Barcelona defender JAVIER MASCHERANO accepted a one-year prison sentence for tax evasion on Thursday as part of a plea bargain "although he is unlikely to serve time in jail."
The 31-year-old Argentina int'l, who joined the club in Aug. '10, "pleaded guilty last year to defrauding the Spanish tax authorities" of more than €1.5M by concealing earnings from his image rights by using companies set up in the U.S. and Portugal (REUTERS, 1/21). ...The Japan FA board of directors selected JFA VP KOZO TASHIMA as the next president of Japan’s football federation.
The board members had until Jan. 6 to cast their votes for the 58-year-old Tashima or 57-year-old General Secretary HIROMI HARA. Although the decision by the board of directors is not binding, it is considered "an important factor in the decisive vote by the 75-member JFA Board of Trustees, set for Jan. 31, when the next president will be chosen" (KYODO, 1/21).
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| Rory McIlroy |
GOLF GLORY: World No. 1 JORDAN SPIETH and rival RORY MCILROY "differ on the importance of winning" golfing Gold at the Rio Olympics in August.
While Spieth said that standing on top of the podium would rank alongside winning a major tournament, Northern Irishman McIlroy "left no doubt about which one he would rather win given the choice." McIlroy: "All I’ve dreamed of from a little kid is winning majors. I never dreamed of competing in the Olympics or winning an Olympic medal. I think a major championship is the pinnacle of our sport. I think I’ll be remembered for my major championships." (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 1/21).
