ZURICH: African football confederation president Ahmad Ahmad was banned for five years by FIFA on Monday for financial misconduct.
The ban was announced during the Madagascan official’s campaign to be re-elected for four more years as the head of African football. His position also makes him a FIFA vice president.
The FIFA ethics committee found “Ahmad had breached his duty of loyalty, offered gifts and other benefits, mismanaged funds and abused his position as the CAF President.”
Ahmad’s first four-year term was clouded with allegations of financial wrongdoing and misconduct at the Confederation of African Football headquarters in Cairo.
The CAF election is scheduled for March 12 in Rabat, Morocco.
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FIFA bans African football president for 5 years
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FIFA bans African football president for 5 years
- Ahmad Ahmad’s first four-year term was clouded with allegations of financial wrongdoing and misconduct
Saudi table tennis players eliminated from singles
- Ali Alkhadrawi was first to step on the court and suffered (11-9, 11-4, 15-13) defeat
- Abdulaziz Bu Shulaybi followed Alkhadrawi losing to Lin Gaoyuan, Chinese table tennis player who is considered one of the best players in the world
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has suffered an early setback at the “Saudi Smash 2024” table tennis tournament held in Jeddah as Abdulaziz Bu Shulaybi and Ali Alkhadrawi were eliminated in round of 64 which started on Saturday.
Ali Alkhadrawi was first to step on the court and suffered (11-9, 11-4, 15-13) defeat at the hands of Japanese professional table tennis player, Maharu Yoshimura.
Competing in front of the home fans with pride etched across his face, Ali Alkhadrawi put up a brave fight in his opening round match, but couldn’t find a way past Maharu Yoshimura
Making his WTT Grand Smash debut on Saturday, Alkhadrawi made a quick start, opening up a 3-6 lead in game one and also had his chances in game three, holding three game point opportunities. However, Yoshimura would rally on both occasions, showing great character to deny the local hero, breaking Saudi hearts in the process.
Abdulaziz Bu Shulaybi followed Alkhadrawi losing to Lin Gaoyuan, Chinese table tennis player who is considered one of the best players in the world.
Bu Shulaybi gave it his all at King Abdullah Sports City. But the wildcard would end up on the receiving end of a Lin Gaoyuan masterclass, as the No.6 seed showcased his ruthless side to bring home a 3-0 victory (11-4, 11-2, 11-4).
Verstappen wins sprint race at Miami Grand Prix
- The reigning three-times world champion and current championship leader led from pole and was never challenged after a chaotic opening lap
- Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez was third as the world champions gave themselves a points boost ahead of qualifying later on Saturday
MIAMI GARDENS, United States: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen cruised to victory in the Miami Grand Prix’s sprint race on Saturday finishing a full 3.3 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
The reigning three-times world champion and current championship leader, who is looking for a third straight Grand Prix victory at Miami on Sunday, led from pole and was never challenged after a chaotic opening lap.
Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez was third as the world champions gave themselves a points boost ahead of qualifying later on Saturday.
Dutchman Verstappen held off Leclerc’s strong start to secure his place at the front but there was plenty of action and incident in the middle of the pack.
Haas’s Kevin Magnussen and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton jousted hard but in the end the Dane picked up three penalties, adding 25 seconds to his time, after frequently leaving the track and gaining advantage.
Hamilton also received a penalty, leaving him outside the points positions in 16th after speeding in the pit lane.
The safety car was brought out after the first lap which saw a start line incident involving Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll and Lando Norris.
But away from those skirmishes, it was business as usual for Verstappen, who adds another eight points to his season tally with the victory.
“I think my engine wasn’t good in the start and so then I had to speed it a bit, luckily everything worked out in turn one,” said Verstappen.
“Then we had the safety car just to calm things down a bit after that. Steadily we could increase the gap a little bit, but it wasn’t entirely perfect so we still have a bit of work to do,” he added.
“We can still fine tune the car a little bit, so hopefully we can improve for later on in qualifying and especially for tomorrow in the race.”
Future champions shine as Riyadh hosts junior Asian tennis contest for first time
- Tournament featured 57 leading female and male junior players from 20 countries
RIYADH: The Asian Tennis Federation’s 14&U Grade A tournament concluded on Saturday in Riyadh, the first event of its kind to be held in the Kingdom.
The tournament was hosted by the Saudi Arabian Tennis Federation at the Mahd Academy, and featured 57 leading female and male junior players from 20 countries, including Iran, India, Hong Kong and Thailand.
The “A” category is the highest-grade system within the ATF, with the winner of the singles competition earning 1,200 points.
The week’s top winners were Dharma Pantaratorn from Thailand and Kiyarash Sadghi from Iran.
Many of the junior players, such as 12-year-old Aylara Kakabayeva from Turkmenistan, were visiting Saudi Arabia for the first time.
“I took seventh place. It was really good. It feels very good playing here. It feels like you’re playing in a pro tournament like the Grand Slam,” she told Arab News.
The tournament proved to be a meeting point for the youth taking part. Saudi national team player Hamza Elmansoury, 11, said that his best moments were making “friends from different nationalities like Georgian India, Syria and Iran.”
Saudi tournament referee Reham Almansour said: “My favorite part was seeing and watching these talented players coming from all around Asia.”
The tournament is part of the STF’s drive to develop and promote competition for local talents.
STF development officer Pablo Mosquera said that the event allowed local players to get ranked without traveling long distances and making huge investments.
“So, they have, basically, in their backyard, an opportunity to get points,” he said.
“The whole point about tennis is bringing everyone together, especially in these international tournaments, especially the age group of under 12 or 14,” STF technical director, Hassan El-Aroussi added.
The federation plans to host more international tournaments, particularly junior competitions, in cooperation with the International Tennis Federation.
These expansive goals are driven by “our love of tennis,” El-Aroussi said.
Real Madrid put one hand on title with Cadiz win
- Los Blancos did their homework against the Andalucian stragglers to move a step closer to a record-extending 36th Spanish title
- “We leave our skins out there on the pitch to live moments like today’s, we are so close to the league,” Joselu told Real Madrid TV
MADRID: Real Madrid earned a comfortable 3-0 win over Cadiz which ensures they will win La Liga if Barcelona fail to beat Girona later Saturday.
Los Blancos did their homework against the Andalucian stragglers to move a step closer to a record-extending 36th Spanish title, which could be theirs within a matter of hours.
Brahim Diaz netted in the 51st minute to put Madrid ahead and then set up Jude Bellingham for the second, with Joselu tapping home a third to leave Madrid just one point away from clinching the title.
“We leave our skins out there on the pitch to live moments like today’s, we are so close to the league,” Joselu told Real Madrid TV.
“There are young players who are very hungry for titles, veterans who are delighted to be here... and these are special moments.”
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti played a heavily rotated side ahead of the Champions League semifinal second leg against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
The coach selected only captain Nacho Fernandez from the starting line-up that earned a 2-2 draw in Bavaria this week.
Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois started for the first time after a nine-month layoff after a knee injury and kept a clean sheet.
Madrid midfielder Luka Modric became the oldest player to appear for the club in La Liga, at 38 years and 238 days, breaking late Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas’ record from 1965 by five days.
Madrid striker Joselu came close to reaching a dangerous cross and Chris Ramos fired off target for the visitors in an otherwise slow start at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Ruben Sobrino barged his way past Eder Militao on the counter-attack after half an hour but Nacho slid in well to thwart him as he prepared to shoot.
The visitors, 18th and still battling to stay up, shaded the first half, although Dani Ceballos had a shot blocked after Cadiz goalkeeper Jeremias Ledesma went walkabout at a corner.
Courtois made a superb save to deny Ramos early in the second half and his team took the lead immediately afterwards.
The Cadiz striker shook free of Nacho and ran in on goal but Courtois produced a superb save.
Moments later Diaz sent Madrid ahead, receiving from the evergreen Modric on the edge of the area, turning slickly and curling an effort into the top corner.
“Thibaut is the best in the world, he’s had a terrible season and we were waiting for this day to come,” added Joselu.
Bellingham, on as a substitute for Turkish teenager Arda Guler, added the second soon after entering the fray.
Modric and Diaz combined well, with the latter squaring for Bellingham to put the finishing touch on a fine team move.
It was the England international’s 18th league goal of the season, keeping him in contention to finish as the top scorer, trailing Girona’s Artem Dovbyk by one.
Militao missed two good chances from close range in the final stages but Madrid eventually put the cherry on their cake after a superb run by Nacho.
Poised to depart at the end of the season, the Spaniard was hailed by the Bernabeu after setting up Joselu for a simple finish in stoppage time.
While Madrid are on the verge of domestic delight, Cadiz are staring down the barrel of relegation.
Defeat leaves them five points from safety having played one more match than Celta Vigo, 17th.
Arsenal power four points clear as Burnley sink toward relegation
- The Gunners’ fourth successive victory ensured second placed Manchester City will not be able to knock them out of pole position this weekend
- Burnley’s hopes of avoiding relegation suffered a huge blow as Newcastle ran riot at Turf Moor
LONDON: Arsenal defeated Bournemouth 3-0 to move four points clear at the top of the Premier League, while Burnley are on the verge of relegation after a 4-1 thrashing by Newcastle on Saturday.
The Gunners’ fourth successive victory ensured second placed Manchester City will not be able to knock them out of pole position this weekend even if they beat Wolves in Saturday’s late game.
Bukayo Saka’s penalty put Mikel Arteta’s side ahead on the stroke of half-time at the Emirates Stadium.
Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice struck in the closing stages to secure a vital three points.
Chasing their first title since 2004, the Gunners will pray for a shock City stumble against Wolves at the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s team, who have two games in hand on Arsenal, can clinch an unprecedented fourth successive English title if they win their last four matches.
Arsenal’s 26th Premier League victory this season equalled the club’s top-flight record for a single campaign.
“It was probably the best first half we’ve played all season,” Arteta said.
“We were unbelievable. Everything flowing, super composed on the ball. We generated so many chances, we could have gone three, four, five up easily.”
Arteta’s men gifted the title to City last season after blowing an eight-point lead in the closing weeks.
But the north Londoners have learned from that meltdown, winning 14 of their 16 league games in 2024 to stay firmly in the hunt.
Arsenal travel to Manchester United in their penultimate game next weekend before hosting Everton in what they hope will be a potential title clincher on May 19.
Burnley’s hopes of avoiding relegation suffered a huge blow as Newcastle ran riot at Turf Moor.
Vincent Kompany’s second bottom side are five points from safety, with only two games left to avoid an immediate return to the Championship after last season’s promotion.
Callum Wilson put Newcastle ahead with a 19th minute tap-in and Sean Longstaff doubled their advantage in the 35th minute, sliding in to finish off Jacob Murphy’s pass.
Bruno Guimaraes made it three in the 40th minute with a powerful strike from Anthony Gordon’s pass.
Gordon is only the second player to score 10 goals and provide 10 assists in the Premier League this season after Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.
Gordon was involved again when his shirt was tugged by Josh Brownhill, earning a 50th minute penalty that Arijanet Muric saved to deny Alexander Isak.
Sweden striker Isak made amends five minutes later when he converted Murphy’s pass for his 20th league goal this season.
Dara O’Shea’s 86th minute header was no consolation for bedraggled Burnley.
At Bramall Lane, fourth bottom Nottingham Forest took a giant step toward survival with a 3-1 win against already-relegated Sheffield United.
Gonzalo Montiel brought down Ben Brereton Diaz and the Blades forward picked himself up to lash in the 17th minute penalty.
But Callum Hudson-Odoi grabbed Forest’s equalizer in the 27th minute with a superb strike that curled into the far corner.
Ryan Yates slammed in Forest’s second from close-range after 51 minutes and Hudson-Odoi curled home in the 65th minute.
That gave the Blades an unwanted record as the first club to concede 100 goals in a 38-match Premier League season.
Swindon were relegated in 1993-94 after allowing 100 goals over 42 games.
Forest, awaiting the result of their appeal against a four-point deduction for financial breaches, are three points ahead of third bottom Luton, who drew 1-1 with Everton on Friday.
West London rivals Brentford and Fulham shared a dour 0-0 draw.
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