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Zambia Women’s World Cup Coach Accused Of Sexual Misconduct

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Zambia Women’s World Cup Coach Accused Of Sexual Misconduct

Zambia’s football association on Friday expressed “surprise” at claims its women’s coach abused a squad member at the current World Cup, after FIFA launched an investigation into what it called an “allegation of misconduct”.

 

According to a report in the Guardian newspaper, Zambian coach Bruce Mwape is accused of rubbing a player’s breasts after a training session.

 

“We can confirm that a complaint has been received in relation to the Zambian women’s national team and this is currently being investigated,” a FIFA spokesperson said, without specifying the nature of the complaint.

 

“FIFA takes any allegation of misconduct extremely seriously and has a clear process in place for anyone in football who wants to report an incident.”

 

Zambia were eliminated at the group stage of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand and are now back home.

 

Zambia’s women’s football set up has been plagued by allegations of improper conduct.

When reports of misbehaviour surfaced online last year, the Football Association of Zambia opened an investigation.

 

It is not clear what the probe found, or whether any action was taken.

 

At press conferences during the World Cup, Mwape was repeatedly asked about the allegations, which he called “fake” while dismissing suggestions he should resign.

“What are you talking about? I would like to know because there is no way I can retire without reason” he told reporters.

“Maybe your reason is because what you are reading from the media or from the press, but the truth of the matter should actually come out, not just on rumours.”

Bruce-Mwape-Zambia

 

New Zealand Police said they “were made aware of an alleged incident” during the World Cup but after initial enquiries decided “no further action was required to be taken”.

 

Despite police and FIFA involvement, the Football Association of Zambia denied knowledge of any recent complaint from players or its travelling delegation.

 

The organisation said in a statement that it had “come as a surprise for us to hear of such alleged misconduct by the coach”, adding that it had demanded “the highest standards of integrity and transparency” from players and staff.

 

The football association also said all training sessions had been filmed by its media team and a FIFA crew, and it had seen no evidence of any incident.

 

It added that it would take disciplinary action “once we are in receipt of an official complaint or presented with evidence”.

 

Sanctions

 

There have been a series of sexual assault scandals in women’s football in recent times, notably in Gabon, Haiti, the United States and Afghanistan.

 

FIFA this year toughened its disciplinary proceedings for sexual assault or harassment in a revised Code of Ethics.

 

It removed the 10-year limitation period on prosecuting sexual offences and obliges “member associations and confederations to notify FIFA of any decisions rendered on sexual abuse”.

 

FIFA stressed Friday that any allegations of abuse were handled in the strictest confidence.

 

“Where guilt is established, FIFA takes the strongest possible sanctions, including removing people from the game for life. Our track record demonstrates this,” it said.

 

Zambia suffered heavy defeats to Spain and Japan before winning their first-ever World Cup match, downing Costa Rica 3-1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP

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Iraola: My Fight With Isak Has Never Been About Goals

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Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola says Alexander Isak is a “massive” player for him – but adds he “fights” with the player about needing to do more for the “collective”.

 

Isak scored twice in the opening nine minutes in the 2-0 win over Ipswich to take his tally to three for the season – but Iraola hinted the player needs to do more off the ball for the team.

“He’s a massive player for us,” he told Sky Sports. “My demands will not be about the goals: he’s fit, in a good shape and he will produce the numbers.

“But my fights with him are more about other stuff, how to help the team in other situations. But it’s good he has played two full games and today a good amount of minutes, scoring the goals.”

Iraola did not reveal which specific areas Isak needs to improve, but it could be interpreted that Iraola wants his striker to do more in the pressing.

“I will demand other things so we can play well,” he said in his post-match press conference about those demands to Isak. “And if we play well, we are in good positions, the goals will come.

“He has to contribute to the collective and when everyone helps, after the goals and results will come.”

Iraola also said to Sky: “Today we were much, much better in our press. We were recovering very high and then we can contact him in good positions.

“If we recover the ball lower, it will be more difficult to find him to have less spaces. So we need more quality effort to put our No 9 in situations like he had today.”

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‘It’s So Strong’ – Sabalenka Halts Play Over Cannabis Smell

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Aryna Sabalenka briefly halted her US Open match against Kamilla Rakhimova because of a strong smell of cannabis before cruising into the fourth round in New York.

 

Top seed Sabalenka raised the issue after going 3-0 up in the first set against Uzbekistan’s Rakhimova, telling umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore that “someone is smoking weed”.

The Belarusian asked the umpire to intervene “because it’s so strong”.

Asderaki-Moore spoke to an official on her radio and made a smoking gesture to someone behind her, before play continued.

Two-time defending champion Sabalenka went on to secure a confident 6-3 6-4 victory on Louis Armstrong Stadium as she chases a fifth Grand Slam singles title.

Sabalenka said afterwards she was not sure where the smell of cannabis was coming from but asked fans to be more mindful.

Smoking is not permitted on site at Flushing Meadows but the smell of cannabis sometimes wafts on to court from the nearby Corona Park.

It is legal to smoke it in New York for adults aged 21 and over.

“It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best,” Sabalenka said.

“I don’t know if it was coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium.

“I just hope they’re going to be a bit more aware of that stuff.”

Sabalenka is not the first player at this year’s US Open to complain about the smell of cannabis at Flushing Meadows.

Britain’s Katie Boulter previously said it was distracting, while Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones also noticed the smell.

In past years players including Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev have also complained.

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Onana Gets Twins As Salah Welcomes First Son Weeks After Joining Turkish Team

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Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah has welcomed his third child and first son, named Lail, Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan said after the Turkish club’s third-round league match against Amedspor.

 

Doğan said Salah and his Cameroonian teammate André Onana travelled outside Turkey following the match as their wives were due to give birth.

“After the Amed match, we travelled abroad with Onana and Salah. Onana welcomed twins, while Salah welcomed a baby boy. I congratulate their families and wives,” Doğan was quoted as telling Turkish media.

Salah’s sister, Rabab Salah, later revealed the baby’s name on Instagram, posting a photograph of a baby hat and congratulating her brother on the birth of Lail.

The child is Salah’s first son. The Egyptian star and his wife, Magi, already have two daughters, Makka and Kayan.

Doğan’s comments came after a photograph of Salah and Onana aboard a private jet circulated online, prompting questions among Trabzonspor supporters and local media about the reason for their trip.

The club president said both players had travelled for family reasons following the match.

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