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THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016 French establishment decry Benzema racism claims PARIS: Karim Benzema’s claims that racism Benoit Hamon told France’s Europe 1 radio France international Mathieu Valbuena 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 Marca that France coach Didier Deschamps 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 Manuel Valls 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 Eric Cantona, who last week said Deschamps pened in this affair, who knows the truth, is said about Mr Deschamps’ sporting decisions had excluded Benzema and Hatem Ben Arfa 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 Zinedine Zidane (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 Paris. — 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 star 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 Warsaw. 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 Legia Warsaw reserve team, but Polonia Warsaw, 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 Borussia Dortmund 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 season 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 Ukraine; 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- Russia 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 Marseille on June “All of those who are subject to a banning order so you can imagine what could happen,” Tregoures 11; Turkey vs Croatia 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 Cardiff’s people.

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