International Football
LAMPTEY TRIED TO FIX WORLD CUP MATCH, SAYS FIFA
FIFA has explained why Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey was banned for life, saying he tried “to make certain bets successful” in a World Cup qualifier.
Lamptey aroused suspicion during South Africa’s 2-1 win over Senegal in 2016, a qualifying match for Russia 2018.
“He [took] intentional decisions with the sole purpose of facilitating a minimum number of goals to make certain bets successful,” FIFA said.
FIFA believes the bets related to the game featuring at least two goals. Football’s world governing body has never given extensive details of the case before, but said it had decided to do so now because of “its complex nature and various misconceptions”.
The game in Polokwane, South Africa, featured a contentious penalty converted by the home side after 43 minutes, when a Senegalese defender was adjudged to have handled the ball, despite replays showing it had hit Kalidou Koulibaly’s knee.
Fifa also concluded that Lamptey was at fault for South Africa’s second goal just two minutes later, stating that the Ghanaian “clearly took two wrong decisions, which led to two goals being scored by South Africa”.
The Zurich-based organisation added in a statement: “Suspicious betting activities reached their climax precisely when Lamptey took the incorrect refereeing decision between the 40th minute and the end of the first half.”
Fifa said it was alerted to possible match manipulation by five different betting monitoring companies who “independently and simultaneously reported” that irregular betting activities had taken place.
“All five betting operators deemed the betting activities witnessed during the match to be highly irregular and indicative of match manipulation,” FIFA affirmed.
No details were given of who may have placed the bets. Neither South Africa nor Senegal were found to have been involved in the “match manipulation”.
In September, FIFA took the unusual step of ordering the game – which was Senegal’s first competitive defeat in 22 months at the time – to be replayed.
Two months later, the West Africans won the replay 2-0 and so qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 16 years.
Lamptey appealed against his ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which ruled that FIFA’s sanction was appropriate.
International Football
Two Moroccan football players lost at sea, says club official
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Abdellatif-Akhrif.png)
Two Moroccan players from top-flight soccer side Ittihad Tanger have been missing at sea since Saturday after strong currents drifted their small yacht, a club official said on Sunday.
They were in a group of five players from the club who went cruising off the northern city of Tangier when strong currents and heavy winds drifted their yacht away as they were swimming in deep waters, club deputy president Anass Mrabet told Reuters.
“Three players have already been rescued on Saturday, while research is still ongoing for the missing Salman Harraq and Abdellatif Akhrif,” he said.
The players did not have buoys on them when they jumped from the small yacht to swim, he said citing recounts by rescued players.
While Akhrif, 24, is already a full member of the squad, Harraq, 18, was about to move up to the senior team this year, Mrabet added.
Ittihad Tanger have been in the Moroccan top flight since 2015 and won the league title for the first and only time in their history in the 2017-18 season. However, they have struggled in the lower half of the standings in recent years.
-Reuters
International Football
FIFA launches ‘Football Manager’ World Cup with $100,000 in prize money
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/arsene-wenger.jpg)
FIFA will host its first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager this year to crown the best virtual manager on the highly-popular video game, world soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.
FIFA is partnering with Sports Interactive, the developers of the game that has sold millions of copies and has also been used by several football clubs to scout players and opponents thanks to its extensive database.
Players will compete for $100,000 in prize money in the final event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
“This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics,” said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is the ambassador for the esports event.
“Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend.”
FIFA said in the inaugural year of the event, selected member associations will be invited to be represented at the final event.
Member associations from all six confederations are expected to be invited while players can sign up on FIFA’s website.
-Reuters
International Football
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio robbed at gunpoint
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/baggio.jpg)
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at his home in northern Italy while watching his country’s match against Spain in the Euro 2024 tournament on Thursday, local police said.
Burglars broke into Baggio’s house near Vicenza, hit him on the head with a gun butt and locked him and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash, daily Il Corriere della Sera reported. It said he suffered a deep wound.
“Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.
Baggio, 57, played for clubs including Juventus (JUVE.MI), opens new tab, AC Milan and Inter Milan. He also played 56 times for Italy, scoring 27 goals, and is widely seen as one of his country’s all-time greats.
After the robbery, Baggio, widely known as the “divine ponytail”, was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches for the head wound, Italian media reported.
Italy lost to Spain 1-0 on Thursday and now must avoid defeat by Croatia to guarantee progression in the tournament.
-Reuters
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