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Showing posts with label FIFA. Show all posts

How Chelsea handed David Alaba transfer boost, Bayern Munich chief offers confirmation

How Chelsea handed David Alaba transfer boost, Bayern Munich chief offers confirmation


The Bayern Munich chief executive - Karl-Heinz Rummenigge - has revealed that David Alaba's time at the Allianz Arena is all but over after the club failed to strike an agreement with him over a new contract, Football.London reported.

According to the report, the Austrian defender, who has been on the books of the Bundesliga heavyweights since 2009, is out-of-contract at the reigning Champions League title holders at the end of the season. Despite having being an integral part of Bayern's plans in recent years, he looks set to leave the club at the end of the season, with him having refused to put pen to paper on a new deal.

Alaba, who has been transformed into a centre-back in recent months following the rise of talented left-back Alphonso Davies, has made demands that Bayern are not willing to meet, despite the best efforts of the German giants to reach an agreement.

Now, chief executive Rummenigge has confirmed that his time at Bayern is all but over, confirming that he will be free to speak to any potential suitors in less than two weeks time. "Bayern did everything we could to try and reach an agreement," Rummenigge said, as quoted by the Daily Mail. "We had a lot of conversations, but we wanted answers from him by the end of October.


"This didn't happen and I don't know if we'll return to the negotiations. What I want to be clear about is that our offer showed exactly how much we value him, but he didn't accept it."

This news will have put a plethora of big-name clubs across Europe on red alert, including Chelsea, who have been closely linked with a move for the 28-year-old in recent weeks.

Though the Blues are currently well-stocked at centre-back, Chelsea may see an opportunity to sign Alaba on a free-transfer as too good an opportunity to turn down. At this moment in time, the Blues have five senior centre-backs on their books in the shape of Thiago Silva, who is poised to extend his contract at Stamford Bridge, Kurt Zouma, Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger and Fikayo Tomori.

But with Silva now at the age of 36, Rudiger's future in west London in doubt and Tomori poised to leave on loan in January, Chelsea may feel as though they could use the signing of Alaba to their advantage, though a deal would not be formally concluded until next summer, once the Austrian's deal at Bayern comes to an end.

Chelsea are not the only club to have been tracking Alaba's development, with Spanish giants Real Madrid also reportedly keeping tabs on the situation. Despite that, Rummenigge claims he does not know anything about Madrid's reported interest.

Rummenigge added: "I don't know anything about the Real Madrid rumours.

"He's free to speak to whoever he wants from January 1."

The Bayern Munich chief executive - Karl-Heinz Rummenigge - has revealed that David Alaba's time at the Allianz Arena is all but over after the club failed to strike an agreement with him over a new contract, Football.London reported.

According to the report, the Austrian defender, who has been on the books of the Bundesliga heavyweights since 2009, is out-of-contract at the reigning Champions League title holders at the end of the season. Despite having being an integral part of Bayern's plans in recent years, he looks set to leave the club at the end of the season, with him having refused to put pen to paper on a new deal.

Alaba, who has been transformed into a centre-back in recent months following the rise of talented left-back Alphonso Davies, has made demands that Bayern are not willing to meet, despite the best efforts of the German giants to reach an agreement.

Now, chief executive Rummenigge has confirmed that his time at Bayern is all but over, confirming that he will be free to speak to any potential suitors in less than two weeks time. "Bayern did everything we could to try and reach an agreement," Rummenigge said, as quoted by the Daily Mail. "We had a lot of conversations, but we wanted answers from him by the end of October.


"This didn't happen and I don't know if we'll return to the negotiations. What I want to be clear about is that our offer showed exactly how much we value him, but he didn't accept it."

This news will have put a plethora of big-name clubs across Europe on red alert, including Chelsea, who have been closely linked with a move for the 28-year-old in recent weeks.

Though the Blues are currently well-stocked at centre-back, Chelsea may see an opportunity to sign Alaba on a free-transfer as too good an opportunity to turn down. At this moment in time, the Blues have five senior centre-backs on their books in the shape of Thiago Silva, who is poised to extend his contract at Stamford Bridge, Kurt Zouma, Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger and Fikayo Tomori.

But with Silva now at the age of 36, Rudiger's future in west London in doubt and Tomori poised to leave on loan in January, Chelsea may feel as though they could use the signing of Alaba to their advantage, though a deal would not be formally concluded until next summer, once the Austrian's deal at Bayern comes to an end.

Chelsea are not the only club to have been tracking Alaba's development, with Spanish giants Real Madrid also reportedly keeping tabs on the situation. Despite that, Rummenigge claims he does not know anything about Madrid's reported interest.

Rummenigge added: "I don't know anything about the Real Madrid rumours.

"He's free to speak to whoever he wants from January 1."

Bayern’s Neuer emerges FIFA’s best men’s goalkeeper

Bayern’s Neuer emerges FIFA’s best men’s goalkeeper


The GOATkeeper is now officially The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper 2020 - Congratulations, Manuel Neuer! 

The FC Bayern captain received the FIFA award on Thursday evening as part of the virtual Best FIFA Football Awards, beating Alisson Becker and Jan Oblak.

"It was definitely one of the best years of my career, it was amazing what we did. Especially in the summer in Lisbon it was terrific," said the German national goalkeeper.

 "It's a tough time for us all without the fans in the stadium. We have a great mentality in our team, we play for the fans and give our best in every game," continued Neuer, who joined the virtual show from Munich.

Countless brilliant saves, dispairing top strikers and many other highlights - Neuer played sensationally in 2020: it couldn't have gone much better. His contribution to the treble win is undisputed and in the new season the FCB keeper has shone regularly, including most recently against Wolfsburg when he celebrated his 200th Bundesliga victory in the Bayern jersey. 

fcbayern.com congratulates the GOATkeeper on his well-deserved award as The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper 2020.

Source: FC Bayern


The GOATkeeper is now officially The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper 2020 - Congratulations, Manuel Neuer! 

The FC Bayern captain received the FIFA award on Thursday evening as part of the virtual Best FIFA Football Awards, beating Alisson Becker and Jan Oblak.

"It was definitely one of the best years of my career, it was amazing what we did. Especially in the summer in Lisbon it was terrific," said the German national goalkeeper.

 "It's a tough time for us all without the fans in the stadium. We have a great mentality in our team, we play for the fans and give our best in every game," continued Neuer, who joined the virtual show from Munich.

Countless brilliant saves, dispairing top strikers and many other highlights - Neuer played sensationally in 2020: it couldn't have gone much better. His contribution to the treble win is undisputed and in the new season the FCB keeper has shone regularly, including most recently against Wolfsburg when he celebrated his 200th Bundesliga victory in the Bayern jersey. 

fcbayern.com congratulates the GOATkeeper on his well-deserved award as The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper 2020.

Source: FC Bayern

Australia & New Zealand chosen to host 2023 women's World Cup

Australia & New Zealand chosen to host 2023 women's World Cup



(AFP) - Australia and New Zealand will host the 2023 women's World Cup after the countries' joint bid was chosen by FIFA on Thursday.

The overwhelming favourites won ahead of their only rival Colombia, with Japan having withdrawn its own bid earlier in the week and Brazil, Argentina, South Africa and a joint Korean proposal already having fallen by the wayside.

The 2023 tournament is set to be the first 32-team women's World Cup, up from the 24 nations who competed at last year's finals in France, won by the United States.

It will be the ninth women's World Cup.

"WE DID IT! LETS GO AUSTRALIA & NZ! WORLD CUPS COMING HOME", said Chelsea's Sam Kerr, the leading star of Australian women's football, in a celebratory Instagram post.

The joint proposal by Australia and New Zealand will see games played in 13 venues across 12 cities in July and August 2023, with the opening match at Eden Park in Auckland and the final in Sydney.

Seven cities in Australia will host games, and five in New Zealand. There will be two stadiums in Sydney. Four groups will be based in each country during the first phase.

Thursday's vote came at a video-conference meeting of the 37 members of the FIFA Council as football, and global sport in general, struggles to get back on its feet in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Australia and New Zealand bid was given the highest score, of 4.1 out of five, in an evaluation by world football's governing body published earlier this month.

It was followed by Japan, on 3.9, but the Japanese bid was withdrawn on Monday, with the head of the country's football association, Kozo Tajima, noting that key support was moving towards Australia and New Zealand.

In addition, he admitted that Japan's focus was on hosting next year's Olympics in Tokyo.

FIFA's evaluation report gave Colombia a score of just 2.8 out of five as it raised doubts about the ability to provide investment required to carry out "necessary improvements" and also highlighted security worries in the South American country.

Australia and New Zealand both have considerable experience when it comes to hosting major international sporting events.

Australia hosted the men's Asian Cup in 2015, with New Zealand hosting the men's under-20 World Cup in the same year.

In addition, Australia has hosted the Summer Olympics twice, in Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000.

Both countries have recently hosted the men's Rugby World Cup having also jointly organised the first edition of that competition in 1987.

They also jointly staged the 1992 and 2015 Cricket World Cups.

Australia are seventh in the current FIFA women's world rankings, but the Matildas have never been beyond the quarter-finals at the World Cup and lost on penalties to Norway in the last 16 last year.

New Zealand's "Football Ferns" have never been beyond the group stage and in 2023 will be hoping to win a game at the finals for the first time.

AFP


(AFP) - Australia and New Zealand will host the 2023 women's World Cup after the countries' joint bid was chosen by FIFA on Thursday.

The overwhelming favourites won ahead of their only rival Colombia, with Japan having withdrawn its own bid earlier in the week and Brazil, Argentina, South Africa and a joint Korean proposal already having fallen by the wayside.

The 2023 tournament is set to be the first 32-team women's World Cup, up from the 24 nations who competed at last year's finals in France, won by the United States.

It will be the ninth women's World Cup.

"WE DID IT! LETS GO AUSTRALIA & NZ! WORLD CUPS COMING HOME", said Chelsea's Sam Kerr, the leading star of Australian women's football, in a celebratory Instagram post.

The joint proposal by Australia and New Zealand will see games played in 13 venues across 12 cities in July and August 2023, with the opening match at Eden Park in Auckland and the final in Sydney.

Seven cities in Australia will host games, and five in New Zealand. There will be two stadiums in Sydney. Four groups will be based in each country during the first phase.

Thursday's vote came at a video-conference meeting of the 37 members of the FIFA Council as football, and global sport in general, struggles to get back on its feet in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Australia and New Zealand bid was given the highest score, of 4.1 out of five, in an evaluation by world football's governing body published earlier this month.

It was followed by Japan, on 3.9, but the Japanese bid was withdrawn on Monday, with the head of the country's football association, Kozo Tajima, noting that key support was moving towards Australia and New Zealand.

In addition, he admitted that Japan's focus was on hosting next year's Olympics in Tokyo.

FIFA's evaluation report gave Colombia a score of just 2.8 out of five as it raised doubts about the ability to provide investment required to carry out "necessary improvements" and also highlighted security worries in the South American country.

Australia and New Zealand both have considerable experience when it comes to hosting major international sporting events.

Australia hosted the men's Asian Cup in 2015, with New Zealand hosting the men's under-20 World Cup in the same year.

In addition, Australia has hosted the Summer Olympics twice, in Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000.

Both countries have recently hosted the men's Rugby World Cup having also jointly organised the first edition of that competition in 1987.

They also jointly staged the 1992 and 2015 Cricket World Cups.

Australia are seventh in the current FIFA women's world rankings, but the Matildas have never been beyond the quarter-finals at the World Cup and lost on penalties to Norway in the last 16 last year.

New Zealand's "Football Ferns" have never been beyond the group stage and in 2023 will be hoping to win a game at the finals for the first time.

AFP

Germany's football league will resume games next week

Germany's football league will resume games next week

Germany's Bundesliga is set to become the first major football league to resume play during the coronavirus pandemic.

Matches will restart from on May 16, the CEO of the German Football League (DFL) Christian Seifert announced today. He said Borussia Dortmund versus Schalke 04 are among the first to kick off.

Chancellor Angela Merkel set out plans yesterday for the gradual reopening of the country after weeks-long restrictions, including resuming play for the country's top football league. She did not specify if this would be with spectators or behind closed doors.

It would be the first major European league to resume playing. Last week, France canceled its season and declared Paris Saint-Germain the winner of Ligue 1.

Merkel said authorities would watch local regions to ensure any outbreak was stopped.

Germany is widely considered to have responded effectively to the pandemic, thanks in part to its large-scale coronavirus testing capacity.

B/R Football
✔@brfootball

The Bundesliga confirms it will start on May 16

cnn

Germany's Bundesliga is set to become the first major football league to resume play during the coronavirus pandemic.

Matches will restart from on May 16, the CEO of the German Football League (DFL) Christian Seifert announced today. He said Borussia Dortmund versus Schalke 04 are among the first to kick off.

Chancellor Angela Merkel set out plans yesterday for the gradual reopening of the country after weeks-long restrictions, including resuming play for the country's top football league. She did not specify if this would be with spectators or behind closed doors.

It would be the first major European league to resume playing. Last week, France canceled its season and declared Paris Saint-Germain the winner of Ligue 1.

Merkel said authorities would watch local regions to ensure any outbreak was stopped.

Germany is widely considered to have responded effectively to the pandemic, thanks in part to its large-scale coronavirus testing capacity.

B/R Football
✔@brfootball

The Bundesliga confirms it will start on May 16

cnn

FIFA medical chief D'Hooghe urges NO football until SEPTEMBER in 'worst situation since World War II'

FIFA medical chief D'Hooghe urges NO football until SEPTEMBER in 'worst situation since World War II'

Michel D'Hooghe has told fans and governing bodies to forget restarting competitive football before a vaccine for Covid-19 is found, warning that the "most dramatic situation" since the last world war is "not a matter of money." RT reported on Tuesday.

FIFA Medical Committee chairman D'Hooghe has panned plans to resume top-level action across Europe over the next few months, declaring that only a vaccine for the novel coronavirus would enable leagues to continue.

His words are certain to have an influence when leaders in Germany meet on Thursday with a view to rubberstamping the return of the Bundesliga, which was due to become the first top-level league to restart, having set a likely date of May 9.

"The world is not ready for competitive football," D'Hooghe told Sky Sports, speaking within hours of French president Edouard Philippe making a surprise announcement that professional football would not take place in his country until at least September, ending the 2019-20 season in Ligue 1 and 2 immediately.

"This is the most dramatic situation we have lived in since the Second World War. We should not underestimate it – we must be realistic.

"We do not know when it will reach its peak in different countries. It will be different in every country. The solution will only be there the day there is an adequate vaccination programme."

Singling out mooted plans in England, where speculation has suggested that training could start again on May 18 ahead of fixtures from June 8, D'Hooghe said that testing would not protect players, echoing the feeling among fans that the required social distancing would make games impossible.

"Testing is an important point but you have to repeat them," he pointed out. "If one of the players becomes positive, you have to put the whole group into quarantine. Is that a solution for a normal competition?

"It's still about social distancing. Football can only be possible if contact is possible again. Football remains a contact sport and one of the first things everyone says is that you should avoid contact.

"Have you ever tried playing football in a mask? This does not avoid social distancing.

Bryan Swanson
✔@skysports_bryan
NEW: Strong interview with FIFA medical chief Dr Michel D’Hooghe. Doesn’t want football to return before Sept 1 - “This is the most dramatic situation we have lived in since the Second World War.” More on @SkySportsNews #COVID19


"You cannot play in the Premier League when players are obliged to remain two meters from each other.

"You cannot ask Liverpool to play Manchester when all the players will [have to] keep a distance of two meters between them."

The elite football seasons in Belgium and the Netherlands have already been canceled but Premier League clubs Arsenal, Brighton and West Ham reopened their training grounds for individual sessions this week and Italy's Serie A has begun to take tentative steps towards a possible return next month.

Bundesliga executives have said that clubs could face bankruptcy should the season not resume imminently and the Premier League depends heavily on broadcasting contracts being fulfilled, while doctors in Spain have outlined stringent testing and safety measures that could be implemented in La Liga and across the suspended leagues, including sterilizing balls and pitches and minimizing contact off the pitch.

D'Hooghe appeared to dash their hopes of successfully ending their respective seasons behind closed doors, imploring supporters and clubs to show less haste.

"Football has to be patient," he demanded. "It has to listen to the national authorities and respect the basic [health] rules.

"Just because balls might be sterilized, it does not suddenly mean we can play football again."

La Liga president Javier Tebas questioned the decision to end the season prematurely in France and emphatically contradicted D’Hooghe’s views.

“In other countries, teams are already training – that’s the example to follow,” he argued.

“We continue to focus on this reactivation, in a responsible manner and adhering to health recommendations, as soon as possible.

“If important economic sectors cannot restart in a safe and controlled manner, they could end up disappearing. That could happen to professional football.

“I do not understand why there would be more danger in playing football behind closed doors, with all precautionary measures, than working on an assembly line or being on a fishing boat on the high seas.

“In Spain, football is an important economic driver that we need to reactivate, like many others."

All of Europe's major leagues have been halted for more than a month while the deadly pandemic has wiped out much of the sporting schedule across the world.

The major international tournament of the summer, Euro 2020, has been postponed until next year, but FIFA pledged $150 million to each of its member football associations to help with the crisis at the end of last week. UEFA will also release a collective $255 million to aid organizations in Europe.
Michel D'Hooghe has told fans and governing bodies to forget restarting competitive football before a vaccine for Covid-19 is found, warning that the "most dramatic situation" since the last world war is "not a matter of money." RT reported on Tuesday.

FIFA Medical Committee chairman D'Hooghe has panned plans to resume top-level action across Europe over the next few months, declaring that only a vaccine for the novel coronavirus would enable leagues to continue.

His words are certain to have an influence when leaders in Germany meet on Thursday with a view to rubberstamping the return of the Bundesliga, which was due to become the first top-level league to restart, having set a likely date of May 9.

"The world is not ready for competitive football," D'Hooghe told Sky Sports, speaking within hours of French president Edouard Philippe making a surprise announcement that professional football would not take place in his country until at least September, ending the 2019-20 season in Ligue 1 and 2 immediately.

"This is the most dramatic situation we have lived in since the Second World War. We should not underestimate it – we must be realistic.

"We do not know when it will reach its peak in different countries. It will be different in every country. The solution will only be there the day there is an adequate vaccination programme."

Singling out mooted plans in England, where speculation has suggested that training could start again on May 18 ahead of fixtures from June 8, D'Hooghe said that testing would not protect players, echoing the feeling among fans that the required social distancing would make games impossible.

"Testing is an important point but you have to repeat them," he pointed out. "If one of the players becomes positive, you have to put the whole group into quarantine. Is that a solution for a normal competition?

"It's still about social distancing. Football can only be possible if contact is possible again. Football remains a contact sport and one of the first things everyone says is that you should avoid contact.

"Have you ever tried playing football in a mask? This does not avoid social distancing.

Bryan Swanson
✔@skysports_bryan
NEW: Strong interview with FIFA medical chief Dr Michel D’Hooghe. Doesn’t want football to return before Sept 1 - “This is the most dramatic situation we have lived in since the Second World War.” More on @SkySportsNews #COVID19


"You cannot play in the Premier League when players are obliged to remain two meters from each other.

"You cannot ask Liverpool to play Manchester when all the players will [have to] keep a distance of two meters between them."

The elite football seasons in Belgium and the Netherlands have already been canceled but Premier League clubs Arsenal, Brighton and West Ham reopened their training grounds for individual sessions this week and Italy's Serie A has begun to take tentative steps towards a possible return next month.

Bundesliga executives have said that clubs could face bankruptcy should the season not resume imminently and the Premier League depends heavily on broadcasting contracts being fulfilled, while doctors in Spain have outlined stringent testing and safety measures that could be implemented in La Liga and across the suspended leagues, including sterilizing balls and pitches and minimizing contact off the pitch.

D'Hooghe appeared to dash their hopes of successfully ending their respective seasons behind closed doors, imploring supporters and clubs to show less haste.

"Football has to be patient," he demanded. "It has to listen to the national authorities and respect the basic [health] rules.

"Just because balls might be sterilized, it does not suddenly mean we can play football again."

La Liga president Javier Tebas questioned the decision to end the season prematurely in France and emphatically contradicted D’Hooghe’s views.

“In other countries, teams are already training – that’s the example to follow,” he argued.

“We continue to focus on this reactivation, in a responsible manner and adhering to health recommendations, as soon as possible.

“If important economic sectors cannot restart in a safe and controlled manner, they could end up disappearing. That could happen to professional football.

“I do not understand why there would be more danger in playing football behind closed doors, with all precautionary measures, than working on an assembly line or being on a fishing boat on the high seas.

“In Spain, football is an important economic driver that we need to reactivate, like many others."

All of Europe's major leagues have been halted for more than a month while the deadly pandemic has wiped out much of the sporting schedule across the world.

The major international tournament of the summer, Euro 2020, has been postponed until next year, but FIFA pledged $150 million to each of its member football associations to help with the crisis at the end of last week. UEFA will also release a collective $255 million to aid organizations in Europe.

Postponed Tokyo Olympics to open July 23 next year

Postponed Tokyo Olympics to open July 23 next year

The Tokyo Olympics will begin on July 23 next year, organisers said on Monday, after the coronavirus forced the historic decision to postpone the Games until 2021.

The announcement comes less than a week after organisers were forced to delay the Games under heavy pressure from athletes and sports federations as the global outbreak worsened.

"The Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021. The Paralympics will be held from August 24 to September 5," Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori told reporters at a hastily arranged news conference.

Only hours earlier, Mori had said he expected a decision from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during the course of the week.

But on Monday evening, he said an emergency teleconference had been held with the IOC and the date finalised.

"We agreed that the timing of the event will be in summer as originally planned, considering the coronavirus... and a certain amount of time needed for preparations, selection and qualification of athletes," he added.

In a statement, the IOC said the new dates would give health authorities and organisers "the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision would also cause "minimum" disruption to the international sports calendar, the body said.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics were due to open on July 24 this year and run for 16 days, but the coronavirus pandemic forced the first peacetime postponement of the Games.

The IOC and Japan had for weeks insisted the show could go on but the rapid spread of COVID-19 prompted growing disquiet among athletes and sporting federations.

The Olympics was the highest-profile sporting casualty of the coronavirus that has wiped out fixtures worldwide and all but halted professional sport.

In a near-simultaneous announcement on Monday, World Athletics said it would now move its world championships, which had been due to take place in Eugene, Oregon on August 6-15 next year, to 2022.

- No spring Olympics -


There was some speculation that Japanese organisers could take advantage of the blank canvas to shift the Games to spring, avoiding the heat of the Tokyo summer that had been their main concern before coronavirus struck.

Due to the heat, the marathon has been moved to Sapporo, a city some 800 kilometres (500 miles) to the north of Tokyo where the weather is cooler even in mid-summer.

The postponement has handed organisers the "unprecedented" task of rearranging an event seven years in the making, and Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto has admitted the additional costs will be "massive"

According to the latest budget, the Games were due to cost $12.6 billion, shared between the organising committee, the government of Japan and Tokyo city. However, that number is hotly contested with a much-publicised government audit suggesting the central government was spending several times that amount -- on items organisers claim are only tangentially related to the Olympics.

- 'Mankind's victory' -

The postponement affects every aspect of the organisation -- hotels, ticketing, venues and transport being among the major headaches. Hotels have had to cancel bookings, dealing them a bitter blow at a time when tourism is already being hammered by the coronavirus.


Some venues that had booked events years in advance will potentially have to scrap them to make way for the rescheduled Olympics and there is still uncertainty about whether ticket-holders will get refunded. Another thorny issue is the athletes' village, which was due to be converted into luxury apartments after the Games, some of which have already found buyers.

The Japanese government had touted the Games as the "Recovery Olympics", designed to show how the country had bounced back from the 2011 triple disaster of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown in the northeastern Fukushima region.

The Games are now being billed as the expression of humanity's triumph over the coronavirus. "Humankind currently finds itself in a dark tunnel," IOC chief Thomas Bach said in Monday's statement announcing the new date.

"These Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 can be a light at the end of this tunnel." Mori earlier warned that organisers were faced with an "unprecedented challenge."

"But I believe it is the mission of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee to hold the Olympics and Paralympics next year as a proof of mankind's victory" against the virus.



Source
The Tokyo Olympics will begin on July 23 next year, organisers said on Monday, after the coronavirus forced the historic decision to postpone the Games until 2021.

The announcement comes less than a week after organisers were forced to delay the Games under heavy pressure from athletes and sports federations as the global outbreak worsened.

"The Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021. The Paralympics will be held from August 24 to September 5," Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori told reporters at a hastily arranged news conference.

Only hours earlier, Mori had said he expected a decision from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during the course of the week.

But on Monday evening, he said an emergency teleconference had been held with the IOC and the date finalised.

"We agreed that the timing of the event will be in summer as originally planned, considering the coronavirus... and a certain amount of time needed for preparations, selection and qualification of athletes," he added.

In a statement, the IOC said the new dates would give health authorities and organisers "the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision would also cause "minimum" disruption to the international sports calendar, the body said.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics were due to open on July 24 this year and run for 16 days, but the coronavirus pandemic forced the first peacetime postponement of the Games.

The IOC and Japan had for weeks insisted the show could go on but the rapid spread of COVID-19 prompted growing disquiet among athletes and sporting federations.

The Olympics was the highest-profile sporting casualty of the coronavirus that has wiped out fixtures worldwide and all but halted professional sport.

In a near-simultaneous announcement on Monday, World Athletics said it would now move its world championships, which had been due to take place in Eugene, Oregon on August 6-15 next year, to 2022.

- No spring Olympics -


There was some speculation that Japanese organisers could take advantage of the blank canvas to shift the Games to spring, avoiding the heat of the Tokyo summer that had been their main concern before coronavirus struck.

Due to the heat, the marathon has been moved to Sapporo, a city some 800 kilometres (500 miles) to the north of Tokyo where the weather is cooler even in mid-summer.

The postponement has handed organisers the "unprecedented" task of rearranging an event seven years in the making, and Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto has admitted the additional costs will be "massive"

According to the latest budget, the Games were due to cost $12.6 billion, shared between the organising committee, the government of Japan and Tokyo city. However, that number is hotly contested with a much-publicised government audit suggesting the central government was spending several times that amount -- on items organisers claim are only tangentially related to the Olympics.

- 'Mankind's victory' -

The postponement affects every aspect of the organisation -- hotels, ticketing, venues and transport being among the major headaches. Hotels have had to cancel bookings, dealing them a bitter blow at a time when tourism is already being hammered by the coronavirus.


Some venues that had booked events years in advance will potentially have to scrap them to make way for the rescheduled Olympics and there is still uncertainty about whether ticket-holders will get refunded. Another thorny issue is the athletes' village, which was due to be converted into luxury apartments after the Games, some of which have already found buyers.

The Japanese government had touted the Games as the "Recovery Olympics", designed to show how the country had bounced back from the 2011 triple disaster of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown in the northeastern Fukushima region.

The Games are now being billed as the expression of humanity's triumph over the coronavirus. "Humankind currently finds itself in a dark tunnel," IOC chief Thomas Bach said in Monday's statement announcing the new date.

"These Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 can be a light at the end of this tunnel." Mori earlier warned that organisers were faced with an "unprecedented challenge."

"But I believe it is the mission of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee to hold the Olympics and Paralympics next year as a proof of mankind's victory" against the virus.



Source

Man City v Arsenal match off as #coronavirus hits Premier League for first time

Man City v Arsenal match off as #coronavirus hits Premier League for first time

(AFP), Arsenal's game at Manchester City was postponed on Wednesday after players from the London club were put into quarantine, making it the first Premier League fixture to be called off because of the new coronavirus.

Arsenal said players will be isolated for 14 days after coming into contact with the owner of Greek club Olympiakos, who has tested positive for COVID-19.

"We are strictly following the government guidelines which recommend that anyone coming into close contact with someone with the virus should self-isolate at home for 14 days from the last time they had contact," an Arsenal statement said.

"As a result, the players are unavailable for tonight's (Wednesday's) match against Manchester City and the Premier League has decided the game should be postponed."

The first postponement in the Premier League, which has a worldwide following of billions of TV viewers, comes after UEFA's Champions League and Europa League were both forced to arrange matches behind closed doors.

Football's top-flight Serie A and all other sports have been put on hold in Italy, which is under national lockdown as virus cases soar.

Matches in the top two divisions in Spain and France will be played behind closed doors for at least the next two weeks, officials announced Tuesday.

In Asia, football has been suspended in China, South Korea and Japan, and the AFC Champions League schedule heavily disrupted.

Arsenal were knocked out of the Europa League by Olympiakos in late February. Vangelis Marinakis, owner of the Greek club and England's Nottingham Forest, announced on Tuesday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Arsenal said the players and four staff who met Marinakis after the game at their stadium will be remain at their homes until the quarantine period is complete.

"The medical advice we have received puts the risk of them developing Covid-19 at extremely low," the club added.

Manchester City said the postponement was a "precautionary measure" and that information about rescheduling would be available in the coming days.

The postponement could also frustrate Premier League leaders Liverpool as a Manchester City defeat would have taken them to the brink of their first top-flight title in 30 years.

Olympiakos's home Europa League last-16, first-leg game against Wolverhampton Wanderers in Athens has already been ordered behind closed doors.

Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo on Tuesday joined a number of managers, including Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp, in voicing disquiet at being asked to playing in an empty stadium.

"If we have to go we will. But we don't agree -- we're not happy to go," he told Sky Sports.

"Behind closed doors doesn't make sense," he added. "We're pretending to live a normal life when things aren't normal."

(AFP), Arsenal's game at Manchester City was postponed on Wednesday after players from the London club were put into quarantine, making it the first Premier League fixture to be called off because of the new coronavirus.

Arsenal said players will be isolated for 14 days after coming into contact with the owner of Greek club Olympiakos, who has tested positive for COVID-19.

"We are strictly following the government guidelines which recommend that anyone coming into close contact with someone with the virus should self-isolate at home for 14 days from the last time they had contact," an Arsenal statement said.

"As a result, the players are unavailable for tonight's (Wednesday's) match against Manchester City and the Premier League has decided the game should be postponed."

The first postponement in the Premier League, which has a worldwide following of billions of TV viewers, comes after UEFA's Champions League and Europa League were both forced to arrange matches behind closed doors.

Football's top-flight Serie A and all other sports have been put on hold in Italy, which is under national lockdown as virus cases soar.

Matches in the top two divisions in Spain and France will be played behind closed doors for at least the next two weeks, officials announced Tuesday.

In Asia, football has been suspended in China, South Korea and Japan, and the AFC Champions League schedule heavily disrupted.

Arsenal were knocked out of the Europa League by Olympiakos in late February. Vangelis Marinakis, owner of the Greek club and England's Nottingham Forest, announced on Tuesday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Arsenal said the players and four staff who met Marinakis after the game at their stadium will be remain at their homes until the quarantine period is complete.

"The medical advice we have received puts the risk of them developing Covid-19 at extremely low," the club added.

Manchester City said the postponement was a "precautionary measure" and that information about rescheduling would be available in the coming days.

The postponement could also frustrate Premier League leaders Liverpool as a Manchester City defeat would have taken them to the brink of their first top-flight title in 30 years.

Olympiakos's home Europa League last-16, first-leg game against Wolverhampton Wanderers in Athens has already been ordered behind closed doors.

Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo on Tuesday joined a number of managers, including Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp, in voicing disquiet at being asked to playing in an empty stadium.

"If we have to go we will. But we don't agree -- we're not happy to go," he told Sky Sports.

"Behind closed doors doesn't make sense," he added. "We're pretending to live a normal life when things aren't normal."

COVID-19: FIFA shared a formal proposal to postpone matches

COVID-19: FIFA shared a formal proposal to postpone matches

The world football governing body (FIFA) has shared a formal proposal to postpone upcoming matches in the Asian FIFA World Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers with relevant member associations.

The FIFA statement  opined that: "For both FIFA and the AFC, the well-being and health of all individuals involved in football matches remains the highest priority," adding that it will provide an update in the coming days following consultation with AFC member associations.

"Other topics of discussion were the women’s Olympic play-off between Korea Republic and China PR, as well as the AFC Futsal Championship Turkmenistan 2020," it said.

Coronavirus has spread to more than 70 countries with over 3,000 death tolls and more than 90,000 infected already. over 47,000 have been treated.
The world football governing body (FIFA) has shared a formal proposal to postpone upcoming matches in the Asian FIFA World Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers with relevant member associations.

The FIFA statement  opined that: "For both FIFA and the AFC, the well-being and health of all individuals involved in football matches remains the highest priority," adding that it will provide an update in the coming days following consultation with AFC member associations.

"Other topics of discussion were the women’s Olympic play-off between Korea Republic and China PR, as well as the AFC Futsal Championship Turkmenistan 2020," it said.

Coronavirus has spread to more than 70 countries with over 3,000 death tolls and more than 90,000 infected already. over 47,000 have been treated.

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