Ex-Chelsea and Atletico Madrid star Diego Costa has had his home in Brazil raided by police as they investigate an alleged criminal scheme involving wide-scale financial fraud, according to reports.
Now plying his trade at Brazilian Serie A leaders Atletico Mineiro, Costa is said to be of interest to police in his home state of Sergipe some 1,000 miles to the northeast of Belo Horizonte.
As part of “Operation Distraction”, federal police there have investigated a criminal enterprise that has allegedly laundered money, committed foreign exchange fraud, and exploited games of chance with a gambling website, Esportenet, at its forefront.
Police confirmed that “in the first phase of the operation, which began on March 3 this year, documents and electronic equipment were seized that allowed the investigation to be deepened and the amount of R$13,129,217.00 ($2.4 million) in cash was seized.
“Based on the evidence collected,” it continued, “it was possible to identify other betting platforms used by the group and individual companies and legal entities for alleged money laundering and foreign exchange fraud.
“The participation of money changers that help the criminal organization to allegedly commit foreign exchange fraud was verified, as well as the participation of a football player who is allegedly the financier of the criminal scheme,” police added.
The striker’s legal team deny the accusations after his house was one of the addresses where Sergipe police reportedly appeared with search warrants this week.
Operation Distraction has been underway since the beginning of the year, some months before Atlético and Costa concluded their negotiations for him to join in August.
For this, the club, known as Galo, are distancing themselves from the scandal but have in any event appointed a criminal lawyer to avoid taking risks and monitor the case.
“The facts reported do not concern the Club; they were not public knowledge, nor (the knowledge of) the institution (because they are investigations); and they predate the athlete’s arrival at Atlético,” a statement read.
“Nevertheless, Atlético is finding out about what can possibly occur to give, if it is in the athlete’s interest, all the support that is necessary.”
Domestic media giant globoesporte has also managed to contact one of Costa’s legal team, who protested that his client is innocent and will voluntarily present himself to the federal police to testify.
Aurelio Belem admitted that Costa’s Sergipe home was raided, but added that nothing was seized so as to try and exonerate the former Spain international.
“Absolutely nothing has been seized,” stressed Belem. “And it couldn’t have been any different, [because] after all, the player has no connection with any criminal scheme that might be suggested.
“We talked at length with the player today. He will spontaneously present himself to the PF to provide the necessary clarifications,” Belem concluded.
This isn’t the first time Costa has had a run-in with the law.
In June last year, he received a six-month suspended jail term and was hit with a $580,000 fine in Spain over a multimillion-dollar image rights fraud.
The general manager of the Ukrainian Hockey League (UHL) claims he was fired for speaking out against racism, after one star escaped with a three-game ban and a fine despite making a ‘banana-eating’ gesture to a black player.
In a tweet posted on Thursday, Evgeny Kolychev claimed that the Ukrainian Hockey Federation had dismissed him after he voiced his anger
Kolychev’s post read: “I have spoken openly about #racism in Ukrainian hockey and the Ukrainian Hockey Federation FIRED me as General Manager of the #UHL today. Will it solve the problem? No. Will it silence me? NO!”
I have spoken openly about #racism in Ukrainian hockey and the Ukrainian Hockey Federation FIRED me as General Manager of the #UHL today.
Will it solve the problem? No. Will it silence me? NO!
The post comes on the back of the punishment handed out to Kremenchuk forward Andrei Deniskin following a racist gesture he made towards US hockey player Jalen Smereck, where Deniskin pretended to peel and eat a banana in front of Smereck.
Хоккейный клуб «Донбасс» резко отрицает все формы дискриминации и возмущен поведением Андрея Денискина. Донецкий клуб отвергает любые расистские проявления – расизму не место ни на спортивных площадках, ни за их пределами pic.twitter.com/FhfXgw45Cu
Deniskin was handed a three-match ban but the Ukrainian has the right to pay off a further 10-game suspension, something which angered many people who though the punishment handed out was too soft.
In the same post he also called for the International Ice Hockey Federation to launch their own investigation.
Donbass Donetsk star Smereck reacted to the news of Kolychev’s removal on Instagram with a post on his stories saying: “This makes me sick to my stomach I really can’t believe this!!!”
The popular hockey Twitter account World Hockey Report also responded to Kolychev’s post saying: “Until the @IIHFHockey gets some guts and stands up against the @UHLua nothing will change… but will the IIHF look out for their player’s best interests? Or what’s best for their wallet? This will be very telling.”
Liverpool-born coach Paul Riley has been fired as the head coach of NWSL team the North Carolina Courage amid allegations of sexual misconduct as two of his former players spoke out about the alleged abuse they suffered.
Riley was let go from his position in the United States’ top women’s league after his ex-players Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim detailed shocking allegations against him in an expose published by sports outlet The Athletic.
Amongst the various complaints against Riley – who has spent his entire professional career coaching in the United States – are allegations that he compelled Farrelly and others to have sex with him, ‘forced’ players to join him on extended drinking sessions, sent some players sexually explicit photographs of himself as well as other mental and emotional abuse centered around issues like playing time and status in the starting XI.
Riley had previously answered some of The Athletic’s charges by saying the majority of the allegations against him are “completely untrue” but did admit to socializing with players on some occasions.
The National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) have asked league chiefs to open a wide-ranging investigation to the claims against Riley, while the duo of Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan – both of whom are stars of women’s football in the United States – have claimed that previous complaints against Riley were ignored and said that the league had failed in its duty of protecting female players.
Addressing the matter, NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird said that she was “shocked and disgusted” by the nature of the allegations against Riley and said that they have been referred to the US Center for SafeSport for further investigation.
“We are implementing a new anonymous reporting process, whereby players, teams and league staff may text concerns to the league, which will be promptly investigated,” Baird added.
“We ask our players and all associated with the league to raise their concerns to us, as we continue to make our league a safe, positive and respectful environment for our players, clubs, staff and fans.”
“I support Sinead and Mara,” wrote United States international Sam Mewis in support of her colleagues Farrelly and Shim.
“I am horrified to read the details of what happened to them. The league needs to do whatever is necessary to make them (and other victims like Kaiya) feel heard, believed and protected.
“The physical and psychological safety of the players in the NWSL is of the utmost importance. I’m still processing and reflecting on how I can be part of making a safer environment for players.”
Another of Riley’s former teams, the Portland Thorns, where he coached for two years wrote in response to the Athletic article that there was “much that we are just hearing about now” but admitted that they had been made aware of complaints against their former coach in the past.
“We take all complaints about harassment extremely seriously. Immediately upon receiving a complaint from a player in 2015, we conducted a thorough investigation advised by an outside law firm and placed Riley on administrative leave,” they wrote on social media.
“While the findings did not show unlawful activity, they did uncover clear violations of our company policies. Based on this, we chose to sever ties with Riley. The findings of the investigation were fully shared with the NWSL league office.
“Throughout the club’s existence, we have always encouraged players and staff to freely express themselves on and off the field on any issue and in any context they choose. We are proud of our incredible body of community work and the impact it’s had, our long-standing ethos of social justice and inclusion, and of player and employee advocacy.
“The article is a difficult read and there are some horrifying revelations. We have grown since 2015 as an organization and will continue to seek to improve and get better. We will fully cooperate with any additional inquiries into this matter and, more importantly, re-examine our own processes and protocol that are intended to ensure a safe space.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer laughed off claims that Cristiano Ronaldo has asked for the Manchester United team to change its playing style to better suit him, after reports the Portuguese icon wanted more urgency in attack.
At his press conference before the Red Devils clash with Everton in the Premier League on Saturday, Solskjaer was asked about a report from ESPN which claimed Ronaldo wanted United to play at a quicker tempo so he in turn could receive the ball faster.
Ronaldo has made a great start to his second spell at the club, scoring five goals in five game so far – including a dramatic late winner against Villarreal in the Champions League on Wednesday.
But the 36-year-old supposedly believes he could offer even more if the ball finds him quicker than he is currently receiving it.
When asked about the report, Solskjaer laughed before putting his head down on the desk and then saying: “That is another one. Wow, what can you answer to that? What we speak about us that is between us, but we haven’t had that discussion, put it that way.”
“We have not had that discussion.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reaction to reports that Cristiano Ronaldo has asked his Manchester United players to move the ball faster to get the best out of him. pic.twitter.com/Q3bKBF6DBc
Many onlookers would agree though that for United to be a serious title contender this season moving the ball quicker is a must.
Defeats against Young Boys, West Ham and Aston Villa have seen many question United’s style of play and despite having a squad containing Ronaldo along with Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes, they still find it hard to break teams down.
During the press conference the Norwegian did talk about the positive impact that Ronaldo has had at Old Trafford since his summer move from Juventus.
“He has had a great impact on and off the pitch,” said the Norwegian.
“Five goals in five games at his age says everything. You’ve got to manage him, he’s a very good example for everyone. Long may it continue.”
Piero Ferrari, the vice chairman of Ferrari, has reminded everyone that Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher is very much alive, even though the seven-time World Champion ‘cannot communicate’.
Fervent interest in seven-time world champion Schumacher’s condition has re-emerged in recent weeks with the release of the Netflix documentary charting his remarkable rise to the top of the sport, as well as aspects of the 52-year-old’s family life.
Notably, Schumacher’s wife Corinna says in the film that she “misses” her husband every day.
“Michael is here. Different, but he’s here and that gives us strength, I find,” Corinna says.
“I think that he is simply very strong mentally. Extremely strong. He still shows me how strong he is every day.”
And whilst speaking at a recent award ceremony in Rome, Piero Ferrari shared some memories of the German prior to his skiing accident in 2013.
“I had the pleasure of having Schumacher as a guest at home and drinking a bottle of red wine together: he really enjoyed having these moments of intimacy and tranquility,”said Ferrari.
“He was a simple, clear, precise person, a very linear personality.”
On Schumacher’s current condition, Ferrari added: “I’m sorry we talk about him today as if he were dead: he’s not dead, he’s there but he can’t communicate.”
During the event in the Italian Capital, Ferrari also spoke about his team’s current drivers Charles Le Clerc and Carlos Sainz.
“Charles Leclerc? My father would certainly have liked him. The comparison between past and present riders is difficult,” he said.
“Gilles Villeneuve was pure instinct, Charles is very different: he is an intelligent driver, an extremely gifted boy from all points of view, with extraordinary reflexes, great concentration.
“Carlos Sainz is also proving to be a solid and fast young man. We have a good team, for the future everything will change, the cards will reshuffle and we must remember that there are many technical limits set by the regulation and that the next year will be all new.”
Sainz finished third in last Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix, with his teammate Le Clerc finishing 15th.
Ferrari also said that his team was helping fellow F1 competitors Haas to manage the development of Schumacher’s son, Mick, who is in his debut season in motor-racing’s elite championship.
“His team (Haas) has made the choice not to spend in 2021 so they are using a car that was already not good in 2020,” he said.
“But they are spending for 2022 and we at Ferrari are also helping Haas. For his second year, we hope to give Schumacher a car with which he can demonstrate his qualities.”
