SOCCER SHORTS:LEEDS WILL be forced to reveal exactly who owns the club if they are promoted to the Premier League. The league's chief executive, Richard Scudamore, said they will apply the rules on ownership transparency more strictly than the Football League have done.
Scudamore told the culture, media and sport committee: "The Football League have chosen not to apply the rule as robustly as we think we will be applying it.
"The Football League have one view of how to interpret that rule and we have a more stern or harsh view of what the rule means.
"If it arises, if Leeds United on sporting merit deserves to be in the Premier League, we will do all we can to persuade them to stay within the rules."
Leeds chief executive Shaun Harvey told MPs last month the club's owners are a holding company called FSF based in the West Indian island of Nevis, owned by three discretionary trusts.
900 tickets for semi-final stolen
A MAN HAS been arrested on suspicion of stealing 900 tickets for the upcoming FA Cup semi-final between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium, police said yesterday.
Two special delivery bags containing the tickets were stolen from a Royal Mail van close to City’s ground in Manchester on Friday.
Greater Manchester Police said they had arrested a 39-year-old man on suspicion of theft on Tuesday after a number of addresses were raided. He has been bailed pending further inquiries.
Police said they feared the tickets for the derby clash between the fierce rivals on April 16th were to be sold on the black market. No tickets have so far been recovered by police.
In a statement on their website (www.mcfc.co.uk), Manchester City said: “All supporters impacted by the theft will be contacted by the club in the coming days.
“Only tickets purchased direct from the club will be valid for the game.”
Boost for Bin Hammam
MOHAMED BIN Hammam received a boost to his campaign to become Fifa president when he was backed by his former foe and ex-Fifa executive committee member Chung Mong-joon yesterday.
Bin Hammam sat alongside as Dr Chung, who famously questioned the Qatari’s mental health two years ago at the Asian Football Confederation Congress, said he was the right man for the job.
Ben Arfa wants tougher punishment for bad tackles
NEWCASTLE FORWARD Hatem Ben Arfa has called for tougher punishments on dangerous tackles as he continues his recovery from the challenge by Nigel de Jong which almost cost him his leg.
The 24-year-old France international returned to training yesterday with a view to making his comeback before the end of the season after being left with a double leg fracture at the hands of Manchester City midfielder de Jong last October. Ben Arfa has accepted a texted apology from de Jong – who escaped without a yellow card at the time – but wants stricter measures in order to avoid a repeat.
He said: “I do not really understand English. But in his text, he told me he did not intend to hurt me and he was sorry. I told him it was okay, it was football.
“I do not want to come down on the referees, but we still have to protect players a little more so if he wants to tackle like this again he thinks twice.”
Schalke awarded the points
SCHALKE 04 have been awarded a 2-0 win over St Pauli after their Bundesliga match was abandoned when a linesman was hit by a plastic beer cup, the German football federation (DFB) said yesterday.
Visitors Schalke were leading 2-0 against St Pauli, who had two players sent off, when a full cup of beer thrown from the crowd hit the linesman on the back of the head and he fell to the ground two minutes from time in Fridays match. “According to the tribunal, the home club is responsible for its fans and must answer for the calling off of the game,” the DFB said in a statement.
The DFB said it would decide on possible sanctions against St Pauli later in the week.
These could include a ban on playing at their Millerntor stadium, in Hamburg.
Call for bans over racial abuse
FOOTBALL’S KICK It Out organisation has called for lifetime bans should allegations of racism at West Ham last weekend be proven.
The Hammers confirmed on Monday they are investigating claims that the families of players Victor Obinna and Frederic Piquionne were racially abused by spectators at Saturday’s match against Manchester United.
Reports emerged that guests of the two strikers were involved in a confrontation with a small group of fans during the 4-2 home defeat to the Premier League leaders.
According to the reports, the families were racially abused while sitting in a box in the Main Stand and led to the club’s co-chairman David Sullivan admitting he was “appalled” by the alleged incident.
