WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2014 SPORTS Racism still tarnishing the game, says Thuram STOCKHOLM: Soccer has still not dealt been around for a long time, and foot- but that racism was not a problem major part in the French side that won qualify certain people. People want an with racism, according to France’s for- ball hasn’t found the right solution to among fellow players. the 1998 World Cup on home soil. advantage, so they say ‘we will disquali- mer World Cup winner Lilian Thuram rid itself of it.” “Football itself helps to combat Thuram’s only two international fy these people so that I can compete.’” who is also concerned at the rise of “Take the example of Dani Alves,” he racism, as it’s starting point is to create goals in his 142 caps both came in the “I believe that those who are attract- right-wing parties in the European elec- added, referring to a recent incident relationships between players. Because 2-1 semi-final victory against Croatia, ed to parties like the National Front are tions. where Barcelona’s Brazilian full back it’s a game, you quickly forget skin booking his side a spot in the final, very weak people. They are afraid of As France takes stock of the election picked up a banana that was thrown at colour, religion, our origins,” he said. where they beat Brazil 3-0 in Paris. competition from others.” which saw the National Front secure 25 him and took a bite out of it before get- “It’s very difficult to have such opin- Since retiring in 2008 because of a France have been drawn in Group E percent of the vote, Thuram said he was ting on with the game. ions in the dressing room as you’re very heart defect, Thuram has dedicated in Brazil, where they will meet dismayed at the lack of progress in “The whole world thinks that his ges- tightly knit and close to one another, himself to the work of his foundation, Honduras, Switzerland and Ecuador. stamping out racism in the game and ture of eating the banana was very and generally racism occurs when peo- which aims to use education as a tool to After a woeful and bitter 2010 World said the togetherness of 1998 no longer good, but what he did wasn’t the most ple aren’t that close. defeat racism. Cup, Thuram said France had the poten- exists. important-the most important thing is With France’s far-right National Front tial to challenge for the title, providing “Football hasn’t found an answer in that the referees didn’t do anything. SHARED GOAL gaining strength, Thuram said that the the squad was unified. the last 30 years, and that is the respon- “It would have sent a very strong “We play together, we have a shared feeling of togetherness that came with “The French national team is very sibility of those that run the game,” the message if they had condemned it. The goal. Football is important, but I would the 1998 World Cup win had been tem- good, with a lot of good players. I hope 42-year-old former Monaco, Parma, awful thing is that when I was young I like to see the organisations around pered by the consequences of the eco- it’s going to work well. There’s a lot of Juventus and Barcelona defender told saw bananas thrown at black players on football do a lot more.” nomic crisis. “If the financial situation teams at the start with the capacity to Reuters in Stockholm where he was TV, and it’s still going on.” Born in Guadeloupe in 1972, Thuram was better, fewer people would be win the whole thing,” he said. I hope speaking for his Lilian Thuram Capped 142 times for France, Thuram and his family moved to France in 1981, attracted to these parties, but now we they get a good feeling in the group, a Foundation. said that he had experienced fans mak- and having made his international can see why racism exists,” he said. feeling of belonging, so that they can “Racism in football has unfortunately ing monkey noises at him as a player, debut in 1994 he went on to play a “Racism essentially is the power to dis- go a long way.” —Reuters Good, Sarota and Brillante cut from Australia squad SYDNEY: Australia coach Ange knee, was not a concern. Postecoglou cut Curtis Good, Josh Brillante Captain Mile Jedinak, who handed the and Adam Sarota from his preliminary armband to Tim Cahill for the South Africa squad for the World Cup yesterday, leaving match as he continued his recovery from a a 27-strong party to depart for Brazil. groin strain, said he was still not training Defender Good suffered a hip flexor with the rest of the squad. injury in Australia’s friendly against Ecuador “It’s progressing really well, I’m happy in March and has not played since, while where it’s at,” he said. “It’s just a matter of midfielder Sarota has been on the come- gradually stepping it up and once we’re in back trail after knee reconstruction. Brazil, hopefully, in the not too distant Postecoglou, who will cut a further four future, join up with the team.” players on June 2 to leave the final 23, said As for other injury concerns, Brillante was considered dispensable Postecoglou said first choice central because of the number of midfielders in defender Matthew Spiranovic (ankle) and the squad. experienced midfielder Mark Bresciano “It wasn’t easy decisions because obvi- (back) could have played against South ously players being so close to getting on Africa but were rested as a precaution. the plane to the World Cup, it was not the That had impacted his line-up for the best news to deliver,” he told a news confer- match against Bafana Bafana, Postecoglou ence. said, and he had not been too concerned “With Curtis, we wanted to give him by a somewhat disjointed performance. every chance ... but we tested him a few “I know where we’re at, I know where days ago and he just couldn’t get up to our progression is and, while you want to where he wanted to be. win every game, from our perspective it’s “Adam’s in his first year after knee recon- about being ready for game one at the struction. He’s worked hard to get back World Cup,” he said. playing regular football and ... it’s probably “As part of that process we’re doing cer- best he gets a good pre-season under his tain things that probably effected last belt. night’s match. I’m not disappointed, the “I rate Josh very highly but with so many intent last night was there and maybe a lit- players in his position, the balance of the tle bit of exuberance and fatigue made squad was such that one of the midfielders things scrappier than we would have liked.” had to miss out.” Australia leave Sydney for Brazil on Postecoglou said no further injury prob- Wednesday and open their campaign ST PETERSBURG: Russia’s national football team’s midfielder Igor Denisov (right) vies with Slovakia national football team midfielder Vladimir lems had emerged from Monday’s 1-1 draw against Chile on June 13 in Cuiaba with Weiss (center) during their friendly match. —AFP against South Africa and right back Ivan matches against the Netherlands and Franjic, who came off after hurting his world champions Spain to follow.—AFP Russia start WCup build-up with victory over Slovakia MOSCOW: Russia started their preparations for ure under Capello looked bright, while Miroslav vital to get the team fit,” Capello said. “Our train- the World Cup with a workmanlike 1-0 victory Stoch was industrious for the visitors, but nei- ing sessions were very intense last week, so the over Slovakia in St Petersburg on Monday with ther goalkeeper was seriously tested in the first footballers were not in peak condition. substitute Alexander Kerzhakov heading the 45 minutes. The second half had even less “I thought we were well organised in defence only goal of the game eight minutes from time. rhythm to it, as both head coaches made numer- and that is very important. In terms of our Fabio Capello chose a strong starting line-up, ous substitutions. Alexander Kokorin thought he attack, I am sure that we can play better. We with seven almost certain to be in the first 11 for had put Russian in front after latching onto a needed to move it quicker.” Russia’s opening World Cup game against South glorious through ball by Sergei Ignashevich “I am really happy that no one picked up an Korea in Cuiaba on June 17. before lifting the ball over Jan Mucha. injury.” Russia will continue their World Cup The opening 15 minutes set the tempo for However, the Dynamo Moscow forward was preparations with a friendly in Oslo against the game, with the Russians clearly not wanting adjudged to have been marginally offside. With Norway on May 31 and play their final warm-up to risk injury ahead of their first World Cup the match petering out into a draw, substitute game against Morocco at home on June 6, appearance in 12 years, while the Slovaks Kerzhakov headed Russia into the lead when he before departing for Brazil the following day. already had one eye on their summer holidays was left completely unmarked meeting Maxim After Capello’s men open their World Cup Group after missing out on qualification.