WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016 SPORTS Infantino eyes regional World Cup if elected FIFA president LONDON: The World Cup could be honor and benefits of hosting the World tions will be handed $40 million to invest has to be an objective assessment based spread across entire regions, emulating Cup,” Infantino’s manifesto says. in development projects and their on the best interests of football.” the continent-wide 2020 European The first World Cup bidding after the regional offshoots in Asia, Africa, the The International Football Association Championship, if Gianni Infantino wins Feb. 26 election is for the 2026 tourna- Caribbean and Central America can Board is already preparing to approve tri- next month’s FIFA presidential election. ment. The launch of the contest has been request another $4 million to organize als with a type of video replay system for The UEFA secretary general used his stalled since last year when FIFA was youth tournaments. The amounts are all referees. One idea Infantino proposes, manifesto, which was published Tuesday, swept up in a global soccer corruption within a four-year cycle. “If the target of which seems unique in an election cam- to say FIFA should not limit the tourna- scandal, which led to Sepp Blatter 50 percent of distribution of FIFA’s paign with few differences between the ment to be being held in one or two announcing plans to quit before being income is reached, these amounts will candidates, is starting a globe-trotting countries. The 2002 World Cup in Japan banned. Infantino, who is Swiss, is one of further increase significantly,” Infantino team of the game’s greats. Legends and South Korea is the only time the five presidential candidates currently said. games, organized by third-parties, have event has been co-hosted. Infantino, seeking votes from FIFA’s 209 member Infantino only entered the race after attracted big crowds in recent years. working alongside Michel Platini at UEFA, associations. In an attempt to entice fed- Platini, his boss at European governing Infantino envisages that the FIFA spearheaded spreading Euro 2020 across erations, Infantino is also offering them a body UEFA, was initially suspended by Legends Team would organize matches UEFA secretary general 13 countries. greater share of FIFA’s wealth, saying a FIFA in October before being handed an “against local line ups throughout all Gianni Infantino In November, Infantino told The “proper risk analysis must be conducted” eight-year ban last month. Distancing continents to promote football, social Associated Press of his plan to expand into whether the governing body requires himself from Platini, who blocked high- projects and charitable aims.” was born in the Swiss town of Brig - close the World Cup to 40 teams. Allowing sev- cash reserves as high as $1.5 billion. tech goal-line aids being used in the “Players who wish to give something to Blatter’s birth place of Visp. For the eral countries to stage matches in about Each of FIFA’s members will be offered Champions League, Infantino champions back to the world of football should be FIFA presidency, Infantino is competing a dozen stadiums would ensure the tour- $5 million to invest in development proj- expanding technology in the game. “FIFA positively encouraged to do so and FIFA against Asian Football Confederation nament is not limited to just a few ects and running costs - a huge increase shall start an open debate with all stake- should provide a platform for them,” President Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al wealthy potential hosts. “FIFA should on the $2.05 million per federation 2011- holders on the further use of technology writes Infantino, who is best known to Khalifa of Bahrain, former FIFA vice presi- investigate the possibility of organizing 2014 - and another $1 million, if required, in the game,” the manifesto says. soccer fans as the face of Champions dent Prince Ali bin al Hussein of Jordan, the World Cup not only in one or two for travel, which would be attractive to “Proposals should be fully tested and the League draws. The 45-year-old Infantino, former FIFA official Jerome Champagne countries but in a whole region, so small nations in remote regions. potential impact on the flow of the game a lawyer who has risen to UEFA’s top and South African businessman Tokyo enabling several countries to enjoy the Additionally, each of the six confedera- should be studied in detail. Finally, this administrative job since joining in 2000, Sexwale.—AP Eibar rout Granada MADRID: Two goals each by Borja Baston Fernandez for Eibar’s second. Morocco for- and Sergi Enrich helped Eibar down ward Youssef El-Arabi pulled one back for Granada 5-1 in the Spanish league on Granada in the 65th, but two minutes later Monday. Japan midfielder Takashi Inui Enrich put the match beyond doubt when opened the scoring for Eibar after he raced he added Eibar’s third. Baston got his first into the box and connected with Sergio goal in the 74th and added another five “Keko” Gontan’s looping cross to beat goal- minutes later to complete Granada’s rout. keeper Andres Fernandez in the 35th Eibar is sixth-placed on 33 points with minute. Three minutes later Keko supplied Granada in 17th with 17 points after 20 another assist for Enrich to put past rounds.— AP Spanish League results/standings MADRID: Spanish La Liga table after Monday’s match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Atletico Madrid20 15 2 3 30 8 47 Valencia 20 5 9 6 25 21 24 Barcelona 19 14 3 2 50 15 45 Malaga 20 6 6 8 15 17 24 Real Madrid 20 13 4 3 57 19 43 Real Sociedad 20 5 6 9 23 28 21 Villarreal 20 12 4 4 26 16 40 Espanyol 20 6 3 11 18 33 21 Celta Vigo 20 10 4 6 32 30 34 Real Betis 20 5 6 9 13 28 21 Eibar 20 9 6 5 32 21 33 Las Palmas 20 4 6 10 19 30 18 Sevilla 20 9 5 6 28 22 32 Granada 20 4 5 11 21 41 17 Deportivo 20 6 10 4 27 24 28 Rayo Vallecano20 4 4 12 23 45 16 Athletic Bilbao 20 8 4 8 27 28 28 Sporting Gijon 19 4 3 12 17 34 15 Getafe 20 7 5 8 24 28 26 Levante 20 3 5 12 17 36 14 Sepp Blatter Monreal extends Arsenal Blatter still receives stay, signs new contract LONDON: Nacho Monreal has signed a because I was a new signing and I didn’t new contract with Arsenal, the English speak English. “But now I feel more com- his salary despite ban Premier League leaders announced yester- fortable with my team-mates and with day. The Gunners said Monreal, 29, had everything in general so that has helped signed a “long-term” deal but did not dis- me to play better because I have more con- MIAMI: FIFA’s Sepp Blatter may have been close the exact length of his contract. fidence in myself.” banned for eight years from the game but he is Monreal, who joined the north London Meanwhile veteran manager Wenger still receiving his president’s salary from world club from Malaga for a reported £10 million acknowledged Monreal’s influence since soccer’s governing body, a spokesman for FIFA’s Ex-prodigy Pennant inks ($14 million, 13 million euros) in January the defender’s arrival from La Liga three Audit and Compliance Committee told Reuters 2013, has been an ever-present in all of years ago. “He is a very important player at on Monday. Blatter was suspended for 90 days by ‘sexy’ deal in Singapore Arsenal’s 22 Premier League matches so far the club because he can play left-back and FIFA on Oct 8 and then banned from the game this season. “I’m really happy because my centre back,” said Wenger, whose side lead for eight years last month for ethics violations SINGAPORE: Former Arsenal and Liverpool January 7. “The financial component (of the intention was to keep playing for Arsenal. I the Premier League table on goal differ- over a $2 million payment FIFA made to winger Jermaine Pennant signed with a contract) is one not typical to what we tradi- feel really good playing here,” Monreal told ence from surprise title contenders European soccer boss Michel Platini with Blatter’s Singapore football club yesterday, hoping to tionally pay our players. We’ve been fortu- Arsenal Player. Leicester City. “He has the consistency in his approval in 2011. revive what was once one of the game’s nate that a couple of sponsors have stepped “I have a good relationship with my performances that is requested at the top But Blatter, a Swiss national who has been most promising careers and boost the ailing up to absorb the cost associated with the team-mates and we keep improving year level.” The Frenchman added: “Everyone in president of FIFA since 1998, will continue to be local professional league. The 33-year-old signing on,” Ramachandra told AFP last after year,” added the Spaniard, who has the Premier League would say that he has paid until a new president is elected on Feb 26, reformed wild boy joined Tampines Rovers, week. won successive FA Cups with Arsene become a very strong player. Arsenal are the spokesman Andreas Bantel said. That would five-time winners of the local S-League, Team officials hope Pennant’s star appeal Wenger’s side and displaced Kieran Gibbs gifted at the moment, I must say, with two mean Blatter would have been paid for nearly under a one-year contract.