LAGOS- THERE may be no hiding place for disgraced former Director General, National Sports Commission (NSC) and suspended FIFA Executive Committee member, Amos Adamu, as indications have emerged that Nigeria’s anti-graft body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is set to spread its drag net to various parts of the world in its bid to track him down.
Adamu has been banned for three years from all football related activities and fined 10,000 Swiss francs by the ethics committee of FIFA for complicity in a cash-for-votes scandal blown open by Sunday Times of London and for breaching various articles of FIFA Code of Ethics.
Although, the EFCC had said shortly after the news of Adamu’s suspension came on Thursday that he would be interrogated as soon as he returns to Nigeria, it was learnt yesterday the anti-graft agency was looking for a quick avenue to track Adamu as soon as possible.
The Spokesman of EFCC, Femi Babafemi had told Brilafm sports radio that Adamu had refused to return to Nigeria since the commission showed interest in investigating the scandal.
“The chairman of the commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, has instructed our operatives in charge of the matter to liaise with FIFA and see how we can get evidence of the whole investigation against Amos Adamu. This is a case that we have been working on since, and the decision by FIFA solidifies our position. Adamu has refused to come to Nigeria since we showed interest in the matter,” Babafemi said.
Meanwhile, FIFA President, Sepp Blatter promised yesterday that a “new FIFA” would choose the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, but admitted that changes would be needed to avoid corruption scandals.
Blatter sought to turn the page on the damaging World Cup bidding and corruption allegations after an executive committee meeting in Zurich, although he admitted that some collusion among FIFA’s decision makers was inevitable.
Nonetheless, FIFA’s president stressed that they were taking on greater responsibility now that world football’s showcase event was gaining more than sporting stature.
“Having this importance also in the economy, then we have a political dimension,” Blatter told journalists. “Now we have to have a look at how to act in the future to avoid such situations, definitely this is an item which is now under scrutiny,” he added, a day after FIFA’s ethics committee banned two executive committee members for one to three years over bribery or misconduct.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
Spanish club Malaga eyes soccer aficionados in Qatar
WITH a view to promote sporting activities and expand its reach in Qatar, Spain’s Malaga Club de Fútbol participated in the just-concluded Aspire4sport exhibition.
Bought recently by Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al Thani for €10.5million, the club currently plays in Spanish La Liga league.
Victor Varela Luiz, communications director of Malaga FC, said: “This is for the first time in the history of the club that we are having an investor from the Middle East region.
We want to consolidate the club in La Liga and aspire for greater heights.” The Spanish league is quite popular around the world with soccer giants like Barcelona and Real Madrid on its rolls.
Malaga officials are hoping to create a fan base in Qatar and in other parts of the region.
Lauding the efforts of Sheikh Abdullah al Thani at Malaga who has also inherited the club’s debt of €36 million, Varela said: “Since his arrival there has been a radical change in the sporting activities of the club.
Its budget has increased from €30m to €70m.” “Sheikh Abdullah al Thani has said that his goal would be to help Malaga FC consolidate its presence on the Primmera Division and fulfill the hopes of its teeming fans around the world with great professionalism and hard work,” said Luiz.
“A new beginning has been made by getting the services of former Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini and with the recruitment of new players,” added Luiz.
Luiz said that the club had experienced a manifold jump in facilities with the arrival of Sheikh al Thani.
“A new turf of good quality has been laid and noted professionals have been hired to maintain it,” said Varela.
“All the facilities used by trainers and players have been refurbished.
The locker rooms of hosts as well as visitors have been renovated; gymnasium, video areas, anti-doping laboratory and trainers’ offices have all been enlarged and refurbished,” said communications director of Malaga FC.
He said that improvements had also been made in the infrastructure earmarked for fans with a special section dedicated for the disabled people.
“Besides, a new state-of-the-art public address system has been acquired from the Johannesburg stadium which will provide a good audio visual experience to the spectators,” he added.
Established in 1948, Malaga is currently ranked 16th on the points table in La Liga this season and is a modest club whose highest rank had been seventh.
Bought recently by Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al Thani for €10.5million, the club currently plays in Spanish La Liga league.
Victor Varela Luiz, communications director of Malaga FC, said: “This is for the first time in the history of the club that we are having an investor from the Middle East region.
We want to consolidate the club in La Liga and aspire for greater heights.” The Spanish league is quite popular around the world with soccer giants like Barcelona and Real Madrid on its rolls.
Malaga officials are hoping to create a fan base in Qatar and in other parts of the region.
Lauding the efforts of Sheikh Abdullah al Thani at Malaga who has also inherited the club’s debt of €36 million, Varela said: “Since his arrival there has been a radical change in the sporting activities of the club.
Its budget has increased from €30m to €70m.” “Sheikh Abdullah al Thani has said that his goal would be to help Malaga FC consolidate its presence on the Primmera Division and fulfill the hopes of its teeming fans around the world with great professionalism and hard work,” said Luiz.
“A new beginning has been made by getting the services of former Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini and with the recruitment of new players,” added Luiz.
Luiz said that the club had experienced a manifold jump in facilities with the arrival of Sheikh al Thani.
“A new turf of good quality has been laid and noted professionals have been hired to maintain it,” said Varela.
“All the facilities used by trainers and players have been refurbished.
The locker rooms of hosts as well as visitors have been renovated; gymnasium, video areas, anti-doping laboratory and trainers’ offices have all been enlarged and refurbished,” said communications director of Malaga FC.
He said that improvements had also been made in the infrastructure earmarked for fans with a special section dedicated for the disabled people.
“Besides, a new state-of-the-art public address system has been acquired from the Johannesburg stadium which will provide a good audio visual experience to the spectators,” he added.
Established in 1948, Malaga is currently ranked 16th on the points table in La Liga this season and is a modest club whose highest rank had been seventh.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Messi: Its time to beat Brazil
As the countdown continues to the inauguaral FIFA Ballon d’Or, the unified award that merges the FIFA World Player of the Year and France Football's Ballon d’Or, FIFA.com spoke exclusively to Argentina’s Lionel Messi, the recipient of both honours last year. Once again in the running this time around, the Barça superstar discussed a range of issues, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, his extensive charity work and his country’s upcoming friendly against Brazil.
FIFA.com: Lionel, you often talk in interviews about being motivated by new challenges, though surely there is not much left for you to win?
Lionel Messi: That’s true, I’ve gone about achieving all the objectives I’ve set myself except for the World Cup. I was really annoyed at the way we went out against Germany. It was a really harsh blow because we were expecting so much more, but everything started unravelling for us at the worst moment. I thought that we could have gone far, so it was a shame.
Your Barcelona team-mates Xavi and Andres Iniesta have admitted they were relieved to see Argentina knocked out by Germany. They felt La Albiceleste would have been tougher semi-final opponents.
It’s true. We didn’t go into the tournament on song, but we improved with each game and hit good form. We’d earned the respect of everybody thanks to the football we’d played and our results. And I think they (Xavi and Iniesta) know that Argentina are always difficult opponents, whatever form they’re in. We proved that in the friendly game we played in Buenos Aires, when we thrashed Spain.
Are your Spanish colleagues favourites to claim the FIFA Ballon d’Or?
It’s clear to me that the World Cup will have a big impact on the final decision this year, which is going to give them an edge. If I don’t win then I sincerely hope that it goes to one of my Barça colleagues. All the odds are in favour of Xavi and Iniesta and to be honest they’re great people and great players who deserve it more than anybody.
All the odds are in favour of Xavi and Iniesta and to be honest they’re great people and great players who deserve it more than anybody.
Messi on the FIFA Ballon d'Or award
Who would give the FIFA Men’s Football Coach of the Year award to?
I’ll go with my team again, I’ll stick with my colours. I’d vote for Pep Guardiola, not just because of the trophies we’ve won but because of his commitment and footballing philosophy. And also because of what his arrival in the Barça dugout has meant. Nor have I forgotten Jose Mourinho who, aside from the treble he won with Inter [Milan], has begun changing the face of Real Madrid. But going back to the World Cup again, that’s going to be decisive and for that reason Vicente del Bosque and Joachim Low come to the fore. I just don’t know, there are some great nominees but I think those four are in with the best chance.
You said recently that you feel like people use you to create rifts within the Argentina squad. Is that really how you feel?
Of course, it seems like people want to blame me for everything. Whenever any issue arises I’m said to have been involved even if I’ve had nothing to do with it. That’s why I always focus on what I know, which is playing football, and try to be very careful with what I say because people always try and twist things. They try and look for hidden meanings where there aren’t any, which irritates me. I repeat what I always say: I want the best for Argentina in every way. I never try to make trouble for anybody.
Have you spoken to Diego Maradona recently?
Yes, we chatted not long ago. I was very happy under Diego, just like I am now under [Sergio] ‘El Checho’ Batista. I’m just like any of the other players that are part of the national squad, I concentrate on playing – I’m just a footballer. Issues involving the AFA (Argentinian Football Association) are for other people to take care of. They’re the ones who make the decisions, it has nothing to do with me.
Away from football, how well did you and Maradona get on?
Really well. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: we had a very good relationship and we still do. People always have something to say, while there are third parties who want to alter the facts and can cause confusion. But I repeat that during the World Cup in South Africa we got on spectacularly well.
Are La Albiceleste in the process of a generational overhaul?
Definitely. We’re a group of players that know each other well, that won Olympic gold together in Beijing and which even has the same coach as back then. In the team that won the final was [Sergio] Romero; [Pablo] Zabaleta, [Ezequiel] Garay, [Nicolas] Pareja, [Luciano] Monzon; [Fernando] Gago, [Javier] Mascherano, [Angel] Di Maria, [Juan Roman] Riquelme; [Sergio] ‘El Kun’ Aguero and me, with [Ever] Banega, [Ezequiel] Lavezzi and [Jose] Sosa coming on as subs. The majority of us who were there (in Beijing) are still in the senior squad and also travelled to the World Cup in South Africa.
Do you think Riquelme will come back into the frame?
As I always say: there’s always room for great players. But I repeat that the decision’s not down to me. I’ve got no problem (with Riquelme), but that kind of decision will be down to Batista.
Tell us your thoughts on Javier Pastore.
He’s come on leaps and bounds at Palermo. I didn’t know much about him when he played for Huracan, but I got to see his quality first-hand at the World Cup, even though he didn’t play much. We played alongside each other (in 8 October’s 1-0 friendly defeat) in Japan and we struck up a good understanding. You can see he’s tough, he’s physically fit and he’s going to go far – I’m convinced of it.
It seems like people want to blame me for everything. Whenever any issue arises I’m said to have been involved even if I’ve had nothing to do with it.
Messi on the media's coverage of his role with Argentina
I assume your ultimate goal is Brazil 2014, but the 2011 Copa America is the next major item on Argentina’s agenda.
Yes, no doubt about it. The Copa America is going to be very important for us because we’re playing at home and that puts twice the pressure on us to aim for the title. We have to do our jobs very well and win it.
Which rival teams are the biggest threat?
Brazil, as always, and a Uruguay side that did very in South Africa with Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan up front, backed up by a compact unit. I’ve not forgotten Paraguay either, whose defensive prowess makes them uncomfortable opponents for any team. They really made Spain sweat at the World Cup. Then there’s Chile too, though I don’t know how [Marcelo] Bielsa’s departure is going to affect them. They’re all very strong national teams and dangerous opponents.
On the subject of Brazil, you’re set to come up against them in a friendly on 17 November.
That’s right and I’m particularly looking forward to this match. We already came up against them at Olympics in Beijing and beat them 3-0. It’ll be special thanks to the team we’re playing and also the fact I’ll come face to face with Ronaldinho, a person I’ve got great affection for. To me he’s truly like a brother and someone who, along with Deco, helped me so much when I was starting out at Barça. I care about them a lot and always wish them the best. Do you know what? I’ve never beaten Brazil with Argentina’s senior side, including that defeat in the Copa America final in Venezuela (in 2007). I think it’s about time I broke my duck! (laughs)
What New Year’s resolutions will you be making for 2011?
The same as last year: to win as much as I possibly can. I’m always aiming for more titles, especially one which would be my first (senior trophy) with Argentina: the Copa America. And I also hope that I can stay clear of injuries.
Moving away from football slightly, and it’s clear you do a lot of charity work. Can you tell us more about it?
It’s the Foundation that carries my name (La Fundación Leo Messi). My dad Jorge and my brother Rodrigo both work there, as do a lot of other people. For my part, I try to do my bit to make people’s lives more bearable, in particular children across the globe who are having problems.
Prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, you took part in a FIFA campaign aimed at helping South African children.
Yes, the Football for Health campaign. Everything that’s focused towards children is good because at that age they soak up everything, and if we can help then all the better. It’s not just me, other footballers must do so too. There are a lot of players who also have foundations, schools or even hospitals in their native countries.
An adidas campaign is coming up, your Foundation has set up a children’s park for sick children at the Valle Hebron Hospital in Barcelona and it sponsors an exchange programme between doctors in Barcelona and your hometown Rosario. What can you tell us about these projects?
I don’t know the details yet, but the adidas thing will be more focused on South America. There are children who suffer from exploitation and need all our support to be able to get an education, so that once they’re adults they have a chance in life. The doctor idea came from my dad: we’re going to give a grant to several doctors to enable them to finish their training here (in Barcelona). That way they can go back and put what they’ve learnt into practice in our homeland. And the park project is something important that we want to extend to other centres too. A Christmas visit we made to the hospital had a huge impact on me, that’s where the idea came from and a lot of people have got involved. Thank God, a lot of projects are coming to fruition.
This charitable streak is a characteristic you share with your good friend Ronaldinho, who is also known for his charity work with children.
There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a happy and smiling child. I always help in any way I can, even if it’s just by signing an autograph. A child’s smile is worth more than all the money in the world.
Culled from FIFA.com
FIFA.com: Lionel, you often talk in interviews about being motivated by new challenges, though surely there is not much left for you to win?
Lionel Messi: That’s true, I’ve gone about achieving all the objectives I’ve set myself except for the World Cup. I was really annoyed at the way we went out against Germany. It was a really harsh blow because we were expecting so much more, but everything started unravelling for us at the worst moment. I thought that we could have gone far, so it was a shame.
Your Barcelona team-mates Xavi and Andres Iniesta have admitted they were relieved to see Argentina knocked out by Germany. They felt La Albiceleste would have been tougher semi-final opponents.
It’s true. We didn’t go into the tournament on song, but we improved with each game and hit good form. We’d earned the respect of everybody thanks to the football we’d played and our results. And I think they (Xavi and Iniesta) know that Argentina are always difficult opponents, whatever form they’re in. We proved that in the friendly game we played in Buenos Aires, when we thrashed Spain.
Are your Spanish colleagues favourites to claim the FIFA Ballon d’Or?
It’s clear to me that the World Cup will have a big impact on the final decision this year, which is going to give them an edge. If I don’t win then I sincerely hope that it goes to one of my Barça colleagues. All the odds are in favour of Xavi and Iniesta and to be honest they’re great people and great players who deserve it more than anybody.
All the odds are in favour of Xavi and Iniesta and to be honest they’re great people and great players who deserve it more than anybody.
Messi on the FIFA Ballon d'Or award
Who would give the FIFA Men’s Football Coach of the Year award to?
I’ll go with my team again, I’ll stick with my colours. I’d vote for Pep Guardiola, not just because of the trophies we’ve won but because of his commitment and footballing philosophy. And also because of what his arrival in the Barça dugout has meant. Nor have I forgotten Jose Mourinho who, aside from the treble he won with Inter [Milan], has begun changing the face of Real Madrid. But going back to the World Cup again, that’s going to be decisive and for that reason Vicente del Bosque and Joachim Low come to the fore. I just don’t know, there are some great nominees but I think those four are in with the best chance.
You said recently that you feel like people use you to create rifts within the Argentina squad. Is that really how you feel?
Of course, it seems like people want to blame me for everything. Whenever any issue arises I’m said to have been involved even if I’ve had nothing to do with it. That’s why I always focus on what I know, which is playing football, and try to be very careful with what I say because people always try and twist things. They try and look for hidden meanings where there aren’t any, which irritates me. I repeat what I always say: I want the best for Argentina in every way. I never try to make trouble for anybody.
Have you spoken to Diego Maradona recently?
Yes, we chatted not long ago. I was very happy under Diego, just like I am now under [Sergio] ‘El Checho’ Batista. I’m just like any of the other players that are part of the national squad, I concentrate on playing – I’m just a footballer. Issues involving the AFA (Argentinian Football Association) are for other people to take care of. They’re the ones who make the decisions, it has nothing to do with me.
Away from football, how well did you and Maradona get on?
Really well. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: we had a very good relationship and we still do. People always have something to say, while there are third parties who want to alter the facts and can cause confusion. But I repeat that during the World Cup in South Africa we got on spectacularly well.
Are La Albiceleste in the process of a generational overhaul?
Definitely. We’re a group of players that know each other well, that won Olympic gold together in Beijing and which even has the same coach as back then. In the team that won the final was [Sergio] Romero; [Pablo] Zabaleta, [Ezequiel] Garay, [Nicolas] Pareja, [Luciano] Monzon; [Fernando] Gago, [Javier] Mascherano, [Angel] Di Maria, [Juan Roman] Riquelme; [Sergio] ‘El Kun’ Aguero and me, with [Ever] Banega, [Ezequiel] Lavezzi and [Jose] Sosa coming on as subs. The majority of us who were there (in Beijing) are still in the senior squad and also travelled to the World Cup in South Africa.
Do you think Riquelme will come back into the frame?
As I always say: there’s always room for great players. But I repeat that the decision’s not down to me. I’ve got no problem (with Riquelme), but that kind of decision will be down to Batista.
Tell us your thoughts on Javier Pastore.
He’s come on leaps and bounds at Palermo. I didn’t know much about him when he played for Huracan, but I got to see his quality first-hand at the World Cup, even though he didn’t play much. We played alongside each other (in 8 October’s 1-0 friendly defeat) in Japan and we struck up a good understanding. You can see he’s tough, he’s physically fit and he’s going to go far – I’m convinced of it.
It seems like people want to blame me for everything. Whenever any issue arises I’m said to have been involved even if I’ve had nothing to do with it.
Messi on the media's coverage of his role with Argentina
I assume your ultimate goal is Brazil 2014, but the 2011 Copa America is the next major item on Argentina’s agenda.
Yes, no doubt about it. The Copa America is going to be very important for us because we’re playing at home and that puts twice the pressure on us to aim for the title. We have to do our jobs very well and win it.
Which rival teams are the biggest threat?
Brazil, as always, and a Uruguay side that did very in South Africa with Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan up front, backed up by a compact unit. I’ve not forgotten Paraguay either, whose defensive prowess makes them uncomfortable opponents for any team. They really made Spain sweat at the World Cup. Then there’s Chile too, though I don’t know how [Marcelo] Bielsa’s departure is going to affect them. They’re all very strong national teams and dangerous opponents.
On the subject of Brazil, you’re set to come up against them in a friendly on 17 November.
That’s right and I’m particularly looking forward to this match. We already came up against them at Olympics in Beijing and beat them 3-0. It’ll be special thanks to the team we’re playing and also the fact I’ll come face to face with Ronaldinho, a person I’ve got great affection for. To me he’s truly like a brother and someone who, along with Deco, helped me so much when I was starting out at Barça. I care about them a lot and always wish them the best. Do you know what? I’ve never beaten Brazil with Argentina’s senior side, including that defeat in the Copa America final in Venezuela (in 2007). I think it’s about time I broke my duck! (laughs)
What New Year’s resolutions will you be making for 2011?
The same as last year: to win as much as I possibly can. I’m always aiming for more titles, especially one which would be my first (senior trophy) with Argentina: the Copa America. And I also hope that I can stay clear of injuries.
Moving away from football slightly, and it’s clear you do a lot of charity work. Can you tell us more about it?
It’s the Foundation that carries my name (La Fundación Leo Messi). My dad Jorge and my brother Rodrigo both work there, as do a lot of other people. For my part, I try to do my bit to make people’s lives more bearable, in particular children across the globe who are having problems.
Prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, you took part in a FIFA campaign aimed at helping South African children.
Yes, the Football for Health campaign. Everything that’s focused towards children is good because at that age they soak up everything, and if we can help then all the better. It’s not just me, other footballers must do so too. There are a lot of players who also have foundations, schools or even hospitals in their native countries.
An adidas campaign is coming up, your Foundation has set up a children’s park for sick children at the Valle Hebron Hospital in Barcelona and it sponsors an exchange programme between doctors in Barcelona and your hometown Rosario. What can you tell us about these projects?
I don’t know the details yet, but the adidas thing will be more focused on South America. There are children who suffer from exploitation and need all our support to be able to get an education, so that once they’re adults they have a chance in life. The doctor idea came from my dad: we’re going to give a grant to several doctors to enable them to finish their training here (in Barcelona). That way they can go back and put what they’ve learnt into practice in our homeland. And the park project is something important that we want to extend to other centres too. A Christmas visit we made to the hospital had a huge impact on me, that’s where the idea came from and a lot of people have got involved. Thank God, a lot of projects are coming to fruition.
This charitable streak is a characteristic you share with your good friend Ronaldinho, who is also known for his charity work with children.
There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a happy and smiling child. I always help in any way I can, even if it’s just by signing an autograph. A child’s smile is worth more than all the money in the world.
Culled from FIFA.com
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Brazil-Argentina match tickets sold out
SOCCER fans of Qatar, consider yourself lucky if you have already booked your ticket for the friendly match between eternal rivals Brazil and Argentina at Khalifa International Stadium on Wednesday.
For, there are many who may not be as lucky as you are to be able to watch their favourite football stars in action in Doha as tickets for Wednesday’s thriller are reported to be already sold out.
According to the Qatar Football Association (QFA), tickets for the match were available on the QFA website and over 50 percent of the tickets were sold out in the first week of the launch of its sale on October 21 last.
An official who chose to be anonymous said, “The QFA could still release some tickets because the staffers of corporate organisations for whom these tickets were booked may not be available on the match day.” The 50,000-seat Khalifa Stadium which will host the world’s most glamorous match had also hosted the England versus Brazil match last year.
Visit any ticket sale outlet in the city and you will come across soccer crazy people with disappointment writ large on faces.
At one such outlet in Doha, a football fan told Qatar Tribune that he was offered a VIP ticket for QR1000.
“This is greed beyond measure.
I think measures should have been taken to prevent a situation like this where soccer buffs have to choose between paying twice the price of a ticket or forgoing the thrill of watching soccer giants’ clash.
That means these avaricious individuals are making money out of real fans’ desire to see their heroes in action.” At the Villaggio mall, groups of fans were seen discussing the unavailability of match tickets and eager to pay any amount to see two of the world’s great sides at play in Doha.
Adrian Neilsen, a Swede said, “I bought my ticket online but I have been trying to purchase for my family to no avail.” According to Mohamed Ali, a Lebanese fan of Argentina’s Lionel Messi, match tickets were sold in large numbers to residents who bought them in bunches of hundreds at one time, not quite a proper thing to do.
“Tickets for such events must be sold one ticket to one person at a time, and not in the way it was done,” he quipped.
“To think that Messi will be in Doha and I won’t get to see him in flesh and bone is painful,” he added.
A soccer fan from England, Maurice Huddlestone, said, “I tried buying online but was told they were sold out.
I came to try my luck at the sale outlet, but only encountered disappointment.
Now I see no chance of watching the match from the stands.” The rivalry between the two nations has thrown up some classic, often violent, moments, like the ill-tempered group match during Argentina’s 1978 World Cup or Brazil’s thrashing of Argentina in Spain in ’82, with Maradona being sent off in the process.
As recently as the last World Cup in South Africa, Diego Maradona said his Argentina team was a Rolls Royce driven by Lionel Messi, while Luis Fabiano compared Brazil to an aircraft.
“It’s a jet, a low-flying jet,” Luis Fabiano said.
“For sure we will surprise a lot of people out there.” Participation of several soccer stars like Lionel Messi of Argentina and Ronaldinho of Brazil in the match is confirmed.
The match is an opportunity for Qatar to bolster its already impressive bid for the 2022 World Cup.
For, there are many who may not be as lucky as you are to be able to watch their favourite football stars in action in Doha as tickets for Wednesday’s thriller are reported to be already sold out.
According to the Qatar Football Association (QFA), tickets for the match were available on the QFA website and over 50 percent of the tickets were sold out in the first week of the launch of its sale on October 21 last.
An official who chose to be anonymous said, “The QFA could still release some tickets because the staffers of corporate organisations for whom these tickets were booked may not be available on the match day.” The 50,000-seat Khalifa Stadium which will host the world’s most glamorous match had also hosted the England versus Brazil match last year.
Visit any ticket sale outlet in the city and you will come across soccer crazy people with disappointment writ large on faces.
At one such outlet in Doha, a football fan told Qatar Tribune that he was offered a VIP ticket for QR1000.
“This is greed beyond measure.
I think measures should have been taken to prevent a situation like this where soccer buffs have to choose between paying twice the price of a ticket or forgoing the thrill of watching soccer giants’ clash.
That means these avaricious individuals are making money out of real fans’ desire to see their heroes in action.” At the Villaggio mall, groups of fans were seen discussing the unavailability of match tickets and eager to pay any amount to see two of the world’s great sides at play in Doha.
Adrian Neilsen, a Swede said, “I bought my ticket online but I have been trying to purchase for my family to no avail.” According to Mohamed Ali, a Lebanese fan of Argentina’s Lionel Messi, match tickets were sold in large numbers to residents who bought them in bunches of hundreds at one time, not quite a proper thing to do.
“Tickets for such events must be sold one ticket to one person at a time, and not in the way it was done,” he quipped.
“To think that Messi will be in Doha and I won’t get to see him in flesh and bone is painful,” he added.
A soccer fan from England, Maurice Huddlestone, said, “I tried buying online but was told they were sold out.
I came to try my luck at the sale outlet, but only encountered disappointment.
Now I see no chance of watching the match from the stands.” The rivalry between the two nations has thrown up some classic, often violent, moments, like the ill-tempered group match during Argentina’s 1978 World Cup or Brazil’s thrashing of Argentina in Spain in ’82, with Maradona being sent off in the process.
As recently as the last World Cup in South Africa, Diego Maradona said his Argentina team was a Rolls Royce driven by Lionel Messi, while Luis Fabiano compared Brazil to an aircraft.
“It’s a jet, a low-flying jet,” Luis Fabiano said.
“For sure we will surprise a lot of people out there.” Participation of several soccer stars like Lionel Messi of Argentina and Ronaldinho of Brazil in the match is confirmed.
The match is an opportunity for Qatar to bolster its already impressive bid for the 2022 World Cup.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Two Nigerian student escapes deportation, Immigration officers probed
Two Nigerian student who are being deported for misusing their student visas in Malaysia escaped on Thursday morning after one of two Immigration officers who were escorting the Nigerians for deportation claimed seven unknown men had used forced to free the two when he had stopped the van carrying the men at a petrol station near the airport.
The two Immigration officers had been placed under immediate suspension pending investigations.
KLIA Immigration Depot director Datuk Mohmed Asri Yusof said the two Immigraiont officers had taken the Nigerians to the airport together with a Palestinian, who was also to be deported.
He said one of the officers then escorted the Palestinian into the airport at 12.15am to check his flight home while the Nigerians remained in the van with the other officer as their flights was only scheduled for 2.55am.
However when the first officer returned after seeing off the Palestinian he found that his colleague had driven the van, with the Nigerians still inside, to a Petronas station nearby, supposedly to purchase some drinks.
"Fifteen minutes later the second officer contacted his colleague, who was still at the airport, to say he had been stopped by seven African men who had used force to free the two Nigerians before handcuffing him to the steering wheel," he told a press conference after attending the National Registration Department Innovation Day launch on Thursday.
The second officer lodged a police report on the incident at 1.30am while the first officer lodged his report at about 3.30am.
The two Nigerians, Solomon Udo Eneh and Osuji Chinedu, were being deported after they were found to have abused their student visas.
Yusof appealed to the public to report anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant to the police.
Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mahmood Adam told the same press conference that the ministry was keen to know how the two Nigerians, who were handcuffed, managed to escape.
The ministry, he said, also wanted to identify any weaknesses in the escorting procedures that might have led to the incident.
He said the ministry was currently also working on tightening the standard operating procedure in escorting, transporting and deporting foreigners.
"The Immigration Department's Flying Squad has launched a manhunt together with the police and I believe we will be able to find them," he said.
The two Immigration officers had been placed under immediate suspension pending investigations.
KLIA Immigration Depot director Datuk Mohmed Asri Yusof said the two Immigraiont officers had taken the Nigerians to the airport together with a Palestinian, who was also to be deported.
He said one of the officers then escorted the Palestinian into the airport at 12.15am to check his flight home while the Nigerians remained in the van with the other officer as their flights was only scheduled for 2.55am.
However when the first officer returned after seeing off the Palestinian he found that his colleague had driven the van, with the Nigerians still inside, to a Petronas station nearby, supposedly to purchase some drinks.
"Fifteen minutes later the second officer contacted his colleague, who was still at the airport, to say he had been stopped by seven African men who had used force to free the two Nigerians before handcuffing him to the steering wheel," he told a press conference after attending the National Registration Department Innovation Day launch on Thursday.
The second officer lodged a police report on the incident at 1.30am while the first officer lodged his report at about 3.30am.
The two Nigerians, Solomon Udo Eneh and Osuji Chinedu, were being deported after they were found to have abused their student visas.
Yusof appealed to the public to report anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant to the police.
Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mahmood Adam told the same press conference that the ministry was keen to know how the two Nigerians, who were handcuffed, managed to escape.
The ministry, he said, also wanted to identify any weaknesses in the escorting procedures that might have led to the incident.
He said the ministry was currently also working on tightening the standard operating procedure in escorting, transporting and deporting foreigners.
"The Immigration Department's Flying Squad has launched a manhunt together with the police and I believe we will be able to find them," he said.
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Mad man attacks Obasanjo
The nation’s security system was thrown into another serious embarrassment on Monday as a man suspected to be mentally deranged attacked former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The incident occured at about 8am, when the unnamed suspect forced open the door of a car conveying Obasanjo from the airport and jumped into the vehicle. Obasanjo, who had just arrived from the airport from a trip, was being driven in a convoy out of the presidential wing when he was attacked.
According to eyewitnesses, the alleged attacker sneaked up to the car in which Obasanjo was riding when it slowed down to join the road linking the international airport with the old domestic terminal. After jumping into the car, the suspected attacker was said to have grabbed Obasanjo.
THE PUNCH learnt that it took the timely intervention of Air Force officers and security aides attached to Obasanjo to save the former president from harm. He was later surrounded off by a team of security men.
The attacker, who appeared to be in his forties, could not say exactly what prompted him to attack the former general. The alleged attacker was taken to the military commander’s office at the airport and later transferred to the airport’s police station.
The Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Mr. Chris Ola, confirmed the incident on the telephone.
He said, “The incident was a security breach. We have commenced an investigation into the incident to ascertain if there were some people behind the attack.
“We can’t ascertain if the man is a lunatic becauise you can’t call somebody a lunatic unless a medical excamination proves.”we will take him for medical examination tomorrow (today).”
Before the incident, the suspect was said to have been wandering aimlessly around the airport.
Culled from Punch Newspaper
The incident occured at about 8am, when the unnamed suspect forced open the door of a car conveying Obasanjo from the airport and jumped into the vehicle. Obasanjo, who had just arrived from the airport from a trip, was being driven in a convoy out of the presidential wing when he was attacked.
According to eyewitnesses, the alleged attacker sneaked up to the car in which Obasanjo was riding when it slowed down to join the road linking the international airport with the old domestic terminal. After jumping into the car, the suspected attacker was said to have grabbed Obasanjo.
THE PUNCH learnt that it took the timely intervention of Air Force officers and security aides attached to Obasanjo to save the former president from harm. He was later surrounded off by a team of security men.
The attacker, who appeared to be in his forties, could not say exactly what prompted him to attack the former general. The alleged attacker was taken to the military commander’s office at the airport and later transferred to the airport’s police station.
The Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Mr. Chris Ola, confirmed the incident on the telephone.
He said, “The incident was a security breach. We have commenced an investigation into the incident to ascertain if there were some people behind the attack.
“We can’t ascertain if the man is a lunatic becauise you can’t call somebody a lunatic unless a medical excamination proves.”we will take him for medical examination tomorrow (today).”
Before the incident, the suspect was said to have been wandering aimlessly around the airport.
Culled from Punch Newspaper
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Nigerian pilgrim commits suicide in Makkah
A Nigerian woman who was on pilgrimage to Makkah in Saudia Arabia committed suicide by jumping from the 10th floor of a residential building where she was staying.
It was reported she's in her early fifties and suffers mental illness
Maj. Abdul Mohsen Al-Maiman, spokesman of Makkah police, confirmed the woman's death, adding that she was suffering from mental problems. "She died jumping from a toilet window," he said.
Police have launched an investigation to know whether there were any criminal motives behind the incident. The woman was residing in a building in Kudai.
In another development, a Nigerian man, who was in his forties, committed suicide. The man who was living illegally in the Kingdom hanged himself on a light post in a desolated area in Makkah. Al-Maiman said police are investigating the incident.
May their souls rest in peace.
It was reported she's in her early fifties and suffers mental illness
Maj. Abdul Mohsen Al-Maiman, spokesman of Makkah police, confirmed the woman's death, adding that she was suffering from mental problems. "She died jumping from a toilet window," he said.
Police have launched an investigation to know whether there were any criminal motives behind the incident. The woman was residing in a building in Kudai.
In another development, a Nigerian man, who was in his forties, committed suicide. The man who was living illegally in the Kingdom hanged himself on a light post in a desolated area in Makkah. Al-Maiman said police are investigating the incident.
May their souls rest in peace.
Deutsche Bank employee aids 419
FIFTEEN people including a high-ranking employee of Deutsche Bank in Madrid – were arrested for defrauding victims up to €40,000 a time with so-called Nigerian Letters. The group worked on the orders one Prince Emeka Nuanba, a Nigerian arrested earlier this year for sending hundreds of similar letters and emails to potential prey.
Seventeen premises were searched in different towns and cities at the end of October, with five Spaniards amongst the detainees as well as Britons, Nigerians and Germans.
In a “first” for an operation like this, the investigation led directly to a bank worker although Deutsche Bank was at no time aware of its employee’s role in the elaborate confidence trick.
The bank employee occupied an important post as the interventor – a combination of auditor and assistant manager – at the Deutsche Bank’s Paseo de la Castellana branch in the centre of Madrid.
Australians, Europeans, Mexicans and Saudi Arabians were amongst those who received official-looking letters informing them that they stood to inherit a vast sum from a dead relative of whose existence he or she was previously unaware.
Anyone who swallowed the bait was then told it was necessary to travel to Madrid in order to claim the inheritance. The money was held by the Bank of Spain and could only be paid out by Deutsche Bank, the bank employee would explain.
To get at the money, it was necessary to present paperwork which the bank was prepared to handle for a fee ranging from between €10,000 and €40,000, the interventor would tell those who believed the original letter.
Documents, apparently stamped by the Agencia Tributaria, Spain’s tax authority, gave procedures a veneer of respectability but as victims later found, they were as phoney as the hypothetical inheritance.
“We’re in this to get rich,” claimed the bank worker in a tapped telephone conversation and although only one per cent fall for the deception, with an estimated 40,000 letters and emails each day, the Nigerian Letters make money.
This latest investigation was just one more in ongoing police operations into scams which as well as lost inheritances sometimes inform recipients that they have won the Spanish lottery.
Another centres on dyed banknotes earmarked for philanthropic works in Africa, with punters promised a cut if they buy chemicals to return it to its original state. Other letters promise foreigners well-paid jobs in Spain in return for fees for dealing with the red tape.
Over the last seven years, National Police have received around 20,000 complaints and arrested more than 600 people linked to Nigerian letters, while returning more than 2.8 million euros to victims.
But the letters keep on coming and, incredibly, so do the victims.
Seventeen premises were searched in different towns and cities at the end of October, with five Spaniards amongst the detainees as well as Britons, Nigerians and Germans.
In a “first” for an operation like this, the investigation led directly to a bank worker although Deutsche Bank was at no time aware of its employee’s role in the elaborate confidence trick.
The bank employee occupied an important post as the interventor – a combination of auditor and assistant manager – at the Deutsche Bank’s Paseo de la Castellana branch in the centre of Madrid.
Australians, Europeans, Mexicans and Saudi Arabians were amongst those who received official-looking letters informing them that they stood to inherit a vast sum from a dead relative of whose existence he or she was previously unaware.
Anyone who swallowed the bait was then told it was necessary to travel to Madrid in order to claim the inheritance. The money was held by the Bank of Spain and could only be paid out by Deutsche Bank, the bank employee would explain.
To get at the money, it was necessary to present paperwork which the bank was prepared to handle for a fee ranging from between €10,000 and €40,000, the interventor would tell those who believed the original letter.
Documents, apparently stamped by the Agencia Tributaria, Spain’s tax authority, gave procedures a veneer of respectability but as victims later found, they were as phoney as the hypothetical inheritance.
“We’re in this to get rich,” claimed the bank worker in a tapped telephone conversation and although only one per cent fall for the deception, with an estimated 40,000 letters and emails each day, the Nigerian Letters make money.
This latest investigation was just one more in ongoing police operations into scams which as well as lost inheritances sometimes inform recipients that they have won the Spanish lottery.
Another centres on dyed banknotes earmarked for philanthropic works in Africa, with punters promised a cut if they buy chemicals to return it to its original state. Other letters promise foreigners well-paid jobs in Spain in return for fees for dealing with the red tape.
Over the last seven years, National Police have received around 20,000 complaints and arrested more than 600 people linked to Nigerian letters, while returning more than 2.8 million euros to victims.
But the letters keep on coming and, incredibly, so do the victims.
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