Quote of the week
Carlo Tavecchio – Italy’s FA head, censured for antisemitism in 2015 and banned for “banana eaters” racism in 2014 – on racist abuse faced by Sulley Muntari: “It’s execrable. But we’ve sent a clear message [on anti-racism]. Don’t forget that.”
• Tavecchio’s view on his FA disciplinary panel initially banning Muntari for protesting while clearing Cagliari due to “only 10 fans being involved”: “It is not my place to question the independent verdict. That would be quite wrong.”
• Pioneering the ban-based approach to racism victims: Russia’s FA disciplinary head Artur Grigoryants, who banned Ufa’s Emmanuel Frimpong in 2015 for gesturing at racists; Rostov’s Guélor Kanga for three games in 2014 for “insulting” them; Christopher Samba for two games in 2014 for an “unpleasant gesture”; and Alania’s Dacosta Goore in 2013 for the same offence. Grigoryants explained in 2015: “These so-called, in inverted commas, victims … they keep losing control.”
Elsewhere: big week for
Fifa head Gianni Infantino: denying reports he faces a second ethics investigation, and preparing to host Fifa’s congress in Bahrain, with a push on human rights. His prediction in 2016 for how it would all be going by now: “Fifa has been through sad times, but those times are over. We will restore the image of Fifa, we will restore the respect of Fifa – and everyone in the world will applaud us.”
• On the congress agenda this week, alongside human rights:
a) A proposal to scrap the policy of rotating World Cup host continents “if circumstances so require” – good news for China 2030, 12 months after China’s Dalian Wanda Group became a top-tier Fifa sponsor.
b) A Fifa council discussion over unseating Fifa’s ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert and chief ethics investigator Cornel Borbély, and returning extra executive powers to Infantino.
c) And agenda point 14.5 [pdf], proposed by Rwanda’s FA president Vincent Nzamwita: a debate on enhancing “compensation for Fifa council members and presidents of member associations”.
And setting the tone
Feb 2016: Czech FA head Mirsolav Pelta hails Infantino’s election as “a transparent new era, an end to suspect football, a chance to reform. Gianni is one of us.” May 2017: Pelta denies wrongdoing after being arrested over alleged misuse of public money following a raid on FA offices.
Other news: warming up
Russia: Sochi’s Fisht Stadium, hosting the Russian Cup final as a dry run for 2018 World Cup games, with the match ending in a mass brawl, four red cards and 64 arrests. Deputy PM Vitaly Mutko: “It was a good ending. It’s like a good wedding – not without a fight.”
Busy week for
Brazil: Palmeiras’s Felipe Melo: a) banned for punching Penarol’s Matias Mier; and b) entering politics to back presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro, running on an evangelical far-right pro-torture, anti-gay ticket. Melo: “Yes, I’m with Bolsonaro. God bless hard workers, and fuck the tramps.” He later clarified: “When I talk about tramps, I talk about people who want to harm our country.”
Tough week for
Sandro Rosell, former Barcelona president, facing trial over alleged fraud alongside successor Josep Maria Bartomeu and Neymar, a year after Barça were fined £4.7m in a related tax fraud case. Rosell’s verdict on fraud talk in 2013: “It’s reckless. I am calm. I’m worried about this zero.”
Celebrity news
Brazil: Goalkeeper Bruno – jailed for feeding his girlfriend to dogs in 2010 to avoid paying child support – set to become a father for the fourth time, according to lawyer Lucio Adolfo. “Yes, [his wife] is pregnant. He’s happy, but I cannot say more. I am a lawyer, not family.”
Manager news: moving on
Brazil, 16 March: Palmeiras president Maurício Galiotte plays down talk of sacking Eduardo Baptista and rehiring old coach Cuca: “Cuca’s an excellent pro, but Eduardo has all the qualities. He just needs time. And he will have time.” 5 May: Sacks him, rehires Cuca.
Most startled
Brazil: Sapucaiense president José Luiz Christianetti, reacting after striker Marlon Natanael was arrested from the bench before kick-off over alleged armed kidnap and extortion. “He seems like such a nice lad. It’s a sad surprise.” Natanael denies wrongdoing.
Respect campaign latest
Russia: Armavir president Valentin Klimko, upset by striker Andrei Myazin’s six-month ban for assaulting a referee (“the referee hit him first, they did it to each other”) – but cooling “disrespectful” talk that the official was drunk. “No. Inept, blind or bent - but not drunk.“
Судья Сергей Смирнов ударил Мязина плечом и удалил pic.twitter.com/zRP4amBreA
— ФК «Армавир» (@fcarmavir) May 4, 2017
Best gesture
India: Diego Maradona, signing to play in a charity “Match for Unity” in Kolkata to “spread my overwhelming love for the game”. Diego’s previous best charity match moment: 2015, telling fans at a “Match for Peace” in Colombia: “I pray to God for peace, I want peace with all my heart”, then assaulting a 14-year-old boy in an on-pitch brawl. “Forgive me, man. I never slap kids.”
And most thorough
Brazil: Referee Héber Roberto Lopes, citing Avaí’s lion mascot in a post-game disciplinary report: “At half-time, the mascot, a lion, made gestures implying match officials were robbing from Avaí. It happened by the tunnel.” Coach Claudinei Oliveira: “It’s Avaí against the world.”
Árbitro Heber Roberto Lopes registra gesto ofensivo do mascote do Avaí https://t.co/phJQrVY1fw pic.twitter.com/AuuQEAQl2O
— globoesportecom (@globoesportecom) May 1, 2017
