THE HAGUE, Netherlands - The Dutch football association is opening an
investigation and calling for a criminal probe into detailed allegations
published Saturday of the alleged fixing of two matches in the top-tier
Eredivisie.
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.Respected daily De Volkskrant reported that two matches involving
Tilburg team Willem II — against Ajax and Feyenoord — were fixed during
the 2009-2010 season by players allegedly paid by a Singaporean
syndicate.The Volkskrant identified former Willem II and Sierra Leone
midfielder Ibrahim Kargbo as ringleader, an allegation Kargbo denied in
an interview with the newspaper. Kargbo was suspended last year from
international duty by his countrys football authorities, along with
three other players, over alleged attempts to fix a June 2008 qualifier
against South Africa.The Dutch football association called the detailed
Volkskrant investigation the most concrete case yet in the Netherlands
of alleged fixing.We will do everything in our power to get to the
bottom of this, the association said on its website.As well as handing
the case to criminal investigators, the association says it will carry
out its own probe by interviewing players, referees and club officials
and analyzing video images.In a written reaction, Willem II said it was
shocked by the reports and pledged to co-operate fully with
investigations.
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Watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 9pm et/6pm pt.
Serge Ibaka returned to the Thunder lineup from a calf injury that was
supposed to sideline him for the remainder of the postseason and the
results were sparkling.
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. -- Phil Mickelson will be watching the final two rounds of the
Masters from home for the first time in 17 years.The Arizona Coyotes
hope a new sponsorship agreement with Gila River Casinos will bring in
more money for the team and the city of Glendale.
On Wednesday the team announced a nine-year agreement to rename their
rink Gila (pronounce hee-lah) River Arena. It was the latest in a line
of long-term corporate contracts the Coyotes have entered into to
entrench themselves in Arizona.
"This is all about the economic viability of this club," co-owner,
president and CEO Anthony LeBlanc told a conference call. "This is the
most significant deal that we have in our corporate sponsors."
As long as this deal is approved Sept. 9 by the Glendale City Council,
the building formerly known as Jobing.com Arena will have its new name
the next day. LeBlanc, part of the teams Canadian-led ownership group,
said the city will receive US$600,000 from the agreement and that he
didnt expect approval to be a problem.
LeBlanc didnt reveal how much the Coyotes will get from the new
agreement. The previous deal with Jobing.com that the team terminated
was reportedly worth $30 million over 10 years.
Gila River Arena will be the first North American professional sports
stadium named by a federallly recognized Native American tribe.
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It will also be the first named after a casino, but LeBlanc didnt
express any concern about connecting the NHL team to a gambling
institution.
Gambling on hockey and other sports is illegal in the state of Arizona.
Gila Rivers three casinos offer slots, poker and other table games.
"Obviously we went through our due diligence in the process, and we
worked very closely with the National Hockey League ... to ensure that
it falls within the requirements, and obviously it did," LeBlanc said.
"This wouldnt have been announced without the league blessing it."
Since new ownership closed its deal to buy the Coyotes in August 2013,
it has put a priority on selling tickets and suites and picking up more
corporate sponsors to grow the teams reach. That hasnt stopped
speculation and criticism from the outside, though LeBlanc again brushed
it off Wednesday.
"I couldnt care less what the critics have to say," LeBlanc said. "None
of our motivation has to do with anyones going to be critical about this
franchise. If theyre critical, they quite frankly dont understand what
it is that were doing."
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