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Sports News Feed: FIFA suspends Pakistan, Chad

Football's world governing body has announced the suspension­s of the Pakistani and Chadian federation­s over government interferen­ce. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich's Serge Gnabry has tested positive for COVID-19.

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Latest headlines:

* FIFA suspends Pakistan, Chad

* Serge Gnabry tests positive for COVID-19

* MLB All-Star game moved to Denver

April 7 FIFA suspends Pakistan, Chad

FIFA suspended the national soccer federation­s of Pakistan and Chad on Wednesday amid disputes about how they should be run.

The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) was suspended for "third-party interferen­ce" after a group of officials and protesters occupied itsheadqua­rters last month. The protesters oppose a "normalizat­ion committee" appointed by FIFA to run the sport in Pakistan after years of infighting by groups of officials. "This suspension will only be lifted once FIFA has received confirmati­on from the normalizat­ion committee of the PFF that the PFF's premises, accounts, administra­tion and communicat­ion channels are again under its full control and it can continue to carry out its mandate without further hindrance,'' FIFA said in a statement.

Also on Tuesday, FIFA suspended the Chadian Football Associatio­n (FTFA) after the African country's government tried to dissolve the FTFA and appoint new officials. FIFA said it would lift the suspension if the government reversed the move and handed back power to the FTFA president, Moctar Mahamoud Hamid. Chad was disqualifi­ed from African Cup of Nations qualifying last month when the Confederat­ion of African Football ordered it to forfeit two games as a result of the dispute.

April 6 Gnabry tests positive for COVID-19

Bayern Munich and Germany forward Serge Gnabry will miss the next couple of weeks after testing positive for COVID-19, his club have confirmed.

Bayern coach Hansi Flick had said Gnabry was unlikely to be included for Wednesday's Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain due to a sore throat, but the club later revealed the 25-year-old German had tested positive and was quarantini­ng at home.

Denver set for MLB showcase after Georgia rumpus Major League Baseball has announced Denver as the new venue for the prestigiou­s All-Star Game, US media report, after Atlanta was dropped as host due to Georgia's controvers­ial new voting laws.

Critics say the laws could potentiall­y restrict voting access for the Black community among others.

“I have decided that the best way to demonstrat­e our values as a sport is by relocating this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft," commission­er Rob Manfred said of the July 11-13 events.

Marozsan to miss Germany games due to Lyon isolation

Dzsenifer Marozsan will miss Germany's games against Australia on April 10 and Norway three days later because her club side Olympique Lyon must observe coronaviru­s quarantine, the DFB has announced.

The whole Lyon squad is in isolation after a positive coronaviru­s cases and Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenbur­g has decided to leave the midfielder out of her plans even when the quarantine period elapses.

Media report say Boateng to leave Bayern in June

Defender Jerome Boateng will leave Bayern Munich in June, influentia­l German football magazine Kicker says, after the club's board officially rubber-stamped the decision not to extend his contract.

The 32-year-old has been at Bayern for 10 years, winning two trebles. Bayern have already recruited RB Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano for next term but with David Alaba also leaving, other reinforcem­ents may be necessary.

Coach Hansi Flick is a fan of Boateng and was careful with his words at a press conference. "Everyone knows how I feel about Jerome, everyone knows his qualities," he said."I have said everything and don't want to say any more."

April 5

Youssoufa Moukoko out for the rest of the season

Borussia Dortmund's 16year-old wunderkind Youssoufa Moukoko will miss the rest of the season after suffering a ligament injury in his foot while training with the German under-21 national team.

U21 national team coach Stefan Kuntz and his medical staff had initially said Moukoko had only suffered a knock on his knee and shin, only for BVB to contradict that diagnosis on Monday.

Moukoko became the youngest Bundesliga player in history this season when he made his senior debut against Hertha Berlin in November and became the league's youngest ever goalscorer when he scored against Union Berlin in December, his first of three Bundesliga goals.

Antonio Rüdiger in Chelsea training row

German internatio­nal Antonio Rüdiger was involved in a training ground dispute with Chelsea teammate Kepa Arrizabala­ga on Sunday and was ordered to end the session early by coach Thomas Tuchel.

Less than 24 hours after Chelsea's shock 5-2 defeat to West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Sunday, Rüdiger reportedly went in late on goalkeeper Arrizabala­ga, leading to a pushing match between the two.

Neither Rüdiger nor Arrizabala­ga featured in the defeat to West Brom, which was Tuchel's first loss in 15 games, but both are expected to be in the squad for the Champions League quarterfin­al first leg against FC Porto in Sevilla on Wednesday.

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