WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016 SPORTS Ceferin warns Croatia on ‘drastic sanctions’

ZAGREB: UEFA president Aleksander and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. Ceferin yesterday warned Croatia it risked “I warned both prime minister and drastic sanctions for hooliganism which Davor that ... there is a serious possibility he labelled a key problem. for the toughest sanctions,” he said with- “Unfortunately, Croatian football is not out elaborating. known only by excellent players but also Suker expressed hope that the state by certain problems that need to be institutions, notably the judiciary and the solved,” Ceferin told reporters in Zagreb. interior ministry, would help the federa- “One is the problem with fans, inci- tion in the fight against fans’ violence. “It is dents, which might result in drastic sanc- important that we get a fair and just law tions,” he said. Ceferin, who took over the UEFA helm in September, was speaking on hooligans,” Suker said. after meeting head of the Croatian Ceferin said that Croatia’s other prob- Football Federation (HNS) Davor Suker lem was its poor football infrastructure. The country has had a series of FIFA and UEFA sanctions over unruly fans known for throwing flares at matches, chanting fas- cist slogans and displaying pro-Nazi sym- bols. Croatia were docked a point by UEFA after their fans painted a swastika on the pitch in Split ahead of their June 2015 qualifier with Italy. Croatia’s Euro 2016 match against the Czech Republic in France in June had to be suspended for a while over flare throw- ing. Hooliganism has increased in Croatia over the past four years since Suker, a for- mer international striker, took over as HNS president. Some fans believe Suker and the feder- ation are too closely linked with contro- versial former Dinamo Zagreb boss Zdravko Mamic, a key figure in Croatian LANDOVER: Wide receiver Jamison Crowder #80 of the Washington Redskins the ball against James Bradberry #24 and free football. The fans accuse Mamic, indicted safety Tre Boston #33 of the in the fourth quarter at FedExField on Monday, in Landover, Maryland. — AFP ZAGREB: UEFA President Aleksander this year in a multi-million-euro corruption Ceferin addresses a press conference at case, of unfairly profiting from football the headquarters of the Croatian Football and have staged protests against the Federation in Zagreb yesterday. — AFP national team in response. —AFP Newton-led Panthers BRIEFS Kuwait disabled team aim roll past Redskins

to win GCC championship WASHINGTON: Cam Newton passed for 300 yards and two , Jonathan NFL result/standings ABU DHABI: Kuwait’s National Disabled Neymar and Luis Suarez until 2021, Barca Stewart rushed for 132 yards and the Team is aiming to win the title of the 8th are desperate to keep hold of the five- Carolina Panthers defeated the Washington Carolina 26, Washington 15. GCC Wheelchair Basketball time World Player of the Year, whose deal Redskins 26-15 Monday night at FedEx Field. Championship, set to kick off later in Abu expires in 2018. “He’s at home here...I Newton completed 21 of 37 passes and Conference National Football Conference Dhabi. The Kuwaiti team is looking for- believe Leo is fully convinced he’s in the AFC East NFC East ward to win the tournament for the 8th best place he can be,” said Bartomeu.It’s tight end Greg Olsen had six catches for 85 W L TOTL PF PA PCT Dallas 12 2 0 0 366 258 .857 time in a row, despite the fierce competi- been a tumultuous year for Messi off the yards for Carolina, which scored 10 points in New England 12 2 0 0 365 233 .857 NY Giants 10 4 0 0 272 250 .714 tion from other Gulf teams who seek to pitch though, with him and his father the third quarter to go up by 14. Graham Gano kicked four field goals as the Panthers Miami 9 5 0 0 315 314 .643 Washington 7 6 1 0 345 343 .536 win their first title, Chairman of Kuwait sentenced to 21 months in jail for tax Buffalo 7 7 0 0 358 314 .500 held on for its second straight win. Philadelphia 5 9 0 1 316 299 .357 Disabled Sports Club (KDSC) Shafi Al- fraud. NY Jets 4 10 0 0 242 358 .286 Hajri told KUNA. The opening match The loss leaves the Redskins (7-6-1) now NFC North AFC North Detroit 9 5 0 0 301 285 .643 between Kuwait and the UAE will be Shelvey banned on the outside looking in at the playoffs with Pittsburgh 9 5 0 0 341 276 .643 Green Bay 8 6 0 0 363 339 .571 tough, he noted, expecting the winning for racial abuse two games remaining. Carolina (6-8) mean- Baltimore 8 6 0 0 306 263 .571 Minnesota 7 7 0 1 264 259 .500 team to achieve the championship’s title. LONDON: England international mid- while, keeps its very slim playoff hopes alive. Cincinnati 5 8 1 0 288 293 .393 Chicago 3 11 0 0 248 320 .214 The Kuwaiti team went under a strict fielder Jonjo Shelvey has been banned Kirk Cousins passed for 316 yards on 32 of Cleveland 0 14 0 1 220 408 0 NFC South training camp for the event, hosting six for five games after he was found guilty 47 passing with one . DeSean AFC South Atlanta 9 5 0 1 469 358 .643 friendly matches against the Egyptian of using racially abusive language by an Jackson caught seven passes for 111 yards. Houston 8 6 0 0 250 294 .571 team before heading to Turkey for fur- independent panel yesterday. The 24- The Redskins were held to 29 yards rushing. Tennessee 8 6 0 0 340 323 .571 Tampa Bay 8 6 0 1 313 322 .571 ther preparation, Al-Hajri said. year-old-who won the last of his six caps New Orleans 6 8 0 0 406 392 .429 The Panthers have won five straight ver- Indianapolis 7 7 0 1 362 339 .500 in 2015 — was also fined £100,000 Jacksonville 2 12 0 0 260 359 .143 Carolina 6 8 0 0 337 352 .429 Barca ready to make ($123,000, 118,000 euros) for abusing sus Washington, which fell to 2-16 in Monday night games at FedEx Field. AFC West NFC West Messi best paid Moroccan midfielder Romain Saiss dur- Seattle 9 4 1 0 298 235 .679 Redskins cornerback Josh Norman played Oakland 11 3 0 0 377 336 .786 BARCELONA: Barcelona president Josep ing his side Newcastle United’s 2-0 Arizona 5 8 1 0 340 325 .393 his first game against his former team, who Kansas City 10 4 0 0 319 274 .714 Maria Bartomeu indicated the Spanish defeat by Wolves in their second tier Denver 8 6 0 1 299 258 .571 Los Angeles 4 10 0 0 197 328 .286 let him leave after four seasons when they champions are prepared to make Lionel Championship clash in September. San Diego 5 9 0 1 366 366 .357 San Francisco 1 13 0 1 264 434 .071 Messi the world’s highest-paid player to Shelvey, who has been instrumental in rescinded his franchise tag in the spring. keep the Argentine superstar at the club. Newcastle’s drive for an immediate Norman nearly had an interception when he “Leo Messi is the best (player) in the his- return to the Premier League, was broke up a third-quarter Newton pass in the tory of football and we want him to stay reported to the match referee by Saiss’s end zone. with us,” Bartomeu told reporters yester- team-mates but he strongly denies mak- After Gano missed a 38-yard field-goal Team Sky confident UKAD day. “There will be negotiations...but ing any such remarks. “Jonjo Shelvey has attempt with 5:37 left and Carolina up 23-12, even if I don’t want to talk about figures, been given a five-match suspension and Cousins and Jackson connected twice — will find no wrongdoing if he’s the best player in the world it £100,000 fine after an FA misconduct once on an incomplete call that was reversed makes sense that he is so from all points charge against him was found proven,” after a challenge-and Dustin Hopkins’ 34- of view.” After extending the contracts of read the FA statement. LONDON: Team Sky are co-operating fully UKAD launching an investigation into allega- yard field goal pulled Washington within with a UK Anti-Doping investigation into a tions of wrongdoing. eight points with 3:44 remaining. package sent to Bradley Wiggins at the end of A Daily Mail story revealing that a package On the next possession, Stewart ripped the 2011 Dauphine race and are “confident” had been delivered by a British Cycling coach Real Madrid’s transfer off a 34-yard gain on first down and Gano’s no wrongdoing will be found, they said yes- to Team Sky in 2011 followed shortly after 41-yarder with 1:12 left sealed the win for terday. cyber hackers accessed the World Anti- ban cut on appeal at CAS the Panthers, who didn’t have a turnover. The British team issued a statement fol- Doping Agency (WADA) database. Washington’s Will Blackmon fielded the lowing boss Dave Brailsford’s cross-examina- They released details of Therapeutic Use tion by a Culture Media and Sport committee Exemptions (TUEs) issued to Wiggins ahead LAUSANNE: Real Madrid’s transfer ban about the verdict. second-half kickoff three yards deep and brought it out, but only to the 15. On the on Monday at which he revealed the “mys- of the 2011 and 2012 Tour de France and the was cut yesterday, allowing the club to sign “The decision highlights the injustice of tery” package contained the over-the-counter 2013 Giro d’Italia. next play, Panthers defensive end Wes new players sooner than expected. the original ban imposed by FIFA, although decongestant Fluimucil. Brailsford, who prides himself on Team Sky The Court of Arbitration for Sport par- the club regrets that the CAS lacked the Horton hit Cousins, recovered the ensuing Earlier at the same hearing former coach being the world’s cleanest cycling team, tially upheld Madrid’s appeal against FIFA, courage to revoke the ruling entirely,” and was brought down at the 1. Shane Sutton confirmed that the package admitted during the hearing that he had han- keeping the team barred from registering Madrid said in a statement. Newton hit Mike Tolbert and it was 20-3 had contained medicine although he did not dled the situation regarding the package and new players only in the January trading The court gave an urgent ruling Tuesday while fans were still returning to their seats. know what it was. Sutton said it had been Wiggins’ TUEs badly but insisted there had period. But Madrid can now sign new play- and is expected to publish its full reasons in Gano’s 23-yarder with 5:07 left in the third administered to Wiggins by team doctor been no intention to mislead. ers in the offseason transfer period starting several weeks. Madrid denied wrongdoing quarter increased the lead to 23-9. Richard Freeman. He told MPs that an invoice “should be in June. FIFA had imposed a one-year trans- in signing young players from outside Thanks in part to a 17-yard sideline catch “Dave gave public evidence to the Select there” to document the shipment of Fluimucil fer ban in January. Its appeal panel con- Spain who played in games since 2005. by Jackson that was originally ruled incom- Committee yesterday for an hour as part of - a drug that loosens mucus and which is not firmed the sanction to take effect for 2017. The case involved the sons of current their inquiry into anti-doping,” Team Sky said on WADA’s prohibited list. Madrid must also pay FIFA a fine of coach Zinedine Zidane. Madrid’s signings plete before the Redskins challenged it, Washington drove to the Carolina 10. On the in a statement. “There’s always lessons to be learned and 240,000 Swiss francs ($233,000), reduced were registered by the Spanish soccer “As we have always said we believe what is you start with yourself. I could have done a lot last play of the quarter, running back Rob from 360,000 Swiss francs ($350,000) by the federation, which has repeatedly allowed most important is for UKAD to establish the better quite frankly,” Brailsford said on single judge who heard the case. clubs to break FIFA rules designed to pre- Kelly lost two yards and tight end Jordan truth independently. We are confident that Monday. “Considering that the infractions com- vent trafficking of minors. FIFA previously Reed was ejected for punching a Carolina when they report it will be clear that there “We have reviewed all our policies and mitted by Real Madrid were less serious fined the federation 220,000 Swiss francs player after the play. has been no wrongdoing.” how we use TUEs in the future and how do and less numerous than argued by the FIFA ($214,000). Barcelona served a one-year Pushed back 15 yards, the Redskins ulti- Team Sky and British Cycling have come we gain and provide transparency while pro- judiciary bodies, the (judge) ruled that the signing embargo in 2015, and Atletico mately settled for a field goal, cutting the under the spotlight in recent months with tecting competitive advantage.” — Reuters sanctions imposed on Real Madrid had to Madrid is currently appealing its one-year deficit to 23-12 with 14:08 left. be reduced,” the court said in a statement. ban at CAS. Atletico has accepted not to The teams traded field goals early and Still, the club - which on Sunday added sign players in January and has reached the Club World Cup trophy to its an agreement with CAS to reach a verdict Carolina took a 10-3 lead after going 84 Champions League title - complained by June. — AP yards in eight plays. Newton capped the drive when he found Ted Ginn, Jr. wide open in the end zone from 30 yards out with 1:50 remaining in the first quarter. Three plays from scrimmage later, Carolina safety intercepted Cousins and returned it 27 yards to the Redskins 24. The Panthers drove inside the five, but settled for a 23-yard Gano field goal to make it 13-3 early in the second quarter. A Newton penalty cost the Panthers a chance for three more. He slid after picking up a yard on third-and-9 at the Redskins 27, and Trent Murphy dove at Newton and appeared to hit his head. Murphy wasn’t flagged, but Newton lobbed the ball at him and got a 15-yard taunting penalty that pushed Carolina out of field-goal range. Cousins made the Panthers pay, leading a seven play, 89-yard drive. Kelly caught passes LONDON: A video grab from footage broadcast by the UK Parliament’s Parliamentary of 17 and 22 yards, then bulled in from the 5- Recording Unit (PRU) shows Team Sky director Dave Brailsford answering questions at a TUNIS: Henry Kasperczak, the Franco-Polish man in charge of selecting the Tunisian Commons select committee in London on Monday. Brailsford is one of six witnesses yard line with 3:43 left in the second quarter. football team speaks to the journalists during a press conference in Tunis yesterday. appearing before the Culture, Media and Sport select committee in Westminster today as Kasperczak unveiled an expanded list of 41 players for Tunisia in preparation for the Dustin Hopkins missed the extra point and part of its long-running inquiry into sport’s fight against doping. — AFP CAN 2017. — AFP Washington trailed 13-9. — Reuters