FIFA lifts ban on Messi to boost Argentina’s hopes
ZURICH: FIFA has lifted a fourmatch international suspension on Argentina forward Lionel Messi, world soccer’s ruling body said on Friday, in a significant boost to his team’s faltering World Cup qualifying campaign.
Messi, 29, was banned for insulting an assistant referee during a qualifier against Chile in March, a decision based on television images as the incident was missed by match officials.
Messi has already served one match of the ban, missing Argentina’s 2-0 defeat in Bolivia, and would also have sat out games away to Uruguay and home to Venezuela and Peru. The suspension had been imposed only hours before kickoff of the game in La Paz. Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza was fired following the defeat.
FIFA’s appeal committee described Messi’s behaviour as “reproachable”. However, it said that the “evidence available was not sufficient, according to the standards required .... in sanctioning serious incidents which have been missed by match officials.”
NEYMAR, BARCA TO STAND TRIAL
MADRID: Brazilian forward Neymar faces a corruption trial in Spain in connection with the value placed on his 2013 transfer from Santos to Barcelona, the Spanish National High Court said on Thursday.
The defendants in the pending trial are the player, his parents, the two clubs, current and former Barcelona presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, and former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues, according to a court statement.
Bartomeu, Rosell, Barcelona and Santos also face trial on fraud charges. BOLT WANTS TO BE
TOP FOOTBALLER Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt wants to become among the best footballers when he is done with athletics.
The Manchester United fan was quoted as saying the same to France’s So Foot magazine: “I have the ambition to become one of the top 50 (players in the world), if I get the chance to play regularly, and I want to be an attacker who scores at least 20 goals per season.”