Lawyers acting for Hasler filed a statement of claim in the NSW Supreme Court this week.Hasler was sacked in September just five months after the Bulldogs announced he had signed a two-year extension to his contract.In response, club chairman Ray Dib said the club was preparing a legal defence.”This week the club received court documents filed by Des Hasler’s lawyers. The club intends to defend the matter,” Dib said in a statement.Dib claimed at the time the deal was not legally binding.”Des’s current contract expires October 2017,” Dib said in September.”The board has made the decision not to renew that contract and going forward there will be no liabilities for the club for the next two years.”However, the Bulldogs had spruiked Hasler’s re-signing in an April 3 press release and press conference.”Coach Des Hasler will remain with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs for the next two years after signing a contract extension that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2019 season,” the club said in that April statement.Hasler’s claim was filed on Monday and the case is listed for a directions hearing on December 1.ABC/AAP read more
Puerta del Sol on New Year’s Eve last year. Image: EFE The Puerta del Sol in Madrid will be fully closed on New Year’s Eve for the celebration of traditional Campanadas. The Municipal Police of Madrid will control the four entrances to the Puerta del Sol and only a capacity of 25,000 people will be allowed.In addition, this Friday the Puerta del Sol will already become the scene of the first celebration of the change of the year. As it is tradition in Madrid, at 24:00 hours on the penultimate day of the year, thousands of people will concentrate on the esplanade to take the twelve grapes to the rhythm of the bells of the clock of the Royal Post Office as a preparatory essay for New Year’s Eve .At 9:00 pm on both Friday 30 and Saturday 31, access to Puerta del Sol will be closed, both on foot and from the subway or subway train stations. The square will be completely emptied and emergency entrances and exits will be signaled with vertical signage, which is an improvement over past years. Municipal Police agents will control the four accesses through which you can enter the Puerta del Sol to celebrate the grapes and preuvas: Calle Mayor, Arenal, Alcalá and Carrera de San Jerónimo. The rest of the roads that reach Puerta del Sol (Montera, Preciados, Carmen, Victoria, Carretas y Correo) are closed and reserved as evacuation zones.The capacity of the square is limited to 25 000 people, which means two per square meter. This was done last year for the first time. The municipal agents will count in the four accesses and will ensure the good course of the New Year’s party.On the other hand, on December 31, as it was done on 24 and 25, and as will be done on day 5, night of cotillions, inspections will be carried out in entertainment venues to verify that all the rules regarding Security and emergenciesFor these mass meetings, grapes and preuvas, as well as for the celebration of the San Silvestre vallecana race, which will run through the streets of Madrid on the afternoon of the 31st, the Health, Safety and Emergency Area and the Environment Area and Mobility have organized the necessary devices to ensure the safety and proper functioning of the city during the final dates of the year. All this, in close collaboration and coordination with the Autonomous Community and the Ministry of Interior, with the National Police Corps and with services such as Renfe and Metro, highlighted the City Council, which will be “in permanent coordination” with the special device organized by The central government.Samur’s most effectiveThe personnel of SAMUR-Civil Protection increase from the beginning of December to January 8, since these weeks are a time of great influx of citizens to the commercial streets and displacements between neighborhoods and districts.From 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., 54 people and 15 mobile units are available every day on the streets of the center, with the support of the Civil Protection Volunteer Corps. At Puerta del Sol, both in grapes and preuvas, SAMUR-Civil Protection will have 40 people and 8 mobile units on the street. In San Silvestre Popular y Internacional on December 31 there will be 15 toilets and 5 mobile units. The Municipal Police will allow a capacity of 25,000 people onlyTickets on New Year’s Eve and the previous night will be checked read more
Valencia already has a substitute for Rodrigo Moreno if the Hispanic-Brazilian ends up leaving for Barcelona: Paco Alcácer. The Valencian, who wants to leave Borussia yes or yes, He would fulfill all his aspirations by returning home. And Valencia would open the doors wide. Both parties are aware that if the opportunity is given, there would be no obstacle to reach an agreement. The striker, despite leaving the club heading to Barcelona with controversy, would be happy to return. In fact, just over four days before the market closes, He waits for Valencia although he contemplates several more options to leave the Bundesliga. One of them is Villarreal. The yellow club scores several options to replace Toko Ekambi. And Alcácer is one of the drives he likes the most. On January 17, AS announced that Lim had it in his plans if Gameiro and Sobrino went out in this winter market so there had already been talks with their agents. Ten days later, who seems closer to leaving Valencia is Rodrigo. But the replacement thought by Valencia would be the same. Market times are what they are. And the transfer or not of Rodrigo to Barcelona could decant the future of Alcácer in one way or another. Of course, both Valencia and, if necessary, Villarreal would have to reach an agreement with the German club. And that, right now, would be the most complicated issue. Borussia paid Barça 22 million, plus three that he had already paid for the assignment, last summer. read more
Measured in the 2000s, before Atlético’s games, a song used to sound almost looped from the Calderón’s speakers. It was ‘Boys don’t cry’ from The Cure. It also sounded a lot, and very loud, Rosendo’s ‘Ways to Live’. The Vicente Calderón, that stadium, where the Rolling Stone made history in the rain, that field always linked to music. Fifteen years later, in the days of confinement due to the world crisis caused by the coronavirus, in which artists fill the networks with concerts, songs, ‘unplugged’ from their homes. Iinitiative to which Atlético, in its own way, joins, sharing every day on their official Twitter account (@atleti) each of the songs that make up their playlist on game days. There is no other machine in time capable of transporting the past like that of a perfume, a song. And with his playlist, if the red and white fans closed their eyes, they could almost feel it. That he is in the Wanda Metropolitano, about to start a game. Those same songs play, loud. Dani Martín, with a red and white heart and author of ‘Dieciocho’, one of them, so Calderón, so Atleti, has been in the news in recent hours for a concert he gave on his social networks attended by 100,000 people virtually. Many of them, sure, share colors. They close their eyes when, that, sounds …“Memories: singing, they are dreams, for you./ We touched the sky in my stadium, the pilot cried in Madrid …“ The chords of ‘Your love’, by The Outfield, are those that sound when the rojiblanco team comes out to warm up before the games. That is the last song, for the moment, discovered from the playlist. “Josie’s on a vacation far away / Come around and talk it over / So many things that I want to say / You know I like my girls a little bit older …” The hymn has not been missing either, that music forever linked to the rojiblanco pundonor, to the dance of lights, to the names of the eleven high in the public address system: ‘Thunderstruck’, on guitar and microphone, AC / DC. Songs in English, ‘Believer’ by Imagine Dragons. In Spanish, ‘Terribly cruel’, by Leiva. Every day, one. The first one, the one that always sounds loudest of all. A creed. The anthem. And by the way, Rosendo’s ‘Ways’ continues to sound.The ‘playlist’ of the Wanda Metropolitano (discovered so far)– ‘Your love’, The Outfield – ‘BelieverImagine Dragons– ‘Eighteen’, Dani Martín– ‘Terribly cruel’, Leiva– ‘Way of livingRosendo– ‘Thundestruck’, AC DC– ‘Anthem of Atlético de Madrid’ read more
Pepelu has earned an opportunity. His 2,125 minutes, with a goal and three assists, are proof of this, being a fixed in the plans of Natxo Gonzalez, where only one match was lost due to yellow accumulation. The dianense will do the preseason and his future will be decided. He either has to earn a spot on the roster, or he is on loan again. His performance has been optimal in Portugal, but the technicians are cautious with the difference in level with respect to the Portuguese championship, which has diminished in recent times. His good work, in addition, has led him to debut with the U21. Safe and future value for a core in which movements are expected. His dream, as he has stated, is to play in Levante.Manzanara has gone from less to more in Ponferrada. To de la Solana, who has one year of contract plus one optional, it cost him to start in his first experience in professional football, being out of the calls in the first section of the course. However, little by little it was appearing in the team, to the point of adding 971 minutes in League and Cup, with a goal and two assists to his credit. A new destination will be found for him so that he can continue to compete in the Second Division. Same as Cárdenas, goalkeeper of Atlético Levante. Moses Simon (Nantes), Armando Sadiku (Malaga), Antonio Luna (Rayo Vallecano) e Ivi López (Ponferradina) are on the market. By Simon and Sadiku it is hoped to obtain economic yield. The Nigerian international, with a purchase option of five million in the French team, has the key to settle the Financial Fair Play before the end of the financial year. The Albanian, meanwhile, has ten goals in the silver category. Luna and Ivi, with a contract until 2021, and diminished in terms of value, will mean headaches.On the other hand, there are the specific cases Cheick Doukouré Y Raphael Dwamena. The Ivorian midfielder He has not returned to play since his knee injury and is expected to see his evolution in the final stretch of the season in the ranks of the Huesca, where he has not yet debuted, to make a decision. TO Doukouré you have one year left on your contract. Dwamena continues in his personal battle after being intervened from the heart and, with a contract until 2022, an agreement must be reached between the parties. The front Ghanaian, 24 years old, fight to return to football.Levante is also aware of the change of regulations by FIFA to limit the number of transfers. The project will limit the number of international transfers to next season to eight. A figure that it will be reduced to seven for the 2020-2021 academic year and to six for 2021-2022. However, will only affect players over the age of 22. The great Pepelu season in the Portuguese Tondela has not gone unnoticed by Levante technicians. As you have been able know AS, Denia midfielder he is the only player what has past the cut of the eight loaned which has the set of orriols facing the next course. With Fran Manzanara, for its part, which has alternated ownership with substitution in the Ponferradina, will try to close a new transfer. Also to Dani Cardenas, doorman of the recently renovated subsidiary, as reported by this newspaper. The rest are looking for a way out in the market. read more
As Australia piles on the runs against the West Indies in the current Test series ‘down under’, there are many cricket lovers in the Caribbean who remember when it was the regional side which piled up massive scores against all who came. Prior to the start of the Australia series, an emotional Sir Garfield Sobers broke down in tears as he bemoaned the state of the Caribbean game. “It was such a pleasure and joy to be able to do what I did. I don’t think we have that kind of person today. I don’t think we have that kind of person in West Indies any more, who is quite prepared to play and to give everything to their country,” the West Indies cricket legend said in October. Sobers became part of West Indies folklore when he smashed a then world record 365 not out against Pakistan during the third Test at Sabina Park on March 1, 1958. FLOW Foundation chairman, Errol K. Miller, remembers, as an 11-year-old boy sitting inside Sabina Park, the day Sobers made history. HISTORICAL DAY It was a Saturday, but Miller was there as part of a group organised by his Clarendon College school sports master. “The way I was about cricket those days, I was not going to miss the opportunity to see the likes of (Everton) Weekes, (Clyde) Walcott and (Conrad) Hunte,” he told The Gleaner. “It was serendipity that the day we went was the day it happened.” Miller sat in the Eastern stand, which, in those days, had mesh wires to contain the crowd. “When play opened, Hunte was ahead of Sobers. When Hunte got run out – you know how Jamaicans are – some said Sobers got him out because he was ahead and Sobers wanted to break the record,” he recalled. “I remember Weekes played a sweet cameo for 39 while Sobers was going merrily on his way. Walcott came, and in typical fashion just bludgeoned the bowlers for 88.” The atmosphere was electric. The stands were jam packed with cricket-loving Jamaicans from all walks of life. Some came with mountains of food as they prepared for a full day’s sport. “(I) was just taking in all the sights and sounds and all the people; the noise and cheering. The frequent sound of “dollar” as Jamaicans used to use that expression when a four was hit.” He added that though the Pakistani bowlers were being smashed to all parts of the park, the team continued to field with passion. “One of the Pakistanis bowled 85 overs,” he said. That bowler was Fazal Mahmood, who took two for 247 off 85.2 overs as the Windies piled up 790 for three declared in their second innings. “The economy rate was less than three. The fielding was top class for the entire day, even though they were hunting leather for the entire day. That really impressed me, even though I was a little boy,” said Miller. He admits that at the time he had no clue of the Test batting record, and it was while sitting amongst the crowd that he started to grasp that something important was about to happen. “I just went because I wanted to see international cricket, but as I settled down and heard people starting to talk, you got the significance of what was happening around you,” he said. There was pandemonium when Sobers smashed the record run. “When Sobers broke the record, a host of people descended on the field,” said Miller. He recalled talk of abandoning play. “As a matter of fact, not only were they thinking of abandoning play for the day, but of abandoning the whole match. “Fortunately for him, it was not abandoned. The most emotional response of what was going around was that he probably would not have got the record,” said Miller. Miller, who was part of Clarendon College’s 1962 and 1964 Headley Cup winning team, said seeing Sobers’ display helped fan the flames of his love for cricket. ETCHED IN MEMORY “I think that day sort of galvanised for me the passion I had for cricket at an early age.” While cricket, which was the most important game in the Caribbean for decades, has since lost its shine, Miller has not forgotten the impact of the moment. “I was there when it happened. I actually saw it. I didn’t have to read it in the newspapers. Of all the cricket fans in the world, only a certain amount could be in Sabina Park, and I was one of them.” He added that seeing the “spineless surrender” of the current team was often heartrending. “I used to almost cry sometimes for West Indies when they lost. I was so passionate about it. Now, I just go to bed, and in the morning I go online and see what the score is.” But he will never forget his place as part of history. “I was there, and nobody can take that away from me,” said Miller. read more
There was a brief family squabble at the Allman Town Infant School after two brothers and their sister went to cast their votes this morning. According to onlookers, one brother and a sister are PNP supporters, while the other brother supports the Jamaica Labour Party. It was not clear what started the altercation, but the female and the JLP supporting brother were engaged in a quarrel as they left the polling station. “The two brothers and sister they are family but one of them want to stop the progress but him sister tell him seh dat caan happen,” said one onlooker. The two argued viciously with each other as police officers there looked on unmoved. The argument, which quickly dissipated, drew the attention of voters at the infant school and those at the neighbouring St Matthew’s Anglican Church read more
GENEVA (AP):Sepp Blatter tried to rally the troops at FIFA headquarters after the suspension of his top deputy, insisting football’s embattled world governing body would withstand the latest wave of corruption allegations.Blatter sent an email message to more than 400 staffers following Thursday night’s suspension of FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke over accusations involving black market World Cup tickets.FIFA has asked its ethics committee to investigate the latest allegations made against Valcke by ticket agent Benny Alon.Valcke’s lawyer in New York said in a statement late Thursday that his client “unequivocally denies the fabricated and outrageous accusations”.”Mr Valcke never received or agreed to accept any money or anything else of value from Mr Alon,” wrote Barry Berke of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel.”Please be assured that FIFA remains confident of its ability to recover from the present difficult situation and to restore its reputation for the good of game,” Blatter wrote in the email seen by The Associated Press.”I urge you all to continue your hard work to develop, promote and celebrate the game we love,” said Blatter, who is due to step down as FIFA president on February 26 after 18 years in the job.Valcke, a 54-year-old Frenchman, was in talks to settle his multimillion-dollar FIFA contract even before he was suspended, according to an official familiar with the situation.The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to publicly discuss confidential details. The official said Valcke had been in “intense negotiations” about an early exit deal, before being linked to a proposed deal to sell prime 2014 World Cup match tickets on the black market.The official said Valcke had been expected to leave FIFA in any case.Valcke could expect to earn several million Swiss francs over the next four years in salary and performance bonuses, paid according to FIFA’s results for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The tournament is expected to earn $6 billion in broadcasting, sponsorship, hospitality and marketing contracts.DisillusionedLast week, Valcke told reporters in Geneva of being disillusioned with working at FIFA headquarters, amid turmoil and uncertainty since American and Swiss investigations into corruption were revealed on May 27.Valcke has a contract through 2019, tied by usual FIFA protocol to the four-year presidential mandate which Blatter won two days after FIFA headquarters were raided and seven officials arrested at a luxury downtown Zurich hotel.With Blatter leaving office in five months, under pressure from the investigations of bribery and money laundering, Valcke was due to follow the president out the door.Instead, Blatter moved to get him out. He acted within days of United States. Attorney General Loretta Lynch visiting Zurich for a meeting unrelated to the FIFA bribery investigation case she oversees. read more
LeeAnn started creating a buzz early last year when she shattered several weightlifting and powerlifting records and has dominated Florida and regional high school competitions this year. Competing for Wellington High School in the fourth annual Southeastern USA Regional High School Powerlifting Championships in Florida, she squatted 473.5lbs, bench pressed 225.5lbs. and dead lifted 418.75 lbs, for a record total of 1117.75lbs. However, her most outstanding performance came in the recent USA Powerlifting Raw National Championships in Pennsylvania, where she won gold medals in the sub-junior and High school divisions. In three record-breaking performances – under the guidance of her powerlifting coach, Arian Khamesi – she lifted 529.1lb in the squat, bench pressed 236.9lb and dead lifted 468.5lb for a total of 1234.5lb. This outstanding performance by the 16-year-old won her the silver medal in the Open division for women and qualified her for the USA team that will compete in the next World Powerlifting Championships in June, 2016. She was beaten by defending world champion, 27-year-old Bonica Lough of Nebraska, who lifted 584lbs in the squat, 330 lbs. in the bench press and had a dead lift of 523lbs. LeeAnn Hewitt, a 16-year-old Jamaican-born athlete who goes to high school in the United States, has been creating a sensation in United States weightlifting and powerlifting circles recently, with a series of record-breaking performances at regional and national levels. LeeAnn, who is the daughter of well-known graphic designer, Errol Hewitt and his schoolteacher wife, Pauline, became the youngest lifter to be selected to represent the United States in the 2016 World Championships in Texas next June, with a series of scintillating performances in various competitions recently. A student at Wellington High School in Palm Beach, Florida, in six months she has shot to the top of her division in powerlifting by winning two gold and a silver medal in the recent USA 2015 National Raw Powerlifting Championships in Scranton, Pennsylvania. ONGOING BUZZ read more
Rural schools Denbigh High and Holmwood Technical were crowned Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association all-island junior and senior schoolgirl champions, respectively at the finals yesterday at Clarendon Park in May Pen.In junior action, Denbigh defeated Gaynstead High 31-24, while defending champions Holmwood stopped Camperdown High 43-37 for their ninth title overall.Goal shooter Tracy-Ann Francis was again the outstanding player for Holmwood with 39 goals from 41 attempts. The rural school dominated their rivals leading 13-8 after the first quarter and 23-17 at half time.Despite a better third quarter from Camperdown where they outscored Holmwood 11-10 this was not enough as they continued to make careless turnovers which allowed Holmwood to maintain control of the match.Goal shooter Idara McCarthy with 21 goals from 27 attempts and Ramona Lawrence with 14 from 21 were the leading scorers for Camperdown.Carlene Graham-Powell, coach of Holmwood, said they were always confident of victory.”Despite losing several members from last year’s winning team, we did not panic as it is all about planning, and we sat down at the start of the season and made our plans and nothing has changed because of the winning attitude of the girls,” said Graham-Powell.”My girls did not play to instructions, especially in the shooting circle where there were too many turnovers,: Camperdown’s coach Wayne Stewart said.He added: Holmwood are a quality team and we cannot make these simple errors and expect to beat them,” said a disappointed Stewart.In the junior final, it was third time lucky for Denbigh after they were beaten by urban champions Queen’s for the past two years.Goal shooter Denay Thomas with 19 goals from 21 attempts top-scored for the winners, while her teammate, goal attack Zandria Cohen, scored a perfect 12 from 12. Gaynstead’s goal shooter Kelsey Jonas had 17 from 21.After seeing her team suffering defeat two years in a row at this stage, it was a relieved coach Janice Walker who spoke about their triumph yesterday.”The girls came out today and really played at their best, especially in attack. After losing two years in a row, they were determined to get one and they did so in fine style,” said Walker. read more