Garath McCleary was the target of alleged racial abuse from a fan during Reading’s FA Cup quarter-final win over Bradford, reports said yesterday.
The Jamaica international had provided the assist for Hal Robson-Kanu’s opener before scoring a deflected second as Reading sealed a 3-0 win to set up a semi-final against Arsenal.
But it was in the lead up to half-time that the incident is believed to have occurred as McCleary went to take a corner.
He appeared to make a complaint to the assistant referee and Reading confirmed in a short statement that the matter had been passed on to the police.
Juventus adamant Pogba will stay
Juventus are ready to resist big offers from top clubs for midfielder Paul Pogba this summer.
Juve have no interest in selling the France international, who has been a big hit since arriving in Turin in 2012 after leaving Manchester United as a free agent.
“There are clubs that are ready to spend 70 to 80 million euros for Pogba,” Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta said.
“There are many suitors for Pogba, but we do not want to open negotiations and we want him to stay with us.
“If we want to increase our level, we need players of great quality and Pogba is one of them.”
Seb Coe against World Cup boycott
Calls by Ukraine for a boycott of the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia were given short shrift by Sebastian Coe.
Coe, who is standing against Ukrainian pole vault great Sergey Bubka for the presidency of world athletics body IAAF, won gold medals at the boycotted Moscow and Los Angeles Olympics of 1980 and 1984.
“I will always oppose boycotts of sport,” Coe said.
“I don’t think they actually achieve what they set out to do.
“The only people they really damage are competitors and athletes,” added Coe, who was on the England committee that bid against Russia for the finals.
Rio Games venues
Six cities and seven stadiums are to be used as soccer venues for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, FIFA announced.
There will be two venues in the host city of Rio de Janeiro with matches held at the Olympic stadium and the Maracana, site of the 2014 World Cup final, FIFA said.
The other games are to take place at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, the Mane Garrincha stadium in Brasilia, the Amazonia arena in Manaus, the Fonte Nova arena in Salvador and the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo.
Sixteen men’s sides and 12 women’s teams will play 58 matches between Aug. 3-20.
Foster injury blow for West Bromwich
Ben Foster has been ruled out for at least a month with a knee injury, West Brom have announced.
The goalkeeper limped off during Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League win over Stoke and scans have revealed damaged cartilage.
Foster was expected to be included in the England squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania and friendly with Italy this month but will now miss out.
“It’s rotten news for Ben be-cause he’s been so consistent,” boss Tony Pulis said.
“He kept seven clean sheets in 10 games but we have a very able man to step forward in Boaz (Myhill), who has performed well when he’s come into the team.”
Olsen to leave after after Euro 2016
Denmark coach Morten Olsen will step down when his contract runs out after the Euro 2016 finals in France, he told a news conference yesterday.
One of the longest-serving coaches in international football, the 65-year-old Olsen took charge after Euro 2000 and led the Danes to the finals of two World Cups and two European Championships.
“After 19 years as a player in the red and white, and almost 16 years as coach, this is an emotional decision to take,” he told reporters.
“I have never seen this job as work – more of a lifestyle. I have always been proud of it.”
Cypriot referee’s car torched
A car used by Cypriot referee Leontios Trattos was set on fire early yesterday, police said, the second time he has been targeted in just over a year.
The incident is the latest in a string of threats and attacks against referees and their families which led to calls for the officials to boycott games.
Police said the car, which was parked in the basement of Trattos’s residence at an apartment block in a suburb of the capital Nicosia, was destroyed.
Authorities suspect the vehicle, a company car belonging to Trattos’s employers, was doused with inflammable fluid and set alight.