FIFA Council Member Constant Omari Arrested for Corruption
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SECTION B CLASSIFIEDS • CARTOONS • ALOHA THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018 BRIEFS & MORE ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ Holiday, Pelicans have Portland on the C M Y K brink in NBA playoffs NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jrue Holiday’s postseason produc- tion is providing Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis with a more comfortable margin for error — and has left Portland with pre- cious little. Holiday’s 54 points, 16 assists and slew of defensive suc- cesses in the fi rst two games are big reasons why the sixth-seeded Pelicans hold a surprising 2-0 series lead over the third-seeded Trail Blazers as they prepare for Game 3 Thursday night in New Orleans. “Playoff Jrue, I guess,” Davis quipped after Holiday scored 33 — including a late, deep 3-pointer — in the Pelicans’ Game 2 triumph in Portland on Tuesday night. “He’s in a different mode.” Philadelphia visits Miami in one of two other Game 3s on FILE - In this March 27, 2013, le photo, Bruno Sammartino sits in front of pictures, panitings Thursday night, while the Spurs’ return to San Antonio after a pair and trophies highlighting his storied career as a wrestler and weightli er, at his home in his North of double-digit losses at defending champion Golden State. Hills, Pa., home. Bruno Sammartino, professional wrestling’s “Living Legend” and one of its longest- Pelicans general manager Dell Demps bet big on Holiday on reigning champions, has died. Sammartino was 82. Family friend and former wrestling announcer the fi rst day of free agency last summer, giving the 27-year-old Christoper Crusie saids Sammartino died Wednesday morning, April 18, 2018, and had been hos- guard a fi ve-year contract worth about $126 million. But if the pitalized for two months. (Andrew Russell/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review via AP, File) postseason is where players really earn their money, then the Peli- cans’ Holiday spending could very well be worth it. Holiday helped preserve New Orleans’ Game 1 victory with a leaping steal in transition during the fi nal minutes, followed by a block in the fi nal seconds. Those plays were prime examples of FIFA Council member why Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry has asserted Holiday is one of the best two-way players in the NBA. “We ask him to guard the best perimeter player and we ask him to do it while we’re also wanting him to get 20 points,” Gentry Constant Omari said, noting that Holiday has had to take turns guarding both mem- bers of Portland’s prolifi c starting backcourt, guards Damian Lil- lard and C.J. McCollum. “He can get to the basket against just about anybody that there is. His outside shot has really improved,” Gentry added. “He’s arrested for corruption very confi dent in what he’s doing and the way he’s playing.” TRAIL BLAZERS AT PELICANS New Orleans leads 2-0. Game 3, 9 P.M., NBA TV. KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — FIFA Council tioned regularly since then. By Tuesday, prosecu- NEED TO KNOW: The Pelicans were no better at home (24- member Constant Omari was arrested on sus- tors felt there was enough evidence against the 17) during the regular season than on the road (24-17), which gives picion of corruption and held for 24 hours in a four for them to be arrested. Portland hope. “We’ve won on their fl oor before and we feel like public prosecutor’s offi ce in his home country The arrests of Omari, federation vice presi- we’re capable of doing the same thing they did to us,” Portland’s of Congo while being questioned for alleged dent Theobald Binamungu, federation chief Lillard said. However, the atmosphere could be different for New involvement in embezzlement, offi cials said. fi nancial offi cer Roger Bondembe, who is also a Orleans’ fi rst home playoff game since 2015. Omari, who is also a vice president of the vice president, and sports ministry secretary gen- KEEP AN EYE ON: Pelicans guard Rajon Rondo , who had Confederation of African Football, was arrested eral Barthelemy Okito came weeks after a public 17 assists in Game 1 and was one assist shy of a triple-double in on Tuesday night on the orders of Luzolo Bambi, disagreement between the federation and the Game 2. Congo President Joseph Kabila’s special adviser government over $1 million the federation asked INJURY UPDATE: Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic was lim- C M on corruption, a statement from Bambi’s offi ce for to fund teams and set up matches. The gov- ited to only 15 minutes in Game 2 because of a left leg contu- said. Omari was released late Wednesday but ernment said the amount was exorbitant. Y K sion, while forward Evan Turner is questionable with a right toe was ordered to return for further questioning on The 60-year-old Omari was elected to the contusion. Pelicans forward Nikola Mirotic twisted his right ankle Thursday, prosecutors said. FIFA Council in 2015, one of seven Africans late in Game 2. He has not been scratched, but his effectiveness Omari, the president of the Congo soccer fed- on the 37-member board headed by FIFA Presi- remains to be seen. eration, was arrested along with two other feder- dent Gianni Infantino. Already a member of PRESSURE IS ON: Portland guards Lillard and McCollum, ation offi cials and a government sports ministry CAF’s executive committee, he was promoted to who have been inconsistent in the series and will be desperate to offi cial. The three other offi cials were still being become one of two vice presidents of the African prevent the Blazers from falling into a 0-3 hole. “We don’t want to detained Wednesday at the public prosecutor’s confederation last year. be in this position ... but it should be fun and we should accept that offi ce at a court building in Kinshasa. “Following the arrest of FIFA Council challenge,” Lillard said. “If not, it could be a quick series.” The four were questioned on suspicion of member and CAF Vice President Constant Omari embezzling money given to the federation by along with the two FECOFA Vice Presidents by 76ERS AT HEAT Series tied 1-1. Game 3, 7 p.m., TNT. the government to fund the Congo national team the authorities ... FIFA is closely following the NEED TO KNOW: The 76ers say All-Star center Joel Embiid, and various Congolese clubs playing in compe- matter and gathering additional information but who has missed 10 games with a broken orbital bone, is doubtful. titions across Africa, according to the statement has no further statement to make at this stage,” The Heat ended Philadelphia’s franchise-record 17-game winning from Bambi’s offi ce. It added that a fi fth person FIFA said. “More information could be released streak Monday, winning with physical defense. To further ratchet wanted for questioning, the president of the as the situation unfolds.” up tension, some 76ers were miffed by Miami’s Goran Dragic’s Congo Olympic committee, is on the run. Bam- The Congolese league suspended all games late layup to pad the Heat’s 113-103 victory. bi’s offi ce asked the Congolese public “to kindly until further notice in reaction to the arrests and KEEP AN EYE ON: The 76ers’ shooting and the Heat’s lend a hand to justice” by helping to catch the in a show of “solidarity” with Omari and the two Dwyane Wade. Philadelphia shot 18 for 28 from 3-point range in missing Olympic committee offi cial. other federation offi cials. The league said they Game 1, but just 7 for 36 in Game 2. Wade had 28 points in 26 An investigation was opened into Omari and had been “humiliated and unjustly deprived of minutes in Game 2 , but at age 36, there’s no guarantee he’ll con- the others on April 2 and they had been ques- their liberty.” (Continued on page B4) Page B2 samoa news, Thursday, April 19, 2018 Professional wrestling great Bruno Sammartino dies at 82 He was professional wres- . He held the title until 1971 and tling’s ultimate good guy. The his second reign began in 1973 son of Italian immigrants, Bruno with a win over Stan Stasiak. Sammartino fl ed the Nazis as a That one lasted until he was child and built a career beating pinned by “Superstar” Billy a string of bad guys that thrilled Graham in 1977. fans and made him reign as the Zbyszko, a WWE Hall of conscientious champ for more Famer, was billed as Sammar- than a decade. tino’s protege until he turned on Before the fl ash of The Hulk- him during a famous televised ster, the electricity of The Rock match. Zbyszko got a quick and the foul-mouth of Stone lesson on how much fans loved Cold, all Sammartino required their Legend when he bloodied to become wrestling’s biggest Sammartino with a series of box offi ce draw was a pair of chair shots to the head. tights, boots and an honest “I was getting my car promo that made fans believe in smashed, I had to hide in the most illegitimate of sports. trunks,” Zbyszko said. “I was Sammartino, professional going down the highway in a wrestling’s “Living Legend” new Cadillac with the windows and one of its longest-reigning smashed, the mirrors hanging, champions, has died. He was the lights are out. It was a dif- 82. ferent time, a different day. My “One of the fi nest men god, the riots.” I knew, in life and in busi- They became engaged in a A baseball fan yells slogans asking for more beer, a er the bar had closed during game one of a ness,” WWE chairman Vince bitter feud that was capped by two-game MLB Series between the Minnesota Twins and the Cleveland Indians at Hiram Bithorn McMahon said .