Day: September 29, 2021

A Russian amateur footballer in Austria has been slapped with a 48-match ban for deliberately headbutting a rival after taking exception to being shown a second yellow card by the referee, according to reports.

The shocking scenes are said to have taken place in the Austrian ninth-tier match between FC Viktoria 62 Bregenz and Gofis Satteins 1b earlier in September, according to Kronen Zeitung. 

After being shown a second yellow card in the 87th minute of his team’s 3-1 defeat for an implied headbutt against an opponent, enraged Viktoria player Rahid Arsanukaev is said to have responded to the referee, “I’ll show you what’s punishable”, before landing his head on his rival’s nose and breaking it.

Russian amateur footballer Raschid Arsanukaev has been handed a 48-game ban for headbutting an opponent and breaking his nose during the Austrian ninth-tier game between FC Viktoria 62 Bregenz and Gofis Satteins 1b.

(Via @BILD_Sport) pic.twitter.com/FWdQemu0da

— Noxwin (@noxwin12) September 22, 2021

The violent incident has reportedly been brought to the attention of the police, while Arsanukaev has been released by his club, even though his image remains on their website.

“Viktoria stands for integration, but of course we cannot tolerate such incidents,” club official Christian Gojo was quoted as saying.

Voralberg Football Association managing director Horst Elsner said they had informed other leagues to ensure they were aware of the hefty ban, so that Arsanukaev could not find a way to play until he had served his time.    

“We have informed the surrounding associations about the suspension of Arsanukaev and want to prevent that he as a newly registered player can bypass the suspension and kick again somewhere,” Elsner said.

Premier League stars are refusing to participate in a publicity campaign encouraging fellow players to get their Covid vaccine, according to a report.

The Daily Mail claims to have discovered that vaccination rates among Premier League players have stalled in recent weeks, with numerous clubs holding talks about releasing videos featuring their biggest names stating the importance of being jabbed. 

Yet the project has apparently failed to take off due to “a lack of volunteers.”

Back in July, England manager Gareth Southgate released a video for the NHS which urged young people to get their vaccines, and claimed that he received more abuse for it than England’s Euro 2020 penalty shootout loss to Italy in the final at Wembley.

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“Of all the things I received abuse for over the summer – of which there’s been several – that’s probably the one I’ve received the most abuse over,” Southgate had said.

“I’m probably going to keep out of that argument for the time being.

“When you want to try to make a difference and take the right sort of stance on taking the knee and other things, then you know you are not going to please everybody and there are extreme views on lots of those subjects as well.

“I’m comfortable with that but I’m not going to town on things like the vaccine. I’m not the one who has to open some of that mail and some of those emails, because my poor secretary has dealt with quite a lot of that, so that is the reality,” he finished.

England Football coach, Gareth Southgate promotes the coronavirus vaccination programme and tells young people their freedom rests on them taking the jab. pic.twitter.com/OUyTvMWopC

— Apex World News (@apexworldnews) July 24, 2021

In his clip, Southgate said: “If you haven’t had your vaccine yet go and get it done, and you guys will get your freedom back.”

But thus far there has been no similar message from the English top flight’s stars with the backlash the Three Lions’ tactician received a possible motive for reluctance.

In comparison to elite competitions in the US such as the NFL, NBA and NHL, the Premier League refuses to disclose how many of its players have been vaccinated.

In the lower tier EFL leagues, however, the figure is put at around 70% across staff and players.

Get your two doses of the vaccine ✅
Stay home and get a test if you're showing any symptoms
Take a face mask with you
Arrive early
Wash your hands regularly

Jonathan Van-Tam on how football fans can do their bit to stay safe and reduce the spread of COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/ejXCIuzBNs

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 10, 2021

Both the Premier League and the EFL have arranged for briefings to be held for managers and captains with England’s deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, where he attempted to debunk numerous vaccine myths.

Despite these efforts, they are still struggling to find players that are prepared to front a publicity campaign.

This week, the EFL plans to step up vaccination promotion by sending information to players in a Q&A format as they currently work with lower league clubs with small medical teams to establish pop-up vaccination centers around training grounds and stadiums.

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Suriname’s 60-year-old vice president featured for the team he owns in a CONCACAF league fixture on Tuesday night, naming himself as captain and starring alongside one of his reported 50 kids at the stadium named in his honor.

Ronnie Brunswijk owns Inter Moengotapoe and took matters into his own hands for their last-16 clash against Olimpia.

Starring up front with his son Damian for most of the match, his overbearing influence still amounted to nothing despite completing 14 out of 17 passes in his 54 minutes on the pitch.

Online, video clips have emerged of Brunswijk not being the most mobile of players while barking instructions at his colleagues and shouting at one for not laying off a pass to him.

The 60 year old Vice President of Suriname is playing in CONCACAF because he owns the team pic.twitter.com/icimSs8yls

— Scott Simpson (@NimblewNumbers) September 22, 2021

60 year-old Ronnie Brunswijk, the vice president of Suriname, picked himself to play for the club he owns, Inter Moengotapoe.

They lost 6-0

IG: tudnusa pic.twitter.com/64ti4xxoqO

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) September 22, 2021

Come full time, Inter Moengotapoe had been thrashed 6-0 and have a mountain to climb in the second leg in Honduras next week if they wish to advance in the regional equivalent of the Europa League.

With his lengthy cameo, Brunswijk became the oldest ever player to make an appearance in an international club competition.

After the match, unverified footage appeared on social media purportedly showing Brunswijk dishing out money in the opposition changing room, in the latest chapter in the colorful story of his life.

Seguro todos leyeron la historia Ronnie Brunswijk, presidente del Inter Moengotapoe y Vicepresidente de Surinam que ayer jugó un partido de Concacaf a los 60 años.
Después del partido fue al vestuario de Olimpia a repartir dinero.
Concacaf va a tener que intervenir pic.twitter.com/ytZ55tH3Ki

— Andres Agulla (@aagulla_espn) September 22, 2021

In the late 80s and early 90s, he was a rebel leader of the Jungle Commando in Suriname’s Interior War only ended by a peace treaty being signed in 1992 after hundreds of deaths. 

In 1999, the Netherlands prosecuted him in absentia for drug trafficking with an Interpol warrant for his arrest still active when he became the vice-president of his former Dutch colony in July last year.

Brunswijk has been described as a popular Robin Hood-type figure in Suriname with an alleged 50 kids, who has distributed money gained through his crimes including bank robbing to the poor, and has sometimes thrown cash from his helicopter – which perhaps helps to explain the glee the Olimpia players seem to exhibit in the purported clips of him dishing out notes.

Suriname Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk (60) played 54 minutes for Inter Moengatapoe in a CONCACAF Champions League match against Honduran side Olimpia today.

He is the President of the club and also captain.

The stadium the match was held bears the name of this man. pic.twitter.com/KmVQqZ2jb0

— NUHU ®️ (@NuhuAdams_) September 21, 2021

In 2002, he constructed the 3,000-capacity Ronnie Brunswijkstadion stadium, but his influence in football has long attracted controversy.

Three years later, he received a suspension for allegedly threatening some players with a handgun in the middle of a match, though the ban was later withdrawn due to a lack of evidence.

Lastly in 2012, though, he was finally reprimanded and suspended for a year when verbally abusing a referee.

It remains to be seen whether Brunswijk runs out for Inter Moengotapoe in the second leg and spearheads their comeback in Honduras, with reports that he cannot leave the country without the risk of facing legal trouble.

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A sizeable LAPD police union is going after the Los Angeles District Attorney after it was decided that NBA star Jaxson Hayes would not be charged with a felony after allegedly attacking an officer during his arrest in July.

The New Orleans Pelicans center was booked for a felony charge of battery on a law enforcement officer and then hospitalized to treat his minor injuries after reportedly being involved in a violent confrontation.

Local police were first called out to a domestic disturbance in the Los Angeles area, after Hayes’ girlfriend supposedly said she was scared he was about to physically harm her.

Once they attempted to gain access to the address, Hayes allegedly got physical for real, which caused a brawl to break out.

So serious was the dust-up that police put out a call detailing how an “officer needs help,” as detailed by US outlet TMZ. 

Jaxson Hayes was arrested last night after an alleged altercation with police, per @TMZ.

Both Hayes and an officer were treated at a nearby hospital. pic.twitter.com/4zt8IVdS7T

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 28, 2021

The imposing 6’ft 11in, 220lbs baller was reportedly released after paying bail set at $25,000.

Yet despite there being video evidence that he pushed an officer in body camera footage, the DA – George Gascon – won’t charge Hayes with a felony which has caused outrage among the Los Angeles Police Protective League that represents over 9,000 cops in the Los Angeles area.

“George Gascon’s latest criminals first airball puts a target on the back of every police officer in Los Angeles,” the LAPPL told TMZ.

“Gascon’s refusal to prosecute Jaxson Hayes for violently attacking and injuring an officer during his n-word laced tirade is nothing more than a declaration that it’s open season to attack cops and it’s shameful,” it continued.

Like the correspondence implies, Gascon is a divisive figure who has been accused of taking a soft stance on crime by his critics and failing to offer protection to law enforcement officers.

But Hayes isn’t out of the woods just because Gascon has decided to back off on him, as the city attorney in LA could still try to convict him on misdemeanor charges.

As said, the 21-year-old appears to push the officer in the LAPD’s clip, but what happened next is a point of controversy.

Cops got Hayes to the ground, but as a struggle continued, one used his taser at least once with Hayes saying he wasn’t able to breathe at one point during the arrest.

The LAPD have launched an ongoing investigation to determine whether excessive force was used or not, while the LAPPL have blasted the NBA for failing to discipline their man.

“As for the NBA, their silence is deafening when it comes to one of their players assaulting an officer and thwarting a domestic violence investigation,” the union said. 

“Apparently, their policy on preventing domestic violence was created more for SportsCenter than it is to actually hold its players accountable. Real classy.”

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Former Russian football international Dmitri Khokhlov is taking Facebook to court, accusing the social media giant of causing “moral harm” by interpreting his surname as a derogatory term for Ukrainians.

Khokhlov, 45, filed a lawsuit against the company headed by billionaire Mark Zuckerberg at Moscow’s Solntsevsky District Court back in July. A preliminary hearing was held earlier this month, according to news outlet Octagon.

The angry Khokhlov has accused Facebook and Instagram of blocking uses of his surname through their algorithms because of its similarity to the word ‘khokhol’, which is sometimes used derisively to refer to Ukrainians.  

Reports of Facebook banning the use of ‘khokhol’ and its derivatives first emerged in 2015, triggering debate over its application.

The term traditionally described the Ukrainian Cossack style of haircut but has sometimes taken on derogatory connotations when used by Russian speakers.  

“My name is being blocked. Neither me, my friends or acquaintances can use Facebook and Instagram normally,” Khokhlov was quoted as saying regarding his case.

“A lot of people I know called me and said that any mention of my name is blocked. And they get banned for a week. We first noticed this at the end of spring.”

Khokhlov, who manages Russian Premier League team Rotor Volgograd, is said to be seeking compensation for ‘moral damages’ from the social media company and wants changes to their systems. 

As a prominent football figure in his homeland, Khokhlov’s name features frequently in interviews, news reports and among comments from fans, which he says all risk being blocked. 

“The claim contains a requirement to prohibit the defendant, that is, the American company [Facebook], from performing certain actions against Khokhlov,” said district court official Georgi Yengibarov.

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Krasnodar-born Khokhlov made 53 appearances for Russia during his playing days, scoring six times.

The former midfielder’s club career took in spells at Moscow clubs CSKA, Dynamo, and Lokomotiv, as well as stints in the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven and at Real Sociedad in Spain.

Khokhlov was named Dynamo Moscow manager in 2017, serving until he was sacked in 2019.

He was appointed head coach at Rotor in May of this year, ahead of the club’s second season back in the Russian Premier League after a 16-year absence.