Sports

Istanbul set to host 2020 Champions League final

May 24, 2018
Iya Andrushchak (C), Ukrainian national soccer player and ambassador for the UEFA Women's Champions League final, and Cafu (R), the soccer star and former player of Milan carry the UEFA Champions League trophies during the opening ceremony of a Champions Festival in central Kiev, Ukraine, on Thursday. Real Madrid will face Liverpool FC in the UEFA Champions League final at the NSC Olimpiyskiy stadium in Kiev on Saturday.  — EPA
Iya Andrushchak (C), Ukrainian national soccer player and ambassador for the UEFA Women's Champions League final, and Cafu (R), the soccer star and former player of Milan carry the UEFA Champions League trophies during the opening ceremony of a Champions Festival in central Kiev, Ukraine, on Thursday. Real Madrid will face Liverpool FC in the UEFA Champions League final at the NSC Olimpiyskiy stadium in Kiev on Saturday. — EPA

KIEV — Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium will host the 2020 Champions League final, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin confirmed in Kiev on Thursday. The 76,000-capacity ground played host to Liverpool's famous comeback from 3-0 down to win the Champions League on penalties over AC Milan in 2005.

UEFA have been under pressure to ensure future final host cities have the hotel and airport infrastructure to cope with the influx of fans, delegates and media for the biggest game in club football.

Liverpool have complained to UEFA after their fans have faced spiraling accommodation and travel costs for fans trying to attend Saturday's final against holders Real Madrid in Kiev, the city which played host to the Euro 2012 final.

"They just don't have the airport infrastructure and the hotel capacity to cope with an event of this size and there isn't another major city within real hitting distance of it," Liverpool chief executive Peter Moore told the Liverpool Echo newspaper.

"It's not only affected Liverpool fans but Real Madrid fans too. There will be lessons learned from this. Rest assured, I've raised this at the highest levels of UEFA."

Ceferin had already reintroduced a tender process for bidding for finals since taking over as UEFA president from Michel Platini. The decision to award the final to Kiev was made prior to Ceferin's election as president in 2016.

Next season's final will be held at the 67,000-capacity Wanda Metropolitano, home of Atletico Madrid.

Thousands of supporters from England and Spain will converge on Kiev for Saturday's showpiece between two of the giants of European Football. But while excitement levels are mounting, fans are being forced to pay extortionate prices after hotels in the Ukrainian capital began charging up to 100 times their standard rates and some supporters found their early reservations had been canceled.

Liverpool head of club and supporter liaison Tony Barrett said he sympathized with fans over their plight. "For those of you who get to Kiev, I hope it's worth every penny and every ounce of effort that you have put in," he tweeted.

"For those who don't — and there are already far too many in this position — I apologize for not being able to help you. Football without fans is nothing."

Real Madrid fans are faced with similar problems. More than 2,000 have reportedly returned their tickets due to the logistical difficulties and spiraling costs, although the club have not confirmed the report. Real Madrid fan Marcos Sanchez secured accommodation well in advance but his bookings were cancelled and prices skyrocketed.

"Everything has been a nightmare," he said. "I have reported it on social networks and Ukrainian journalists have even called me because it gives a bad image for the city and the country. "People have created a Facebook group offering their houses in Kiev for free and it works brilliantly, it´s genuine."

Spanish fan groups have organized accommodation outside Ukraine as well as in Kiev and many fans are flying straight in and out.

But Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko, the former world heavyweight boxing champion, gave a robust response about situation in the city, saying reports of tickets being returned was "fake news".

"There are no hotel rooms left for the Champions League," he said. "The fact that prices are going up before a major event, this happens in other places besides Kiev," he added. "This is world practice. The city cannot regulate business — these are the laws of the market."

Belgian Court promises

verdict on FIFA player rules

The legal action over player contracts pitting Belgian third-tier club Seraing against world Football's governing body FIFA was heard on Thursday in Brussels and the court could deliver a verdict in a month.

Seraing are challenging FIFA's ban on third party ownership (TPO) of players. The club also took aim at Financial Fair Play Rules and the authority of the Court of Arbitration in Sport.

Legal teams for FIFA and Seraing, who between them brought 18 lawyers, presented arguments for two hours on Thursday before a civil court in Brussels. The court said it would consider the case again next Thursday and could render a decision in four weeks.

Football authorities worry that involvement of third party owners with clubs creates conflicts of interest and favors clubs who can afford to form continuing relationships with agents or player owners.

TPO's supporters claim it helps poorer clubs sign and develop young players and spreads the burden of transfer fees because they only buy part of the player's registration.

Seraing brought their case when FIFA banned TPO four months after the club signed an agreement in January 2015 with investment fund Doyen Sports based on the potential returns from such contracts.

Seraing refused to accept FIFA's ban and has already been fined 150,000 euros ($175,900, £131,720). Their legal action is supported by the Spanish and Portuguese leagues, who are also taking a case to the European Commission.

FIFA is backed by European governing body UEFA and global players union Fifpro. Former UEFA president Platini, now banned from Football following a graft probe, called TPO "a type of slavery". — AFP


May 24, 2018
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