Serie A side Juventus's French midfielder Paul Pogba was banned for four years by Italy's anti-doping court on Thursday. The disciplinary action came after the World Cup winner tested positive for testosterone.
Paul Pogba's positive test was announced in September, stemming from an exam that was carried out after Juventus' game at Udinese on August 20. Pogba opted not to make a plea bargain with Italy's anti-doping agency and so the case was tried before the country's anti-doping court. A person with direct knowledge of the case confirmed the verdict to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the sentence was not made public due to Italy's privacy laws. Pogba could appeal the decision to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport. The sentence could end Pogba's career, as the France international turns 31 next month. Four-year bans are standard under the World Anti-Doping Code but can be reduced in cases where an athlete can prove their doping was not intentional, if the positive test was a result of contamination or if they provide substantial assistance to help investigators. Pogba rejoined Juventus from Manchester United in 2022 but struggled with injuries, playing in only six Serie A matches for Juventus last season and two this season. He was ruled out of France's run to the World Cup final that year due to a knee injury. Pogba helped France win the previous World Cup, scoring in the 4-2 win over Croatia in the final. He played in 178 matches for Juventus from 2012-16.
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Chinese sporting authorities have cancelled next month's friendly international between Argentina and Nigeria amid a growing backlash against Lionel Messi's failure to play in an Inter Miami match in Hong Kong last week.
Argentina were scheduled to play Nigeria in the Chinese city of Hangzhou next month before facing the Ivory Coast in Beijing, but Messi's failure to take the field for Inter Miami in Hong Kong on Sunday caused widespread anger among fans. The organiser of the Hong Kong match said they would give fans a 50 percent refund for tickets after the Argentine did not take the field due to injury, but played in Japan days later. The backlash grew on Friday, with Hangzhou sports authorities saying that Argentina's friendly against Nigeria would no longer take place. "As a commercial event, a company and the Argentinean soccer team negotiated that the team would play a friendly match in March this year in the city of Hangzhou," the Hangzhou authorities said in a statement. "In view of the current well-known reasons, according to the competent authorities, conditions to hold the friendly match are not mature, therefore (we) have decided to cancel it." It was not immediately clear if Argentina's other friendly against Ivory Coast in Beijing would also be cancelled. The Chinese FA did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment sent outside normal business hours. The Argentine FA also did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Tatler Asian, a privately owned publishing and lifestyle company, said in a statement on its Instagram page that it was "deeply sorry" and "heartbroken" that fans were let down after Messi stayed on the bench during Sunday's match. The match in Hong Kong drew 40,000 fans, with some spectators paying up to $1000 per ticket. The cost of all match tickets bought from official channels can be 50 percent refunded, Tatler said, adding that it had been in discussions with the Hong Kong government to resolve the issue. Inter Miami head coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino said Messi was deemed unfit to play in the friendly in Hong Kong, but he came on as a 60th minute substitute against Vissel Kobe on Wednesday. "When we learned that Messi would not be playing, we pleaded with Inter Miami CF ownership and management to urge him to stand up, engage with the spectators and explain why he couldn't play," Tatler said. "He didn't. The fact that Messi and (team mate Luis) Suarez played in Japan on Feb. 7 feels like another slap in the face." In the match in Tokyo, entire blocks of seats at the Japan National Stadium were unoccupied, with just 28,614 tickets sold. Chinese state media, Hong Kong politicians and some fans swiftly condemned Messi's participation in the Japan match, with state-controlled Global Times writing that his absence posed many questions on the differential treatment for Hong Kong. In a statement, Hong Kong's government said Tatler Asia had made its best effort to arrange a refund, adding that many people had questions about the incident. "The government hopes that the Inter Miami team will eventually provide a reasonable explanation to Hong Kong citizens and fans who came to Hong Kong to watch the game." Tatler Asia said Inter Miami had committed to ensuring that their top players, including Messi and Uruguay's Suarez, would play for 45 minutes unless injured. It said it had hoped to create an iconic moment in support of the government's efforts to remind the world how relevant and exciting Hong Kong is. "That dream is broken today for us and all those who bought tickets to see Messi on the pitch." Lionel Messi won the eighth Ballon d’Or of his remarkable career, while Spain’s World Cup-winning star Aitana Bonmati took the women’s prize at a glittering ceremony in Paris.
For Messi, the trophy awarded to him on Monday rewards, above all else, his inspirational performances at last year’s World Cup in Qatar, when he dragged Argentina to victory, scoring seven goals and being named the tournament’s best player. It was the crowning moment of his astonishing career, and it allowed him to see off stiff competition, in particular from Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, to take the award on the stage of the Chatelet Theatre in Paris. It was a return to the French capital after he departed from Paris Saint-Germain in June and his subsequent move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. Messi thanked his Argentina coach, teammates and staff for making his victory possible. “Tonight I’m enjoying myself. It’s a pleasure that will never leave me, and I hope to be able to enjoy it for many years to come,” Messi said through a translator. “Becoming world champion was the title we were missing. I’d like to thank everyone who helped make Argentina the world champion team.” Messi dedicated the trophy to late Argentina legend Diego Maradona, who would have celebrated his 63rd birthday on Monday. “Happy birthday Diego. This is for you too,” he said. Messi benefits from a recent change which means the award is based on a player’s record over the last season, rather than over the calendar year. Santiago Giménez is scoring goals for fun at the moment, and his domestic form carried over into his Champions League debut on Wednesday.
The Feyenoord star scored a brace in a 3-1 win over Lazio, giving the Dutch champions a solid chance to advance out of Group E after starting with two wins from three games. Giménez has scored an incredible 13 goals in just nine Eredivisie games this season, bolstering rumors that he could be set for a big-money move to one of Europe’s giants either this winter or next summer. The Mexico international was suspended for the first two games of Feyenoord’s Champions League campaign, having been sent off in his side’s Europa League quarterfinal defeat to Roma last season. But the 22-year-old did not take long to open his Champions League account on Wednesday, expertly turning his defender in the box before firing home a pinpoint strike in the 31st minute. Giménez completed his double in the 74th minute with an easy finish from a rebound. Lazio would pull a goal back late but Feyenoord would cruise to a 3-1 victory in front of their home fans at De Kuip. Ajax-Feyenoord was postponed on Sunday in the Johan Cruijff Arena after three instances of the crown throwing objects onto the pitch. Feyenoord were winning 3-0 at the time due to goals from Santiago Gimenez.
Ajax was missing captain Steven Bergwijn after he got an allergic reaction from a dentist appointment where he had his wisdom tooth pulled. Silvano Vos started for Ajax. The young midfielder impressed with his performance after coming on against Marseille on Thursday despite getting sent off late on with a second booking. Feyenoord manager Arne Slot started the game with Igor Paixao coming in for Luka Ivanusec, who got injured in the Champions League match against Celtic on Tuesday. Santiago Gimenez returned having been suspended for that match. Despite a determined start and a positive atmosphere in the Johan Cruijff Arena, Feyenoord took the lead after nine minutes played. Quinten Timber was too strong for Anton Gaaei and played Gimenez in, who did not hesitate smashing the ball into the net. It got worse for Gaaei as the Danish right-back was at fault for the second goal. His wayward pass went straight to Gimenez, who dribbled past Jorrel Hato before putting the ball past Jay Gorter and into the Ajax net. The match was suspended after this goal for just under ten minutes after a cup was thrown onto the pitch. Gaaei was substituted when it restarted for Devyne Rensch. The 20-year-old ran straight down the tunnel. Feyenoord made it three after 37 minutes. Borna Sosa's shot from a corner was blocked, going straight into the path of Gimenez. Ajax had just one defender back, leaving Gimenez with plenty of space to play the ball across the box to Paixao, who knocked it home. Shortly before halftime, a flare was thrown onto the pitch from the F-side area of the stadium. The F-side is the Ajax hooligan group. However the match was restarted again until the F-side threw another couple of flares onto the pitch leaving the officials with no choice but to abandon the match. The KNVB will now discuss how the rest of this match will be played. Ajax have another match at home in three days against FC Volendam. "Goodbye". And down in tears, moved. Zlatan greets Milan without playing and the Curva Sud of Milan pays homage to him with a banner. It says "Godbye", a play on words dedicated to the idol of all time, two-time Italian champion in the Rossoneri shirt and special leader. Milan-Verona opened like this, with Zlatan's moved face next to the bench of the first team, in those sofas from which he never stopped cheering on him during the long months of stop. Ibra, once framed on the big screen, mimicked a heart with his hands, addressed to his fans. Everyone in the stadium is crying, and he laughs at first. Then even his eyes become glossy, red, wet, full of sincere tears, and then even Ibrahimovic the tough guy, Rosengard's boy, the braggart of the ghetto who sings, dances, cries and retires to San Siro. His Rossoneri "The Last Dance" is all in one sentence that cuts through the goodbye and immediately turns into a farewell. Goodbye to the ball. "The time has come to say goodbye to football." And this is how it suddenly appears, after months and months of statements in which Zlatan had proudly shown his chest saying "I want to continue".
Dark suit, pigtail, shirt with the last button open, the whole family in the stands and seventy thousand Milan fans all for him. His wife Helena, framed several times on the big screen, is crying profusely, as are her children. Zlatan's ceremony begins after the 3-1 win against Verona, with a red carpet rolled out to midfield and the players around him. Ibra receives applause and hugs, the last with Pioli, Maldini, Massara and the president Scaroni, who give him a t-shirt with the number 11 autographed by the whole team. All on the notes of "Now we are free", the soundtrack of the Gladiator. Then he leaves: “At this stage many memories bind me, many emotions. I want to thank all my family and those who have been patient with me. And then I say thanks to my second family, the players and the fans, from the bottom of my heart. You made me feel at home." The last sentence is for the entire Rossoneri world: “I will be a Milan fan for life. Now the time has come to say 'hello' to football, but not to you. See you around, if you're lucky." And then row to take the applause during the greeting field lap. Dancing, singing, moving, this time on the notes of "The best" by Tina Turner. Ibra day is a festival of love and passion. Even giants cry their eyes out. We will miss him, but he will never be far away. Nel cuore. Feyenoord have taken just their second Dutch title since the turn of the millennium after a 3-0 win against Go Ahead Eagles.
They eased past mid-table Go Ahead with a comfortable victory on Sunday that saw them wrap up the Eredivisie championship.With two games remaining, they lead second-placed PSV by eight points, with AZ Alkmaar in third and struggling Ajax in fourth. Arne Slot's side were 2-0 up within 18 minutes thanks to goals from Oussama Idrissi and Santiago Gimenez. They never relinquished control, and Igor Paixao netted in the second half to put the gloss on the win. As I sat with my family watching the first half of France vs Morocco, a chant from Moroccan fans rumbled through the stadium.
“Are they saying ‘La ilaha il Allah’?” I asked my husband. “No way – but it sure sounds like it.” They were, in fact, repeating the first half of the Muslim declaration of faith, “There is no God but God,” and a few claps later, the second half: “Muhammad is the messenger of God.” A sort of collective rallying cry to both uplift spirits and express pride in Islam’s central creed among fellow believers. Our scepticism clearly had not caught up with the mesmerising spectacle that was the Atlas Lions. It was the winning streak that at least in this region, we could not look away from – the deeply satisfying underdog narrative of this World Cup, most deliciously for Arabs, Africans, the diaspora in the West, and Muslims collectively, rejoicing at an authentic representation of their lived faith and values on display in the most celebratory way. When some of the players showed the world just how much they love their mothers, many Muslims joked that it was only due to the “mother’s ‘dua’ [prayer]” that they were still hanging on. Others commented that their against-all-odds victories – against Belgium, Spain, Portugal – were a case of feeling more at home at the first World Cup in the Middle East, being in their neck of the woods (or the closest thing to it), and the energy of the fans, that propelled them to keep on keeping on. No one could deny the electrifying Moroccan fandom that to an outsider seemed to pop up in Qatar overnight. And that is the thing about this story in particular – it was as much about the fans as it was about the players. When Morocco beat Portugal last week, a colleague turned to me and asked an important editorial question: “So, the first African team to make it to the semis, or the first Arab team?” My answer did not skip a beat. “Both. All of it. And then some. Their win means whatever you want it to mean, for you.” We decided right there and then that our coverage would not delve into the very real identity ping-pong taking place over who gets to claim Morocco. It is not that these debates are not valid; it is that we simply chose to lean into a moment swirling in optimism and unity. We also chose a different conversation to spotlight: the power of football as a force for social change. I spoke to a few people who were merely supporting Morocco in solidarity with the Palestinian cause, as players and fans regularly waved the Palestinian flag. For them, the following message about Palestinians was enough: “They exist. Their struggle is real and felt beyond their homes. They will not be erased.” It is so much bigger than football. And the ability of the Atlas Lions to connect so many people from different backgrounds around a common desire to believe in miracles, shift the game when no one saw it coming, in a region ignored by football’s big guns (until now) – was a story worth telling, and one the world needed, however fleeting. An Iranian football player was reported to face a death sentence for "campaigning for women's rights" in his country, as the FIFPRO World Players' Union on Tuesday asked Tehran to lift his penalty."FIFPRO is shocked and sickened by reports that professional footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani faces execution in Iran after campaigning for women's rights and basic freedom in his country," the union said on Twitter.
"We stand in solidarity with Amir and call for the immediate removal of his punishment," it added. FIFPRO is a global union for professional football players to defend their rights. Iran has been rocked by protests since mid-September after the custodial death of 22-year-old woman Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by the country's morality police for allegedly violating the Islamic dress code. The country has been dealing with protesters in a very hard way to deter them, punishing those who campaigned for women's rights and freedom. Nasr-Azadani, 26, is among them. Iran on Monday executed the second person convicted over the killing of two security personnel in the northeastern city of Mashhad in November amid months-long ongoing protests across the country. Majid Reza Rahnavard, 23, was hanged in public in his hometown Mashhad in the wee hours of Monday on charges of "moharebeh" (waging war against God), judiciary-affiliated Mizan News Agency said. Last week, Iran executed Mohsen Shikari for "threatening citizens with a cold weapon and injuring a security guard" during protests in the Sattar Khan neighborhood of west Tehran. In the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Iranian national team refused to sing their national anthem before their match against England to protest Amini's death. Iran were eliminated in the group stage in Qatar 2022 where they played against England, the US, and Wales. The Netherlands are through to the quarterfinals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup after stopping a potential comeback from the USA and beating them 3-1 in the last 16 at the Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday.
Memphis Depay put the Dutch up 1-0 after ten minutes, terminating an impressive 20-pass move when Denzel Dumfries cut the ball back to him near the edge of the area. Then, on the stroke of half time, Daley Blind scored in his 98th cap to double the lead as the Netherlands executed a slick move from a throw-in that again saw Dumfries provide for his teammates. The USA battled hard and looked to be set for a comeback when Haji Wright scored with a curious flick on 76 minutes. Six minutes later, however, Dumfries capped off a strong display with a volley from close range to make it 3-1. The USA, who were the youngest team at the tournament, kept on pushing for a second goal but to no avail. The match drew to a finish after six minutes of stoppage time, and the Netherlands now look ahead to a quarterfinal meeting against either Australia or Argentina next Friday evening. The Dutch suffered an early scare when Christian Pulisic beat the offside trip within three minutes but could not convert past Andries Noppert despite being clear on goal. Keeping the Chelsea midfielder quiet was one of the keys to victory for the Netherlands, and the USA clearly struggled without his influence. The Americans in fact enjoyed more shots on target (eight) than their opponents (six), but an over-dependence on Pulisic and the lack of a thoroughbred number ‘9’ showed as Wright took a touch too much and had a strong chance blocked off the line before his consolation goal. Weakness down the right flank was also costly, with Dumfries allowed free reign and able to put in a Player of the Match performance. |
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