Peru President Martín Vizcarra "wants state authorities to help Paolo Guerrero try to overturn a doping ban" which forces the national team captain to miss the country's first World Cup in 36 years. Vizcarra asked the government and Peru's ambassador to Switzerland on Wednesday "to be ready to help Guerrero challenge his ban at the Swiss supreme court" (AP, 5/17).
The difficulty in getting to Kiev, finding a hotel and attending the Champions League final "is already getting to fans but Real Madrid's friends and family are also seemingly none too keen on heading out to Ukraine." In contrast to previous CL finals in which Real Madrid has taken part, "some players are returning their personal match tickets, indicating an oversupply of seats for their loved ones" (EFE, 5/17).
Hardcore fans of Egyptian football club Al Ahly announced they are "dismantling their group permanently, burning their banner on a video posted online." The move by the Ultras of Ahly was announced on the group's Facebook page, "which had more than 1.3 million followers before it was deleted" (HURRIYET DAILY NEWS, 5/17).
Islamic State terrorists "threatened to behead" Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at the World Cup "using sickening doctored posters." The mock-up images, released on encrypted messaging channel Telegram, "graphically depict masked fanatics kneeling on the two icons’ backs in a packed stadium and slicing at their necks with blades." Another poster shows a fanatic in combat fatigues "clutching what looks like an explosive, while looking out onto the pitch in another full-capacity stadium" (RT, 5/17).
