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      Mafia bosses offering top UEFA referees £25k bungs online in bid to fix footie matches

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      MAFIA bosses are targeting top UEFA referees with cyber-crime hits to try to fix footy matches.Officials are offered up to £25,000 to swing matches, according to a leaked memo seen by The Sun.
      Mafia bosses are targeting top UEFA referees with cyber-crime hits to try to fix footie matchesCredit: Reuters
      Criminals are using the phishing techniques fine-tuned during the pandemic to tempt refs to throw European clashes.
      The memo, which was sent to the FA and other governing bodies, warns: “The corrupters made use of cyber-crime tactics not previously seen in reported corrupter messages, possibly pointing to a bleed-over in tactics from more sophisticated groups or even the potential for collaboration with such groups.”
      It talks of “incidents in which a suspected match-fixer attempted to recruit referees to manipulate matches via social media”.
      It reads: “This evolution may have been accelerated by the Covid lockdown, during which cyber criminals both diversified and intensified their criminal activities, according to Europol.”
      The memo adds: “We assess corrupters will likely continue to attempt contact with players, referees and other officials via social media and the use of more sophisticated messages, including personalised content and manipulation techniques.”
      The messages are understood to have originated from Asian crime gangs and were sent in English — but it’s not thought British refs were targeted.
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      Jude Bellingham slapped with £34k fine over match-fixing comments about referee after Dortmund defeat to Bayern More

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      Tottenham’s Europa Conference League hopes suffer blow as Uefa suggests ‘unfair’ rules must be followed

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      SPURS’ hopes of a second chance to  stay in Europe suffered a major blow as Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin suggested “unfair” rules have to be respected.Antonio Conte’s men were unable to play their final Conference League group game against Rennes after a Covid outbreak closed down the club’s Enfield training base.
      Spurs currently sit third in group GCredit: Reuters
      Harry Kane’s last game was against NorwichCredit: Mark Pain / Premium Sports Images
      Spurs were thwarted in their efforts to reschedule the game for last night – they were even prepared to give up home advantage and travel to France – and Uefa announced the December 31 competition deadline would not be extended.
      At the same time, Euro chiefs said a final decision would be made by Uefa’s control and disciplinary committee.
      Asked about the situation, Ceferin said: “I cannot comment on a case that has been referred.
      “But our regulations are clear. 
      “Maybe those regulations are sometimes hard to understand.
      “Sometimes it looks unfair that a team has to play the next match in a certain timeframe or the result is a 3-0 defeat.
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      “But if we hadn’t had clear rules about it we could not have finished last season.”
      Spurs have not played a game since their 3-0 win over Norwich on December 5 due to coronavirus outbreaks at the club.
      Their game against Leicester which was due to be played on Thursday has also been postponed due to coronavirus.
      Many Premier League fixtures are currently in doubt due to a rising number of Covid-19 cases around the country. More

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      Watch moment Champions League draw is ruined before bungling Uefa chiefs wrongly claim Man Utd can NOT face Atletico

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      THIS is the moment Monday’s Champions League draw was ruined.Bumbling Uefa chiefs wrongly drew Manchester United against Villarreal before incorrectly claiming the Red Devils could NOT face Atletico Madrid.
      Uefa wrongly drew Man Utd against Villarreal before incorrectly claiming they could NOT face Atletico Madrid
      The initial draw was such a farce, it eventually had to be redone later in the day.
      United were initially drawn against Paris Saint-Germain – setting up a mouth-watering clash between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
      And in a comical twist of fate, Ralf Rangnick’s men got Atletico once the process was followed correctly.
      The first gaffe came when ex-Arsenal winger Andrey Arshavin pulled out United’s ball to face Villarreal.
      But that tie could not stand as they were both in Group F and therefore not eligible to meet in the last 16.
      An initial redraw was ordered and United’s crosstown rivals Manchester City were then selected to play Unai Emery’s side.
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      But then, for no reason whatsoever, United were not put in the mix to face Atletico.
      Footage shows Atletico’s ball selected before a Uefa official starts collecting the balls of their potential opponents to be put in the ‘opponent’ draw pot together.
      But for some reason, he neglected to pick up a Man Utd one so it was then impossible for the teams to be drawn against each other.
      Realising their error amid complaints from the likes of Diego Simeone’s side after the full draw had been completed, Uefa stunningly ordered a complete re-draw.
      ⚽ Read our Manchester United live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from Old Trafford
      Man Utd’s opponents switched from PSG to Atletico while City got Sporting and Liverpool got Inter Milan.
      Remarkably, Chelsea drew French champions Lille again.
      Later in the day, Uefa were slated for blaming the botched draw on a ‘technical problem’.
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      Europa Conference League draw follows Champions League shambles after being hit with technical errors

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      ANOTHER Uefa draw was hit by technical errors on Monday after the Champions League farce.The Europa Conference League draw was held up while Uefa’s computers took their time to update.
      The Europa Conference League nearly suffered the same fate as the Champions League draw farceCredit: Getty
      The draw was briefly paused when Uefa’s computer suffered a delay
      But luckily the draw went ahead without any glitches in the endCredit: Reuters
      Uefa deputy secretary Giorgio Marchetti apologised for the delay before, after a few minutes, Bodo/Glimt’s name appeared.
      While the delay was embarrassing, Uefa will be relieved that the technical problems didn’t cause as much mayhem as seen in the Champions League draw.
      That draw was declared null and void after Manchester United’s number was left out of the pot in the draw to face Atletico Madrid.
      The Red Devils were initially drawn against Villarreal – something that should not have been possible as they were both in Group F and therefore not eligible to meet in the last-16.
      An initial redraw was ordered and United’s crosstown rivals Man City were then selected to play Unai Emery’s side.
      Crucially, United were not then put back in the mix to face Atletico – with another group-stage foul-up adding to Uefa’s woes.
      However, the redraw has now taken place without any mishaps and the new ties will take place in February and March.
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      After the technical mishap in the Europa Conference League draw, things went smoothly with Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt eventually drawn against Celtic.
      Leicester City will be pleased as they go up against Danish team Randers at home.
      Tottenham or Vitesse will play Rapid Vienna in the next stage of the competition.
      Spurs still have to qualify for the knockout stages as their European clash against group leaders Rennes was postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak at the North London club.
      Spurs face being awarded a 3-0 defeat for failing to fulfil the fixture, which would dump them out of the competition.
      But SunSport understands Uefa’s Control Ethics and Disciplinary Body could decide to change the rules to allow the match to be played after the December 31 deadline.
      CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW LIVE – LATEST UPDATES More

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      West Ham’s Europa League clash at Rapid Vienna to be behind-closed-doors after Austria announce national lockdown

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      WEST HAM’s Europa League clash with Rapid Vienna WILL be able to go ahead, but behind-closed-doors.The Austrian government this morning announced a new national lockdown amid a sharp rise on coronavirus cases in the country.
      West Ham await news on the status of their upcoming Europa League clashCredit: Getty
      Austria announced a national lockdown on Friday morningCredit: Reuters
      From Monday, all non-essential shops will close and people will be ordered to work from home under the measures, which are a 20-day short term shock to society aimed at stopping a fifth wave of Covid-19.
      It means the 23,500 Rapid Vienna fans with tickets for the game will be forced to watch from home.
      The Hammers are due to take on Rapid in Vienna on Thursday needing just a point from their remaining two matches to secure top spot in the group stages.
      Irons fans were already banned from attending after crowd trouble in their last match against Genk.
      But now there will also be no home fans at the game in line with new Government restrictions in Austria.
      Although after some uncertainty regarding whether the game would go ahead at all, it has now been confirmed that the clash will take place.
      Last season when local regulations meant a match could not be staged at a home stadium, the game would be switched to a neutral venue to ensure no delays to the fixture programme.
      But with less than a week to go until the game is due to be played, that would have left little time coming up with an alternative plan for this tie.
      Fortunately though a resolution has been found and the Allianz Stadion will still play host to David Moyes and Co.

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      From February 1 next year, all Austrians will be required to have both jabs, Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced. Those who refuse could face heavy fines.
      Austria registered a whopping 15,145 new Covid cases on Thursday, smashing last November’s peak of 9,586 confirmed cases.
      Covid rates have been rapidly rising in recent weeks as the country grapples with one of the lowest vaccination rates in western Europe – roughly 66 per cent – and among the highest infection rates with a seven-day average of 990.7 per 100,000 people in the past week.
      Experts warn the death toll could reach 2,000 by the end of this week, according to Kronen Zeitung.
      “Despite months of persuasion, we have not succeeded in convincing enough people to get vaccinated,” Schallenberg told a press conference on Friday and blamed those refusing to get jabbed for an ‘attack on the health system’.
      He added: “Whipped up by radical anti-vaxxers, by fake news, too many among us didn’t get vaccinated. The results are overcrowded intensive care units and enormous suffering.” More

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      Disgraced former Fifa and Uefa chiefs Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini charged with fraud over £1.6million payment

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      DISGRACED former Fifa and Uefa chiefs Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have been charged with fraud over a £1.6million payment to the French football legend.The pair have been charged following a six-year investigation into a payment of 2.19m Swiss francs from Fifa to Platini.
      Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have been charged with fraud over a £1.6million payment made in 2011Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      It’s alleged Platini, 66, wrote to Fifa in January 2011 demanding a backdated salary, having worked as an adviser to Blatter between 1998 and 2002.
      Both Platini and Blatter – who served as Fifa president between 1998 and 2015 – deny any wrongdoing, claiming a verbal contract was in place for over 20 years.
      However, the pair could now face trial in a court in Bellinoza, Switzerland in a matter of months after federal prosecutors claimed the ‘payment damaged Fifa’s assets and unlawfully enriched Platini’.
      If found guilty, Blatter, 85, and Platini could face sentences of several years in jail or hefty fines.
      An Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of Switzerland statement confirmed the charges.
      The OAG claim the payment – which equates to £1.6m – was unlawfully arranged.

      A statement read: “The OAG accuses Joseph Blatter of fraud, in the alternative of misappropriation, in the further alternative of criminal mismanagement as well as of forgery of a document.
      “Michel Platini is accused of fraud, in the alternative of participating in misappropriation, for in the further alternative of participating in criminal mismanagement, as an accomplice, as well as of forgery of a document.”
      The case has been ongoing since 2015, when Blatter was sacked over the controversial payment.
      Both were banned from all footballing activity at the time.
      Platini had hoped to take over from Blatter as Fifa chief having been in charge of Uefa between 2007 and 2015.
      But the case saw his chances left in tatters and the former France international was forced to resign as Uefa chief a year later after losing an appeal against his ban.
      Platini’s lawyer, Dominic Nellen, told the BBC his client ‘categorically denies the untrue accusations’, adding it was ‘clear the investigation should have been discontinued long ago’.
      Nellen claimed: “There are enough witness reports and documents in the case files that prove my client’s innocence.
      “I am 100 per cent confident we will be able to prove my client’s innocence in court.”
      Blatter claimed he hopes the ‘story will come to an end’, saying ‘all responsible Fifa bodies’ had approved the payment.
      The ex-Fifa chief also claimed Platini had paid tax on the payment ‘at his Swiss residence’. More

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      England hopes of hosting 2030 World Cup still alive despite Euro final chaos after Uefa assurances

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      THE Euro 2020 Final chaos has not wrecked hopes of an England-led bid for the 2030 World Cup, MPs were told.Wembley chiefs are weighing up the humiliation of the stadium fan ban and £84,000 fine imposed by Uefa for the disgraceful scenes before the match against Italy in July.
      UK Sport believes an England-led bid to host the 2030 World Cup is still alive despite chaotic scenes ahead of the Euros 2020 final at WembleyCredit: Reuters
      But Simon Morton, chief operating officer of UK Sport which is working with the five British Isles nations and the Government on the £2.8m bid feasibility study, dismissed claims the concept is now dead in the water.
      Morton told the DCMS committee members in Westminster: “What happened was unacceptable.
      “I was at the match and pleased my daughter wasn’t with me as it was shocking and horrific and the opposite of what we want major sporting events to feel like. 
      “But the Uefa President, who is an important person in respect of the process, has gone on the record to say it will have no bearing whatsoever on our bid. 
      “The FA has commissioned a review. It is very serious but I do not think it’s our bid up in smoke.”
      Morton faced strong questioning from MPs including Tory committee chairman Julian Knight, who had earlier told talkSPORT we believed the Wembley scenes had “put a kibosh on the entire World Cup bid”.

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      He accused the FA of overseeing a potential “disaster”, suggested the feasibility study was now a “waste of money” and told fellow MPs the FA was a “basket-case” of an organisation.
      But Morton said the changes in Fifa’s processes – the final venue will be decided by the 211 member associations rather than the 22 eligible members of the ruling executive committee who embarrassed the FA’s failed 2018 bid – and the upside of hosting the tournament meant it was worth pressing ahead.
      He added: “We are talking about four to five million spectators, a global audience of three to four billion people, up to 40,000 volunteering jobs and billions in economic impact.
      “It would also be a tournament model which could be revolutionary and unprecedented in dispersing benefits across the five nations.
      “The things that have changed give us a level of confidence we might be able to close the gap from the last vote.”
      Influential figures within English and European football are privately urging the FA to junk the 2030 bid and instead focus n attempting to land the 2028 European Championships.
      And Morton said the key decision now would have to be made by the Government by the second quarter of next year after Fifa have finally published the bid requirements.
      Football chiefs feared Euro 2020 fan chaos at Wembley had undermined a bid to host the 2030 World CupCredit: Sportsphoto
      He explained: “We are assessing the benefits and impact, both social and economic, of hosting. 
      “Finally, we are looking at winnability and the bid process, given the history and the chances of success of a five-nation bid.
      “The five FAs and their Governments will have to size this up and take a view on whether they want to bid.”

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      Jason Sudeikis visits Wembley stadium as Ted Lasso More

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      England slapped with Wembley stadium ban and fined £85k by Uefa after Euro 2020 final chaos

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      ENGLAND have been ordered to play a match behind closed doors after fan trouble at the Euro 2020 final.Gareth Southgate’s men won’t have fans present for their next Uefa home match – which will be a Nations League contest next year.
      England will have to play a game behind closed doors after fan trouble at the Euro 2020 final at WembleyCredit: AP
      England fans won’t be able to attend a match next summer after the Euros final chaosCredit: AP
      And the Three Lions were also hit with an £85,000 fine as well as a second match behind closed doors, which is suspended for two years.
      It comes after chaos at the Euro 2020 final at Wembley this summer when ticketless fans stormed the stadium.
      England lost to Italy on penalties in a game that was overshadowed by the poor fan behaviour.
      Groups of fans broke through security cordons and got into the stadium without a ticket.
      And the disorder continued as objects were thrown and the Italian national anthem was booed.
      Tournament organisers Uefa opened disciplinary proceedings against the FA in August and finally issued sanctions on Monday.

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      But under new Uefa rules, England could still play in front of a stadium full of kids.
      Games played ‘behind closed doors’ are set to be allowed an unlimited number of kids under the age of 14 in attendance.
      The youngsters must be from local schools or football academies and be accompanied by responsible adults.
      A Uefa statement ordered the FA: “To play its next two Uefa competition matches as host association behind closed doors, the second of which is suspended for a probationary period of two years from the date of the present decision, for the lack of order and discipline inside and around the stadium.”
      And the European governing body statement added: “To fine the English Football Association £85,000 for the lack of order and discipline inside and around the stadium, for the invasion of the field of play, for throwing of objects and for the disturbances during the national anthems.”
      An FA statement said: “Although we are disappointed with the verdict, we acknowledge the outcome of this Uefa decision.
      “We condemn the terrible behaviour of the individuals who caused the disgraceful scenes in and around Wembley Stadium at the Euro 2020 final, and we deeply regret that some of them were able to enter the stadium.
      “We are determined that this can never be repeated, so we have commissioned an independent review, led by Baroness Casey, to report on the circumstances involved.
      “We continue to work with the relevant authorities in support of their efforts to take action against those responsible and hold them to account.”
      ONE CONVICTION
      The Sun revealed how just one England fan has been convicted of causing trouble at the Euros.
      And police do not know if they were even among those wreaking havoc at the final.
      Without convictions in court, no banning orders can be issued.
      So all who shamed the country are free to continue following the national side home and away.
      The lack of action heaps more pressure on Met chief Dame Cressida Dick.
      Force figures show there were more than 150 arrests for disorder during games in England.
      Of those, 19 were charged and 26 issued with cautions or penalty notices for disorder.
      A further 104 have been released under investigation or bailed.
      But just one person has been convicted so far.
      We can also reveal just one Met officer was at a Wembley safety meeting before the security shambles at the final.
      The force said: “We refute any claim that our representation at these meetings underestimates our commitment to keeping people safe and mitigating disorder.”
      Fight breaks out at Wembley between Hungarian fans and stewards during England game More