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SPORTSThursday 28 January 2016
FIFA candidate Champagne fires at UEFA over corruption cases
GRAHAM DUNBAR during his opponent’s time
AP Sports Writer as UEFA general secretary.
GENEVA (AP) — FIFA presi- A Cypriot whistleblower in
dential candidate Jerome 2010 alleged bribery in UE-
Champagne has criticized FA’s 2012 European Cham-
how corruption allegations pionship bidding contest,
were handled by UEFA, and match-fixing cases
whose top administrator is from 2011 in Turkey and
a rival to lead world soccer. 2015 in Greece have both
Champagne did not name angered fans who believe
Gianni Infantino in com- top clubs are protected
ments at a European Parlia- from tougher sanctions.
ment news conference on “Was there an investiga-
Wednesday, but he cited tion for the vote in 2007 for
examples that happened the Euro 2012? No,” said
FIFA Presidential candidate Jerome Champagne attends a mini-forum on the future of FIFA at the
EU parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016.
(AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Champagne, noting that campaign. ate these claims. And sec-
UEFA does not have an in- Since the five candidates ondly, to protect the integ-
dependent ethics commit- were officially confirmed rity and the good name of
tee which can pursue its in November, there have UEFA and European foot-
own cases. exchanged little criticism in ball, in general, which have
“Look at the controversies public. been seriously damaged
regarding the way match- Champagne did not ac- by these allegations.”
fixing is dealt with in Greece cuse Infantino of wrong- In the match-fixing cases
and Turkey. So we need to doing though recalled referred to Wednesday,
open that,” said the one- a bribery allegation that UEFA pressured its Turk-
time FIFA international rela- was overshadowed at the ish member federation in
tions director. time by FIFA’s controversial 2011 to withdraw title hold-
UEFA launched a defama- 2018-2022 World Cup bid- er Fenerbahce from the
tion action in Switzerland ding contests. Champions League and
against the whistleblower, In October 2010, a whistle- later imposed a ban from
who withdrew his claims blower in Cyprus alleged the competition in addi-
several weeks later, and some UEFA voters shared tional seasons.
also made a criminal com- bribes totaling around 10 In Greece, Olympiakos was
plaint to state prosecutors million euros (then around allowed by UEFA to play in
in Cyprus. $13 million) in the Euro 2012 this season’s Champions
Champagne was the only hosting vote won by Po- League despite the club
one of five FIFA candidates land and Ukraine in an un- president being implicated
who took up the invitation expected victory over Italy. in a fixing scandal last year
from European lawmakers UEFA said in an October linked to organized crime.
and campaigners for FIFA 2010 statement that its UEFA entry rules require
reform to attend the event criminal complaint was “to clubs not to have been in-
in Brussels. establish whether any of volved in fixing matches.
Infantino has spent a suc- the claims made ... have Fans in Greece then sug-
cessful week meeting vot- any substance to them, gested a conspiracy be-
ers in Central and South and therefore to make cause Infantino’s deputy at
America ahead of the Feb. available any tangible ele- UEFA has close family ties
26 poll in Zurich, and sent a ments in order to substanti- to Olympiakos.q
video message about this
Aguero sends Man City into League Cup final
STEVE DOUGLAS Protecting a 2-1 lead from the 70th minute.
AP Sports Writer the first leg, Everton went The match was heading for
MANCHESTER, England (AP) further ahead on aggre- extra time, only for Aguero
— Sergio Aguero clinched gate in the semifinal when to head in a cross from De
Manchester City a place Ross Barkley scored from Bruyne in the 76th and set
in the English League Cup long range in the 18th min- up a match against Liver-
final by scoring the decisive ute. City responded imme- pool at Wembley Stadium
final goal in a 3-1 win over diately through Fernand- on Feb. 28.
Everton on Wednesday, inho’s deflected strike and Liverpool beat Stoke in a
sealing a 4-3 victory on ag- substitute Kevin De Bruyne penalty shootout to win the
gregate. leveled up the semifinal in other semifinal.q
