Page 32 - bon-dia-aruba-20210522

A32 sports
Diasabra 22 Mei 2021

FIFA head aims to rethink soccer competitions and schedule

(AP) — World soccer was UEFA's popular and lucrative
put on notice by FIFA Champions League could be
president Gianni Infan- affected by Infantino's pet
tino on Friday to imagine project of a 24-team Club
— and maybe expect — World Cup. It was set to
big changes to its interna- launch next month in China
tional competitions in the until the pandemic forced a
coming years. postponement.

FIFA agreed to study wheth- A biennial World Cup would
er the men's and women's clearly harm UEFA's second-
World Cups could be played tier Nations League event,
every two years instead of and likely take commercial
four, with Infantino asking value from the four-yearly
out loud if they could alter- European Championship.
nate with continental cham-
pionships to fill the calendar In another FIFA move Fri-
with annual national-team day against Europe, a friend
tournaments. of UEFA's Slovenian presi-
dent Aleksander Ceferin was
Infantino also defended talk- removed from an oversight
ing with clubs about new position.
projects like the breakaway ideas. cannot simply ignore it." "What kind of competitions
Super League, which rocked do we need for the world?" Tomaž Vesel had chaired FI-
European soccer body UEFA "This is the way I live the "We do not see equal op- said Infantino, also asking FA's audit committee since
last month before a backlash presidency of FIFA," said In- portunities throughout the whether the season needed 2016 but lost an election to
quickly killed the plan. fantino, who won election world. We do not necessarily fewer breaks for national- lead the merged audit, gover-
in 2016 as the official candi- see too much solidarity ei- team games. nance and compliance panel.
After reports that FIFA se- date of UEFA where he was a ther, to be honest." The vote was won by Mukul
cretly encouraged storied long-time senior staffer. Earlier, a Saudi Arabian soc- Mudgal, a judge from India,
clubs to rebel against UEFA Infantino positioned FIFA cer official proposing a fea- who previously led the gov-
and its Champions League, FIFA and UEFA have often as the protector of soccer's sibility study into biennial ernance committee. Mudgal
Infantino insisted at a news had poor relations since In- worldwide family which is World Cups echoed FIFA's will also replace Vesel chair-
conference people "should fantino switched organiza- prepared to upend the tradi- own oft-repeated suggestion ing the compensation panel
look at the facts and not ru- tions five years ago, and ful- tional competition calendar of "fewer but more meaning- which oversees setting Infan-
mors or corridor gossip." filling his stated ambitions and formats to seek more ful games" to protect players' tino's pay and performance
would put European compe- equality. health. bonuses.
FIFA has declined for more titions at risk.
than three months to respond The chance for change is A biennial World Cup was In a rare contribution to de-
to specific questions from Infantino also used the plat- there because the FIFA- first suggested more than bate from the FIFA member-
The Associated Press about form of FIFA's online meet- managed calendar of interna- 20 years ago by FIFA's ship, the six-nation Nordic
its president's involvement ing of 211 member federa- tional competitions — which then-president Sepp Blatter group from northern Europe
in talks with Super League tions to say the sport needs to mandates when clubs must though was not seriously in- urged continued monitoring
clubs, led by Real Madrid. break the domination on and release players for national- vestigated. of human rights protections
"To speak with some clubs off the field by Europe and team duty — expires in 2024. for migrant workers in Qatar,
doesn't certainly mean in any South America. It has been revived in recent the 2022 World Cup host.
way whatsoever that FIFA FIFA is now ready to consult years by allies of Infantino,
was behind or colluding or "There is a concentration widely on redrafting the cal- who has consistently pro- "It is a priority for FIFA and it
plotting ... for any Super of money and player talent endar, after turmoil caused posed more and bigger tour- is a priority for Qatar as well,"
League project," he said Fri- which does not serve the by the coronavirus pandemic naments. A review of wom- Infantino told Finland soccer
day, insisting he never closed global development or inter- delayed the process last year. en's and youth competitions federation president Ari La-
his door to talks about new ests of the game," he said. "We was also agreed Friday. hti.

Nizzolo finally wins Giro stage on 8th attempt; Bernal leads

(AP) — Riding the Giro home Grand Tour on Fri- Nizzolo won a mass sprint France champion, remained Nizzolo, who rides for Team
d'Italia for the eighth time day, while Egal Bernal's at the end of the entirely flat 45 seconds ahead of Aleksan- Qhubeka Assos, is the reign-
in his career, Giacomo overall lead remained un- 198-kilometer (123-mile) dr Vlasov and 1 minute, 12 ing European and Italian road
Nizzolo finally claimed changed. 13th stage from Ravenna to seconds ahead of Damiano race champion.
his first stage win in his Verona. Caruso.
A big challenge awaits on Sat-
"Finally I've got a stage victo- Edoardo Affini surged ahead urday with a punishing climb
ry at the Giro," Nizzolo said. early in the sprint but Nizzo- to Monte Zoncolan conclud-
lo rushed past him just before ing the 14th stage.
The route paid tribute to the line.
the poet Dante Alighieri on "It would be special to win
the 700th anniversary of his Affini finished second and atop the Zoncolan tomorrow
death in Ravenna. The un- Peter Sagan came third. but that means controlling
challenging leg also gave the whole peloton so I would
riders a break before hitting "I decided to launch a long be happy if I just keep the
the high mountains over the sprint," Nizzolo said. "I chose pink jersey," Bernal said.
weekend. to risk staying too long in the
wind rather than wait for too The Giro ends May 30 in
"Finally we had an easy day," long behind other riders with Milan with an individual
Bernal said. the chance of being blocked. time trial.
My choice paid off."
Bernal, the 2019 Tour de