Organiser considers withdrawing Zverev from Berlin tournament
BERLIN: The organiser of an exhibition tennis tournament in Berlin said on Friday he is considering withdrawing Alexander Zverev from the line-up and has insisted there would be “zero tolerance” if the German does play, but again ignores social distancing guidelines.
Zverev, 23, has been heavily criticised after viral footage emerged of him partying in a busy bar despite pledging to “follow self-isolating guidelines” after playing in Novak Djokovic’s coronavirus-hit Adria Tour.
Zverev took part in last month’s exhibition event in Serbia organised by Djokovic, who last week tested positive for Covid-19 along with Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki.
Although Zverev tested negative, he vowed to self isolate but was purportedly filmed at a busy bar last weekend in southern France, leading Nick Kyrgios to slam his “selfish” behaviour.
Australia’s Kyrgios then got into a spat on social media over Zverev’s behaviour with legend Boris Becker, who is the chief of the men’s game at the German Tennis Federation.
Zverev and Kyrgios are scheduled to play in the Aces exhibition tournament from July 13-19 with world-number three Dominic Thiem also in the line-up.
However, the competiton’s boss
Edwin Weindorfer has taken a dim view of Zverev’s recent behaviour and is considering refusing to allow him to play.
“I could say ‘Sascha (Zverev), I take your behaviour as a breach of contract’. I have not yet decided,” Weindorfer told Munich-based newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
“The second option is that I say: ‘Sascha, you will get another chance from us, but here (in Berlin) you have very clear rules of conduct’.”
Weindorfer said he is in talks with the management of Zverev.
However, any player caught partying in the German capital can expect to be kicked out of the tournament. - AFP
BERLIN: The German Football Association (DFB) announced on Friday it is imposing a salary cap for senior officials in a bid to regain lost public trust.
Home confidence in the DFB has taken a knock in the football-mad nation since the 2015 corruption scandal over the awarding of the 2006 World Cup hosted by Germany.
Former DFB president Reinhard Grindel also resigned last year under pressure following allegations of undeclared earnings and discontent with his leadership.
In the future, members of the DFB’s board will not earn more than 246,000 euros a year ($276,534), according to the new regulations adopted.
During the coronavirus pandemic, DFB board members already waived ten percent of their salaries for a fixed period.
The governing body has made public the current salaries of its members, including current president Fritz Keller, who will earn the top salary of 246,000 euros.
“I am very pleased the committee has now found transparent regulations that are comprehensible to everyone,” said Keller.
“It must be a matter of course today to be financially transparent.” - AFP