WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2016 SPORTS US releases three FIFA guilty plea transcripts NEW YORK: A US judge released show three of them expressing regret and 2022 World Cup qualifying matches, seven days a week from 8 am to 5 pm, cials to obtain marketing rights to vari- Monday transcripts of guilty pleas from and suggesting that bribes were stan- and in 2012, 2013 and 2014, including ostensibly to care for his then 18-month- ous tournaments. three prominent defendants in the dard practice. All three, who are con- for the Copa America Centenario tourna- old son. His wife is a doctor in Atlanta, “Torneos and I profited from these sweeping FIFA corruption investigation fined to US house arrest, will be sen- ment, which will be held in June. making Webb “solely responsible” for payments directly and indirectly by who confessed to crimes and agreed to tenced for corruption in New York in “I deeply regret my participation in their child, the court heard. “He is a busy securing these rights,” he said. pay $37.5 million in compensation. June. “I abused my position to obtain this illegal conduct,” said the dual man,” Judge Raymond Dearie said. Court papers complained last month Former FIFA vice president Jeffrey bribes and kickbacks for my personal Cayman Islands-British citizen who was His freedom of movement was limit- that Webb kept up a millionaire lifestyle Webb, Argentinian-Italian marketing benefit,” Webb, who suffers from a heart educated in the United States. He con- ed to a 20-mile (32-kilometer) radius and quaffing champagne, gambling and par- executive Alejandro Burzaco and condition, told the judge in pleading fessed to conspiring to defraud his Webb was still subject to electronic tag- tying while under arrest at the US home Brazilian intermediary Jose Margulies guilty to seven counts and confessing to employers and conspiracy to commit ging. The documents, released following he may have purchased “with bribes and pled guilty last year to racketeering, wire enriching himself from 2012-2014. money laundering offenses by transmit- a request from US media, were still heav- kickbacks.” In a letter to the US attorney’s fraud and money laundering conspira- He said he was told in 2012 that ting money from the United States to ily redacted in parts. office, FIFA’s lawyers requested an cies. US prosecutors have in total sports marketing companies would offer front accounts in Panama, the Cayman Burzaco, 51, the former chairman of “immediate” audit of Webb’s funds and accused 40 officials and marketing exec- “side payments” or bribes in exchange Islands and elsewhere. the board of Torneos y Competencias assets, expressing concern that he may utives of soliciting and receiving tens of for commercial rights to soccer matches. S.A., an Argentine sports marketing not have fully disclosed them to the millions of dollars in bribes and kick- “I believed that such offers were com- ELECTRONIC TAGGING company, also voiced regret. “I was court. Fifteen individuals have pleaded backs in a case that has sparked an mon in this business,” he told the judge. After his confession, the court last wrong,” he said, confessing to paying guilty and agreed to cooperate with US unprecedented crisis at FIFA. He confessed to receiving bribes for November lifted his security detail and bribes and kickbacks totaling tens of prosecutors in exchange for a possible The transcripts released Monday the sale of commercial rights for 2018 allowed him to leave home in Georgia millions of dollars to multiple soccer offi- reduction in sentence. —AFP Former German FA boss cleared over Qatar ‘cancer’ comment BERLIN: Former German Football the forefront. “With respect to the sporting, Association (DFB) President Theo Zwanziger financial and political importance of a foot- is free to repeat his claim that ‘Qatar is a ball World Cup host, the purpose for the cancer on world football’, a German court comment, which was about drawing atten- ruled yesterday. Zwanziger, who headed tion to the critical working process and the DFB until 2012 and has been embroiled decision of FIFA, is set higher than the hon- in a 2006 World Cup scandal, first made the our of the Qatar Football Association.” comment last year to public broadcaster Zwanziger has said he was not referring Hessischer Rundfunk, adding the decision to the Qatari people with his comment. for Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup should FIFA, where Zwanziger was an Executive be reviewed as corruption allegations hit Committee member, faced the biggest cri- world governing body FIFA. sis in its history last year with several inves- The Qatar Football Association (QFA) tigations leading to dozens of individuals filed a lawsuit over the comment claiming being arrested on corruption charges. it showed collective disrespect and Switzerland’s prosecutor is investigating Zwanziger should be banned from repeat- both FIFA’s decision to award the 2018 ing it. But Dusseldorf’s regional court ruled World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tourna- that while the comment was indeed offen- ment to Qatar, a small, wealthy desert sive, Zwanziger was not obliged under country with no real soccer tradition. German law to change his wording or be Several human rights groups have also blocked from repeating it. accused Qatar of systematically abusing “Those criticising public abuses do not migrant workers rights. have to use the mildest possible medium Russia and Qatar have denied all wrong to highlight their points of view,” the court doing. A Frankfurt prosecutor is also for- said in a statement. “It has nothing to do mally investigating Zwanziger and other with public defamation of the Qatar former football officials for suspected tax Football Association, as it was about the fraud in relation to a payment to FIFA legality and checks regarding the awarding ahead of to the 2006 World Cup in of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar that were at Germany. — Reuters Evergrande keep TURIN: Juventus celebrate after winning the Italian Serie A football match Juventus vs Palermo on Sunday at the Juventus stadium in Turin. —AFP Asian hopes alive Lazio look to halt Juve POHANG: Guangzhou Evergrande kept Lacklustre Pohang managed little in title party preparations their stumbling AFC Champions League reply and Gao doubled Evergrande’s advan- title defence alive with a deserved 2-0 win tage two minutes after half-time when he over Pohang Steelers yesterday-their first arrowed a diagonal shot past home goal- MILAN: On-form Nigeria midfielder Ogenyi Inzaghi, the brother of former AC Milan striker Juventus CEO Beppe Marotta, however, was victory of the competition. Chinese inter- keeper Kim Jin-Young. Evergrande should Onazi will join forces with German veteran and coach Filippo, admits they could come up unequivocal, at least about French international national striker Gao Lin set up the first goal have had a third nine minutes later when Miroslav Klose today when a rejuvenated Lazio short against a Juve side looking to stretch their Pogba. “We made a conscious decision last year and scored the second as Luiz Felipe substitute Li Yuanyi met a cross sweetly on aim to put the brakes on Juventus planning for unbeaten run to 24 games. that he (Pogba) is an important player we want Scolari’s side finally got a win at the fifth the half-volley, but saw his shot creep just an early title party. “We have to recover physically for Turin to see remain at the club for the coming years,” attempt in Group H. wide. Elsewhere a double from Brazilian With Juventus nine points ahead of second- because at the end of the game some of my said Marotta. But the well-heeled Chinese domestic striker Santos kept Suwon Samsung placed Napoli with five games remaining, the players had nothing left in the tank,” he said. Although, he added: “Obviously, sometimes champions are still relying on Sydney FC Bluewings’s last-16 hopes alive as they beat black and white half of Turin is preparing to “We’re playing some good football, but it you have to consider the desires of the player, beating Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds on Gamba Osaka 2-1 away in Group G. Santos break out the champagne and celebrate a won’t be easy. We’ll go out to try and do our but I really think he is at home with us now.” Wednesday if they are to avoid exiting at scored twice in eight minutes shortly after record-equalling fifth consecutive Serie A title. best, but Juventus have been unbeatable.” An Having seen their chance of a first scudetto in the group stage. half-time before a consolation strike from The only other time Juve achieved the formi- unlikely Juventus defeat would give Napoli, who 26 years slip away, Napoli will still be gunning for The win for Evergrande, the leading Yasuyuki Konno in the 89th minute. With dable feat was in 1935, so this year’s title cele- host Bologna a day earlier at the San Paolo, a win yesterday. Second spot offers automatic lights of cashed-up China’s football revolu- the win, Suwon drew level on points with brations should be something special. belief that all is not lost. qualification to the Champions League and tion, was their first in the Asian tournament Melbourne Victory after their 3-1 loss to Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi admits he’s not But the statistics suggest Massimiliano Roma are only five points away. since they won their second title in three Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Shanghai SIPG, who getting too excited ahead of his bid for a third Allegri’s men are in no mood to give points Roma host on-form Torino in the hope a high- years last November.