GENEVA: Evidence has been seized in a search at the French soccer federation headquarters for a criminal case against former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, Swiss federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
The office of Switzerland’s attorney general said the governing body for French soccer consented to the search carried out Tuesday, at offices near the Eiffel Tower in central Paris, with the cooperation of the French Financial Prosecution Office.
The raid is the first reported action outside Switzerland in a criminal proceeding opened against Blatter last September for suspected financial mismanagement and misappropriation of FIFA money. Blatter turns 80 on Thursday.
It focuses on a $2 million payment Blatter approved from FIFA funds for Michel Platini in 2011. The previously secret transaction wrecked the former France great’s bid to become FIFA president when it was revealed by Swiss prosecutors six months ago.
“Documents were seized in connection with the suspected payment,” the Swiss federal prosecution office said in a statement Wednesday. A formal request for help from French authorities had been made on Jan. 14.
Though no criminal case is yet open against Platini, the suspended president of European soccer body UEFA, Switzerland’s attorney general Michael Lauber has previously said he is “between a witness and an accused person.”
“Michel Platini’s status in the proceedings has remained unchanged,” Lauber’s office said Wednesday.
Platini’s lawyers said in a statement Wednesday that the Swiss intervention was a positive step.
“We welcome this new stage because the sooner Swiss justice completes the investigation, the sooner Michel Platini will get out of the news headlines in which he does not belong,” the statement said.
Platini was based in Paris rather than at FIFA’s home in Zurich when he worked as Blatter’s presidential adviser from 1999-2002. Then, the French federation’s offices were on Avenue d’Iena, near the Arc de Triomphe.
The federation, now working from a building fronted by glass panels on Boulevard de Grenelle, issued no statement early Wednesday about the raid.
French media reported that the documents seized related to a contract between the federation and Platini for rented office space in 1999-2002.
Lauber previously seized documents in December from European soccer body UEFA, based in Nyon, Switzerland, where Platini has been president since 2007. That elected job gave him FIFA vice president status.
Platini and Blatter were suspended from office in October by FIFA’s ethics committee and are now serving six-year bans. They have constantly denied wrongdoing and are appealing against their sanctions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Before details of the $2 million deal emerged in September, Platini was the leading candidate to succeed his one-time mentor Blatter as president in FIFA’s emergency election on Feb. 26.
Lauber alleged the “disloyal payment” as part of a wider investigation of FIFA business that has spun off the governing body’s initial complaint about suspected money laundering in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding contests.
The case against Blatter also involves alleged misappropriation of FIFA funds during his more than 17 years as FIFA president, which formally ended two weeks ago.
He allegedly arranged an undervalued deal for 2010-2014 World Cup broadcast rights for the Caribbean with former FIFA vice president Jack Warner.
Blatter and Platini claim they had a verbal deal for additional salary, after Platini asked Blatter for annual pay of 1 million Swiss francs when approached in 1998 to work for the newly-elected president.
Blatter said there was a contract for 300,000 Swiss francs, the same as FIFA’s then secretary general in line with its salary structure, plus a “gentleman’s agreement” to get the rest later.
Swiss law obliged FIFA only to pay the deferred money within five years. It was not until 2010 that Platini asked for the balance, and was paid in February 2011.
That timing has raised suspicion as the payment came during a FIFA presidential election campaign. UEFA later urged its members to support Blatter — who promised them it would be his final term — against Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar.
Blatter won that 2011 election unopposed after Bin Hammam was implicated in bribing Caribbean voters. From then on, Platini was the likely successor to lead FIFA, though Blatter won another election last May before being forced out by a growing corruption crisis.
Instead, Platini’s long-time right-hand man at UEFA, General Secretary Gianni Infantino, won the presidential election last month.
French soccer HQ raided in Swiss case against Blatter
French soccer HQ raided in Swiss case against Blatter
Time for Mancini and Saudi Arabia to deliver in must-win clash against Bahrain
- After last week’s 2-0 loss to Japan, the Green Falcons cannot afford another slip as they sit third in Group C of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup
LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s World Cup qualifier with Bahrain in Jeddah on Tuesday is just one out of 10 games for Roberto Mancini’s team in Group C but there is already a feeling that this is a must-win clash in more ways than one.
The first and biggest is that the Green Falcons need the points after a mixed start in the first three games of the third round of qualification. A 1-1 draw against Indonesia was followed by a 2-1 win over China in September.
And then, last week, Japan came to King Abdullah Sports City and went home with a 2-0 victory. As things stand, Saudi Arabia are third, level on four points with Australia in second, and Bahrain in fourth.
Only the top two qualify automatically for the World Cup while third and fourth advance to the next stage. Japan have nine and are surely heading for first place. Mancini admitted as such.
“We knew Japan were strong contenders to top the group, and now we will focus on competing with Australia for second place,” he said.
At this stage, the Italian will probably feel that his team are three points short. Mancini would have wanted and expected a win against Indonesia and a draw against Japan.
Had that been the case then they would have been three points clear of Australia. With the Socceroos playing in Japan on Tuesday and likely to lose, a win against Bahrain would have put Saudi Arabia six clear.
That would have been a fantastic position to be in but there is no point thinking too much about that now. The focus has to be on beating their neighbors and hoping they end Tuesday three points clear in second.
Mancini also needs a win and solid performance to lift the mood. Losing to Japan is no disgrace. The Samurai Blue are the best team in Asia by some distance, but their clear cohesion, identity and playing style was in contrast to that of Saudi Arabia’s.
Mancini, at just over a year in the job, has still to stamp his identity on the team and there are doubts as to whether he has the players really believing in his methods. Any sign of progress in this regard against Bahrain would be welcome.
Ever since the start of the year and the Asian Cup, there has not been much to shout about.
Before the tournament started Mancini dropped a bombshell. Veteran Salman Al-Faraj and Sultan Al-Ghannam were left out of the preliminary list, then goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi was excluded from the final squad.
The coach accused them of not wanting to play in friendly games. The Asian Cup ended at the last-16 stage with the boss leaving the pitch and heading down the tunnel before the penalty shootout against South Korea had ended.
It is fair to say that there has yet to be a really exciting, impressive or surprising performance under Mancini, the former English Premier League-, Serie A- and European Championship-winning coach.
His willingness to look outside the big clubs for talent and also trust in youth has been refreshing but he has complained on multiple occasions about the lack of playing time that several players are getting at their clubs.
“The only problem we have, three years ago all the Saudi players played every game,” he said. “Today, 50, 60 percent don’t play in the game and this is the only problem that we have.”
The coach has a point. There are players who have found themselves down the pecking order as their clubs have signed world-class foreign talent. This is especially evident at both ends of the pitch: goalkeepers and attackers.
Firas Al-Buraikan has been a regular for Al-Ahli and Abdullah Radif has played a reasonable amount for Al-Hilal, but Saleh Al-Shehri has had little time with Ittihad and Mohammed Maran has barely featured.
It is not ideal but it is what it is and Mancini’s job is to get the best out of what is available to him.
It has not happened yet. In three games, there have been three goals: one own goal and two set pieces. Against Japan, they played with an unfamiliar four-man defense, did not look like scoring and there were issues at the back but they were against a very good team.
Now this is Bahrain and fans will be less accepting of excuses.
Even so, Bahrain won in Australia in the opening game, sitting back to frustrate the Socceroos and then hitting on the counter, and that may well be their approach in Jeddah.
They later lost 5-0 at home to Japan and then needed a 99th-minute equalizer to draw 2-2 with Indonesia.
Compared to the passing and movement of the Samurai Blue, this is going to be a more physical test for Saudi Arabia and it should be one they are more suited to.
It has to be because one thing is for sure, this is a must-win game not just for the hopes of a top-two finish but for Mancini’s future in the job.
A scrappy 1-0 victory would be enough but a free-flowing performance and a convincing win would go down as well as the sun over the Red Sea.
Dubai Basketball back to winning ways with dominant display in Serbia
- Victory ensures a record of 3 wins and 1 loss after round 4 of the ABA League
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball got back on the winning trail again in Europe’s ABA League following a dominant 87-74 victory over Serbia’s Borac Mozzart on Sunday night.
The win was marked by a powerful defensive performance that restricted the home team’s captain, Marko Josilo, to only six points across 34 minutes of play.
Dubai Basketball went into the round-four game in Cacak looking to bounce back from last week’s last-gasp defeat against Mega MIS — and they responded with an impressive performance to take their record to 3-1.
Danilo Andusic set the pace all night long for Dubai, with 16 points, while Ahmet Duverioglu had a game-high seven rebounds.
With Borac Mozzart focusing heavily on Dubai’s captain, Klemen Prepelic, they had no answer for Isaiah Taylor, whose 13 points, three rebounds and six assists proved decisive in handing the Serbian team their first home loss of the season.
By the end of the first quarter, Dubai held a narrow lead of 24-23. The hosts levelled the scores early in the second, but head coach Jurica Golemac’s side took it up a gear with captain Prepelic dropping a three-pointer when his team needed him most.
Nate Mason, who missed the last game due to an injury, added another two, but some strong play saw Borac Mozzart take a 33-29 lead.
Dubai’s Awudu Abass and Andusic then stepped up with crucial points including a three-pointer to turn the momentum and give their team a healthy 47-36 advantage at halftime.
By the end of the third quarter, Dubai had stretched their lead to 71-63, and in the last 10 minutes they held off Borac Mozzart to close out for a key win on the road.
The home fans gave the game a special atmosphere with their boisterous support of their team at the Cacak Sports Hall.
Dubai’s Jacorey Williams commented post-game: “It was loud, the fans here are great and they’re passionate; they let us know all night that there would be no easy points.
“It was great to leave with a big team win, but shout-out to the fans, Cacak Sports Hall is one of the toughest places to play.”
Dubai Basketball’s next game will be on Sunday, Oct. 20 when they take on Spartak Subotica at Coca-Cola Arena.
Leweling rockets Germany past Dutch and into Nations League quarterfinals
- A beaming Leweling told Germany’s ZDF network “we won as a team, I scored the 1-0, we won 1-0, but we did well and I’m just happy I could help out
MUNICH, Germany: A 63-minute rocket from debutant Jamie Leweling gave Germany a 1-0 win over a limp Netherlands in Munich on Monday and a first appearance in the Nations League knockout rounds.
The Stuttgart forward was called off the bench after an injury to club teammate Deniz Undav in the warm-up.
Leweling had an early goal ruled out for the tightest of offsides before blasting in a loose ball from a Joshua Kimmich corner.
A beaming Leweling told Germany’s ZDF network “we won as a team, I scored the 1-0, we won 1-0, but we did well and I’m just happy I could help out.
“The Dutch are a top nation, but we played a good game nevertheless. We used the chances that we had well.”
Captain Kimmich told reporters the side were proud to overcome a long injury list.
“There were just three players on the field in comparison to five weeks ago against Holland (a 2-2 draw in the Netherlands), that’s why we are proud of what we did.
“You could see how happy we are, how proud we are of the performance today.
“We had lots of new players, some young players, unfortunately lots of injuries but you didnt notice much of a difference.
“Jamie had an outstanding debut — it’s not often the Allianz Arena gives you a reception like that — he did well.
Oliver Baumann, at 34 the oldest debutant goalie in Germany history, pulled off a spectacular save from Donyell Malen in the final minute to protect Germany’s victory.
The Netherlands, missing suspended captain Virgil van Dijk, were poor until the dying stages. They stayed second in the group but only on goal difference ahead of Hungary, who beat Bosnia 2-0.
Before the match, the hosts bid farewell to international veterans Manuel Neuer, Thomas Mueller, Ilkay Gundogan and Toni Kroos, who have all stepped down since the home Euros in the summer.
Since starting his reign one year ago to the day with a 3-1 away win over the United States, coach Julian Nagelsmann has been willing to ignore big names in favor of in-form players.
Injuries to key players including Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen forced Nagelsmann into seven changes, the injury to Undav, who scored both goals in Germany’s win over Bosnia on October 11, forced a last-minute reshuffle.
The coach gave Leweling and Oliver Baumann their first caps, while Aleksandar Pavlovic and Angelo Stiller started for the first time.
Leweling appeared to have started his Germany career perfectly when he gave the hosts the lead after just two minutes, but a lengthy video review found Serge Gnabry offside in the build-up.
Despite pressing the Dutch into a series of mistakes playing out from goal, Germany failed to carve another clear opportunity in the first half.
The visitors posed little threat to debutant Baumann’s goal, failing to register a shot in the first half.
Leweling’s stunning strike jolted the match into life with just under half an hour remaining.
Xavi Simons rattled the crossbar late as the Dutch hinted at a possible comeback, with Malen also going close but failing to break through.
Ronnie O’Sullivan Snooker Academy opens at Boulevard City in Riyadh
- The 7-time world champion attended the launch and played the first shot on the academy’s main table
RIYADH: The Ronnie O’Sullivan Snooker Academy opened in Riyadh’s Boulevard City on Monday, with the seven-time world champion on hand to play the first shot on its main table.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest snooker players of all time, O’Sullivan was joined at the launch by leading figures from the Saudi sports sector, including Faisal Bafarat, CEO of the Kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, and Nasser Al-Shammari, president of the Saudi Snooker Federation, who oversaw the inauguration ceremony.
The academy’s founders say it will offer snooker enthusiasts a dedicated space in which they can hone their skills and compete in local and international tournaments, with the wider aim of boosting the profile and development of the sport in the Kingdom.
The opening of the academy is in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 relating to the development of sport and youth development in the Kingdom, by helping to provide local players with the coaching and experience that can prepare them to compete on a global stage.
Youth taekwondo competitions conclude at Saudi Games
- Adult taekwondo competitions will continue on Tuesday
RIYADH: The youth taekwondo competitions of the third Saudi Games concluded on Monday at Boulevard 2 in Riyadh.
Shaddad Al-Amri, president of the Saudi Taekwondo Federation, awarded the winners their medals during the ceremony.
In the 48 kg category, Abdullah Mushrif from Al-Shabab claimed the gold medal, with Khaled Al-Shahrani from Abha securing silver. Bronze medals were awarded to Alai Addin Al-Sisi (Al-Ahli) and Nawaf Al-Bishi (Al-Hilal).
Abdulrahman Al-Shahrani (Abha) took gold in the 55 kg category, while Tariq Zawawi (Herra) won silver. Bronze medals went to Abdulaziz Abu Faleh (Al-Hariq) and Abdulrahman Al-Jabri (Al-Nassr).
The 63 kg category saw Abdullah Al-Dosari (Al-Noor) win gold, with Issa Mjarshi taking silver. Bronze went to Firas Al-Aliyo (Al-Salam) and Rayan Al-Harthi (Al-Ittihad).
Rakan Al-Agha (Al-Ahli) secured the gold in the 73 kg category, while Nawaf Hussein (Al-Hilal) took silver. Bronze medals were awarded to Faisal Al-Mutairi and Ibrahim Al-Dosari (both from Al-Shabab).
In the +73 kg category, Ahmad Bin Qasim (Al-Shabab) won gold, with Youssef Al-Madawi (Abha) taking silver, and Al-Hur Al-Hamadah (Al-Taraji) claiming bronze.
The adult taekwondo competitions will continue on Tuesday with the 49 kg category for women and the 58 kg and 80 kg categories for men.
