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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday February 29, 2016
FIFA head Infantino must mend bridges, sort out finances By Brian Homewood ZURICH, (Reuters)-Gianni Infantino will mark his first working day as president of soccer’s governing body today by playing in a soccer match with Swiss-based FIFA employees battered for months by an unfolding corruption scandal. The match symbolises a return to the primary focus of FIFA that for some has been lost in tales of high-living by top executives and abuses that culminated in the banning of Infantino’s veteran predecessor Sepp Blatter for six years. When he walks into the presidential office at FIFA’s
headquarters on a Zurich hilltop, the new incumbent will quickly have to deal with financial and administrative problems, bring back sponsors, motivate a demoralized work force and engage with clubs and players who are growing increasingly disillusioned. Previously general secretary of European soccer’s governing body UEFA, Infantino must also dispel the notion he was elected to represent only the interests of his own powerful continent. Some had expected a Bahraini rival to win the post in a tilt towards Asia for the sport. FIFA has been the subject of criminal investiga-
Notable Dates
LOCAL featherweight icon Patrick Ford was 24 years old when he tackled Fernando Jimenez of Dominican Republic on February 29, 1980 in Trinidad. Ford had an unblemished record of 13 victories in as many fights with eight stoppages. At the end of the 10-round contest held at the Jean Peirre Sports Complex the judges awarded the fight to Ford. A powerful puncher, Ford had already picked up the Guyana and World Boxing Council (WBC) FECARBOX titles. Two fights after the clash with Jimenez, Ford added the Commonwealth featherweight title to his collection. This was achieved following an eightround TKO of Nigerian Eddie Ndukwu in Lagos. Coming from a family of boxers, Ford joined the professional ranks
tions in the United States and Switzerland, although these will be lurking uncomfortably in the background rather than an immediate worry. The same goes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, awarded to Russia and Qatar in a highly controversial vote in 2010 and the subject of the Swiss investigation. One of the Swiss national’s earliest tasks will be to appoint a secretary general to take charge of day-to-day operations, a post Infantino has already indicated will go to a non-European. Another priority will be to lift the morale of the 400-odd employees at FIFA, many of whom are highly-qualified and have soldiered on for the last eight months trying to ignore the chaos at the top. “They went through a difficult time, a difficult period and I want to tell them that I count on them, that I believe in them and we will do great things together,” Infantino told a news conference after being elected. PLAYERS’ DISCONTENT
Patrick Ford in 1976. One of his finest hours occurred in September 1978. Filling in as a late replacement, Ford knocked out world rated Diego Alcala of Panama in the ninth round. Alcala came to Guyana having just lost to world super featherweight champion Alexis Arguello.
Pride condemn Scorpions to another home defeat
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica Scorpions fell to their fourth straight defeat in the WICB Professional Cricket League after losing by six wickets to Barbados Pride at Sabina Park yesterday. Set 118 for victory, Pride reached 118-4 in the postlunch session on the third day of the scheduled four-day encounter. The win gave the Barbados Pride 16 points while Scorpions collected only 3. It was the Scorpions’ third consecutive home loss this season.Scores: Scorpions 177 & 157; Pride 217 & 118-4. Player- of- the- match Roston Chase, who made a half-century in the first innings, top-scored with 35 not out, while Shane Dowrich was left unbeaten on one. Slow left-arm orthodox bowler Nikita Miller took 2-38 to end with match figures of 10-105.
FIFA’s lack of credibil-
ity has made it difficult to sign new sponsorship deals and it is facing a $108 million deficit for 2015, according to Suketu Patel, who sits
Newly elected FIFA President Gianni Infantino. on the independent audit and compliance committee. Patel said there was a shortfall of $530 million between the budgeted revenue and actual contracts signed so far for the 2015-18 cycle. Jerome Champagne, one of Infantino’s four rivals in the election, has said that two of the eight sponsorship slots for the 2018 World Cup and 20 out of 27 slots for other competitions remained unfilled. FIFA did not comment on the figures. Infantino will have to come good on the generous
promises of development funds for FIFA’s 209 member associations made during his electoral campaign. “The sponsors need to regain trust and confidence in FIFA and, if we can achieve this, then revenue streams will increase and FIFA will not have to worry about the future,” he said. “I have vast experience in this area and ….my track record showed that UEFA didn’t go bankrupt at all, on the contrary revenue increased.” He must also mend bridges with the clubs and players, who complained they were left out of the process which led to a sweeping reform package passed before Infantino was elected. FIFA’s competitions depend on a delicate agreement signed with the clubs who release their players for national team games on certain dates stipulated in an international calendar. The international players’ union FIFPro last year launched a legal complaint at the European Commission against soccer’s transfer system, which could have wide-ranging ramifications. FIFPro did not even congratulate Infantino on
his election, instead unleashing an angry statement saying it took a “dim view” of the whole process. “FIFA’s system of governance has been based on favor swapping and financial inducements, not to mention obstructing external oversight from governments and the game’s key stakeholders,” said FIFPro. “The players, much like the clubs, leagues and fans, were ignored in the latest reform.” It added that the rights of the world’s 65,000 professional players were “often blatantly overlooked and exploited as a result of FIFA’s monopolistic structure”. FIFA’s unity is another important matter. Large parts of Africa and Asia voted for main rival Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa and even Infantino’s South American allies admitted there were issues over the drain of their top players to European clubs. “We have told Infantino that clearly there are opposing interests because of the way the European market operates,” Uruguayan soccer chief Wilmer Valdez told reporters.
Superb Sabbir leads Bangaldesh to victory SABBIR Rahman’s superb 80 helped Bangladesh to a 23-run win over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup yesterday. With both teams coming into the game on the back of wins over the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh produced their best batting performance of the Twenty20 tournament in Mirpur. And it was Sabbir’s excellent 54-ball innings that proved crucial in guiding the hosts to a total of 147-7, with their bowlers defending it brilliantly as Sri Lanka could only muster 124-8. Sri Lanka, despite missing Lasith Malinga through injury, did not need long to dismiss the Bangladesh openers as Mohammad Mithun and Soumya Sarkar both went for ducks in nine balls. Sabbir mounted some-
Bangladesh claimed a second straight Asia Cup win thanks to a fine batting performance from Sabbir Rahman. thing of a recovery before a sixes – found a capable communication mix-up with partner in the middle order Mushfiqur Rahim (4) ended in Shakib Al Hasan (32). That pair put on 82 for the latter’s innings courtesy of a run out by Angelo the fourth wicket, with Sabbir’s superb innings ended Mathews. H o w e v e r, S a b b i r – by Dushmantha Chameera whose prolific innings fea- (3-30). Shakib and Mahmudtured 10 fours and three
ullah (23 not out) kept the scoreboard ticking over after Sabbir’s exit and Bangladesh claimed an early scalp in defence of their total as Tillakaratne Dilshan (12) went in the fourth over to Shakib (2-21). Dinesh Chandimal (37) and Shehan Jayasuriya’s (26) partnership of 56 appeared to have Sri Lanka in command, the former going for a run a ball before Mahmudullah (114) got him to reverse sweep to deep point. Jayasuriya then fell victim to a stumping and the wickets continued to tumble, with Sri Lanka’s middle order failing to get going. On 116-6, Sri Lanka required 32 runs from six balls, but instead Al-Amin Hossain (3-34) took two further wickets as Bangladesh claimed a second straight win. (OMNISport)