Russia Kicks Off 1,000-Day Countdown to World
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SPORTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2015 Shaw faces long road to recovery MANCHESTER: Manchester United manager “I called him last night,” said Van Gaal at start again in their plan to build a strong left- difficult to replace him when he is in such a Louis van Gaal admits Luke Shaw faces a his Friday press briefing. “He sounds very side of the field involving new signing good shape. But in Blind, Rojo and Young, long recovery process as the England strong which is amazing to me, a big sur- Memphis Depay. Dutch international Daley we have good replacements.” defender aims to return to fitness after his prise, but a good signal. “But he knows also Blind, Marcos Rojo and even winger Ashley Van Gaal also admitted that the form of horrendous leg break. that it is a long way to go and it is not easy. Young will all be in contention for Shaw’s new signing Anthony Martial has forced Shaw suffered a double fracture of his His family is there, we sent people to him position. him to re-assess how the French striker will right leg during United’s Champions League and when he comes back we have every- “I’m always saying about the total be allowed to develop at Old Trafford this defeat at PSV Eindhoven in midweek, a grue- thing prepared. human being principle,” he said. “It is not season. some injury that dominated the headlines of “Maybe he will come back tomorrow and only physical but mental. “It is a big loss for Signed for a down payment of £36.8 mil- another trying week for Van Gaal’s club. The then he will have to go through a long peri- us, also for the team. I said in advance lion from Monaco during the transfer win- Dutchman spoke with the left-back on od of rehabilitation. He still has a long way to already it will be the season of Luke Shaw dow, Martial was expected to play a small Thursday, following his initial surgery go.” The loss of Shaw came at a particularly and now it’s finished nearly. “He started so role in United’s campaign, with Van Gaal straight after the game on Tuesday, and was disappointing time for United, with the well, we built up a left wing with Depay and openly talking of him being a signing for the expecting to see him back in Manchester England defender having started the season Shaw, but we have to start filling it again and future. However, Martial marked his debut over the weekend, although Van Gaal so impressively after a difficult initial 12 it is not easy. “But we have to do it. We have against Liverpool last weekend with a superb warned his young star to brace himself for a months at Old Trafford. to cope with it, but it is a big loss. goal and Van Gaal believes the teenager has long period of rehabilitation. Now, Van Gaal concedes United must “Shaw is the line-up player and it is very a key role to play immediately. —AFP Valcke downfall is new blow for Blatter ZURICH: FIFA’s suspension of secretary general Jerome Valcke left world football reeling again yesterday from scandal and further weakened its president Sepp Blatter. Valcke was put on indefinite leave on Thursday night over accusations that he agreed to let World Cup tickets be sold at a vastly inflated price. The Frenchman strongly denied the allegations. But FIFA’s chief of finance Markus Kattner took over “all duties” held by Valcke in the day-to-day running of football’s governing body, FIFA said. With FIFA still overshadowed by US and Swiss corruption investiga- tions, it announced on Thursday night that Valcke “has been put on leave and released from his duties effective immediately until further notice.” FIFa said it had been “made aware of a series of allegations involving the secretary general and has requested a formal investigation by the FIFA Ethics Committee.” Valcke has been accused of involvement in a scam to sell World Cup tickets at inflated prices and take a slice of the profits. The claims were made by Benny Alon, an American-Israeli consultant at a company which had a deal with FIFA to sell 2014 World Cup tickets. The contract was subsequently cancelled. In a strongly-worded statement issued by Valcke’s US-based attorney, the official decried the allegations as false. “Jerome Valcke unequivocally denies the fabricated and outrageous accusations by Benny Alon of alleged wrongdoing in connection with the sale of World Cup tickets,” the statement from New York attorney Barry Berke said. The statement said Valcke “never received or agreed to accept any money or anything else of value from Mr Alon”. All dealings between Valcke and Alon’s company had been cleared by FIFA’s legal department, the statement added. Alon said his company, JB Sports, sold World Cup tickets at up to three MOSCOW: Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev addresses the audience as he and others take part in a ceremony at times their face value. Alon gave out copies of emails to back his allega- Manezhnaya Square in Moscow. Russian and FIFA officials yesterday unveiled clock counting down 1,000 days to go tions at a briefing for invited journalists in Zurich on Thursday. Valcke has until the start of Russia hosting the World Cup 2018 soccer tournament. —AP already been in trouble over football scandals. US media named him in June as the conduit for a $10 million pay- ment made by South Africa to a bank account controlled by former FIFA Russia kicks off 1,000-day vice president Jack Warner. Warner is one of 14 people accused by US authorities of involvement in more than $150 million in bribes paid by sports executives to soccer officials. Seven FIFA were arrested in Zurich on the eve of its Congress in May countdown to World Cup when Blatter was reelected to a fifth term. Swiss police also launched an inquiry into the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and MOSCOW: Moscow’s Red Square was trans- The Kremlin has said that the country hon- Friendly matches among the under-16 nation- Qatar. Amid growing controversy, the 79-year-old Blatter announced just formed yesterday into a football pitch as Russia estly participated in the bidding process and al squads of Russia, Italy, Germany and Spain four days later that he would stand down. A new presidential election will launched its 1,000-day countdown to the 2018 that its status as host country should not be were played on the pitch set up on Red be held on February 26. Switzerland ruled on Thursday that former FIFA FIFA World Cup it will host in 11 cities. called into question. The culmination of the Square near the walls of the Kremlin. vice-president Eugenio Figueredo, one of the seven arrested, should be Attended by high-ranking officials and ceremony came at 13:23 Moscow time (10:23 Some football fans and youth club teams extradited to the United States. Figueredo, a Uruguayan, has been football stars, the celebrations come as world GMT) when former World Cup winners Lothar travelled a long way to take part in the cele- charged by the US justice department with soliciting millions of dollars in football’s governing body is embroiled in a Matthaus of Germany and Italy’s Gianluca brations.”My wife and I came specially for bribes from sports marketing firms. corruption scandal, partly over the awarding Zambrotta along with Spain’s former football this,” said 50-year-old Alexander Krisenko, Another of those arrested, Jeffrey Webb of the Cayman Islands, of the 2018 tournament to Russia. On great Fernando Hierro and Russia’s interna- from the far eastern city of Khabarovsk. “The agreed to extradition and was sent to the United States in July. Five are Thursday, FIFA secretary general Jerome tional keeper Igor Akinfeyev pressed the red World Cup is important, it will stimulate the still challenging a transfer to American courts. Valcke was abruptly relieved of his duties over button launching the countdown. development of youth football, there will be Valcke came under scrutiny in recent months over what he knew his alleged involvement in a ticketing scam. Russia’s first deputy Prime Minister Igor lots of stadiums and we will be able to watch about a $10 million payment from the South African FA to an account “Preparations for the World Cup in 11 Shuvalov, the country’s sports minister Vitaly games in person.” Grassroots football coach controlled by Warner, then North and Central American (CONCACAF) cities of our country [..] are in full swing,” Mutko, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also Alexander Ossipov, who runs a sports acade- football chief, through FIFA in 2008. President Vladimir Putin said by video link took part in the ceremony. my in the city of Dmitrov, north of Moscow, US investigators believe the money was a bribe in return for backing from Sochi, the host city of the 2014 Winter “Only 1,000 days remain before the World said he and his players had come to support South Africa getting the 2010 World Cup. FIFA has insisted it only acted as Olympics. “Everything will be done to suitably Cup start and a plenty of work still awaits us,” Russia’s under-16 national team. Similar an intermediary between South Africa and Warner. host the planet’s leading 32 national squads. Shuvalov said. “It doesn’t mean that we have events are taking place in more than 30 cities, Valcke has been under scrutiny throughout his FIFA career.