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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 17, 2016
Chris Lewis talks about prison time to educate youngsters CHRIS Lewis, the former England all-rounder, has worked in cricket for the first time since his release from prison in June last year, having served six years of a 13year sentence for smuggling liquid cocaine in the UK. Lewis, who played his last professional match in 2008 after a brief comeback for Surrey at the age of 40, was jailed in May 2009, having been arrested at Gatwick Airport on December 2008 with liquid cocaine valued at more than £140 000 hidden in fruit tins in his cricket bag. He is now using his experiences to educate young players of the importance of planning for life after the cricket by working with the Professional Cricketers’ Association. He attended this year’s Rookie Camp - a day organised by the PCA for young county players. “It has been a long time since I have been around cricket, a lot has happened since I last walked out of the door of a cricket ground so I suppose I wasn’t sure about the reaction I would get,” Lewis said. “There was a little bit of apprehension about talking about the subject matter which is quite emotive for a lot of people. But I feel good about today. I hope the young guys got a little bit from it. I
have spoken to one or two of them and it seems to be something that will perhaps stick in their memory. “It’s not the kind of story that you forget very easily,” he added. “If it
Former England all-rounder Chris Lewis helps the young players here to think they need to plan otherwise they will end up like Chris Lewis then it’s job done.” Talking after his release from prison last year, Lewis said he had not given serious thought to
what he would do once his cricket career ended. “You try different things to try to generate cash. You are not talking about the same level of cash as when you played. You are talking about a level of cash that, now you are living a normal life - to sort that out. Coming back to play T20 for Surrey, that didn’t work and at the same time the old hips played up. “I had spent a bit of money. I had been away to Australia to train to try to get fit to come back to do the Twenty20 so money had been spent and nothing had been earned. I became afraid of what the future held and at that point the thinking actually went awry. “I made choices that I shouldn’t have made and that were the wrong choices and that, in the end. I should say sorry for because they were the wrong choices, and I do say sorry for.” Lewis was appearing alongside Mervyn Westfield, the former Essex bowler, who was jailed for his role in spot-fixing and has worked regularly with the PCA since his release from prison, while former England paceman Simon Jones also spoke about his experiences during and after his playing career. (ESPN Cricinfo)
Brazil court blocks Neymar from using assets worth almost $50 million By Andrew Downie SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - A federal court in Sao Paulo has blocked Barcelona striker Neymar from using almost $50 million worth of assets -- including a yacht, a jet and properties, officials told Reuters yesterday. The move was taken as the 24-year-old Brazilian is accused of tax evasion between 2011 and 2013. The court froze 188.8 million reais ($46.7 million) in assets last September but Neymar had been free to use those assets until now. Officials also corrected the amount to 192 million reais ($47.5 million). “Official documents were sent to several entities such as port authorities, offices that register properties, and civil aviation authorities (so that Neymar no
longer has use of these assets),” the judge said in a statement sent to Reuters. An appeal to block the footballer’s future earnings was, however, rejected, officials said. Among the assets frozen are three companies of which he and his father are the principal owners. Prosecutors accuse Neymar of setting up companies as fronts in order to pay a lower rate of tax. Neymar is accused of not paying 63.3 million reais ($15.7 million) in taxes between 2011 and 2013. The judge froze three times that amount for security reasons and to cover potential interest and fines, according to a judicial order explaining the seizure. Neymar’s total assets were Barcelona’s Neymar leaves the High Court after testifying before given as 244.2 million reais ($60.4 million). Neymar has a judge in Madrid, Spain. denied any wrongdoing.
West Indies Full Schedule for T20 World Cup WITH the player payment controversy behind, West Indies have settled on the final squad which will represent the region in India for the 2016 World T20. The full schedule is now available for the Caribbean team. Warm up matches will be played against India and Australia. The official 2016 campaign will commence against England on March 16th. Full Schedule for West Indies: Warm-Ups March 10th – vs India at Eden Gardens, Kolkata March 13th – vs Australia at Eden Gardens, Kolkata Official WT20 March 16th – vs England at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai March 20th – vs Sri Lanka at Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru March 25th – vs South Africa at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur March 27th – vs Qualifier at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur March 30th – Semi-Final 1 at Kotla, Delhi March 31st – Semi-Final 2 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai April 3rd – Final at Eden Gardens, Kolkata
FIFA hears Blatter appeal against eight-year ban ZURICH, Switzerland (Reuters) - Banned FIFA president Sepp Blatter was at the headquarters of football’s governing body yesterday for a hearing to appeal against his eight-year suspension from the sport. Blatter, 79, was banned in December along with European football boss Michel Platini over a payment of 2 million Swiss francs ($2 million) made to the Frenchman in 2011 by FIFA with Blatter’s approval for work done a decade earlier. FIFA’s ethics committee, which imposed the bans on Blatter and Platini, said the payment, made at a time when the former was seeking re-election, lacked transparency and presented conflicts of interest. Both men SEPP BLATTER denied wrongdoing. The case is now being heard by FIFA’s Appeal Committee. Sources close to FIFA said that Blatter had arrived at 07:30hrs local time, evading cameramen and photographers who had expected him to arrive later. Blatter’s adviser Thomas Renggli told Reuters he expected to get the verdict later this week. Football’s world ruling body is engulfed by a graft scandal that has led to the indictment of several dozen leading football officials in the United States. Platini’s appeal was heard on Monday.