FIFA holds meeting amid Qatar storm
ZURICH: Global football’s governing body FIFA on Thursday kicked off a crunch meeting amid claims of rights abuses by 2022 World Cup Qatar and wrangling over plans to hold the tournament in the winter.
FIFA’S executive committee had already been scheduled to grapple with the issue of whether to shift the World Cup from its traditional June and July slot in order to escape the stifling Gulf heat, a plan which has angered European leagues that fear midseason havoc.
But the pressure rose to fever pitch ahead of the two-day meeting behind closed doors at FIFA’S Swiss base, after new charges of slavery-style treatment of migrant labourers working on Qatar’s massive infrastructure projects for the 2022 tournament.
INJURED BALE IN WALES’ WORLD CUP SQUAD LONDON: Gareth Bale, the world’s most expensive player, was named Thursday in the Wales squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Macedonia and Belgium later this month despite a thigh injury. But Wales manager Chris Coleman said the 24-year-old forward would not play in either match. INDIA GEAR UP FOR AFC U19 QUALIFIERS
DOHA: India may not wear the favourites tag in their Group ahead of the Asian Football Confederations (AFC) U-19 Championship (Qualifiers) but they can surely roll back time to draw a lot of inspiration as they gear up for hosts Qatar in their opening match at the Al Arabi Stadium Friday.
The present bunch came agonisingly close to qualifying in the quarterfinals of the AFC U-16 Championships last year in Tehran and that must inspire them to go one step ahead this time. EDINBURGH: Former American boxing star Mike Tyson has reportedly been accused of trying to lure boxers who might be candidates for the US Olympic team in the 2016 Games in Rio.
The head of the USA Boxing has written an open letter to the former world heavyweight champion, accusing his newlyformed promotion company Iron Mike Productions of offering money to the best amateur fighters to turn professional
According to The Scotsman, Dr Charles Butler said in his letter that Tyson’s company had particularly attempted to lure a teenaged fighter, Florida-based Erickson Lubin, who is widely believed to be the country’s best hope for gold at the Rio Games.
Stating that the money being offered by Tyson is ‘pennies on the dollar’ of what Lubin’s earning potential could be if he won an Olympic medal, Butler urged Tyson to use his money to assist young boxers and boxing by donating for athlete stipends to support their training instead of taking them away from USA.