SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2014 SPORTS FIFA judge: England damaged World Cup bid process LONDON: England received stinging nary proceedings could be launched confederation. England has been a vocal its attempts to gain Warner’s support, On some of the other criticism from FIFA over its bid team’s relating to England’s bid. critic of Warner, FIFA and FIFA President embarking on high-profile trips to bids, Eckert said: conduct in the 2018 World Cup contest “We do not accept any criticism Sepp Blatter since its humiliating vote Trinidad and Tobago. But having Australia (2022): There were attempts to in a corruption report that accused it of regarding the integrity of England’s bid result. reviewed evidence from ethics prosecu- divert Australian government funding set “damaging the image” of world football. or any of the individuals involved,” the Eckert accused Warner, who resigned tor Michael Garcia, Eckert criticized aside for African projects to countries with FIFA ethics judge Joachim Eckert English FA said in response to the report. from FIFA in 2011 to avoid a corruption England for agreeing to Warner’s request ties to FIFA voters. Two Australia consult- found “potentially problematic facts and “We conducted a transparent bid and, as investigation, of “showering the England to pay $55,000 to sponsor a Caribbean ants “violated the bidding and ethics rules.” circumstances” surrounding England’s the report demonstrates with its refer- 2018 bid team with inappropriate Football Union dinner in 2010, which Japan (2022): The bid team distributed bid, specifically criticizing the bid team’s ence to the England bid team’s ‘full and requests” to gain his vote. “damaged the integrity of the bidding several different gifts, worth from $700 to attempts to woo disgraced former FIFA valuable cooperation,’ willingly complied Eckert said in his 42-page report that process.” $2,000, to senior FIFA officials and their vice president Jack Warner. with the investigation. Warner’s expectation that bidders would Eckert found the damage was of a wives in 2010. The bid teams of Australia, Japan and “We maintain that transparency and accommodate his wishes was in “appar- “limited extent” as was also the case South Korea (2022): A proposal of Dr. South Korea were also rebuked for their cooperation around this entire process ent violation of bidding rules” and FIFA’s when England provided “substantial Mong-Joon Chung, a FIFA vice president conduct in bidding for the 2022 World from all involved is crucial to its credibili- ethics code. assistance” for the Trinidad and Tobago and honorary president of the Korean Cup. ty.” England, which included David “England 2018’s response showed a under-20 team to train in Britain in 2009, Football Association, to establish a global Eckert ruled none of the actions of Beckham and FA president Prince willingness, time and again, to meet and appeared willing to provide “bene- football development fund gave the the bidding nations affected the integri- William as ambassadors in its bid team, such expectation, thereby damaging the fits” to a Warner-owned club. appearance of “a conflict or an offer of ty of the vote, made in 2010, which gave received only two of the 22 votes in the image of FIFA and the bidding process,” England found a job in Britain for a benefits” to influence FIFA voters. the 2018 tournament to Russia and the 2018 election. the German judge added, saying ethics “person of interest” to Warner, Eckert United States (2022): There was “no 2022 tournament to Qatar. However, he Eckert’s report rebuked England for proceedings could be launched against said, giving the appearance “it sought to major problematic conduct” by US officials, said he believes “serious violations of its ties to Warner, the former head of “specific individuals.” confer a personal benefit” to influence although discrepancies were found in the bidding rules” occurred and that discipli- CONCACAF, the North American soccer England’s bid team was very public in his vote. documentation submitted. —AP Mancini: Balotelli ‘fine’ at Liverpool MILAN: New Inter Milan coach Roberto among a squad of players that has suf- Mancini said he had no plans to bring fered few highs and plenty of lows Mario Balotelli back to the Serie A club under Mazzarri in the 53-year-old after beginning his second spell with the coach’s 17-month tenure. Although Nerazzurri yesterday. many Inter fans have already called on Mancini, who spent four success- Mancini to ditch the 3-5-2 used by laden years at Inter between 2004-2008, Mazzarri, Mancini gave little clues as to succeeded Walter Mazzarri who was which tactical formation he would sacked on Friday after Inter had slipped deploy. “We can play with a three-man to ninth in the league with only four as much as a four-man defence. I have wins from their opening 11 games. some ideas about how we should be But as the Italian prepares to talk over playing, but I want to talk to the players likely tactical and possible personnel first,” he said. changes with his current crop of players, Asked if he would find space in his Mancini said Balotelli-currently enduring future team for Japanese wingback Yuto a difficult start to the season at Nagatomo, Mancini replied: “He’s a top Liverpool-was not on his radar. player and a Japanese international. I “Mario’s doing fine at Liverpool and will definitely try to use him.” should do well there. He should do A number of leading Inter players, everything to make the best of his including forward Fredy Guarin and opportunity there,” Mancini told defender Nemanja Vidic, have been sub- reporters in Milan yesterday. ject to fierce criticism amid Inter’s poor Balotelli started his senior career start to the campaign. under Mancini at Inter and, after falling But Mancini said: “They (Guarin and out with subsequent Inter coach Jose Vidic) are both great players. Vidic is still Mourinho, followed Mancini to getting used to things here after playing Manchester City in 2010. for so many years in England with However Balotelli’s notorious discipli- Manchester United. nary problems meant the pair clashed “Guarin can be a very important regularly and City eventually sold the player for Inter. I have to talk to him.” Italy striker to AC Milan in January 2013. Mancini, meanwhile, hailed the relative- Now at Liverpool, where he has failed ly young age of Inter’s squad: “It’s a to score a league goal so far, Balotelli is plus, absolutely, because we can still FARO: Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo (center) vies with Armenia’s defender Taron Voskanyan (left) and Armenia’s midfielder Karlen likely to the last player on Mancini’s grow and use our enthusiasm to create Mkrtchyan (right) during the UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifier, Group I football match. —AFP Christmas wish list. a young and powerful squad in the Instead, Mancini is expected to focus future. “I want us to be playing good Ronaldo scores Euro goal on reinstilling confidence and belief football.” —AFP Chile crush Venezuela, record as Germany toils BERLIN: Cristiano Ronaldo became the cutting inside to fire into the bottom corner in ing with a humiliating 1-0 defeat to the Faroe Paraguay defeat Peru European Championships’ all-time top scorer by the 73rd. Islands, while Northern Ireland surrendered its giving Portugal a 1-0 victory over Armenia, while lead in Group F to Romania. SANTIAGO: Alexis Sanchez tormented back and I’m happy,” Valdivia said. “I trained Germany could only beat Gibraltar 4-0 as its GROUP D The result in Greece is almost certain to Venezuela’s defence and opened the scor- hard to be back and I hope this is the first World Cup victory hangover continued on Thomas Mueller scored twice as Germany got prompt the dismissal of coach Claudio Ranieri, ing with a header as Chile romped to a 5-0 step of a good history with Chile.” Forward Friday. Portugal captain Ronaldo broke the its Euro 2016 qualifying campaign back on track who hasn’t won a game since taking over in the home victory on Friday, while Paraguay Eduardo Vargas added another in the sec- deadlock in the 72nd minute to take his tally with an unconvincing 4-0 win over Gibraltar. summer and has now lost three straight at defeated 2-1 Peru in Asuncion. ond half with Rodrigo Millar scoring in the across Euro finals and qualifying to 23 goals. Mueller opened the scoring in the 12th home. Sanchez, in great form with Arsenal in 77th minute to make it 4-0. Substitute Pablo Denmark’s Jon Dahl Tomasson and Turkey’s minute and claimed his second 17 minutes later. Greek Football Association president Giorgos the English Premier League, broke the Hernandez capped the scoring with Chile’s Hakan Sukur had previously scored 22 goals Mario Goetze made it 3-0 in the 38th, before an Sarris has called an emergency board meeting deadlock in the 17th minute and almost fifth in stoppage time. each. Germany was looking for a high score own goal from Yogan Santos completed the and said he took “full responsibility for the most scored a spectacular goal from a corner lat- In Asuncion, Paraguay beat 2-1 Peru as against Gibraltar, a territory of just 30,000 people scoring in the 67th. unfortunate selection of this coach.” Sarris er during the first half. their rebuilding stage continues after miss- which is playing its first qualifying tournament Germany coach Joachim Loew said before- pledged to make changes “so that the national Chile dominated the match in the south- ing out on the World Cup in Brazil.