Human rights group wants Sheikh Salman barred from FIFA presidency race

October 27, 2015

Zurich, Oct 27: A Washington-based human rights group denounced Sheikh Salman`s bid for FIFA President on Monday (October 26), saying the Bahrani football official was involved in human rights abuses following the wave of pro-democracy demonstrations that swept that country in 2011.

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"We believe that he should not be allowed to run for the presidency of FIFA, primarily for his role in the crackdown against protesters and athletes in Bahrain in 2011. Sheikh Salman was complicit in aiding and abetting crimes against humanity against the players of the Bahrain National Football team as well as other sports staff and athletes some of whom remain in jail or suspended from the game until this day," Kate Kizer, spokesman for Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) told Reuters.

Kizer said Salman served as chairman of a Bahrain commission that identified athletes for punishment for taking part in the 2011 protests.

"Sheikh Salam has repetitively denied these claims against him. There is solid evidence that he aided these crimes that lead to their torture in 2011 and I really don`t think it speaks to the ethics or meritocracy that FIFA was set up to govern this world`s loved sport and so him actually being a competitive candidate for the presidency is absolutely concerning to the rest of the football world," she added.

The group tried unsuccessfully to include the charges in Michael Garcia`s ethics report that examined the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process.

"In 2013, ADHRB (Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain) wrote to the FIFA ethics committee asking for an investigation to be opened into these specific claims. Michael Garcia, the president of the ethics committee at the time, corresponded that it was outside the purview of the ethics committee to investigate these claims. We hope that with his official bid for the presidency, that FIFA will reopen an investigation into these allegations," Kizer said.

In 2013, Sheikh Salman was elected president of the Asian Football Confederation with the backing of FIFA president Sepp Blatter and has previously denied the claims against him.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said in a statement on Sunday it had offered overwhelming support to Sheikh Salman who had assured it "that his campaign will be entirely self-financed."

The Bahraini, closely allied to Kuwaiti Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, one of the most powerful men in the Olympic movement, canvassed opinion from Asian associations last week.

Sheikh Salman will face another member of Arab royalty in the election as Jordanian Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein has already submitted his nominations.

On Saturday, South African former Apartheid-era political prisoner turned businessman Tokyo Sexwale announced he would be standing in the election after winning backing from the South African Football Association.

Former Trinidad and Tobago midfielder David Nakhid says he has submitted his papers to FIFA along with former FIFA Deputy General Secretary Jerome Champagne and Platini. Zico, the former Brazilian World Cup player, has said he wants to stand but it is not known if he has been able to receive the necessary support.

FIFA has been rocked by the U.S Department of Justice`s decision on May 27 to indict 14 soccer officials and sports marketing executives in a corruption investigation. Swiss authorities are also investigating FIFA while FIFA`s Ethics Committee has handed out several bans.

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News Network
April 12,2020

New Delhi, Apr 12: As devotees across the world celebrate Easter today, former Sri Lanka skipper and current Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) president Kumar Sangakkara on Sunday condoled the demise of people who lost their lives during last year's Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka and said someone must seek answers to the questions which still remain unresolved.

"A year on we all share the pain of the families grieving lives lost, we stand with you and for you. We remember. So many questions still unanswered, but answer them someone must," Sangakkara tweeted.

On April 21, 2019, multiple blasts ripped through Sri Lanka when the Christian community was celebrating Easter Sunday.
The explosions rattled churches and high-end hotels across the country, killing 258 people and injuring over 500.

A local terror group called National Thowheeth Jama'ath had claimed responsibility for the devastating attacks.

The island nation was put under a state of emergency for a period of four months from April to August.

The Sri Lankan police had then said that 293 suspects were arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday bombings in the island country in April.

This year, most of the devotees would be offering the prayers from their homes as mass gatherings have been suspended in most countries due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ following his crucifixion on Good Friday. It also marks the culmination of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and penance.

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Agencies
February 12,2020

Mumbai, Feb 12: Former Indian greats Kapil Dev and Mohammad Azharuddin have been left disappointed by the behaviour of the Under-19 team after the World Cup final where they were involved in an altercation with their Bangladeshi counterparts.

After Bangladesh won the final beating India by three wickets (via DLS) at the Senwes Park on Sunday, the players of the two teams were seen engaging in an exchange of words and even some pushing and shoving on the field.

"I would like to see the board (BCCI) take some strict action against the players to set an example. Cricket is not about abusing the opponent. I am sure there is enough reason for these youngsters to be dealt with firmly by BCCI," Kapil was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

"I welcome aggression, nothing wrong in it. But it has to be controlled aggression. You can't cross the line of decency in the name of being competitive. I would say it was unacceptable that youngsters put up such an obnoxious display on the cricket field," he added.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has sanctioned five players, including three from Bangladesh -- Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain and Rakibul Hasan --and two from India --Akash Singh and Ravi Bishnoi for the scuffle.

Azharuddin also reiterated what Kapil said, insisting that players need to be disciplined.

"I would take action against the errant Under 19 players, but I also want to know what role has the support staff played in educating these youngsters. Act now before it is too late. The players have to be disciplined," Azharuddin said.

Earlier, Bishan Singh Bedi has lashed out at the Priyam Garg-led team, saying their behaviour was disgusting and disgraceful.

"You bat, bowl and field badly�happens, but there's no excuse for behaving badly. The behaviour was disgusting and most disgraceful. The innocence of that age was not visible at all," Bedi told Mid Day.

Bedi, who represented India in 67 Tests and 10 ODIs, said the behaviour of the Bangladesh cricketers is not our problem.

"Look, what Bangladesh do is their problem, what our boys do is our problem. You could see that there was abusive language used," he said.

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Agencies
August 2,2020

New Delhi, Aug 2: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Sunday said the Women's IPL or the Challenger series, as it is better known, is "very much on", ending speculation about the parent body not having a plan for Harmanpreet Kaur and her team.

The men's IPL will be held between September 19 and November 8 or 10 (final date yet to be locked in) in the UAE due to the surge in Covid-19 cases in India. The women's IPL will also be fit in to the schedule, according to the BCCI chief.

"I can confirm to you that the women's IPL is very much on and we do have a plan in place for the national team also," Ganguly told PTI ahead of the IPL Governing Council meeting later on Sunday.

The BCCI president, who is awaiting a Supreme Court verdict on waiver of the cooling-off period to continue in the position, did not divulge details but another senior official privy to the development said that women's Challenger will be held during the last phase of IPL like last year.

"The women's Challenger series is likely to be held between November 1-10 and there could be a camp before that," the source said.

The former India captain also said that the centrally contracted women players will have a camp which has been delayed due to the prevailing situation in the country.

"We couldn't have exposed any of our cricketers -- be it male or female to health risk. It would have been dangerous," Ganguly said.

"The NCA also remained shut because of Covid-19. But we have a plan in place and we will have a camp for women, I can tell you that," he added.

The BCCI's cricket operations team is chalking up a schedule where Indian women are likely to have two full-fledged white-ball series against South Africa and the West Indies before playing the ODI World Cup in New Zealand. 

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