A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Pearce keeps Beckham's Olympic dream alive
David Beckham’s Olympic dream remains in tact after he survived the latest cut to Stuart Pearce’s GB squad. Pearce has slashed his 191-strong long-list to 80 players, who are now being contacted by the English Football Association to confirm they remain in contention.
Beckham is the most notable figure and it remains highly likely the former England captain, 37 next month, will be one of three over-age players in Pearce’s final 18-man squad when it is confirmed at the end of May. Having played such a pivotal role in getting the Olympics to London in the first place, it would be a suitable reward, although others may argue it could weaken British hopes of a gold medal.
Representatives from all four Home Nations are in the latest squad, including Gareth Bale, Craig Bellamy, Steven Fletcher and Chris Brunt and the FA remain optimistic non-English players will accept a chance to play in a major tournament on home soil.
Stokes earns one-match ban for 'abusive' behaviour
Anthony Stokes has been handed a one-game ban following an incident at the end of Celtic’s 2-1 Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Hearts at Hampden on Sunday, the Scottish Football Association have confirmed.
Referee Euan Norris included an “A5” offence by the Hoops striker in his match report, which pertains to “offensive, insulting and/or abusive language and/or gestures”.
Stokes and the Parkhead club were informed by Norris he was to be mentioned in his report at the time, which in effect was a red card.
The suspension is specific to the Scottish Cup which means the Irish man will miss Celtic’s first tie in next season’s tournament.
Norris’s report is almost certain to land Celtic manager Neil Lennon in more trouble. The Parkhead manager marched onto the pitch to confront the referee after Hearts substitute Craig Beattie scored the winner from a last-gasp penalty.
Ronaldo sent a pair of brogues
A Bavarian radio presenter has sent a pair of traditional Bavarian brogues to Cristiano Ronaldo after the Real Madrid forward allegedly had three pairs of football boots stolen before his side’s Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.
Munich police are reportedly investigating after Ronaldo, Mesut Özil and Karim Benzema allegedly had belongings stolen from their changing room before the semi-final first leg at the Allianz Arena last night.
Bayern 1 presenter Stephan Lehmann, who is also the Bayern Munich stadium announcer, appealed yesterday to his listeners for a pair of brogues to send to Ronaldo and some were donated by a shoe maker, the radio station said on its website.
“We need Bavarian brogues, size 43, for the most expensive footballer in the world,” Lehmann said.
The package also included a personal note to Ronaldo, telling him he would look “really snazzy” in the new shoes.
Ukraine warns visiting fans to get vaccinated
Ukraine – which will host the European soccer championship in June together with Poland – has urged fans to get vaccinated against measles before visiting, the Kiev Post newspaper reported yesterday.
“If you plan to come to Ukraine, please get vaccinated at home,” the newspaper quoted Oleksandr Kravchuk, deputy head of the state sanitary and epidemiological service, as saying. “The situation with measles is unfavourable in our country.”
The European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), a European Union agency in charge of fighting infectious diseases, reported a measles outbreak in the former Soviet republic last month.
Givet refutes claim he refused to play
Blackburn defender Gael Givet has dismissed any suggestion he refused to play in last Saturday’s 3-0 Premier League defeat at Swansea.
The Frenchman, who has not featured for Blackburn Rovers since his sending-off against Arsenal in February, was not even named on the bench for the game at the Liberty Stadium despite travelling with the squad.
After the match, Blackburn boss Steve Kean revealed he had asked Givet to play, but said the 30-year-old was “not in the right frame of mind” to do so.
Givet has since issued a statement saying: “I wish to make it clear that I have never refused to play for Blackburn Rovers.
“It was just the manager Steve Kean who decided which players would be selected for the match at Swansea.”
Kean – whose side are 19th in the table, three points from safety with four games to play – stopped short on Saturday of saying Givet had refused to play.
