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sports Dialuna 12 Juli 2021
4 arrested, guns seized at hotel near All-Star Game events

(AP) — Four people have stages. The official could not
been arrested and more discuss the matter publicly
than a dozen weapons and spoke to the AP on con-
and hundreds of rounds dition of anonymity.
of ammunition have been
seized at a downtown Authorities were called after
Denver hotel that is close an employee found the guns
to several events planned in a hotel room, the official
in conjunction with the said.
upcoming Major League The men who were arrested
Baseball All-Star Game. are being investigated for
possession of a weapon by a
Officers responding to a tip previous offender, and the
searched two rooms at the woman, who has a separate
Maven Hotel, a block from warrant, is being investigated
Coors Field, on Friday night. on a drug charge.
Three men and a woman “We have no reason to believe
in their 40s were arrested, this incident was connected
and two vehicles were im- to terrorism or a threat di-
pounded to be searched for rected at the All-Star Game,”
evidence. the FBI said in a statement
released Sunday. “We are not
The recovered weapons in- aware of any threat to the All-
cluded several rifles, a law Star Game events, venues,
enforcement official told The players or the community at declined to say what, if any- why (the) individuals were park and downtown for the
Associated Press. this time.” thing, the suspects were plan- here in the first place, why past several days.
ning to do with the firearms. (the) proximity to down-
So far, investigators have not Meanwhile, Mayor Michael town. We don’t have those Police said in a statement
found any evidence to sug- Hancock and police Chief “We don’t know what we answers.” that visitors should always be
gest the group was plotting a Paul Pazen praised the hotel’s don’t know. That’s what the aware of their surroundings
mass shooting or other simi- staff for alerting authorities investigation is all about,” Pa- Coors Field will host the All- and report any suspicious or
lar attack, the official said, and sought to ease any con- zen said during a news con- Star Game on Tuesday, but illegal behavior.
while cautioning that the in- cerns that the area around ference. “We need to identify festivities have been under-
vestigation is still in its early the ballpark is unsafe. They exactly, to the extent possible, way in and around the ball-

UEFA explores expanding European Championship to 32 teams

(AP) — Buoyed by the for men’s soccer after 2024,
success of this year’s Eu- featuring the slots when do-
ropean Championship, mestic clubs have to release
UEFA is exploring wheth- players.
er to expand the event
again to create a 32-team While there are sporting rea-
tournament. sons to make tournaments
bigger, it also helps the gov-
The review of the format erning body leaders appeal to
comes as the bidding process the nations who vote them
is being put in place for Euro into office and would see
2028 with a decision on the their chances of qualifying
hosting set to come by the increase.
end of 2023.
are split into 10 groups. from the six groups and the There is no clear timeline of
It was only in 2016 that the UEFA could build on the four best third-place teams. when UEFA could decide
tournament jumped from Even with 24 teams now early popularity of the new That has meant Switzerland, on expanding the European
16 to 24 teams. But UEFA is reaching the final tourna- Nations League competition for example, having to wait Championship. Italy, which
starting to analyze the feasi- ment, the current pathway that splits teams into sections around after its final group last hosted a major tourna-
bility of 32 of its 55 member creates lopsided games that based on their rankings, en- games at Euro 2016 to dis- ment in 1990 when the World
nations contesting the Eu- lack appeal to elite sides suring more tightly-contest- cover if it has advanced. Cup was there, has been con-
ropean Championship from whose qualification would be ed games that would be more sidered a potential Euro 2028
2028, people with knowledge a near-certainty and are less appealing to broadcasters. A 32-team European Cham- bidder but its stadiums would
of the process told The As- attractive commercially and Ultimately, it could replace pionship would reduce that require significant invest-
sociated Press. They spoke to fans. the European Championship jeopardy further in the group ment to be upgraded to cope
on condition of anonymity qualifying system while con- stage. It would be unlikely with even a 24-team event.
because they were not autho- Euro 2020 finalist England figured to ensure leading na- France, Germany and Portu-
rized to discuss private dis- scored 12 goals and conceded tions still have a clear route to gal would be drawn together Russia has the infrastructure
cussions. only one in two qualifiers the finals. like at Euro 2020 — they still in place after investing vast
against Montenegro. Italy, all advanced. amounts ahead of hosting
There would be a knock- England’s opponent in Sun- A reason to expand from 24 the 2018 World Cup. Turkey
on effect for qualifying if day’s final, played Liechten- to 32 teams is also to smooth Expanding the competition could return with another
UEFA went ahead with add- stein in qualifying and won out the format at the final would see UEFA follow the bid after missing out on 2012
ing eight teams. The format 6-0 and 5-0. tournament. path of FIFA, which is en- and 2016, and proving ac-
would have to be overhauled larging the World Cup from commodating with UEFA’s
or scrapped since more than The option of pre-qualify- With 16 teams from 1996- 32 to 48 teams from 2026. need to take the Champions
half of the countries making ing tournaments to weed 2012, the top two from the A review of the qualifica- League final away from Is-
the final cut would further out weaker nations has been four groups advanced to the tion process for tournaments tanbul in 2020 and again this
diminish the value and inter- floated, as is used in Asia and quarterfinals. The insertion comes as FIFA oversees the year because of the coronavi-
est in the existing structure North America for their con- of a round of 16 from Euro configuration of a new in- rus pandemic.
where the continent’s teams tinental competitions. 2016 featured the top two ternational match calendar