STEPHANIE ROCHE HAS joined Sunderland Ladies.
The 26-year-old Ireland international, who hit the headlines after her goal for Peamount United finished runner-up in last year’s Fifa Puskas Award, makes the move to the FA Women’s Super League (WSL) club after recently leaving US side Houston Dash.
Having arrived in the States from French outfit ASPTT Albi back in February, the striker’s stay was short-lived as the club opted to end her contract in May.
“It’s great to be at Sunderland Ladies and I can’t wait to get started,” said Roche.
I know there is a high standard in WSL 1 and it’s something I’m looking forward to being a part of. The team have done really well this season and hopefully I can play my part too.”
The Black Cats were crowned champions in the WSL 2 last season and earned promotion to the top flight, where they are currently fourth in the table after six matches played.
Sunderland AFC Ladies head coach, Carlton Fairweather, added: “Stephanie is going to be a very good addition to the side. The fact she was nominated for the FIFA Puskás Award at the 2014 Ballon d’Or ceremony shows her ability, but it isn’t just about that and she will bring added value to the side.
“From her point of view it is a great opportunity to establish herself in the FAWSL 1 and then push on from there, so her main objective will be to cement her place in the first-team and continue to represent Republic of Ireland at international level.”
“We have had a good start to the season and as we enter the next phase we want to push on and improve.”
Mr. Wu your organisation is a complete joke
I’m speechless after that
Boxing should be droped from the next Olympics, however to do this we would need a strong IOC, which is a cesspool of corruption so it ties in perfectly with Mr. WU and the AIBA, international committees for sport such as Boxing, Soccer, Cycling and Athletics are at an all time low and are doing damage to their sports, Mr Wu statement is a perfect example of this.
Conlon was ripped off.
Anyone watching the Joe Joyce fight yesterday would be puzzled how he lost on points through every round. Even though it was hinted at by the BBC pundits they took the defeat in a dignified way and said they would reserve judgement of the scoring until later. What else can you do in the situation. The fight was a stitch up.
I have no salary. And nobody has ever attempted to ‘fix’ the outcome of a sport while placing large bets on this, now who would have a reputation and history for doing this…
Boxing should be ‘doped’ in the next Olympics. Sure, one of them tried that trick this time and it did not work out too well!
Does Mr Wu not know we all have eyes in our heads? Joke of an association.
Lol ray. But u are right. Michael trained hard for four years only to be robbed in public at the first hurdle. So I don’t blame him for being hurt and angry.
So basically he’s saying “there’s no need for it but if he hadn’t been so vocal we wouldn’t be looking at potential change. And now we’re going to try to find a way to punish him.”
Mr.Wu your organisation is corrupt too the core by the looks of it.
Well Deborah we all have eyes in our head some need glasses to see clearly AIBAare approaching SPECSAVERS to sponser 2020 Olympics with no salaries etc they probably couldn’t afford to perfect the eye sight. Michael Conlon didn’t humilitate the judges they did that themselves with the eyes of the world on them. We need to Boycott next Olympics until AIBA clean up their act AND it is open and transparent with right of appeal. Need enquiry into this lot of judges and when he cleans up his act we will require our contestants to return the respect. They’re a laughing stock and their medals dubious.
He did not bargain for this scale of a backlash. He sounds like a rambling dictator. Why did the AIBA take a 10M loan from Kazakstan? The OCI is now claiming 2 irish boxers placed bets. If there ever was a strategy to divert attention away from the OCI and Pat Hickey we saw it today. It was no coincidence his solicitor made a statement today….emphasizing his age. They are tryimg to get the media on side. After the THG director was arrested in 2014 and they knew about Brazils anti-touting laws they still went back for the olympics to make a profit. Pat Hickey was central to the whole thing. His arrogance has landed him in jail.
Corrupt or incompetent.
He’s one or the other.
Either way AIBA is a joke.
That’s rich,they have humiliated the boxers and the sport itself.No doubt something will come out in several years time stating what we all already knew.
“People accuse the AIBA of corruption. Please give me the evidence.”
The evidence sir, is the crazy and wrong decisions of your judges. If they’re not corrupt, then they’re utterly incompetent.
How about looking back at every singla e crazy refereeing and judhes scorecard decision in London 2012???
Should that be enough evidence for you?
And how about in order to cease more of these scandals, why not abolish the professional scoring system??
So far, it isn’t working out as well as you would like it to, AIBA.
And ye can feck off. Conlan is right. Amateur boxing stinks.
Ah yes…. The I don’t have an account line….where have I heard that before…..
Sure he won that few bob on the horses
“The money was just resting in my account”………..
So he says there is nothing to see here, but we will review our judging system anyway. Ya right. Also whats the point in reviewing a fight after the fact , if you can’t appeal it.
Will they ban him from amateur boxing. That will really hurt. Do they not think before speaking. . Not just corrupt but inept aswell
An amateur ban would make no difference as he could compete in Tokyo as a professional but he won’t.
Conlan is leaving amateur boxing behind, so he can speak his mind without fear of what disciplinary action will be taken. He can just ignore it.
The other boxers who didn’t complain still have a future career to consider.
If he did the same in a pro match he would be suspended. Some behaviour is just not acceptable.
Shut up Kal. Is the behaviour of the judges acceptable?
Well said Kal.
Sick comeback Ching bro
“Judges have no intentions. Why do (you think) they hate your country? The judges, why do they want it in favour of this (country) over the other one? There’s no reason.”
Because of a financial incentive? Does he take people for morons?
Mr.wu doesn’t like money was he sleeping out under the stars .he might need it to pay a few bills
You stole a medal from Conlan and Taylor, these people got exactly what they deserved.
He doesn’t have an Account, he reminds me of another shifty character who didn’t have an Account, likes the Horses as well I’d say, these lads think they’re just too smart and this lad will be brought back to earth fairly soon as well especially if the rest of the member organisations have the balls to shout STOP.
They never do.
Mr. Wu doesn’t know his arse from his elbow. Is he even a Judge? He played Basketball, thats it! Trying to introduce Pro-Box rules to Amateur Boxing is a major no-go. When was an Amateur boxer ever awarded for aggression? I judged for years and I can tell you for a fact that Mr. Wu’s ideal world of eliminating favouritism in boxing, whether at club level or the Olympics, will never exist. Michael Conlons outburst was a result of having continually witnessed corruption down through the years, and guess what? It took an outburst like this to shake the whole rotten kip up. Wu addresses Conlon’s reaction but not the spark that lit the fuse. If I was Conlon, I’d Fcuk Wu Too.
Seemingly, Wu contested IOC Presidency against Bach so why would he need a bank account when he has the IOC and Boxing paying for everything. Seems to be very popular with the African nations as well! His wiki (and newspaper references) are worth having a look at.
That president is not fit for office Michael was let down badly by the judges on the day he was right to have a go at them ,
Another Sepp Blather!
Well done to Canada it seems as though all other national organisations are content to be dictated to by AIBA. Stand up for your boxers and reject this corrupt organisation who have shamed a beautiful sport.
Hello — the olympics has little to do about the athletes but all to do with associations junkets and gravy train. Just look at Dumb and Dumber (Hickey and Delaney). Whether they are guilty or not they both bleed the sports dry of funds and facilities etc.
I’m not too sure that many pro boxers will fight in the Olympics in future and risk be shown up by amateurs.
Wouldn’t do their profile any good
I thought the AIBA president’s name was Yu Pai Mee…………
How are they going to sanction someone who never wants to fight for them again..
>> A lot of disciplinary action will follow.
Action against a boxer who will most likely never, ever choose to box for you again.
I’m sure Conlan’s bricking himself.
Wu is a plonk.
There’s an Abbott and Costello routine in here somewhere… Who is a plonk?
Wu who?
Michael Conlan spoke the truth. He had the courage to speak about the corruption that exists. I’m sure they probably think he is sh*ting himself about them wanting to discipline him. Well done Michael for saying it as it is. And the best of luck for the future.
Corrupted clowns.
I wonder if Mr Wu has an account with his local bookmaker.The man must be heavily medicated, something’s not right with him to come out with such shite.
You can be sure the lads doing the judging have a love of the folding stuff and have accounts to deposit it in.
His ‘i hate money’ comments are ridiculous and insulting. Where did he stay in Rio and which restaurants did he eat in? Something tells me if the answers aren’t the Travelodge and Mickey D’s.
If the judges were so good why did they suspend some and send others home
WOW. Me thinks the Lady doth protest too much.
This gobs hite has a neck on him! Lies, corruption, cheating and he has the audacity to blame the guy that has been so utterly wronged!!
Agree with all the previous comments however, Conlan’s post fight behaviour was embarrassing.
I disagree, this has created a lot of awkward noise and generated heat on AIBA and they don’t like it one bit. Well done Michael
The only inappropriate thing he did was raise his middle finger, his accusations of cheating seemed fair given what had transpired.
That’s the attitude that organisations like the Aiba play on. The notion that you are some how “above it” if you don’t react with emotion or the Irish thing of, ‘if you have nothing nice to say don’t say it’. Thats bull it lets the organisations in question away with murder.
That’s the problem with protests, the quiet ones rarely get noticed.
Justified, not embarrassing.
Im sure hes terrified of a little “disciplinary”…..
Nikitin couldn’t show his face at the semi-finals!!!!!Battered.
Fuk u Mr.Wu
British lad Joyce robbed of a gold medal yesterday and in another final a Cuban, a reject from the Cuban boxing team won gold for Kazakhstan to equal the gold won by one of his former teammates now fighting for Bahrain.
A complete joke.
Another Pencil Pusher without a Clue and Account to Nobody. They seem to be Everywhere and u all walks of Life. Isn’t it Funny that Only Ordinary People seem to be actually Punished
God my Spelling is atrocious. Accountable and in all walks of life. Ta
Conlan’s response: Go bleep your self, what part of I’ll never fight amateur again don’t ya get?
Poor Michael Conlon, was ‘shafted’ by association, to a person who used prohibited substance….you hadn’t a chance, Michael. See how they treated Shane Ross, in Rio, – a representative of our Government- the arrogant sh…s. They don’t deserve your talents, or loyalty…like the RC church, they- OCI- believe themselves immune…public opinion, could change. They won’t always have a Usain Bolt, to make them ‘look good’.
Another Blatter. Enough already.
Our Elected representatives are VERY quite on this issue. They should be shouting for explanations from the IABA
‘You can go through the right channels..’ to beg for someone to ‘review’ it! Seriously, the option to appeal was taken away. If Conlan didn’t react the way he did they would of just brushed it under the carpet, they have no interest in the integrity of the sport. Hypocrites
Corrupt officials
Who paid that langer to come up with that statement?? Clear as day Michael won the game not sure what that clown was watching but defiantly wasn’t Michael Conlon’s game for sure..
They dropped the ability to appeal judging decisions in this Olympics. Leaving the door open for the corruption to have a free hand. Pat Hickey shouldn’t have been the only one arrested!!!
If only the IABA stood up for their principles???
Mr Wu should get together IABA they both make bad decisions
“INTERNATIONAL BOXING ASSOCIATION (AIBA) President Ching-Kuo Wu has hit out at the behaviour of Michael Conlan at the Rio Olympics.” FOR SPEAKING THE TRUTH.
The INTERNATIONAL BOXING ASSOCIATION (AIBA) is a joke and corrupt in my personal view, it is rotten to the core in my view and many will agree with me on that?
Bertie Wu
Is that man totally delusional? And the Levit fight!!!
It would be interesting to hear Billy Walsh’s take on this aiba statement
Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, talking rubbish.
Can we all tweet AIBA “Corrupt or incompetent?” . It’s sickening reading their attempt at self defence. Conlan and his cheated counterparts did well not to punch the heads off them
Or in summary ” trust me, there is nothing to see here. Do you know how hard it is being me”. I love the fact that even though there is no problem he had a solution for thing that isn’t a problem. All good from my side
To be fair, he has a point.
Conlan’s choice of language diluted the valid points he was making. There are ways of making your point without effing and blinding like a corner boy – embarrassing.
As I stated in my previous post, I agree with all the sentiments in support of Michael Conlan and his valid accusations, I just feel his choice of language and behaviour were wrong. There are ways of making your point and there are ways that are not. I am afraid Michael’s behaviour diluted his point.
Get away with you Robert. When RTE interviewed Conlan after the fight they must have known what he would say would not necessarily have been for public viewing and what’s more those listening to him would probably have said the same themselves. The decision was scandalous and Conlan is no patsy. It was a heat of the moment thing and Conlan had produced a fabulous performance against a world rated fighter and he knew it. To give him his due though he was interviewed on Newstalk radio the following evening and he gave a brilliant interview whereby he apologised for the language but not the sentiments. He is a winner and for the AIBA to come out with this nonsense says more about their lack of moral decency than anything Conlan has done. When he turns professional he’ll make one hell of a fighter but nothing can make up for the damage done to him by people who wouldn’t know it seems a punchbag from a balloon.
Gus . 100 percent covered.
“I don’t need money… I don’t like it.” Would go ever go and shyte
He should have punched the head of them aswell!
Enough is enough and someone had to call time. The silence of our Irish Boxing Officials and our Sporting Organisations speaks volumes. Why put our young athletes through this. Michael if your worst behavior was giving them the finger and using the F… word openly compared to blatant erroneous marking or ticket touting you have my support 100% at least I’d know where I’d stand
Ching-Kou Wu can F**k-Right Off.
Wu you ain’t got a clue It’s called betting and it’s easy if you know the results
Mr wu Wat a moron they have no reason to hate your country has he never heard of a thing called betting