A supporter of Stockholm club Djurgarden "has died from head injuries sustained in an assault before his team's opening Swedish league match at Helsingborg." The match was "subsequently abandoned before halftime." The incident "occurred about a half an hour before kickoff on the opening weekend of the Swedish league." Referee Martin Hansson took the players off in the 42nd minute and "a tense standoff between police, security staff and fans ensued" (REUTERS, 3/30). ... FIFPro has reiterated calls for an outright ban of third party ownership in response to comments made by UEFA President Michel Platini. FIFPro Secretary General Theo van Seggelen said, "There is no place for TPO" (FIFPro). ... 2022 World Cup host Qatar, "criticized for the dire conditions of foreign laborers building facilities for the tournament, is holding a competition just for them." The manager of a public relations firm in Qatar said that the tournament "is aimed at deflating accusations that Doha is mistreating the migrants building the venues for the World Cup" (AFP, 3/30).
