| Genoa Trouble Could Not Happen In England - Blatter LONDON (Reuters) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter praised the transformation of English football since the dark days of hooliganism in the 1980s Wednesday and said if Italy had taken similar measures it would have avoided the trouble at Tuesday's match against Serbia in Genoa. feeds.nytimes.com |
Liverpool sale: John W Henry claims NESV have 'binding agreement' • Boston Red Sox owner believes takeover will be done soon• Sale possible following RBS court victory over Hicks and GillettLiverpool are poised for new American owners after John W Henry claimed to have "a binding agreement" with regard to the sale of the club.The battle for control at Anfield, which follows an overwhelming victory in the high court for creditors Royal Bank of Scotland and Liverpool against current owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, may be a short affair if Henry's New England Sports Ventures already have a signed and sealed deal.In a statement from NESV, Henry maintains his £300m bid is legally the only one on the table that has credence."NESV welcomes today's High Court judgment, which is a huge step forward for Liverpool FC," said Henry. "NESV has a binding agreement in place with the board of Liverpool FC and we are looking forward to concluding the deal."We are ready to move quickly and help create the stability and certainty which the club needs at this time. It is time to return the focus to the club itself and performances on the pitch."Writing on his Twitter account, Henry praised Martin Broughton, the Liverpool chairman, the managing director, Christian Purslow and the commercial director, Ian Ayre, for fighting Hicks and Gillett over their attempts to block the sale of the club.Henry wrote: "Well done Martin, Christian & Ian. Well done RBS. Well done supporters!"John W HenryLiverpoolguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Ballack expects return to pitch in 2011 Michael Ballack expects to be back in action at the start of the second half of the Bundesliga season. cbc.ca |
Goal: Barcelona 5, Real Madrid 0 Barcelona routed Real Madrid, 5-0, in Monday's Clasico at the Nou Camp, and there really isn't much more to say than that. feeds.nytimes.com |
Panorama: Allegations from the BBC but silence from Fifa's accused Panorama made claims about four key Fifa figures. What impact will the claims have on the already tarnished organisation?Ricardo TeixeiraWho is he? A former lawyer, Teixeira is the son‑in‑law of the long-term former Fifa president João Havelange and has been president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) since 1989. He joined Fifa's executive committee in 1994 and has a senior role in Brazil's hosting of the 2014 World Cup.What are the allegations? That Teixeira personally received $9.5m (£6.1m) of the money International Sports and Leisure (ISL) – the Swiss company to which Fifa awarded marketing rights for successive World Cups – paid to Liechtenstein, via one of the companies, Sanud. Panorama claims the list it obtained shows the money going to Sanud in 21 different payments. Panorama feels confident about this allegation because Teixeira's links with Sanud emerged in a 2001 Brazilian senate inquiry into the running of football in the country. Teixeira declined to comment.Is this new? Yes. The Brazilian inquiry traced financial connections between Sanud, the Liechtenstein company, and Teixeira and companies controlled by him. But Panorama's allegation is that the $9.5m to Sanud was paid by ISL.What is the impact? This is a very serious bribery allegation. Teixeira is a senior Fifa executive committee member and president of the national association in Brazil – the world's most celebrated football country, which has won the right to host the next World Cup.Nicolás LéozWho is he? The Paraguayan has been president of the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol), for 24 years, and a member of the Fifa executive committee since 1998.What are the allegations? That Léoz personally was paid $730,000 in five separate payments by ISL. The programme claims its list names Léoz personally receiving $200,000 three times in 1997 and 1998, sums which it claims were in addition to $130,000 he had been cited in court proceedings as having been paid. Léoz declined to comment.Is this new? Yes. Léoz was named as the recipient of $130,000 in bribes in January and May 2000, in Swiss court proceedings into alleged financial impropriety by ISL managers. However, the three alleged payments of $200,000 have never emerged before.What is the impact? This is a very serious bribery allegation. Fifa's response is that the Panorama allegations are not new and the Swiss authorities dealt with the allegations. However, Fifa has taken no action in relation to Léoz, despite his having been named in court proceedings for allegedly receiving bribes. He remains a powerful member of the executive committee.Issa HayatouWho is he? He is the general secretary of Fecafoot, the Cameroonian Football Association, and president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 1987. He is a Fifa vice-president and has been a member of its executive committee for 20 years. He has also been an International Olympic Committee member since 2001. He stood unsuccessfully against Sepp Blatter for the Fifa presidency in 2002 on a platform of cleaning up the organisation.What are the allegations? That Hayatou was personally paid 100,000 French francs by ISL. The programme claims that the list it has obtained, of payments by ISL to Fifa executive committee members and Liechtenstein companies, includes Hayatou, the money, and next to his name, the word barzahlung, the German for cash payment. Hayatou declined to comment.Is this new? Yes.What is the impact? This is a very serious bribery allegation. Hayatou is a long-term, senior member of the Fifa executive committee, representing increasingly significant African football nations. His support has been considered crucial figure by England's 2018 World Cup bid team, who have made personal visits to lobby him.Austin 'Jack' WarnerWho is he? He has been the president of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) since 1990 and a Fifa executive committee member for 27 years, and is a Fifa vice-president.What are the allegations? That Warner ordered $84,240 worth of tickets for World Cup matches in South Africa this summer, in order to sell them on to ticket touts. If that had happened, it would certainly be a breach of Fifa rules; the programme describes it as "continued involvement in the corrupt sale of World Cup tickets". Warner declined to comment.Is this new? Yes. Warner has previous form. In 2006, auditors Ernst and Young identified tickets bought in Warner's name for the World Cup in Germany were resold for three times the face value. A Fifa investigation subsequently found Warner's son Daryan played an active role, but "no concrete evidence" that Warner himself had been involved. Panorama claims Fifa privately ordered Warner's family company to donate $1m to charity to "compensate" for the money made from selling on the tickets.What is the impact? Serious, depending how solidly it can be proven that the tickets were intended for resale. England's 2018 World Cup bid team has assiduously courted Warner for his votes.Liechtenstein companiesWhat are they? Seven companies registered in Liechtenstein, one of Europe's most secretive tax havens, where company owners and beneficiaries are not named, and annual accounts not published.What are the allegations? That ISL paid around $100m to these Liechtenstein companies between 1989 and 1999. Panorama alleges this money was paid on to Fifa officials in bribes to award ISL the Fifa contracts.Is this new? The detail of payments made by ISL has never been revealed before, although the huge total paid out by ISL did emerge in Swiss court proceedings against ISL managers in 2008. Swiss prosecutors investigating ISL after its 2001 financial collapse stated publicly in June this year that "foreign persons of Fifa institutions" had admitted receiving money from ISL, and repaid 5.5m Swiss francs in "redress". No names were ever released. Panorama claims to have an itemised list of all the payments made, and to whom.What is the impact? A Swiss MP interviewed by the programme, Roland Büchel, said the list of payments demonstrated the need for a full, independent inquiry into Fifa's finances.FifaWorld Cup 2018World Cup 2022Jack WarnerFootball politicsDavid Connguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |