitions until it once again fully complies with the law.”

The bank was also ordered to revamp its hiring and management of client advisers, and adjust its remuneration and disciplinary procedures.

“FINMA has instructed Julius Baer to undertake effective measures to comply with its legal obligations in combating money laundering and rapidly finalise the measures it has already started putting in place,” the authority wrote in announcing the closure of the probe of the bank. “The Board of Directors must also give greater attention to its AML (anti-money laundering) responsibilities.”

The Zurich-based bank, which had 426 million Swiss francs (dollars) of assets under management at the end of 2019, said it “takes note” of the decision. The bank said it cooperated “extensively” with the authority, and that “the identified deficiencies have been addressed.”

The authority’s investigators unearthed “systematic failings” in the application of Swiss anti-money laundering law, turning up irregularities in “almost all of the 70 business relationships” that were selected due to their risk. The “vast majority” of over 150 transactions examined also showed irregularities, FINMA said.

Julius Baer didn’t do enough to determine clients’ identities, provide information about the source of their wealth, or monitor transactions properly. One adviser handling Venezuelan clients in 2016 and 2017 reaped millions in bonuses and other payouts even though the bank had spotted possible wrongdoing in connection with a case involving state oil giant PDVSA.

“The bank’s remuneration system focused almost exclusively on financial targets and paid scant regard to compliance and risk management goals,” FINMA said.

“As an example, a CHF 70 million (about $70 million) transaction was carried out in respect of a large Venezuelan client in 2014 without the required investigations, even though the bank had learnt in the same year that the client was facing accusations of corruption,” it added.

FINMA said it was appointing an independent auditor to monitor internal reforms.

“Until it is once again fully compliant with the law, the bank is prohibited from conducting transactions such as major acquisitions that lead to a significant increase in operating risks (including but not limited to money laundering risk) or in its organisational complexity,” it said.

The authority has been involved in crackdowns on a number of corruption and money-laundering cases in recent years, also including Brazilian oil giant Petrobras and Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. It did not offer details about alleged corruption or money laundering involving Julius Baer at FIFA, the Zurich-based world soccer body.

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Watford attracts with Arsenal on Flores return, Everton loses

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After spells accountable for Espanyol in Spain and Shanghai Shenhua in China, Quique Sánchez Flores returned to the thrills and spills of the Premier League on Sunday as his Watford aspect drew with Arsenal 2-2.

Flores, who left Watford in 2016 however returned to take over from the fired Javi Gracia, started his second reign as supervisor by main the last-place group to simply its second level from 5 video games.

However it might have been much more. The Spaniard was left holding his head as Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno denied Abdoulaye Doucouré what would have been a dramatic winner in harm time.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice for Arsenal however the guests had no reply to Watford within the second half and shall be relieved to have escaped with some extent.

Aubameyang scored towards the run of play within the 21st minute after Dani Ceballos received the ball with a crunching sort out on Will Hughes. Sead Kolasinac ran ahead and handed to Aubameyang, who stopped the ball along with his left boot and spun round to fireside it in along with his proper.

It was virtually 2-Zero minutes later after Ceballos discovered Mesut Özil, whose cross Aubameyang simply failed to achieve. Özil was making his first league look of the season.

Özil confirmed simply what Arsenal had been lacking within the 32nd when he break up the Watford protection with a superb ball to ship Ainsley Maitland-Niles although. The Arsenal right-back crossed to offer Aubameyang a easy end for his second aim, his fifth of the season.

However Arsenal was lackluster after the break and gifted Watford a aim again within the 53rd, when Leno handed to Sokratis, who tried a straight ball ahead to Guendouzi. Gerard Deulofeu intercepted the ball, which fell to Tom Cleverley to hammer again previous Leno for 2-1.

The guests continued to wobble as Watford continued to dominate. David Luiz fouled Roberto Pereyra simply contained in the penalty space and the Argentine midfielder dusted himself off to equalize from the spot within the 81st.

CHERRIES BEAT TOFFEES

In Sunday’s different recreation, Callum Wilson scored twice to assist Bournemouth beat Everton 3-1 for the Cherries’ second Premier League win.

Wilson put the house aspect forward after a nook within the 23rd minute. Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalized earlier than the break, however poor defending thwarted the Toffees’ hopes of some extent.

Substitute Ryan Fraser restored Bournemouth’s lead within the 67th with a free kick and Wilson claimed his second aim 5 minutes later.

Bournemouth and Everton each have seven factors.

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Extra AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports activities



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MLS groups navigate new ‘no political show’ coverage

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Main League Soccer’s new coverage that bans political shows at matches is stirring controversy within the Pacific Northwest, the place supporters’ tradition is usually intertwined with politics and social points.

The Seattle Sounders and the Portland Timbers have banned indicators and flags with the “Iron Entrance” image, which they are saying has turn out to be appropriated by some within the loosely structured antifa motion, at occasions within the context of violence.

The image of three arrows pointing downward and to the left dates again to an anti-Nazi paramilitary group fashioned in Germany within the 1930s. Supporters’ teams preserve the image represents opposition to fascism and persecution — a human rights problem, not a political stance.

“With the current rise in focused assaults in opposition to so many teams — LBTGQ+, immigrants, ladies, non secular teams, and extra — and the presence of fascists in our stadiums, this image represents our agency stance of combating hatred in soccer, our communities, and our world,” the board of administrators for Portland’s 107 Impartial Supporters Belief stated in an announcement. The group represents followers of each the Timbers and the NWSL’s Thorns.

The league’s new fan code of conduct, applied this season, prohibits “utilizing (together with on any signal or different seen illustration) political, threatening, abusive, insulting, offensive language and/or gestures, which incorporates racist, homophobic, xenophobic, sexist or in any other case inappropriate language or conduct.”

MLS president and deputy commissioner Mark Abbott stated the league labored with all its groups to plan the coverage.

“I believe it was the assumption of the league and the golf equipment that followers are at our video games to benefit from the sport and that there’s a place for third-party political organizations or teams to specific their views, however that place is not inside our stadiums,” Abbott instructed The Related Press.

Main League Soccer is the one skilled league among the many high 5 in america with a code of conduct that expressly bans political signage. Insurance policies for the NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB principally take care of fan conduct, like abusive conduct or language, and intoxication. The NBA prohibits “obscene or indecent messages” on indicators.

MLS can be the one league to particularly goal racist, homophobic, xenophobic and sexist language or conduct, which was lauded by supporters’ teams.

Nevertheless, quite a lot of particular person groups throughout sports activities, as effectively arenas and stadiums, do regulate signage and prohibit messages which can be political in nature. The Moda Middle, house of the Portland Path Blazers, doesn’t permit indicators which can be business, political or obscene.

Some questioned the Main League Soccer’s inclusion of political shows as too obscure.

“We, as a company, really feel strongly on making certain that shows of human rights will not be mistaken for political statements. Political engagement is typically essential in securing human rights for all, however that doesn’t make the message of human rights inherently political,” the Impartial Supporters Council of North America stated in an announcement following the discharge of the coverage.

Earlier this season, a fan waving a Trump 2020 flag was faraway from Windfall Park.

Sounders supporters took problem when the Iron Entrance image was included with mentions of far-right teams Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys in a letter from group administration that defined the ban.

“Messages, banners, flags or some other symbols that characterize an affiliation to a political group won’t be allowed in CenturyLink Area. This contains, however will not be restricted to, Antifa, Iron Entrance, Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer,” the letter from group administration stated.

The Sounders later apologized for equating the teams. Taylor Graham, Sounders vice chairman of enterprise operations and advertising and marketing, spoke to reporters following apply final week, saying: “We at the start need to put our hand up and say, ‘That is not honest, and we apologize for these phrases,’ placing them in that context.”

However the hyperlink to antifa has spurred some to take motion. Final weekend a small group confronted followers participating within the conventional March to the Match. The group additionally tried to get right into a pregame occasion at a close-by bar however was turned away by bouncers.

There was one scuffle however no arrests have been made.

The incident got here on the identical weekend because the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. In Philadelphia, Union captain Alejandro Bedoya rushed to the sideline after a objective and shouted into an on-field microphone: “Hey, Congress, do one thing now! Finish gun violence! Let’s go!”

Whereas Bedoya’s assertion was clearly political, MLS didn’t take any disciplinary motion. Bedoya was voted the league’s Participant of the Week although he was not included on the poll.

“The Main League Soccer household joins everybody in grieving for the lack of lives in Texas and Ohio, and we perceive that our gamers and employees have sturdy and passionate views on this problem,” the league stated in an announcement.

Abbott stated he believes the brand new coverage makes clear that the MLS doesn’t equate totally different political or ideological teams. He additionally pointed to the league’s Soccer for All initiative.

“We unequivocally condemn teams that have interaction in hateful actions and speech. By our dedication to Soccer for All, it is vitally clear the place the league stands on supporting variety and inclusion,” he stated. “We additionally acknowledge the significance of those values to our followers, however we do not imagine our venues are the suitable place for signage that promotes any form of third-party political group or group, no matter whether or not we agree with the tenets of that group.”

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Extra AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports activities



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Infantino says FIFA scandals gone, despite corruption cases

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Ahead of his re-election as FIFA president, Gianni Infantino said Wednesday he has banished scandals and corruption from the soccer body despite losing members of his council for misconduct.

Infantino is running un-opposed for a second presidential term through 2023. He was first elected in 2016 in the wake of Sepp Blatter’s downfall amid the biggest scandal in FIFA’s history.

“Remember the state of FIFA at that congress,” Infantino said. “Well the last three years and four months have certainly not been perfect. I have made mistakes certainly and I try to improve and do this better but today on an election day nobody talks about crisis. Nobody talks about rebuilding FIFA from scratch. Nobody talks about scandals. Nobody talks about corruption.”

A generation of soccer leaders in North and South America were swept from power in 2016 after American and Swiss prosecutors targeted financial corruption linked to the game’s governing bodies.

In the Infantino era, four continental soccer organizations each lost elected FIFA Council members amid allegations of corruption or financial misjudgments.

FIFA senior vice president David Chung of Papua New Guinea was banned for 6 1/2 years. Kwesi Nyantakyi of Ghana was banned for life. Sheikh Ahmad of Kuwait withdrew his re-election candidacy when implicated in bribing voters. Reinhard Grindel of Germany resigned.

Infantino was also investigated, and soon cleared, in 2016 by the FIFA ethics committee for his use of private jets. The investigators and judges who ran that case, from Germany, Guam and Switzerland, were gone within a year.

Another independent official left abruptly weeks after finding that Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko was too conflicted to retain his FIFA Council seat while also implicated in a state-sponsored doping scandal.

But Infantino told FIFA’s 211 member associations that “we have turned the situation around” since the Blatter era.

“This organization went from being toxic, almost criminal to what it should be — an organization that develops football, an organization that cares about football,” Infantino said. “We have transformed it into a new FIFA — an organization which is synonymous with credibility, trust, integrity, equality, human rights.”

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports



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Qatar wins, regional rivals lose in Asian soccer elections

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On a big day for Qatar at the Asian soccer elections, the 2022 World Cup host regained a seat on FIFA’s ruling committee and saw defeats for candidates from its regional rivals which are boycotting Doha and want the tournament shared with other Middle East countries.

There will be no Saudi Arabian or United Arab Emirates delegate on the Asian Football Confederation’s executive committee elected by 47 member federations Saturday.

Qatari candidate Saoud Al Mohannadi retained his AFC vice-presidency representing west Asia for four more years, and gained a seat on the FIFA Council. It brings Qatar closer to FIFA decision-making for the first time since 2011, when Mohamed bin Hammam was suspended — and later banned for life — for financial wrongdoing months after the gas-rich emirate won its World Cup hosting rights.

Saturday’s results continue Qatar’s winning run in 2019, after its national team was the surprise winner of the Asian Cup in February, beating Saudi Arabia and host nation UAE before lifting the trophy in Abu Dhabi.

Saudi Arabia and UAE have led a diplomatic and logistical boycott of Qatar for almost two years. The political standoff has included exerting pressure on Qatar to share some World Cup games, likely with Kuwait and Oman, in an expanded 48-team tournament.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino told AFC members Saturday that the world soccer body and Qatar are still analyzing the prospect of adding another 16 teams.

“It will be a nice achievement if the first World Cup with 48 teams is played in Asia,” said Infantino, who has argued that extra teams will accelerate soccer development worldwide. He will preside over a June 3 FIFA Council meeting and June 5 congress of 211 member federations in Paris to decide.

FIFA has consistently said Qatar must agree to any tournament expansion, and Al Mohannadi can represent his country’s expected opposition in the council discussions.

The main business in Kuala Lumpur was for the AFC to re-elect its president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain — in his absence — for four more years unopposed after Al Mohannadi and a candidate from the UAE withdrew last month.

Sheikh Salman, who is also the senior vice-president of FIFA, could not attend after the death of his mother this week. Infantino led delegates in observing a few minutes of silence to mourn and show that “we are with him.”

Speaking on behalf of the Bahraini royal, newly-elected FIFA Council member Praful Patel said: “I am sure that with your continued support and solidarity, we can all take Asian to even greater heights.”

Patel, a former aviation minister in India’s government, won one of the six seats on FIFA’s ruling council elected Saturday. Other winners were Chinese government official Du Zhaocai, Kohzo Tashima of Japan, and, for the women’s seat, Mahfuza Akhter Kiron of Bangladesh.

An ally of Qatar, Mariano Araneta of the Philippines, retained his seat while South Korea soccer leader Chung Mong-Gyu, who sided with the Saudis in recent Asian soccer politics, lost his.

On the eve of the election, Chung — whose family owns World Cup sponsor Hyundai — formally complained to the AFC’s election oversight panel about Qatar’s campaign tactics, including giving Araneta use of a private jet to visit some voters’ countries.

Sheikh Salman was elected to succeed Bin Hammam in 2013, and is the longest-serving president of any major soccer body after years of scandals and international investigations of corruption linked to international soccer.

A sprawling American investigation of bribery helped remove a key Asian soccer power broker, Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, from his FIFA position in 2017.

Still, the Kuwaiti sheikh — who has stepped aside from his influential IOC positions pending a separate criminal trial in Switzerland — was in Kuala Lumpur this week on the sidelines of the AFC elections.

Though Sheikh Salman was supported into office by Sheikh Ahmad six years ago, he cemented his position by expanding the Asian Cup to 24 teams and securing the AFC’s finances while giving more money back to members. Last year, the AFC signed an 8-year, multi-billion dollar commercial rights deal with China-backed DDMC Fortis.

Infantino on Saturday said Sheikh Salman’s re-election will help the region move forward in stability.

An uncontested election was “important to show a united family in Asia,” said the FIFA leader, who edged Sheikh Salman to win his presidency three years ago, and has no opponent for re-election in June in Paris.

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Dunbar reported from Geneva

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports



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