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sports Diabierna 10 September 2021

Trial of former Germany, Bayern player Jérôme Boateng begins

(AP) — Former Germany and Bay- said he tore at her hair, bit her head, and
ern Munich soccer player Jérôme pressed his thumb into her eye, giving
Boateng denied allegations of as- her a black eye. She said that that particu-
sault against his former partner as lar incident on July 19, 2018 was not the
his trial started on Thursday. first of its kind, but the most violent.

Boateng told Munich District Court that She said the couple had an “on-off rela-
he did not hit and injure his former part- tionship” since 2007. “Our relationship
ner Sherin Senler in July 2018 when they was always turbulent,” Senler said, with
were on vacation in the Turks and Caicos a “very toxic” connection.
Islands. He is charged with allegations of
dangerous bodily harm and verbal abuse Boateng, who appeared at the court
against Senler, the mother of their two wearing a dark blue suit and a white
children. shirt, shook his head at times as Senler
gave evidence to the court. His defense
According to the indictment, Boateng lawyer, Kai Walden, previously said his
beat her, boxed her, bit her head, threw client was disputing the allegations.
her on the ground and insulted her. DPA
news agency reported the public pros- Boateng suggested Senler was bringing
ecutors’ office also accuses Boateng of this case against him to boost her chanc-
throwing a glass lantern and cooling bag es of success in a dispute over their chil-
at his partner. dren’s custody. Senler rejected the sug-
gestion.
The 33-year-old Boateng told the court
his former partner had become aggres- Thursday was the only scheduled day for
sive and insulting during a dispute after the trial, which had been delayed due to
a game of cards. He said she hit him and coronavirus restrictions. Final arguments
injured his lip, and that she fell when from prosecutors and the defense were
he tried to push her away. He disputed still pending before a ruling can be made.
throwing a lantern at her, but said it
fell when he threw a cushion at a table. Boateng no longer plays for Bayern. The
Boateng said he had never hit his ex-girl- club declined to extend his contract at
friend. the end of last season. He signed with
French team Lyon in the offseason. He
Senler later told the court that Boateng was dropped by Germany coach Joachim
punched her in the kidney so hard that Löw as part of a shakeup of the squad in
she found it difficult to breathe. She March 2019.

New England coach Wiegman against biennial Women’s World Cup

(AP) — Setting out her vi- Sarina Wiegman was sure en’s World Cup should re- victory in that final, is now
sion as England manager, of one thing — the Wom- main every four years. heading a FIFA technical ad- “Of course because of COV-
visory group that will explore ID we have five tournaments
There’s no need for FIFA to the merits of biennial World in a row, which is enough,”
push through plans to double Cups. The prospect of more Wiegman said. “At big tour-
the frequency of its flagship regular World Cups has al- naments you want the best
tournament, according to ready been talked up by FIFA players on the pitch.
Weigman. Presient Gianni Infantino
despite resistance from Eu- “If you look now at the com-
“The Euros are great, the ropean football’s governing petitions in England there are
World Cup is great, the body UEFA. so many games, Champions
Olympics are great so that is “It is about visibility,” Wieg- League, international players
three tournaments,” she said, man said, “but I think also and you play for your club
pitchside at Wembley Stadi- think we need to take care of team — you play so many
um on Thursday. “I think if the well-being of the players games because you are one
you have a World Cup every and sometimes they need a of the best, you are a game-
two years that is too much for rest.” changer so when can you
the players at the moment so have a rest, we should take
I wouldn’t be cheering for it It’s taken a year since Wieg- care of the welfare of the
right now. man’s appointment was an- players.”
nounced for her to start with
“It is too many tournaments, England. Her last game as FIFA’s plans could ultimately
for Europe it is good (at the Netherlands coach was at see men’s and women’s tour-
moment), the development the Tokyo Olympics in July, naments played every year
in Europe for women’s foot- a quarterfinal loss to the U.S. around June and July. That
ball is ahead of most other on penalties. would prevent women’s
continents. So for Europe it football having odd-num-
is not necessary.” The pandemic disruption bered years largely clear cur-
to the calendar means the rently for its tournaments in
Wiegman is taking charge of Women’s European Cham- a period of growth and trying
England after a five-year stint pionship, which England is to attract new audiences.
in charge of her native Neth- hosting, now starts in July
erlands that saw her win the 2022. Then there’s the World “You don’t want two tourna-
Women’s European Cham- Cup in Australia and New ments (men and women’s)
pionship in 2017 and reach Zealand in 2023, followed by at the same time,” she said,
the 2019 World Cup final. the Paris Olympics in 2024 “because people are going to
Jill Ellis, who led the U.S. to and the Euros in 2025. have to choose.”