After Champions League ‘fiasco,’ UEFA probes what went wrong
Some key matters will need to be scrutinized when a UEFA-commissioned independent review assesses the disorder and chaos surrounding the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid in Paris. European soccer’s governing body says “evidence will be gathered from all relevant parties” regarding the off-field issues that marred one of the world’s biggest club games on Saturday. That evidence should include the planning and organization of the event, the policing and stewarding, ticketing, the messaging and reaction of UEFA officials and any role that locals played in exploiting the problems.
The French government is blaming Liverpool fans. The English club is enraged by the “irresponsible, unprofessional” rush to conclusions. European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, will now try to uncover what went wrong in the disorder and chaos in Paris at the Champions League final before Liverpool lost to Real Madrid.
UEFA is starting to gather evidence about issues outside the Stade de France that marred one of the world’s biggest games in sports on Saturday.
NFL: At the request of prosecutors, a suburban Denver judge on Tuesday dismissed charges against Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy stemming from a dispute with his girlfriend that landed him in jail. Arapahoe County District Court Judge Chantel Contiguglia closed the case after the county district attorney’s office filed a motion to dismiss the charges, said Eric Ross, a spokesman for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Contiguglia also vacated a court hearing to enter a plea that had been scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, Ross said. That allowed Jeudy to attend the Broncos’ OTA practice Tuesday afternoon.
■ The former longtime partner of ex-NFL quarterback Mark Rypien has filed a personal injury lawsuit against him alleging years of physical and emotional abuse. The Spokesman-Review reported that Danielle Wade filed the lawsuit in Spokane County Superior Court. The couple have spoken publicly in the past about violence in their home believed to be a consequence of head trauma Rypien experienced during a 14-year NFL career after playing in college at Washington State.
NBA: The Cavaliers on Tuesday hired former Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton as an assistant under J.B. Bickerstaff. The 42-yearold Walton finished his 11-year NBA playing career with the Cavs in 2012 before getting into coaching. He spent nine years playing for the Lakers, winning NBA titles in 2009 and 2010. Walton coached the Lakers from 2017-19 before going to Sacramento. He spent two-plus seasons with the Kings, but was fired following a 6-11 start last season.
Golf: Jack Nicklaus says he met with a Saudi Arabian group as a courtesy and had “zero interest” in running a rival golf circuit now being led by Greg Norman. Nicklaus was unusually brief, with three questions related to the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational series that is set to start next week outside of London.