FIFA award: Lionel Messi wins

Lionel Messi won his second straight FIFA player of the year award, with his mesmerizing play for Barcelona outweighing a disappointing World Cup.

The Argentine forward beat out Barcelona teammates Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta for the renamed FIFA Golden Ball Award, which merged the FIFA player of the year with France Footballs Golden Ball. Messi became the first repeat winner since Ronaldinho in 2004 and 2005. Messi received 22.65 percent of the votes cast by national team coaches and captains plus selected reporters. Iniesta followed with 17.36 percent and Xavi received 16.48 per cent to finish third for the second straight year.

Qatar World Cup a potential health risk: FIFA

BERNE: Qatar’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup could pose a potential health risk because of the midsummer heat despite proposals for cooling the stadiums, FIFA said on Wednesday in its technical report.

Soccer’s world governing body also warned size could be a worry in the United States, Australia and Russia as it published its evaluation of the bids to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

FIFA expressed concern that television income could be reduced if the 2022 tournament was held in the Far East or Australia and questioned the idea of co-hosting in a set-back for the Spain/Portugal and Belgium/Netherlands bids for 2018.

England, Russia, Spain/Portugal and Belgium/Netherlands are bidding to host the 2018 World Cup while Japan, South Korea, United States, Australia and Qatar are candidates for 2022.

FIFA’s executive committee will chose both hosts in

Nigerian FIFA official denies vote selling claims

A Nigerian Fifa official has denied allegations of corruption and said that he offered to sell his vote in the contest to host the 2018 World Cup. Amos Adamu told that he welcomed the Fifa investigation into the claims.
Mr Adamu allegedly said he wanted cash to build pitches in Nigeria. Tahiti’s Reynald Temarii, president of the Oceania Football Confederation, is also alleged to have asked for a payment, in his case to finance a sports academy. He denies the claim, suggesting that his comments on the Sunday Times video had been taken out of context.
Mr Adamu and Mr Temarii, both members of Fifa’s 24-man executive committee, were suspended by the organisation for 30 days on Wednesday. Fifa is the international governing body of association football.
The Fifa ethics committee will investigate this and I am very happy about it because this will enable the whole world to know the truth of the matter, Mr Adamu told.
Mr Adamu, who is also president of the West African Football Union, is said to have told the undercover reporters he wanted $800,000 (500,000) to build the four artificial football pitches in Nigeria. A 24-strong Fifa committee will decide by secret ballot on 2 December who should host the tournament.
However, Fifa is also investigating Spain, Portugal and Qatar in connection with alleged collusion over voting for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Spain and Portugal are making a joint 2018 bid, while Qatar is eyeing 2022. Collusion between bidding countries is strictly forbidden by the regulations.

FIFA suspends Executive Committee members accused of vote-selling

FIFA has provisionally suspended its two Executive Committee members, Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii, who are accused of selling their votes in the election of the host of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
This decision was announced yesterday at a press conference at FIFAs headquarters in Zurich following the meeting of the ethics committee. A final decision regarding the two members will be made at a meeting in mid-November.
Also, the Ethics Committee has opened an investigation into alleged agreements between member associations and their Bid Committees in relation to the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup bidding process, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter told the media. He also said that nobody could be exempted from footballs rules.
For now there is no discussion of postponing the December 2 election of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts, stated FIFA Secretary General, Jerome Valke.

Asian stocks up on results of Europe bank tests

TOKYO: Asian stock markets rose Monday amid relief that most European banks passed the much-anticipated stress tests aimed at clearing up worries over the region’s financial system.

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Asian stocks up on results of Europe bank tests

Israel, US sign deal to upgrade missile shield

TEL AVIV: Israel and the United States have signed an agreement to make the Arrow II ballistic shield capable of shooting down missiles at a higher altitude, the Israeli Defense Ministry said.

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Israel, US sign deal to upgrade missile shield

FIFA begins inspection visit Down Under

SYDNEY: A FIFA delegation began a three-day visit to Australia to inspect stadiums and other facilities for the country’s 2022 World Cup bid on Monday.

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FIFA begins inspection visit Down Under

Israel nabs Hamas cell accused of shooting

JERUSALEM: Israel’s security service says it has nabbed a cell of Hamas members who killed an Israeli policeman in the West Bank last month.

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Israel nabs Hamas cell accused of shooting

India train crash toll rises to 61

CALCUTTA: A speeding express train plowed into a stationary passenger train in eastern India on Monday, killing 61 people in a crash so powerful it sent the roof of one car flying onto an overpass.

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India train crash toll rises to 61

FIFA to inspect Japan’s 2022 World Cup bid

OSAKA: A FIFA delegation has arrived in Japan, the first stop on a two-month tour to inspect candidates for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

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FIFA to inspect Japan’s 2022 World Cup bid

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