The worldwide gymnastics federation will maintain a convention subsequent month to cope with misconduct and abuse in elite packages
September 18, 2020, 1:52 PM
• 2 min learn
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The worldwide gymnastics federation will maintain a convention subsequent month to debate misconduct and abuse in elite packages and develop new guidelines of conduct, the physique stated Friday.
Gymnasts from nations together with Britain, the Netherlands and Australia have come ahead in current months with allegations of conduct comparable to abusive teaching strategies and fat-shaming.
That adopted the trial and sentencing of Larry Nassar, the US girls’s staff physician who used medical therapy as a guise for molesting tons of of younger athletes. He was sentenced to 40 to 125 years in jail in 2018.
The federation, often known as FIG, expressed concern that abusive conduct was generally thought-about acceptable, citing testimony from gymnastics and different sports activities “revealing how mistreatment, intimidation and even bodily and psychological abuse are thought-about, in lots of areas, to be an integral a part of the expertise of high-performance athletes.”
“Though strategies differ in accordance with traditions and nations, and what is likely to be thought-about as controversial strategies in a single nation might be accepted in others, the FIG intends to arrange international norms on the earth of gymnastics, inviting everybody to contribute in direction of enhancing the game and making it safer,” the federation stated.
Gymnasts, coaches and different folks concerned within the sport can converse on the convention, which can be held on-line on Oct. 26-27.
FIG president Morinari Watanabe stated in a press release the main focus can be on selling good practices and drawing up new guidelines of conduct for the longer term, quite than to “exhume the crimes of the previous.”
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World Commerce Group member states have trimmed a listing of candidates vying to develop into its subsequent director-general from eight to 5 by ejecting candidates from Egypt, Mexico and Moldova
Roger Federer has had surgery on his right knee and says he will miss the French Open and several other tournaments
February 20, 2020, 3:30 PM
2 min read
BASEL, Switzerland —
Roger Federer has had surgery on his right knee and will miss the French Open and several other tournaments.
Writing on his Facebook page Thursday, the 20-time Grand Slam champion said his knee “has been bothering me for a little while” so he “decided to have arthroscopic surgery in Switzerland yesterday (Wednesday).”
Doctors “are very confident of a full recovery,” Federer said, before ending his post by telling his fans “see you on the grass!” as he targets a return for Wimbledon.
Federer will skip tournaments in Dubai, Indian Wells and Miami prior to the French Open, which starts on May 24.
Federer could potentially return to play at one of his favorite tournaments in Halle, Germany, on June 15. He has was won the grass-court tournament 10 times.
Wimbledon starts June 29.
Federer lost to Nadal in the semifinals at Roland Garros last year and then beat the Spaniard in the semifinals at Wimbledon. He then lost to Novak Djokovic in the final after holding two match points.
Federer struggled with his fitness at times during the recent Australian Open, and was clearly hampered when he lost to Djokovic in straight sets in the semifinals after making a strong start.
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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.
BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) – The USA received approval on Wednesday to impose tariffs on$7.5 billion price of European items over unlawful EU subsidies handed to Airbus, threatening to set off a tit-for-tat transatlantic commerce conflict as the worldwide economic system falters.
FILE PHOTO: An Airbus A350 takes off on the plane builder’s headquarters in Colomiers close to Toulouse, France, September 27, 2019. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau/File Photograph
The choice by the World Commerce Group pushes a 15-year company dispute over unlawful help for transatlantic aircraft giants to the middle of caustic world commerce relations and comes on high of a tariff conflict between Washington and Beijing.
The European Fee stated in response {that a} U.S. transfer to impose commerce sanctions on EU imports could be “short-sighted and counterproductive” and risked inflicting harm on either side of the Atlantic.
The WTO has discovered that each Europe’s Airbus (AIR.PA) and its U.S. rival Boeing (BA.N) acquired billions of {dollars} of unlawful subsidies on the planet’s largest company commerce dispute, a authorized marathon relationship again to 2004.
The 2 instances are anticipated to result in tit-for-tat tariffs, starting with the U.S. measures, posing new issues for companies and monetary markets all over the world.
The main focus of nervous markets will now shift to Washington the place the U.S. Commerce Consultant is predicted to maneuver rapidly to slim down a preliminary record of products in line for tariffs, a U.S. supply stated.
The company’s provisional record of merchandise which might be eligible to be focused with tariffs ranges from Airbus jets themselves to helicopters, wine, purses and cheese.
Earlier than any tariffs could be imposed, the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Physique should formally undertake the arbiters’ report in a course of anticipated to take between 10 days and Four weeks.
Its subsequent scheduled assembly is on Oct. 28, however Washington may request a particular assembly 10 days after the arbiters’ report is revealed, suggesting an earliest attainable closing nod on Oct. 12.
Within the largest case ever dealt with by the WTO, Washington had requested permission to impose tariffs on as much as $11.2 billion of EU items. Brussels is pushing for tariffs of round $10 billion on American items in parallel course of to be determined by the WTO early subsequent yr.
On Tuesday, the top of Irish finances airways group Ryanair (RYA.I) urged the US and EU to tug again from the brink of a tariff conflict and stated neither facet’s aviation trade would survive a protracted dispute.
However Peter Harrell, a senior fellow on the Washington-based Middle for a New American Safety, noticed no instant peace deal.
“My sense is that there can be a settlement solely after either side have imposed tariffs on one another,” he stated.
FRAGILE MARKETS
Whereas the extent of tariffs quantities to lower than three days price of annual commerce between Europe and the US, importers led by U.S. airways that purchase Airbus jets have urged Washington to be selective when selecting industries to hit to be able to keep away from inflicting collateral harm to the U.S. economic system.
The WTO award within the dispute may gasoline rising commerce tensions, diplomats say.
FILE PHOTO: A emblem is pictured exterior the World Commerce Group (WTO) headquarters subsequent to a purple site visitors gentle in Geneva, Switzerland, October 2, 2018. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photograph
EU producers are already going through U.S. tariffs on metal and aluminum and a risk from U.S. President Donald Trump to penalize EU automobiles and automotive elements. The EU has in flip retaliated.
The Trump administration has concluded tariffs had been efficient in bringing China to the negotiating desk over commerce, and in convincing Japan to open its agricultural market to U.S. merchandise. Washington is unlikely to skip the chance to implement tariffs within the case over plane subsidies, in accordance with present and former U.S. officers.
Airbus has stated this is able to result in a “lose-lose” commerce conflict and has revealed a video stressing its contribution to the U.S. trade by means of native meeting crops and 4,000 direct jobs, headlined “Collectively, let’s hold American aerospace nice”.
Extra reporting by Stephanie Nebahay in Geneva, Jospehine Mason in London and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Enhancing by Mark Potter and Pravin Char
Iran has been suspended from worldwide judo competitions as a result of it boycotts bouts with Israeli athletes.
Lower than a month after world champion Saeid Mollaei walked off the Iranian crew in protest on the boycott coverage, the Worldwide Judo Federation (IJF) stated Wednesday that Iran is suspended forward of a full listening to.
Iran’s judo federation is accused of discriminating towards Israeli athletes and breaking guidelines over manipulating competitors outcomes.
“The IJF Government Committee thought-about that such a conduct is insupportable,” the federation stated.
Mollaei has stated he was repeatedly ordered by Iranian officers to lose matches or withdraw from competitions, together with final month’s world championships, in order to not face Israelis. He’s at present in hiding in Germany.
Iran doesn’t acknowledge Israel as a rustic, and Iranian sports activities groups have for a number of a long time had a coverage of not competing towards Israelis.
IJF spokesman Vlad Marinescu stated any ban will not apply to subsequent yr’s Tokyo Olympics. That is as a result of it is the Iranian Olympic Committee, not the Iranian judo federation, which formally enters the Olympic crew.
In the meantime, the IJF is exploring methods to permit Mollaei to compete on the Worldwide Olympic Committee’s crew of refugees.
The IOC has signaled a more durable line on boycotts lately.
In June, IOC president Thomas Bach criticized governments who “clearly abuse sport for his or her political functions,” noting a case in Might of a Tunisian court docket blocking 4 Israelis from competing on the taekwondo junior world championships.
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Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens won matches to give the United States a 3-1 victory over Switzerland on Sunday in a Fed Cup World Group playoff.
Kenin, a late replacement for Madison Keys, beat Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 7-6 (4) to wrap up the match at Freeman Coliseum. The Americans advanced to the 2020 World Group draw, while Switzerland was relegated to World Group II.
The 20-year-old Kenin rallied from 3-0 down in the second set to force a tiebreaker and win her first Fed Cup match.
“I’m just really happy, and I really left it all out there on the court,” Kenin said. “Sloane just said, ‘You know what? Just fight. Leave it all out on the court.'”
In the opening match Sunday, Stephens beat Viktorija Golubic 6-3, 6-2. On Saturday, Stephens beat Bacsinszky 6-4, 6-3, and Golubic topped Keys 6-2, 6-3.
“Just to get back in the World Group is important,” Stephens said. “We want to be competing, obviously, for another Fed Cup title.”
The Americans, who won the 2017 Fed Cup, improved to 9-0 against Switzerland overall.
