Rugby’s world sevens series cancelled over coronavirus
NEW YORK: The former president of soccer’s governing body for North and Central American and the Caribbean ( CONCACAF) has been sentenced to time served for his role in accepting $1.66 million in bribes in the FIFA scandals and will return to Honduras ater 4 1/2 years in the U.S.
Alfredo Hawit of Honduras, CONCACAF’S president from May 27, 2015, until Dec. 4, 2015, was given the sentence Monday by U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen in Brooklyn during a video sentencing. The 68-year-old Hawit also was sentenced to two years of supervised release and barred during that time from holding a title in FIFA, CONCACAF or any professional soccer organization. Chen deferred a ruling on restitution for 90 days, said forfeiture will be $950,000 and said he must pay $400 in special assessments.
“I do take responsibility and I have changed considerably. I want to ask forgiveness for all those things I did back then,” Hawit said through a translator.
“There are no words to express how sorry I am,” he said in a writen statement read by the translator to the court. “I also regret all the harm I did to soccer, which is the sport that I love. ... From the day of my arrest in Zurich and the time that I spent in jail and 4 1/2 years so far, I’ve suffered. I’ve felt humiliated and shamed by my behavior, and I’m paying the price.”
Hawit, a lawyer and teacher, will be deported when the coronavirus pandemic eases and Honduras reopens its border. Prosecutors said his family is working with the Honduran consulate to arrange transport, and Chen recommended that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement allow him to self-deport. Hawit pleaded guilty in April 2016 to two counts of wire fraud conspiracy and one count each of racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Each count carried a possible sentence of up to 20 years. His sentence showed the impact of a guilty plea early in the case rather than risk a guilty verdict at trial. Former South American governing body president Juan Ángel Napout is serving a nine-year sentence following his conviction and former Brazil federation president José Maria Marin was sentenced to four years ater his conviction. Marin was given compassionate release about eight months early in April, shortly before his 88th birthday.
Meanwhile, FIFA’S former acting secretary general, Markus Katner, has been banned from all football-related activity for 10 years and fined one million Swiss francs ($1.056m) ater being guilty of conflicts of interest and abusing his position, the sport’s world governing body announced Tuesday.
The punishment was handed down by FIFA’S ethics commitee following an investigation opened in September 2016 into Katner, the scandalplagued body’s former president Sepp Blater, and former secretary general Jerome Valcke.
HONG KONG: The remainder of this year’s World Rugby Sevens Series has been cancelled over the coronavirus, the sport’s governing body said on Tuesday, with the flagship Hong Kong tournament among five events called off.
Tournaments in Langford in Canada, London, Paris, Singapore and Hong Kong will not be played this year, with the men’s and women’s titles both awarded to paceseters New Zealand.
“The decision follows detailed and constructive dialogue with the host and participating unions, and has been taken with the health and wellbeing of the rugby community and the wider public as top priority,” a World Rugby statement said.
Hong Kong had been due to be the final stop of the rejigged sevens calendar ater it was moved from its traditional April slot because of the pandemic.
The Hong Kong Sevens, which had been held every year since 1976, is an important source of revenue and prestige for the city which has endured severe political upheaval over the past year, as well as the coronavirus pandemic.
“While it is very disappointing for players, fans, organisers and everyone involved to have to cancel these events due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the health and wellbeing of the rugby community and wider society remains the number one priority,” said World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont.
“These difficult decisions have been taken following detailed consultation with our union partners and in line with advice from the various government and public health agencies around the world.”
Hong Kong rugby officials expressed disappointment at the demise of their tournament, which has been scheduled to return in early April.
The colourful, three-day tournament is the signature event of the World Sevens Series and was a driving force behind rugby’s return to the Olympics in 2016.
“We are of course disappointed not to be hosting the world-famous Hong Kong Sevens for the first time in 45 years,” Hong Kong Rugby Union chief executive Robbie Mcrobbie said in a statement.
“But we understand the extraordinary circumstances surrounding today’s cancellation of the remainder of the series.”
Like other sports, COVID-19 has played havoc with international rugby, with all July Tests cancelled.