FIFA HAVE DISMISSED a claim made by Rhian Brewster that team-mate Morgan Gibbs-White was racially abused by a Spanish player during the U17 World Cup final.
Brewster claimed in an interview with The Guardian in December that Wolves youngster Gibbs-White was subjected to a discriminatory comment by an opponent in England’s 5-2 win in Kolkata.
An investigation was opened in January but Fifa’s Disciplinary Committee has dismissed all charges, citing “a lack of sufficient evidence that could corroborate the English player’s claim”.
“Despite the absence of a sanction, which can only be imposed on the basis of clear evidence, the Disciplinary Committee would like to restate Fifa’s unequivocal, zero-tolerance stance against all forms of discrimination, as enshrined in the Fifa Statutes,” it added in a statement.
In March, Uefa dropped charges against Spartak Moscow after Brewster alleged he was racially abused during Liverpool’s Youth League clash in Russia, again citing a lack of evidence.
Meanwhile, Fifa has fined Benfica, Sporting CP, Rayo Vallecano and Qatar’s Al Arabi for breaching rules relating to third-party influence.
Celta Vigo were also punished for entering into an agreement with Benfica that enabled the Portuguese club “to influence [Celta's] independence”. Further charges against Benfica were dropped.
- Omni
Just as a note, in case people seem to think the changes are just arbitrary, these are mostly forced changes – the switch around of the Murray brothers is the only unforced change, given Carty’s hamstring strain, Bolton getting injured when scoring the try last week, and Butler’s concussion. Disappointing to lose those players, especially Carty who I thought played reallt well last week, but that’s rugby. Benetton have named an impressive lineup again – even stronger than last week’s I would say. Having a centre pairing of Brex and Menoncello, with Fekitoa on the bench, says it all really. Their hooker from last week got a ban, but that just means Italy’s back up hooker starts instead.
@JoeVlogs: ….obviously know your Connacht rugby , but Hawkshaw over Forde or Farrell….is that on form?
@JoeVlogs: Fekitoa isnt on the bench
@Michael Murray: He certainly provides another first receiver option.
@Dave Moran: you’re right…not sure where I thought I saw his name. He got a yellow last week, but didn’t hear of him getting a ban. Checked their website, and it has him listed as unavailable, so perhaps he got injured in training?
@Michael Murray: yeah, interesting one. Forde and Hawkshaw are similar players in the sense that both can place kick and play 10 at a pinch. Reckon it is a question of putting players on the bench that can cover the most positions, and Forde probably fits that bill better, plus I feel Forde is more of a 12 than a 13, and he wasn’t going to start ahead of Aki. I thought Farrell played really well at the weekend off the bench. Seems to have fallen down the pecking order when it comes to starting at outside centre though, relative to last year.
@JoeVlogs: fair enough!
@TL55: When Hanrahan plays Connacht to actively use a second playmaker in midfield. Completely just a theory but with Carty I feel you’d see more Aki, Farrell, Bolton, Ralston, etc types and with Hanrahan perhaps more Hawkshaw, Forde, even Daly, etc. When Carty is at 10 nearly every first phase of attack or set piece comes through him, and when Hanrahan plays I find Hawkshaw and Forde this season have been a lot more involved in those actions.
I believe JJ has had Forde or Hawkshaw play at centre him every game this season he has started. And while infrequent, the Aki/Farrell combo, has only been played with Carty at 10 this season.
Does anyone honestly care about the Challenge Cup?
@mWhSNsK2: Munster fans evidently do, seeing as you are commenting on an article about it.
@mWhSNsK2: Yes, also entertaining to watch…
@JoeVlogs: I honestly asked it as a genuine question. Very little of the pool stages were televised. I went to the Stade and Zebre Challenge Cup game in 2020 and would be shocked of the official attendance was anything over 500 people. Just don’t see much hype, if any, about it
@mWhSNsK2: You’ll have to care about it next season the way Munster are going to
@mWhSNsK2: Plenty. I imagine the people going to the games do. I remember going to a sold out Thomond Park for Munster vs Harlequins a while ago. 25,000 Munster fans. There are about 70 professional teams across Europe and SA, they can’t all by in the final 8 of the Champions Cup. And if that’s the only thing that excites in the club game, what’s the point?
ANd you’ll be in for a shock cause there was officially more than 500 people at that game you attended.
@mWhSNsK2: I’m sure it was very genuine. Also, I’m pretty sure every match from the pool stages were televised – at least I had the option to watch them all live on EPCR TV. Naturally, they clashed with matches the provinces were playing in the champions cup, so can’t say I was watching how many fans were in the stands at Zebre. As for Stade Francais, they are top of Top14, but didn’t win a single match in the Champions Cup – I think it is quite clear they aren’t giving much attention to European Rugby, even when playing in the top tier, so while the attendance was certainly over 500, are you surprised a team that doesn’t value Europe had lower attendance playing against one of the smallest teams in professional rugby? SF and Toulon lost all their CC matches, so clearly prioritise T14.
@mWhSNsK2: also, you are evaluating attendance on the basis of a heavily COVID disrupted year? Even ignoring the obvious issue of restrictions which likely were in place as the calendar did not cover the summer when the restrictions were most lax, I’d imagine a lot of fans would not have been attending matches given the prevalence of the virus at the time and worries about getting it. It’s not like antigen tests were a big thing then, and vaccinations were a dream at the time.
Connacht should give decent game time to Devine and de Buitliear who both were not used at the last game. They are both Connacht own developed players.
And I dare to say (at someday) that Devine may become Dupont in Ireland. It’s my dream.