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THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2017 SPORTS China probes Hulk incident with Lavezzi off the hook SHANGHAI: China’s football authority said regulations. But Li Bing, who remains yesterday it is investigating Brazilian star Guizhou’s general manager, said on his Hulk’s alleged altercation with a rival club’s official Weibo microblog account that he staffer, but it saw “no malicious intent” in a would keep pursuing the charges even separate racially-charged row involving though his club said both sides “has Argentina’s Ezequiel Lavezzi. Both South reached agreement” in how to handle the American players, who are among the incident. growing crop of highly paid foreign stars in Days after the Hulk incident, the Super China’s cash-rich Super League, have been League faced another controversy when embroiled in race-related incidents in promotional photos emerged of Lavezzi recent weeks. smiling and pulling the corners of his eyes The Chinese Football Association said back. Lavezzi’s club, Hebei China Fortune, its disciplinary committee held a hearing issued a statement on Sunday saying that last Friday with Hulk, who plays for the 32-year-old had apologised and insist- Shanghai SIPG, and the assistant coach of ed he meant no racial offence. “We believe Guizhou Zhicheng. The hearing came after the footballer and the photographer did Guizhou Zhicheng’s then head coach Li not have any malicious intent when they Bing accused the muscular Brazilian of were shooting. (We) hope media don’t read punching his assistant, Yu Ming, at half- too much into this,” the CFA said yesterday. time during SIPG’s 3-0 victory earlier this “Due to the differences of national con- month. ditions and cultures, different hand ges- Li had suggested Hulk had a racial tures or expressions have different mean- motive for the alleged attack, saying that ings.” But the CFA urged Lavezzi “to regu- the Brazilian star “cannot be here and late his words and actions more” as a pub- despise Chinese people,” though he later lic figure. Lavezzi’s slant-eyed pose has appeared to back off those comments. caused outrage on Chinese social media. Hulk and the Shanghai club have rejected Hebei China Fortune said some photos in the accusations. CFA spokeswoman Huang the Lavezzi promotional shoot were meant Shiwei said in a statement that the associa- to be in a “light-hearted” and “wacky” vein. tion “has zero tolerance towards any But the team nonetheless conceded it had behaviour that is not (in line with) sport not been vigilant enough in the matter ethics in the pitch, no matter who that per- and would “draw lessons” from it, vowing son is. There is no exception.” to prevent anything similar occurring News of the investigation comes a week again. The episode illustrates the potential after a CFA official, Li Peng, said there was culture clashes that can arise as Chinese MADRID: Real Madrid’s French forward Karim Benzema (R) vies with Atletico Madrid’s Uruguayan defender Diego Godin (C) and Atletico “no evidence” that Hulk had violated any teams spend big on foreign players. —AFP Madrid’s Montenegrin defender Stefan Savic during the UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg football match Club Atletico de Madrid vs Real Madrid CF at the Vicente Calderon stadium. — AFP Germany’s Loew to take 7 Valbuena accuses ‘impotent’ debutants to Confed Cup BERLIN: Germany’s head coach Joachim exhausting, not just physically.” Benzema over sex-tape saga Loew yesterday named seven uncapped There is no place for veteran striker players for next month’s Confederations Mario Gomez, who has scored 30 goals in Cup in Russia as the injury-hit world cham- 70 internationals, as he battles German PARIS: Lyon midfielder Mathieu Valbuena yes- through the dirt and sullied my family name,” he saying in a book last year that Benzema was not pions unveiled an experimental squad. league relegation with Wolfsburg. Loew terday launched an emotional attack on Karim said. “He’s got to stop this nonsense.”He’s really an example of morality. Benzema said he is not Injury and illness had already sidelined has left injury-prone Dortmund winger Benzema over the sex-tape saga, accusing the got to stop making things up. His continued expecting Macron to intervene in his favor, but World Cup-winners Mario Goetze, captain Marco Reus out to work on his fitness with Real Madrid star of “slander”. “Slander is the lying is driving me mad. It all came from him this hopes the new president won’t pillory him. Manuel Neuer and Benedikt Hoewedes for one eye on the 2018 World Cup. “I talked to weapon of the impotent, it is distressing !!! sex-tape business. All he had to say was the “Maybe he’ll speak about me in better words,” the June 17-July 2 competition. him in detail, I would have liked to have Justice will restore the truth,” Valbuena posted truth about what really happened.” Benzema said. “When your name is quoted by Midfielder Julian Weigl, 21, of Borussia taken him, but I had to weigh up the risk,” on his Twitter account. Valbuena was responding the prime minister (Valls), then by the French Dortmund, was also ruled out after fractur- explained Loew. to comments made by Benzema in French sports BENZEMA REVEALS MACRON CONNECTION president (Hollande), it gets difficult.” ing his ankle last Saturday. As expected, Reus missed the 2014 World Cup tri- daily L’Equipe’s online edition the day before. Can Emmanuel Macron save Karim Benzema? The 29-year-old Benzema, who will feature in Loew has reacted by naming an inexperi- umph in Brazil after tearing ankle liga- Both men missed Euro 2016 on home soil Banned from the national team since November his third Champions League final next month enced 23-man squad-none of whom are ments in a warm-up game and sat out Euro after an investigation was launched into alleged 2015 because of his suspected involvement in a when Madrid takes on Juventus, added that he over 30 — which he aims to blood a year 2016 with a pelvis injury. “He was a big fig- blackmail in a sex-tape scandal featuring corruption scandal, the Real Madrid striker may met Macron “three or four times” and had dinner before Germany launch their defence of ure in 2014 and it was a set back that he Valbuena which is likely to go to court in France have found an unexpected supporter in the new with him. Benzema has achieved another excel- the World Cup. Only three of the squad - wasn’t there,” added Loew. “He’s deter- later this year. Investigators suspect Benzema of French president. Benzema told L’Equipe news- lent season with Madrid and believes there is no Matthias Ginter, Julian Draxler and mined to be at the 2018 World Cup and acting as an intermediary between the pre- paper yesterday that he met Macron before he obvious sporting reason for his repeated Shkodran Mustafi-won the 2014 World Cup everything is geared towards that.” sumed blackmailers, including childhood friend started his political career and that they “stayed absence from France coach Didier Deschamps’ and none of them played in the final. Germany squad for Confederations Cup in Valbuena. On Tuesday Benzema laid the blame a bit in touch via messages.” Benzema, the most lists of players. Benzema, whose last game with Ajax winger Amin Younes, 23, is Russia, June 17-July 2: for the fallout of the sex tape scandal squarely talented striker of his generation, is facing France dates back to October 2015, is not amongst the debutants, along with Goalkeepers: Bern Leno (Bayer on the shoulders of Valbuena, the alleged victim. charges relating to an extortion scam over a sex expected to make the cut when Deschamps Hoffenheim’s striker Sandro Wagner and Leverkusen), Marc-Andre Ter Stegen He went as far as accusing Valbuena of lying tape featuring France teammate Mathieu announces his players for France’s next three midfielder Kerem Demirbay, 23, plus (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Paris St- just two days ahead of France naming their Valbuena. When the story broke in 2015, games on Thursday. “If the coach tells me Hertha Berlin’s deadball expert, defender Germain/FRA) squad for upcoming 2018 World Cup qualifiers. Benzema faced a deluge of criticism and then straight into the eyes that it is because of soccer, Marvin Plattenhardt, 25. At 29, burly for- Defenders: Matthias Ginter (Borussia “He called me scum, said I’d threatened him, Prime Minister Manuel Valls landed a heavy blow then I will keep working,” said Benzema, who has ward Wagner is the oldest member of the Dortmund), Jonas Hector (Cologne), made up all kinds of stuff,” said Benzema, who when he said the former Lyon player had “no 27 international goals in 81 appearances. “If it’s youthful squad. Premier League midfielders Benjamin Henrichs (Bayer Leverkusen), remains in international exile with his last France place” in the national team. Former French for another reason, then he should tell it to my Liverpool’s Emre Can, 23, and Manchester Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), appearance in October 2015. “He’s dragged me President Francois Hollande was also quoted as face, and I will be done with him.” — Agencies City’s Leroy Sane, 21, have the chance to Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal/ENG), Marvin add to their handful of caps. Plattenhardt (Hertha Berlin), Antonio Ruediger (AS Roma/ITA) Niklas Suele FIRST PLAYERS RESTING (Hoffenheim) First-choice players like Thomas Mueller, Midfielders: Julian Brandt (Bayer Lewandowski eyes 30+ Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng (all Bayern Leverkusen), Emre Can (Liverpool/ENG), Munich), plus Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos and Kerem Demirbay (Hoffenheim), Diego Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil are all left out to rest.