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Home , Karim Benzema, Legia Warsaw, Mathieu Valbuena, UEFA Euro 2016 riots

THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016

French establishment decry Benzema racism claims

PARIS: ’s claims that racism Benoit Hamon told ’s Europe 1 radio France international over played a part in his non-selection for France’s station yesterday that Benzema was: “right to a sex tape. He faces up to five years in jail Euro 2016 squad sparked a wave of indigna- say we are in a country where racism is on over accusations he encouraged Valbuena to tion yesterday as politicians spoke out the rise.” But he insisted there was no evi- pay the blackmailers. “They said I cannot be against the Real Madrid striker’s comments. dence of Deschamps being a racist. FranÁois selected, fine. But on a sporting level, I don’t Under investigation over an alleged sex-tape Fillon who was Prime Minister for five years understand why,” he said. “At a legal level, I blackmail case, Benzema told Spanish daily between 2007-2012 and who is hoping to am still innocent until proven guilty. They that France coach run in the next presidential election rejected should wait until the justice system has made had “bowed to pressure from a racist French Benzema’s position out of hand. “I can’t stand its decision.” His path to the French Euro 2016 party” in his selection process. Patrick Kanner for that!” “Forever bringing the nation’s prob- squad was at one time cleared when legal the French Sports Minister sympathized with lems down to questions of race, religion and restrictions stopping him playing were lifted Benzema’s predicament but rejected any ethnic communities, it’s unhealthy,” he said. and it seemed he would make the squad attack on the national coach with just nine after all. But then tough-talking French Prime days to go before the start of the France World class striker Minister and other politicians hosted Euro 2016. Benzema’s comments as reported in began to oppose any rehabilitation while the “I can understand Mr Benzema’s disap- Marca echo similar accusations from the sex-tape inquiry goes on. pointment but under no circumstances are often controversial former French footballer “The only person who knows what hap- his statements acceptable regarding what he , who last week said Deschamps pened in this affair, who knows the truth, is said about Mr Deschamps’ sporting decisions had excluded Benzema and Valbuena,” Benzema told Marca. “He played a nor his personality,” Kanner said. “I call for because of their North African heritage- role, he has not told the truth. I wanted to calm, I would like us to concentrate on the drawing a threat of legal action from the help him, nothing more, and the whole thing competition and would ask everyone to get coach’s lawyer. Benzema, a world class striker blew up in my face.” The exclusion of Ben Arfa behind ‘the Blues’ (the French team) which is with five seasons at Real Madrid, was sus- and Benzema from the national squad has MADRID: Real Madrid’s French Coach (left) and Real Madrid’s what the 23 squad members will be expect- pended from international duty in December caused waves in France, which is struggling French forward Karim Benzema celebrate the team’s victory on Plaza Cibeles in ing of us. So let’s stop this non-debate,” he over a legal investigation into an alleged with racial tensions after two deadly terrorist Madrid after the UEFA Champions League final football match between Real insisted.Socialist Party parliamentarian attempt by one of his friends to blackmail attacks in . — AFP Madrid CF, Club Atletico de Madrid held in Milan. — AFP ‘Lewangoalski’ emerges from Poland’s dust

WARSAW: Out of a thick cloud of dust, it is synthetic turf but Varsovia can still not just possible to make out a scrum of boys afford to cover the pitch for the winter. “At fighting for a football. The photo is old, first, we thought it would just be a training taken years before Robert Lewandowski class,” Sikorski said of Lewandowski’s first shot to stardom. “The smallest one in the team. “But we quickly saw that it was a middle, that’s Robert,” said Krzysztof good team, so we signed them up to com- Sikorski, who coached the Bayern Munich pete. It was a masterstroke! They always striker and of Poland’s team at the brought back medals.” In 2002, the team European Championship finals when he went to a tournament in Germany. was just starting out. The 27-year-old, who Lewandowski saw his future Bayern is known as “Lewangoalski”, scored his very Munich stadium for the first time.”The guys first goals at the Varsovia youth club in the couldn’t get over seeing the beautiful Polish capital . Sikorski, who heads pitch, the changing rooms, the equip- the small club, was full of pride as he ment... a dream stadium,” said the coach. showed off a photo album of Since he was little, Lewandowski said he Lewandowski’s first team in 1997. would play for the national team, that he “We had just launched a class for boys would be the best. At 17, Lewandowski born in 1988. Robert’s dad was a fan of joined the reserve team, but , our rivals from across the was dropped. “They cut ties with him, say- street, but that year they didn’t take kids ing he was too weak, too gentle,” Sikorski born in 1988, so he reached out to us for his said. “Robert almost fell into a depression, son’s first training,” Sikorski said. “Robert was but they must regret it to this day.” small and scrawny, the tiniest in the group, Lewandowski’s career took off when he but with the biggest heart and the most tal- arrived at Lech Poznan in 2008, before ent. The smartest of them all. You could see leaving for Germany, where he became it from the get-go,” added Sikorski, who the best striker in the Bundesliga while coached Lewandowski until he was 17. playing for and now ‘Tragic’ pitch Bayern Munich. He made history at the BELGRADE: In this Saturday, April 16, 2016 file photo, Serbian riot police officers clash with Red Star soccer fans during a Serbian National soc- Varsovia was a small schoolboy club start of this by coming off the cer league match between Red Star and Partizan, in Belgrade. Hooliganism is making a comeback, and the timing could be bad with four high- formed in the late 1950s, and had only rudi- bench to score five goals in nine minutes risk matches in the first week of the European Championship in a country where the police force is already under huge strain. -—AP mentary facilities. “The pitch, it was all dirt in a 5-1 rout of Wolfsburg. A Bundesliga and sand. In the spring and fall, it was trag- record. At 12, Tomasz Dabrowski already ic. You had to constantly flatten it,” Sikorski has six years under his belt at Varsovia. Hooliganism still a threat said. “When it was hot, we watered it to lim- The football addict and Lewandowski fan it the dust but as soon as it dried in the sun, is among 700 youths enrolled in the club. it went back up in clouds. After every “To be like Lewandowski, you have to match, the guys were all black.” The club work hard during training, concentrate heading into Euro 2016 does not have space for winter training, before every match and then play as well which means the boys play in the snow or as possible,” he said. Or, as Sikorski put it: PARIS: Hooliganism is making a comeback, and Germany vs ; Slovakia vs England, and Zagreb’s BBB in the Bastille area of Paris the night at facilities leased from other Warsaw clubs. “Love the ball like Lewandowski, and the the timing could be bad with four high risk match- vs Wales - and there will be increased border before a Champions League game in Dec 2012. As The dirt ground has been replaced with ball will love you too.” — AFP es in the first week of the European Championship controls and tighter security at train stations and well as the potential for clashes between PSG’s in a country where the police force is already airports, in addition to eight police spotters from hooligans and BBB - another dark threat exists. under huge strain. Should one or more of these each country to identify potential hooligans. “There are Serbs among the former PSG hooligans, matches - England vs Russia in on June “All of those who are subject to a banning order so you can imagine what could happen,” Tregoures 11; vs the next day; and England vs will be prevented from leaving their country by said. “This kind of tournament is the opportunity to Wales and Germany vs Poland both on June 16 - their local police in so far as their legislation allows,” measure oneself.” descend into violence, the football itself could said Antoine Boutonnet, the head of French quickly become overshadowed. police’s anti-hooliganism division. “Furthermore, England vs Wales Police forces in France have been stretched since we have gathered information on potential risks Among the more prominent hooligan elements last November’s deadly terror attacks that killed 130 and will continue to do so during the tournament.” in Britain are Chelsea’s “Headhunters” and ’s people. The last thing French authorities need is But hooligans show determination and ingenuity “Soul Crew”- and hundreds fought on the Kings thugs causing mayhem. However, in the last two to avoid police detection. Road in before an FA Cup match between months alone there has been an increase in soccer the sides in 2010. Such inter-club rivalries may violence around Europe. At the French Cup final, 5 high-risk games potentially resurface on the international scene, fans managed to sneak flares and objects into the where hooligan groups have followed the national , despite a two-meter high security England vs Russia team. This means potential scope for trouble wall and triple security checks, while others tried to The match is being held in the sunny seaport of between thugs from Wales and other English invade the pitch, raising serious concern ahead of Marseille and the fact that English and Russian foot- hooligan groups should they come across each Euro 2016, where the opening match between ball fans are likely to be drinking in the sun adds to other; and also Welsh in-fighting between sworn France and takes place on June 10. the risk. As well as potential for violence between enemies Cardiff and Swansea. The location of Lens, In Germany, too, several hundred fans from English and Russians, there is history between the in northern France, makes it easy and quick to Dynamo Dresden were held back by riot police to English and the local Arab population of Marseille reach from Paris. “Given the proximity to France stop them attacking bitter rivals Madgdeberg in a stemming from the 1998 World Cup, where there is the potential for people to make multiple third-division match in April, and mass arrests were Marseille’s old port and nearby beach were turned trips out there,” Roberts told The AP. “If we identify made in May during the troublesome local derby into battle zones in two days of fighting around the someone who causes problems we will seek a between Frankfurt and Darmstadt. In Sunday’s England-Tunisia game. banning order immediately to prevent them trav- League One playoff final at London’s Wembley, “That is a considerable time ago and the behav- eling again to France.” fights broke out among supporters; Rangers and ior of England fans has improved markedly since,” WATFORD: England’s manager (right) and England’s striker Hibernian fans poured onto the field to do battle at assistant chief constable Mark Roberts, who leads Germany vs Poland attend a press conference following a team training session in Hampden Park in the Scottish Cup final - a worrying soccer policing in Britain, told The . Polish and German hooligans seeking to clash Watford yesterday. — AFP throwback to the mid-1980s when hooliganism “(But) we need to be careful not to assume.” The risk at the 2006 World Cup were foiled when police blighted Britain - Liverpool and Sevilla fans traded of confrontation with Russian groups could be high- intercepted Polish hooligans trying to enter Well-balanced England squad punches in the Europa League final in Switzerland; er because their traditional inter-club rivalries will Germany. The hooligan culture in both countries FC Zurich thugs charged down the tunnel last have been put aside, with a new hooligan’s charter tends more toward pre-arranged meets - “Fights” - has confidence set in Stones Wednesday to try to attack their own players follow- explaining how they should stick together. One bul- often in forests or deserted areas. There has been a ing relegation from the Swiss Super League, and letin point reads: “During Russian national team revival in hooliganism in Germany, especially in the LONDON: England’s squad for this Joe Hart, who have been to tourna- then battled riot police outside. matches, all groups must be united, without fighting east with teams from Dresden and Liepzig, while month’s European Championship in ments before. “We did really well in the Although centered on inter-club rivalries, these each other. This is cease-fire.” Poland has some of Europe’s most violent hooligan France has the ideal blend of youth and qualifying games and we’re heading to troubles highlight how hooliganism has been creep- groups (Lech Poznan, GKS Katowice, Legia Warsaw, experience to succeed at the tourna- France quietly confident we can do well. ing back after several years of good behavior. In Turkey vs Croatia Cracovia and Wisla Krakow). The main threat here ment, Everton defender John Stones It’s a young squad but it’s good because November, 2014, 43-year-old Deportivo fan This match also carries risk, on a historical and would be a confrontation of a pre-arranged type, has said. The 22-year-old was named in we’re all good friends and I think that Francisco Javier Romero Taboada died in hospital geo-political level. “When Turkey played Croatia in rather than a sporadic outbreak of violence. “(Polish England’s confirmed squad for the tour- makes it easy for us to gel.” The 18-year- after emergency services had rescued him from a the Euro 2008 quarterfinals in Vienna (Austria), there hooligans) will try and make contact, offer to nament on Tuesday, on a list that old Rashford, who plays for Manchester river where he was dumped after being heavily were incidents in Mostar (Bosnia) where the arrange meetings - but whether anyone accepts is includes Ross Barkley, Marcus Rashford, United, became the youngest player to beaten during a fight against rival hooligans from Bosnians were supporting Turkey,” Loic Tregoures, a a different matter,” Tregoures says. Harry Kane, Eric Dier, Raheem Sterling score on his England debut in Friday’s 2- Atletico Madrid. This season, the Europa League has lecturer in world politics at university and a spe- and Dele Alli, who are all under the age 1 friendly win against Australia in been hit with football violence. cialist in Balkans football, told The Associated Press Ukraine vs Poland Heavy fighting at night between Italian side in a telephone interview. The Croatians have a few While football violence in Ukraine is prominent of 23. “People obviously talk about the Sunderland. England, who have been Napoli and Polish club Legia Warsaw, street battles virulent groups, notably Dinamo Zagreb’s BBB (Bad at club level among hooligans from Dynamo Kiev, likes of Ross, Dele and Harry coming drawn in Group B for the 24-team tour- between Spanish side and Marseille; Blue Boys) and Hajduk Split’s Torcida. Shakhtar Donetsk, Meltalist and Dnipro, Ukrainian through, and it’s exciting,” Stones, who nament, face Portugal in a final warm- city center riots in between Ajax Another potential problem could arise from hooligan groups don’t usually travel to national has made eight appearances for up game at Wembley on Thursday played Turkish club Fenerbahce. Other trouble PSG hooligans, who were among the most active in team games. However, they have put aside club England, told his club’s website before opening their Euro 2016 cam- involving, Lech Poznan from Poland; Belgian side Europe in the past 20 years until a massive clamp- feuds and have extra incentive to come to France. (www.evertonfc.com). “But there’s also a paign against Russia on June 11. Wales Anderlecht, and based sides CSKA, down five years ago. Banned from their own Parc “This is the first tournament since the war, and the lot of experience in the squad as well, and Slovakia are the other teams in the Lokomotiv and Dinamo. A further 10 matches at des Princes stadium, PSG hooligans have targeted Russian presence may increase their motivation to players like Wayne (Rooney), Gary Cahill, group. — Euro 2016 are identified as risky - including Champions League fixtures, clashing violently with travel,” Tregoures said. — AP