Sports News Bribery claims stack up against disgraced former Fifa VP Jack Warner
Wawrinka dashes Djokovic's Career Slam dream to win maiden French Open STAN Wawrinka shattered Novak Djokovic's dream of completing the career Grand Slam on Sunday when he became the oldest winner of the French Open in 25 years. The 30-year-old Swiss claimed a famous 46, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory to secure his second career Major after the 2014 Australian Open. It ended world number one Djokovic's bid to become only the eighth man to secure a career Slam as he slumped to his third defeat in a Roland Garros final in four years. Wawrinka became the oldest champion in Paris since Andres Gomez in 1990 after just his fourth win in 21 meetings against the Serb. "It's really hard to believe but it has finally happened," said Wawrinka, who fired 60 winners past the Serb. "It was the match of my life. But bravo to Novak, it's a great challenge, the biggest one to play him. It's a special moment for me." Sunday's (7 June) shock defeat, meanwhile, was only Djokovic's third in 44 outings in 2015 and ended his 28-match win streak. It was also his eighth loss in 16 finals at the majors. Djokovic, playing in his 16th Grand Slam final to Wawrinka's second, had the Swiss player under siege in the first set. Eighthseeded Wawrinka had to save break points in the opening game -- which featured a 39shot rally -- and the fifth. But the world number one broke through for a 4-3 lead when Wawrinka served up a double fault. The battling 30-year-old Swiss saved two set points in the 10th game -- one after a botched forehand put-away by Djokovic -and then carved out a first break opportunity. That was swiftly saved and the Serb gobbled up the opener after 43 minutes, celebrating with a mighty, arena-shaking roar.
Wawrinka cranked up the forehand winners early in the second set but was unable to convert two break points in the fourth game as Djokovic's renowned powers of recovery made him an intimidating target to pass. Wawrinka, who had knocked Roger Federer out in the quarter-finals, saw another break point disappear in the sixth game. In the eighth, it was the same story as Djokovic saved another break point, causing Wawrinka to violently smash his racquet into the net in frustration. But he wasn't to be denied as Djokovic surrendered the set in the 10th game with a wild backhand, collecting a warning for destroying his racquet in the Parisian clay. Djokovic was playing for the third day in succession, having needed five sets to beat Andy Murray in the semi-finals. Suddenly, he looked suddenly jaded and unplugged, fighting off three break opportunities in the second game of the third set. He dropped serve again to trail 4-2 and when he carved out a break point in the next game it was his first such morsel since the seventh game of the opener. It was no surprise when Wawrinka wrapped up the set in the ninth game with Djokovic having no answer to his opponent's lethal battery of down-the-line backhands and pinpoint accurate forehand winners. Djokovic found a late lease of life for a break at 2-0 and held for 3-0 at the start of the fourth set. But Wawrinka stormed right back, retrieving the service break on the back of a 30-stroke rally before Djokovic saved two more break points to go to 4-3. In a rollercoaster fourth set, the Swiss saved three break points in the eighth game and on the back of three of probably his finest ever backhands, broke for 5-4. It was another textbook backhand that won him the title on his second Championship point. AP, Paris
DISGRACED former Fifa vice president Jack Warner was accused on Sunday of asking Egypt for a $7 million bribe for votes to host the 2010 World Cup, as allegations piled up against the man at the heart of the corruption scandal engulfing international football's governing body. The BBC also claimed that the 72-yearold Trinidadian pocketed a $10 million payment made by South Africa through Fifa which was intended to pay for football development for the African diaspora in the Caribbean. Warner, a former schoolteacher and Trinidadian justice minister who has been indicted by the US authorities on corruption charges, has denied all the allegations against him. But he has emerged as a key figure in the scandal that erupted last month as one of 14 current or former Fifa officials and sports marketing executives accused by US prosecutors of taking part in a sweeping kickbacks scheme going back 20 years involving a total of $150 million in bribes. The scandal, which also involves a Swiss probe into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively, has led to the resignation of veteran Fifa boss Sepp Blatter last week, just four days after his re-election for a fifth successive term. In the latest allegation against Warner, former Egyptian sports minister Aley Eddine Helal said Warner asked Egypt in 2004 to pay a $7 million bribe in exchange for seven votes to host the 2010 World Cup. "Warner was the one who approached us from Fifa. He said he could guarantee us seven votes... He asked for one million dollars for each vote," claimed Helal, who told an Egyptian TV channel that Warner's offer had been rebuffed. Egypt, one of the countries dominating African football, was a candidate to host the 2010 World Cup, but it received no votes in the 2004 Fifa ballot and South Africa was eventually chosen to host the tournament, held in Africa for the first time. 'Laundered the payment' The BBC, citing documents it has seen, also said on Sunday that Warner laundered the payment from South Africa through a supermarket chain, made cash withdrawals, paid off his credit cards, and took personal loans. US investigators suspect the $10 million was a bribe to help secure the 2010 World Cup for South Africa. But South Africa says the money, paid in 2008, was intended to pay for football development for the African diaspora in the Caribbean, where Warner was the longtime football baron. In three transactions in 2008, funds totalling $10 million were moved from Fifa's bank into an account of Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association
Football (CONCACAF) which was controlled by Warner, then its president. The BBC said JTA Supermarkets, a large chain in Trinidad, received $4.86 million paid in instalments, while nearly $1.6 million was used to pay Warner's credit cards and personal loans. Trinidad's Sports Minister Brent Sancho, a former international footballer, said he was appalled by the revelations. "He (Warner) must face justice, he must answer all of these questions. Justice has to be served," said Sancho, who played in all three of Trinidad's matches at the 2006 World Cup finals. 'A travesty' "I'm devastated because a lot of that money should have been back in football, back in the development of children playing the sport," Sancho told the BBC, describing the revelations as a "travesty". Warner was arrested on May 29 at the request of US authorities and is currently free on bail of $400,000 bail pending a decision in his extradition case. Warner, still a powerful member of parliament in Trinidad and Tobago, has taken out paid advertisements in the Trinidadian media, published articles in local newspapers, and held rallies with his Independent Liberal Party to defend himself. The South African federation issued a statement on Sunday denying the accusations levelled at them by another disgraced former Fifa executive Chuck Blazer. In testimony released by the US justice department, the former North American football supremo claimed he and other Fifa executives agreed to accept bribes during bidding for the 1998 and 2010 events. South Africa has strongly denied that it paid bribes to secure the football extravaganza -- the first hosted in Africa and a key plank of Blatter's pledges when he took over as Fifa president in 1998. "We categorically deny that this was a bribe in return for a vote," the South African federation said. "It belittles the hard work done by Madiba (Nelson Mandela), Archbishop Tutu, the South African Government and numerous others who sacrificed their time and money and family lives to make our country proud! It tarnishes their images in the most unscrupulous manner." AFP
Boxer Mandeep Kaur laments lack of proper coach CHANDIGARH: Back home after winning a gold in the World Junior Boxing Championship in Taipei, boxer Mandeep Kaur Sandhu was given a grand welcome by her family and supporters at the Chandigarh International Airport. Talking about her struggles and experiences, Mandeep related how she reached the top without getting help from a professional boxing coach. The 15-year-old practises at the Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy in Chakar, a village near Ludhiana. "I was interested in boxing since my childhood days. I used to watch my brother go to the Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy for practice. Gradually, I learnt the tricks of boxing by just observing the senior trainees at the academy. I never had a professional boxing coach to train me. Whatever I have Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533
learnt is by observing my fellow mates," reflected Mandeep.
"My goal is to be like Mary Kom. I also want to win an Olympic medal for the country. But for that, I need a boxing coach to train me in the latest techniques of the game. I hope the Punjab government can get a professional boxing coach for our academy," said Mandeep. The boxer was also honoured by the Punjab government, and has been promised a reward of Rs 1 lakh. Mandeep, however, feels that the amount is too little to sustain her boxing-related activities. She is also apprehensive about the government's promise. "The demands of professional boxing these days are huge. Rs 1 lakh will be spent in a year. If I have to bring further laurels to the country and the state in boxing, the government should support my training financial-
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ly. I also feel that the amount promised by the government may not come to me. I will only believe their announcement when the cheque comes to me," said Mandeep. The gold medallist also wished that the Punjab government would give her a suitable job, which would relieve her of the financial constraints. Mandeep had won gold in the 52kg category in the World junior championship on Saturday. She defeated Irish boxer Niamh Earley in the final by a convincing 3-0 margin. She dominated her weight category throughout the championship and registered some emphatic victories. Indian junior women boxers returned with a rich haul of 6 medals - including 3 gold, 2 silver and a bronze.
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