6 June 11, 2020

Schalke’s U.S. Player FIFA Ranks Australia-New Zealand McKennie Slams as Best 2023 World Cup Bid ‘Racist’ Trump ZURICH (AP) -- The Australia of “unity and cooperation” across and New Zealand joint bid was the continental bodies. Australia is highest rated by FIFA on Wednes- an Asian Football Confederation day of three candidates to host the member and New Zealand is from 2023 Women’s World Cup. the Oceania group. The complex- FIFA said Australia-New Zea- ity of cross-border working was land scored 4.1 points from a max- also noted. imum five in evaluating its project Japan’s experience hosting big plan for the first 32-team women’s events was praised, though it pre- tournament. fers to host in the cooler weather Japan scored 3.9 and Colombia of June-July instead of FIFA’s pre- trailed with 2.8, though still quali- ferred July-August dates. fies for consideration by FIFA’s Colombia met FIFA’s minimum ruling council which picks the requirements but the plan needs winner on June 25. Each of the “significant amount of investment 37-member panel’s votes will be and support” with just three years McKennie wore a “Justice for George” armband during a made public. to prepare. match following the death of George Floyd FIFA rated the Australia-New The winner will follow France BERLIN (AFP) - Schalke’s Amer- Floyd, who was buried on Mon- June 25 looms as decision day in the race to host the FIFA Zealand bid the “most commer- which hosted a 24-nation tourna- ican midfielder Weston McKennie day, died when a white policeman Women’s World Cup 2023, with two AFC Member Associations cially favorable.” ment in 2019 won by the United has accused Donald Trump of being kneeled on his neck in Minneapo- among the final four candidates. It also offered a rare example States. a racist and criticized the U.S. presi- lis, Minnesota, at the end of May. dent for his behavior following the The death, caught on video, has death of George Floyd, which has sparked waves of protests in cit- sparked protests around the world. ies across the US and around the Leverkusen Down Saarbrucken to Book German Cup Final “In my eyes, he can be called rac- world. BERLIN (Dispatches) - Goals side the box. ist,” McKennie, a 21-year-old U.S. McKennie, who was born in Tex- from , The opener caused some dam- international, said in an interview as, wore an armband demanding and helped Bayer age as Saarbrucken wobbled with German magazine Sport Bild. “Justice for George” in Schalke’s Leverkusen to ease past fourth-di- while Leverkusen piled on the “I don’t think Trump is the right first league game following the vision outfit Saarbrucken 3-0 in the pressure to force the 2-0 lead man for the job of president. death of Floyd. German Cup semifinal on Tuesday. eight minutes later as Alario “I don’t think he understands his French player Marcus Thuram Hosts Saarbrucken started de- tapped home a blocked shot on responsibility to the entire country. and England international Jadon fensively minded into the en- target. “I think he’s ignorant. I don’t Sancho also called for justice for counter and kept all their men in Peter Bosz’ men controlled support him one bit. I don’t think Floyd after scoring goals in the their territory. the proceedings on the pitch but he’s a man of his word.” Bundesliga. Leverkusen, which dominated failed to extend the lead despite possession and let the ball do the promising chances before the work, took only 11 minutes to break. Olympic Medallist Adjusts break the deadlock on the road After the restart things started as ’s perfectly where they left off as Leverku- to Taekwondo Training in timed lob into the box allowed sen took the reins whereas Saar- Diaby to poke home from in- brucken defended deep. Living Room Federer to Miss Rest of 2020 Season MUMBAI (Dispatches) - Roger actually miss. Federer will miss the rest of the The Swiss also had knee sur- 2020 season after undergoing a gery to repair a torn meniscus in second procedure on his right 2016 and missed the second half knee, the 20-times Grand Slam of that season. singles champion said on Wednes- When he returned to the tour day. for the 2017 season it looked like Federer struggled with injury he had never been away, win- at this year’s Australian Open ning the Australian Open to end in Melbourne, where he lost in a near five-year Grand Slam title the semifinals to eventual cham- drought and adding the Wimble- pion Novak Djokovic, and sub- don title later that year. sequently underwent surgery on The last of Federer’s record 20 In this Aug 18, 2016 photo, Egypt’s Hedaya Malak Wahba poses with the knee in February. Grand Slam singles titles came her bronze medal on the podium after the women’s taekwondo event With professional tennis shut at the 2018 Australian Open. The in the -57kg category as part of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the In this May 29, 2019 photo, Switzerland’s Roger Federer plays a shot against down due to the COVID-19 pan- closest he has come since was at Carioca Arena 3, in Rio de Janeiro. Germany’s Oscar Otte during their second round match of the French Open demic it remains to be seen how Wimbledon last year when he CAIRO (Dispatches) - Egypt’s at her Cairo apartment are her tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. many tournaments Federer will lost in the final. Olympic bronze medallist He- brother — who also practices daya Malak Wahba says she taekwondo — and a human- imagines her living room is a tae- shaped kicking pad donated by ICC Ratifies Interim Ban on Saliva on Ball kwondo hall as she tries to adjust a sponsor. LONDON (Dispatches) - Play- in international series. to training from home due to the “Most of it is mental because ers will be banned from the age-old International cricket will resume COVID-19 pandemic and keep you have to challenge yourself technique of using saliva to shine a next month when West Indies in shape for her third Games. and push yourself to keep on ball when cricket emerges from the face England in a three-match test shutdown caused by the COVID-19 series. The 27-year-old, who finished training every day, which is not pandemic, the International Crick- The series will take place with- third in the -57kg category at so easy when you’re at home et Council (ICC) said on Tuesday. out fans and with strict health pro- the Rio Olympics four years and everybody’s watching TV Several other interim measures tocols, including a ban on wiping ago, has already qualified for or studying, or playing around designed to ensure the safety of saliva on the ball — a method the Tokyo Games, which were the house,” she said. players and match officials were employed to help impart swing. postponed for a year to 2021 in “So it’s challenging. But at ratified by the ICC Chief Execu- Two warnings will result in a March. the same time you know that tives Committee (CEC) — in- five-run penalty to the batting Since the new coronavirus everybody around the world is cluding allowing home umpires India captain Virat Kohli spit-polishes the ball during Test matches in 2019. side. outbreak her training partners in the same situation. Premier League Clubs Lost £600mn in Season: Report LONDON (AFP) - Premier League clubs made a combined loss of £600 million in the 2018/19 season, even be- Premier League sides face paying a reported £330 million to broadcasters in rebates as matches could not fore suffering the financial pain of the coronavirus pandemic, a report revealed. be completed on schedule. Analysis from football finance experts Vysyble shows the 20 clubs in the English top-flight combined to An estimated £126 million could also be lost in matchday income from gate receipts and hospitality. post the huge loss despite record revenues of £5.15 billion ($6.6 billion) “The COVID-19 virus is not the cause of football’s financial distress. It is merely the accelerant on what The financial impact of COVID-19 is set to have a huge impact on the Premier League, even if plans to our data has very clearly and very correctly identified as a much longer-term problem,” said Vysyble director complete the current season behind closed doors go smoothly. Roger Bell.