An Afghan teenager has been killed by gunfire in the south of the country as cricket fans "celebrated victory over Zimbabwe in Sharjah." Several others were hurt "as thousands of fans danced in the streets and fired into the air in cities and towns" (BBC, 1/7). ... The Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) disciplinary committee will publish its resolutions "regarding suspensions incurred in the first leg Copa del Rey matches played midweek," including the "hotly contested" meeting between Barcelona and Espanyol at Camp Nou. Hernán Pérez and Pape Diop of Espanyol were both sent off in the 4-1 defeat and there was a "dust-up in the tunnel after the match, which featured prominently in the report" submitted by match official Martínez Munuera. His report said, "At the end of the game in the tunnel, the Barcelona number nine D. Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz, while the Espanyol players were walking up the steps of the tunnel, waited for them and said several times the following: 'I'm waiting for you here, come here. You're a waste of space.'" This "provoked a melee involving players from both sides, leading the security personnel present to intervene" (AS, 1/7).
ELECTION DAY: The RFEF published on Thursday the proposed calendar for the elections of RFEF leaders from '16-20. The process "will culminate with elections scheduled for April 22." Current RFEF President Ángel María Villar is expected to run for re-election (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 1/7).
2030 WORLD CUP: Argentina and neighboring Uruguay will bid to co-host the 2030 World Cup, Argentine President Mauricio Macri said at a joint news conference on Thursday with Uruguayan leader Tabaré Vázquez. Macri: "We have decided that our best opportunity is to jointly nominate ourselves as candidates." Uruguay hosted and won the first World Cup in 1930, beating Argentina 4-2 in the final. The two countries, which have each won the World Cup twice, have on "various occasions over the past few years expressed a wish" at both FA and government level to stage the centennial tournament (REUTERS, 1/7).
