Nov. 7, 2020 Ronaldo returns Cristiano Ronaldo was named in the Portugal squad for upcoming fixtures against Andorra, France, and Croatia, after he missed the 3-0 victory over 11 Sweden in October with a COVID-19 infection, AFP reported. Sports

10-man Persepolis held at Saipa Iranian athletes to receive COVID vaccines in Pro League opener before Tokyo Games: Official Sports Desk Sports Desk teghlal, under new manager Mahmoud Fekri, open its cam- All Iranian ath- aipa goalkeeper Moham- paign at ’s Azadi Sta- letes will receive mad-Hossein Akbar- dium against newly-promoted doses of the SMonadi produced a man- Mes Rafsanjan. COVID-19 vac- of-the-match performance as Last season’s runner-up will cine before next champion Persepolis was held be without its seven summer year’s Tokyo to a goalless draw on the first signings, including goalkeeper Olympics, said day of the new Persian Gulf Pro Rashid Mazaheri and fullback Payman Fakhri, League season on Friday. Mohammad Naderi, in today’s the head of the Persepolis striker Mehdi game as the FIFA’s transfer country’s sport- Abdi probably felt unlucky not ban on the Blues – due to ex- ing teams at the to get off the mark before being manager Winfried Schafer’s fi- Games. substituted as his ninth-minute nancial case – is yet to be lifted, The Tokyo point-blank effort was well- though the Tehran-based club 2020 Olympics saved by Akbar-Monadi before insists it has paid all delayed and Paralympics CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP his low drive hit the post right wages of the German. were to be held before the interval. Also on the opening match- in the Japanese capital last summer, before the Games get underway,” Ehsan Pahlevan and Milad day, Sepahan legend Moharam before the International Olympic Fakhri said. Sarlak also went close to open Navidkia, who hopes to bring Committee (IOC) and the organiz- “All athletes are to undergo a the deadlock in each half for back the glory days of his play- ing committee decided in March to PCR test before leaving their home the Reds but Saipa keeper was ing career with the club, will move the Games to July and Au- countries and upon arrival in Ja- again on high alert to keep out embark on a new chapter, as the gust 2021 due to the coronavirus pan.” their long-range efforts. manager of the -based gi- pandemic. Asked about the remainder of Persepolis had to finish the ant, when playing away to Amir “The organizing committee of the qualification tournaments for game with 10 men as midfield- Qalenoei’s Golgohar Sirjan. the Games has repeatedly insisted the Olympics, Fakhri said, “Should er received Qalenoei himself will have that vaccine doses – if developed – the qualifiers be canceled due to his marching orders for a sec- IRNA a point to prove against his will be sent to the participant coun- the pandemic, the IOC will allocate Persepolis defender Mohammad-Hossein Kan’anizadegan (R) challenges Saipa’s Majid Aliyari (2nd R) for an ond bookable offense with 10 aerial ball during a goalless draw in the in Tehran, , on November 6, 2020. former club after a run of dis- tries,” Fakhri told IRNA on Friday, Olympics berths to some countries minutes from the normal time. appointing results saw the adding that the Iranian athletes are based on the athletes’ global rank- penalty to avoid a first-day de- Darko Bjedov saw the host take Saied Beigi, Hamed Shiri, and league’s most decorated man- guaranteed to get the vaccine in To- ings and previous results.” Last-gasp equalizer feat against Zob Ahan Isfahan. a surprising lead. Milad Kamandani gave Nas- ager’s days in Sepahan end in kyo “even if vaccines are not deliv- Speaking about the athletes’ Foolad center-back Moussa Foolad’s late push for an saji Mazandaran an away 3-0 the latter stages of last season. ered to the country in time.” preparations for the Olympics, ’s Foolad Coulibaly headed home a Mo- equalizer paid off as Ansari’s victory over Aluminium Arak, Elsewhere, ’s “A scenario considered for the Fakhri said, “With travel restric- Khuzestan, which finished in hammad Abshak’s cross for the first goal on his return to the while in , Tractor settled Shahr Khodro will host Mash- Olympics is, in a state of ‘emer- tions implemented around the an impressive third spot last first goal of the new season but southern Iranian side made the for goalless draw against Naft insazi Tabriz, with San’at Naft gency’ the athletes, travel to Tokyo world, the best decision would be season, had to thank a new sign- two goals inside three minutes game finish 2-2. . and Paykan squaring off in to be quarantined for two weeks to hold the training camps in Iran.” ing Sasan Ansari’s 97th-minute in the second half by Croatian Also on Friday, goals from Today’s fixtures see Es- Abadan. Human rights groups urge driver action Players concerned over trip over F1 race in for AFC Champions League: FIFPRO

Human rights groups condemned the confirmation that For- they should brief themselves on the dire human rights situ- The global footballers union FIFPRO protocols,” a statement said. minimum 13-player match-day squad. mula One is to hold a race in Saudi Arabia next year. ation in the country and be prepared to speak out about the accused the Asian Football Confedera- “These matters have implications The AFC said it consulted widely The country’s human rights record has been described by plight of Loujain, Nassima and others.” tion (AFC) of failing to consult play- for their mental and physical health as before deciding where to hold the East Amnesty International as “heinous” and it and Human Rights When asked last week about the prospect of a GP in Saudi ers before moving AFC Champions well as their participation in domestic zone games, and said it took into ac- Watch has characterized the event as a blatant attempt at Arabia, Lewis Hamilton, who has been strident in his cam- League games to Qatar, saying some leagues.” count Qatar’s “expertise and capability sportswashing to legitimize the country’s repressive regime, paign for diversity and equality in F1, said he would need to had voiced concern over to put in place the high- the Guardian reported. find out more about the regime before making a judgment. At making the trip during est standards of health the Emilia Romagna GP the coronavirus pan- and safety protocols.” champion wore a Black Lives Mat- demic. “The decision to stage ter T-shirt that included the phrase FIFPRO said it was the AFC Champions “Women’s rights are human rights.” “disappointed and con- League (East) in Qatar Saudi Arabia has been making a cerned” about the lack was taken only after re- concerted effort to host major sport- of consultation, adding ceiving no expressions ing events in recent years, including players had complained of interest from the East Formula E meetings and a world about the risks of travel- region,” the AFC said in heavyweight title fight between ing, and that quarantine a statement to AFP. Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr. would interfere with All players and of- The Spanish Super Cup was held in family life, games and ficials will be tested be- Jeddah and in February the world’s training, AFP reported. fore travelling to Qatar, richest horse race, the Saudi Cup, The AFC, however, said and on arrival, and every was run in the capital. The state’s it had been in “constant the-afc.com three to six days during sovereign wealth fund recently communication” with the tournament, it added. failed in a takeover bid for New- clubs and national associations during the The global players union and af- “The safety of everyone involved re- castle. pandemic, and countries in East Asia were filiated associations in Australia, Japan, mains the AFC’s highest priority,” the Formula One said in response, given the chance to host games. Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand – governing body said. “For decades F1 has worked hard The delayed AFC Champions which represent 12 of the 16 clubs in- FIFPRO, which represents tens of

BRYN LENNON/REUTERS to be a positive force everywhere League East competition, -- featuring volved – were not consulted about the thousands of footballers worldwide, Cars are seen on the grid for the Formula One Grand Prix at Silverstone, Britain, on August it races, including economic, social clubs from Australia, China, Japan, arrangements, FIFPRO said. called for “openness and direct consul- 9, 2020. and cultural benefits. Sports like Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand – “Furthermore, we have not received tation” in planning decisions, “as hap- F1 are uniquely positioned to cross runs from November 18 to December 4 any information about the outbreak pens in other continents.” The night race is set to take place on a street circuit in Jed- borders and cultures to bring countries and communities to- in a bio-secure “bubble” in Qatar, fol- of COVID-19 in the tournament’s so- “It is necessary now more than ever dah as the penultimate meeting of the season. It is believed gether to share the passion and excitement of incredible com- lowed by knockout games leading to called ‘medical bubble’ during the because of the ongoing COVID-19 the deal with Saudi Arabia will last 10 years, with the intent petition and achievement. the final in Doha on December 19. western AFC region competition in pandemic,” the Netherlands-based to begin racing on a purpose-built circuit outside Riyadh in “We take our responsibilities very seriously and have “FIFPRO is disappointed and con- September,” it added. body said. 2023. made our position on human rights and other issues clear cerned by the lack of consultation of Saudi giant Al Hilal was kicked out “The players whose health, finan- Minky Worden, the Human Rights Watch director over- to all our partners and host countries who commit to respect professional footballers in the schedul- of the Champions League West in Qa- cial situation and careers are on the seeing sport, was unequivocal in condemning the decision. human rights in the way their events are hosted and deliv- ing of the AFC Champions League in tar after 30 players and staff tested pos- line deserve to be part of these deci- “Sporting bodies like Formula One and the FIA cannot ig- ered.” Qatar and the planning of COVID-19 itive, leaving the club unable to name a sions.” nore the fact they and fans are being used for sportswashing,” she said. “It is part of a cynical strategy to distract from Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses, detention and torture of hu- man rights defenders and women’s rights activists. Maradona ‘confused’, to spend more time in hospital “Formula One has made human rights commitments, and should explain how the company’s operations will improve Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona is to be kept in hos- dona, the 60-year-old coach of Gimnasia y Esgrima, felt well human rights in Saudi Arabia.” pital for several more days after suffering from “confusion” enough to tell doctors he should be discharged. F1 made a public commitment to equality this year, caused by an unexplained “abstinence” that followed his brain Maradona, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986 launching its “we race as one” initiative to promote inclusiv- surgery this week, his doctor said. and is considered one of the greatest players of all time, has ity and diversity across race and gender within the sport. “We all know Diego,” physician Leopoldo Luque told reporters spent frequent periods in hospital over the years, often due to Felix Jakens, Amnesty UK’s head of campaigns, called for on Thursday outside the clinic where Maradona had an operation on his extravagant lifestyle. teams and drivers to speak out, “With critics of the govern- a subdural haematoma, a blood clot on the brain, Reuters reported. He almost died of cocaine-induced heart failure in 2000 and ment either jailed, exiled or hounded into silence, the Saudi “In the post-operatory phase there were some episodes of underwent years of rehabilitation, much of it in Cuba, where authorities have pursued a twin-track approach of crushing confusion that we associate with abstinence.” he befriended former president Fidel Castro. human rights while throwing large amounts of money at glit- Abstinence to what Luque did not say but Maradona, the Maradona had a 2005 gastric bypass operation to lose tering sporting events. MATIAS BAGLIETTO/REUTERS former Barcelona, Napoli and Boca Juniors player, has previ- weight and was hospitalized two years later for life-threaten- “The bitter irony over a Saudi Grand Prix is that the very A Diego Maradona fan and his twin daughters, Mara and ously battled addiction to drink and drugs. ing alcohol-induced hepatitis. people who fought for the rights of Saudi women to be able Dona, named after the Argentine football legend, pose for a “The idea is to treat him for the abstinence,” Luque added. “We He also fell ill at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he to drive are now themselves languishing in jail. Brave people photo outside the clinic, where Maradona went under brain think this is what has to be done; we think this is best for Diego.” was filmed passing out in an executive box at the Argentina- surgery, in Olivos, outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on like Loujain al-Hathloul and Nassima al-Sada. In the lead- November 5, 2020. His comments came hours after he told reporters that Mara- Nigeria game. up to the race, we’re saying to F1 drivers, owners and teams