Belgian prosecutors have charged Kazakhstani Olympic cycling Gold Medalist ALEXANDER VINOKOUROV with "private corruption." Russian cyclist ALEXANDER KOLOBNEV "faced similar charges." According to the prosecutors, Vinokourov allegedly paid Kolobnev €150,000 ($198,000) "to give in at the finish line of the Liège-Bastogne-Liège classical one day race in April 2010." Corriere della Sera reported that the prosecutors "discovered evidences against Vinokourov and Kolobnev in the emails that the two cyclists exchanged before the final of the Liège-Bastogne-Liège race" (TENGRINEWS, 8/26). ... The Bangladesh Cricket Board said that SHAKIB AL HASAN's "six-month ban imposed last month for 'misbehaviour' has been lifted." BCB President NAZMUL HASSAN said, "After September 15, Shakib will be available for selection." However, "the embargo on participating in overseas competitions will stand" (REUTERS, 8/27). ...
Bundesliga side FC Nuremberg supervisory council members MANFRED MÜLLER and HANNS-THOMAS SCHAMEL resigned from their positions with immediate effect. Supervisory council head KLAUS SCHRAMM said that, for the time being, the two seats will remain vacant (FC Nuremberg). ... CORINNA SCHUMACHER, the wife of seven-time F1 world champion MICHAEL SCHUMACHER, "has lost her lawsuit against German daily newspaper taz and public broadcaster ZDF." Corinna "sued the two media outlets to stop them from publishing pictures that show her arriving at the hospital in Grenoble, France after the skiing accident of her husband." The Cologne Court "rejected her case on Wednesday" (KRONEN ZEITUNG, 8/27). ... Outgoing Nigeria Football Federation President AMINU MAIGARI "has been released from detention by the State Security Service." Maigari was "arrested and detained alongside two other board members of the NFF," CHRIS GREEN and MUSA AMADU.
The men "were taken away by the SSS for routine questioning, especially in relation with the crises that have Nigerian football" (NIGERIAN BULLETIN, 8/26).
HOLY KICK: POPE FRANCIS is "backing an inter-religion soccer match" on Sept. 1 at the Olympic Stadium in Rome that will "gather greats from around the globe and is aimed at promoting peace and raising money for at-risk kids." Argentina national team coach GERARDO MARTINO and Arsenal coach ARSENE WENGER will "put together teams featuring Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist players." Players will include LIONEL MESSI, AC Milan coach FILIPPO INZAGHI and SAMUEL ETO'O. Pope Francis "isn't expected to attend" (AP, 8/27).
