WORLD OF SPORT
▷▷▷ Angry Korean fan flies to Sweden to meet Ronaldo
An angry South Korean fan flew to Sweden to confront Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo for sitting out a friendly in Seoul, the latest in a bizarre row that has prompted a police investigation. In an 11-minute clip posted on his Youtube channel, which has racked up nearly 3,000,000 views, Kwak Ji-hyuk approaches the Portuguese striker at a hotel in Stockholm. As Ronaldo appears in the lobby of the hotel, where Juventus were staying for last week’s International Champions Cup final, Kwak shouts in English, “Why didn’t you play in Korea?” only to be ignored. Ronaldo remained on the bench throughout last month’s exhibition game in the Korean capital, enraging fans who threatened a class action lawsuit and prompting a police probe into alleged fraud. Kwak – who describes himself as a former die-hard Ronaldo fan – films himself making several more attempts to grab the star’s attention, including waving a sign written in Portuguese. “Even when I put the sign right in front of his eyes, I was utterly ignored,” Kwak says in the video.
▷▷▷ Chinese fans mourn Honduran Martinez
Heart-broken Chinese football fans placed drinks, scarves and candles outside Beijing Guoan’s stadium in a fast-growing memorial to former forward Walter Martinez, who has died aged 37. The Honduras international suffered a suspected heart attack on Monday in New York, Chinese Super League side Guoan said, plunging the club and its supporters into mourning. Martinez, whose career was stymied by injuries, started out in his native Honduras before stints with Beijing in 2007/08 and 2010/12. He later had a spell in Major League Soccer with San Jose Earthquakes. He retired from football in 2016. “We hope there is football in heaven,” the club said. “Beijing will miss you!”
▷▷▷ US women’s team not giving on equal pay bid
US women’s football players reached an impasse on Wednesday in mediation with the US Soccer Federation in their dispute over equal pay with the American men’s squad. Molly Levinson, a spokesperson for the players, said the group will “eagerly look forward to a jury trial”. The US captured their second straight World Cup title last month in France, chants of “Equal Pay” ringing in the air after they won the final. “It is clear that USSF, including its board of directors and president Carlos Cordeiro, fully intend to continue to compensate women players less than men. They will not succeed,” Levinson said after talks failed.