(Reuters) – United Arab Emirates captain Mohammed Naveed was among three national team players provisionally suspended yesterday after being charged under the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption code. The ICC confirmed https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1453760 the three players – Naveed, Qadeer Ahmed Khan and Shaiman Anwar Butt – along with Mehardeep Chhayakar, a participant in cricket from Ajman, were charged with a combined 13 counts of breaching the code.Naveed faces four charges, including an agreement to “fixing or contriving” aspects of matches in the upcoming World Twenty20 qualifiers.Top-order batsman Butt is also under investigation for an effort to influence results or any other aspect of matches ahead of the qualifiers, which are scheduled to be played in the UAE starting tomorrow. The competition will decide the last six teams to play at the T20 World Cup in Australia next year.Khan has been charged with failing to report “approaches to engage in corrupt conduct” in relation to UAE’s matches against Zimbabwe and Netherlands in April and August respectively.The 33-year-old bowler is also alleged to have disclosed inside information to Chhayakar in August. Chhayakar was charged with refusing to cooperate with an investigation carried out by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit.
Pepsi Hikers and GBTI GCC Tigers emerged as the 2019 first-division winners at the conclusion of the GTT National Indoor Hockey Championships Sunday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Homestretch Avenue. Hikers, who entered the tournament as title holders, defeated a gritty YMCA Old Fort Delta Force squad 4-3. The match was played with relentless pace and for the most part on YMCA’s half as Hikers squandered a couple of early chances. Captain Robert France changed his side’s fortunes when he netted in the seventh minute to atone for the early blunders. Autoplay Autoplay1 of 3
BERN, (Reuters) – Many female footballers are at risk of losing their livelihoods due to the global soccer shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a report by global players’ union FIFPRO said yesterday. The report said specific measures were needed to help women’s football during the crisis, which has brought world sport to a standstill and caused the postponement of major international events including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.Otherwise, it said, the women’s game could be facing an existential threat.In the report, FIFPRO said women’s football was especially exposed to the crisis due to its less-established professional leagues, lower salaries, narrower scope of opportunities, uneven sponsorship deals and less corporate investment. “The lack of written contracts, the short-term duration of employment contracts, the lack of health insurance and medical coverage, and the absence of basic worker protections and worker’s rights leaves many female players at great risk of losing their livelihoods,” it said.Many were “teetering at the margins” even before the current crisis, it added.FIFPRO also said there was a wide disparity in how much information players were receiving about the status of football where they were playing. “Some get frequent updates; some get almost none,” it said, adding that being left in the dark and placed in isolation in a foreign country was “extremely unsettling”.Players were also worried that recent progress in the women’s game could be undermined by the fallout from the pandemic.“They have been part of the industry growth, from the emergence out of amateur and semi-professional status into this transition towards professionals,” said the report. “It has been a long journey, and it is difficult for players to see that hard-earned recognition and visibility at risk.”With an average contract length of 12 months, many women players would not be protected against lost wages if competitions were called off, the report said. It called for more investment in women’s football and the creation of “working environments whereby players are not exploited, their rights are valued, and they are accorded full respect”.It said women’s football should have “priority access to facilities, times and situations that enable fans to attend games, sponsors to drive revenue, broadcasters to reach wide audiences, and players to perform in optimal conditions”. It also suggested that global industry standards should be created for working conditions in women’s football.The report stressed that international rather than club football had driven growth of the women’s game and that this should be given priority in the rebuild of the women’s football industry.“This all points to the need for FIFA and the regional confederations to better coordinate the women’s international match calendar with leagues, and the current crisis presents an extraordinary opportunity to do so,” it said.
BELGRADE, (Reuters) – World number one Novak Djokovic lost one of his two opening singles matches yesterday at the charity tournament he organised, and his day got worse when news broke that one of the event’s four legs has been scrapped due to coronavirus concerns. Shortly after beating fellow Serbian Viktor Troicki in his opening match, Djokovic said he was disappointed that the Adria Tour’s third leg in Montenegro, scheduled for June 27-28, had been called off.“I am so sad for the Montenegro leg,” he told the Balkan nation’s Sport Klub television in a courtside interview in front of a capacity 4,000 crowd.“We tried everything, but the borders are still not open and we don’t have time to organise it all.” With 12,251 confirmed cases and 253 deaths related to COVID-19, Serbia is among the countries whose residents are not allowed to travel to its southern neighbour Montenegro.Earlier yesterday, Djokovic’s younger brother Djordje and the Adria Tour director, released a statement saying the event’s board had decided to scrap the Montenegro leg.Asked at a news conference after his defeat by Filip Krajinovic whether there was an alternative host nation able to replace Montenegro in a fortnight, Djokovic said: “We are looking at several alternative options and locations which I don’t want to reveal at this point.“We are running out of time so we will know where we stand either tomorrow or the day after.”The second leg will be held in Croatia’s coastal resort of Zadar on June 20-21 and the final one in Bosnia’s Banja Luka on July 3-4. The tournament, organised by Djokovic while international tennis remains suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has drawn some household names and adopted a more streamlined format than the main tour events.Sets have been slashed to the best of seven games, with eight players competing in two pools on a round-robin basis.Having beaten Troicki in straight sets, Djokovic lost 4-2, 2-4, 1-4 to Krajinovic. Second seed and Austrian world number three Dominic Thiem beat Damir Dzumhur in minutes as the Bosnian retired in the opening set with a hamstring injury, but had to save a match point in his 1-4, 4-1, 4-3 win over Dusan Lajovic.Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov beat Lajovic in three sets but was stunned 4-1, 4-3 by home crowd favourite Nikola Milojevic – drafted in to replace Dzumhur.World number seven Alexander Zverev beat Krajinovic 0-4, 4-3, 4-3 and was playing Troicki in a late match starting after midnight local time.The third-round pool matches will be played on Sunday afternoon followed by a final between the group winners at 1800 GMT.
There’s a lot at stake for West Indian batting duo Kraigg Braithwaite and Shai Hope during the Caribbean side’s upcoming test tour of England. Success will see the Barbadian duo being knighted in the eyes of Caribbean folks or frowned upon if failure is imminent. Both right-handers are the batting flagbearers and will have to employ the sheet-anchor role of their side in the absence of Shimron Hetmyer and Darren Bravo. Braithwaite and Hope are among the most experienced and perhaps the side’s more supremely capable batters in a unit filled with exciting batting prospects, but many of whom are yet to prove themselves on the international scene. The high expectations of Braithwaite and Hope bear merit since the duo has excelled in daunting English conditions before. Three years ago, when West Indies last toured England, the pair was at the center of a remarkable run chase in the second test at the Headingley Cricket Ground and as ESPN’s Andrew Mc Glashan penned it, Hope took the larger portion of the applauds. The narrative read: “Shai Hope the hero in thrilling West Indies win.” 
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) is in receipt of the comprehensive and detailed report prepared by the Independent Task Force for Corporate Governance Reform. At the request of CWI, Jamaican Senator Don Wehby headed the Task Force, which also included Sir Hilary Beckles, Deryck Murray, O.K Melhado and Charles Wilkin QC. The Task Force consulted extensively within CWI, the region and internationally; and the 36-page report drew from a wide cross section of expertise – from knowledgeable stakeholders in the West Indies as well as in the global game. Senator Wehby said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of my Task Force for their selfless dedication to the completion of this project, over the past year. Their time, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has made the finalisation of this report a reality. We would also like to commend CWI President Ricky Skerritt and his Board of Directors for seeing the need for governance reform and giving us the opportunity to make a contribution to the sport we love, and for which we wish the utmost best.” 
Once clearance is given by the COVID-19 Task Force, the Athletic Association of Guyana will look to restart its season next month with a relay championship. According to a release, the inaugural relay event dubbed “Relays on the Grass” is scheduled for September 27 at the Enmore Ground.Athletes are scheduled to get into the blocks from noon.The release stated that once all clearance is given as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, athletes will compete for their respective geographical areas instead of their clubs. Athletes will represent six teams. Team Georgetown, Team Linden, Team Berbice, Team East Bank, Team West Demerara and Team East Coast.
Share Related Articles Submit Share Betfred counters Oppenheimer bid in race to rescue Phumelela August 26, 2020 StumbleUpon Neil Doncaster, SPFL Chief ExecutiveThe SPFL have confirmed that Betfred has agreed a three-year deal to become the exclusive title sponsor of the Scottish League Cup, which will become known as The Betfred Cup.The agreement represents another significant investment into Scottish football. Betfred will assume its rights ahead of the start of the 2016/17 competition, which starts in July with an exciting new format and up to 13 matches live on BT Sport.Betfred has a strong portfolio of sports sponsorships which includes the World Snooker Championship and various UK racecourses.Neil Doncaster, SPFL Chief Executive, said: “On behalf of the SPFL I’d like to offer a very warm welcome to everyone at Betfred as new title sponsors of The Betfred Cup and the latest major brand to support Scottish football. We’re absolutely thrilled to have them on board for what is another significant vote of confidence – and investment – in the game.“The exciting new format for next season’s Betfred Cup has truly captured the imagination of supporters, clubs and media, as well as our broadcast partner BT Sport and now Betfred. By building on our strong points and proud heritage, as well as daring to be a little bit different, we have shown Scottish football’s enduring popularity and growing reputation for innovation.“We know Betfred share in our ambitious vision, and we are really looking forward to working with them to bring this proud and popular competition to life for the benefit of Scottish football supporters across the country.”John Haddock, Betfred Chief Executive, added: “We are very pleased to become sponsors of the Scottish League Cup at the inception of its new and exciting format. The SPFL have shown us great enthusiasm and we look forward to a continued and successful relationship.”Simon Green, Head of BT Sport, said: “BT Sport is looking forward to deepening its connection with Scottish football through our exclusively live coverage of the competition from mid-July. BT Sport is going to be the place to head to for Scottish football fans seeking live football this summer.” Betfred extends World Snooker Championship deal until 2022 August 17, 2020 Premier League looks to broadcast every behind-closed-door fixture August 28, 2020
Share OEG revises Lithuania profile to counter ‘aggressive taxes’ November 29, 2019 Submit Related Articles Poker legend Molly Bloom in for CasinoBeats Malta February 20, 2020 Olybet named NBA betting partner for the Baltics and Slovakia July 31, 2020 StumbleUpon Share Nicky SenyardIndustry affiliate marketing and player acquisition software provider, Income Access continues its recent run of commercial partnership successes announcing that it has agreed to service the affiliate programme of Estonia-based gambling operator Olympic Entertainment Group (OEG).Updating the media, Income Access management detailed that OEG will relaunch its OlyBet brand affiliate programme utilising its igaming specialised marketing software.Regulated by the Estonian Tax & Custom Board since 2010, OlyBet has become one of Eastern Europe’s most popular igaming and online betting firms. OEG management stated that a new affiliate programme was needed in order to continue its growth momentum in core regions.Income Access relaunches the OlyBet partnership programme offering affiliates a 50% revenue share offer for their first three months promoting the brand.“Our aim is to attract affiliates across the board with our personalised approach and irresistible offers for players,” said Veiko Krünberg, Managing Director of OEG’s Online Operations.“We’ve redesigned the programme to leverage our strongest side – casino operations. We are confident that this new focus will help affiliates succeed.”“We are pleased to partner with one of the largest land-based casino operators in Europe,” said Nicky Senyard, founder and CEO of Income Access.“Our affiliate team is looking forward to helping OlyBet grow their already successful online operations.”
Related Articles Kindred: Spelinspektionen has failed in its management of Swedish marketplace June 11, 2020 Henrik TjärnströmStockholm-listed European sports betting operator Unibet Plc, continues its strong 2016 momentum posting a consecutive ‘all-time’ revenue quarter in its latest interim results for Q2 and H1 2016 (unaudited period ending 30 June).Updating the market this morning, Unibet governance would detail that the company had recorded group revenues of £126 million for Q2 2016 (Q2 2015: £80 million), closing its H1 revenues at £249 million (H1 2015: £156 million).Reporting growth throughout its top-line metrics with strong contributions across its brands, Unibet would declare an underlying EBITDA of £50.5 million (£39 million) for H1 2016 combined with H1 group profits of £38 million (H1 2016: £26.5 million).Unibet Q2 & H1 2016 Performance OverviewAs expected Q2 corporate activity would be characterised by Euro 2016 performance which saw Unibet register +1.1 million active customers throughout its European betting portfolio (brands: Unibet, iGame and Stan James Online).Targeting this key industry period, Unibet governance detailed that the company had boosted its marketing expenditure with the aim of acquiring new customers and reactivating existing player accounts.Its increased marketing activity would reduce Q2 profits to £13 million, nevertheless, Unibet governance are confident that its betting brands will sustain period growth in their upcoming quarters, helping the company hit its full-year 2016 targets.Commenting on H1 2016 performance Unibet Group’s CEO Henrik Tjärnström stated;“The quarter was characterised by the Euro 2016 which provided a new all-time high in customer activity and continued strong growth. Margins in the tournament were significantly higher in July than in June. If the margins had been consistent across the tournament, then Gross winnings revenue for the second quarter would have been around GBP 3 million higher.”“As in previous tournament years, we invested heavily in marketing both for new customer acquisition and reactivation of existing customers. While this has a short term effect in reducing profits, we are confident that this as proven previously will drive sustained growth in Gross winnings revenue and profits. For the quarter, marketing was 30 per cent of Gross winnings revenue, but for the full year we still expect it to average a few percentage points below 30 per cent.”“In the period from 1 to 24 July 2016, average daily Gross winnings revenue in GBP has more than doubled compared to the same period in 2015. Adjusting for the unusually high margin on the final stages of the Euros, the impact of exchange rate changes and acquisitions, the organic constant currency growth is close to 50 per cent, Share Unibet backs #GoRacingGreen as lead racing charity July 28, 2020 StumbleUpon Share Submit Kindred marks fastest route to ‘normal trading’ as it delivers H1 growth July 24, 2020