Alcott slams US Open organisers
New York: Ten-time Grand Slam winner Dylan Alcott has slammed the US Open organisers for excluding wheelchair tennis players from this year’s schedule. The US Open is set to be held as per its original schedule from August 31 to September 13 with restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.While there are no deductions in participation in the singles main-draw events, there will be no qualification tournaments and the men’s and women’s doubles are restricted to 32 teams each as opposed to the usual 64. Mixed doubles, junior tournaments and wheelchair tennis are omitted.”Just got announced that the US Open will go ahead WITHOUT wheelchair tennis.. Players weren’t consulted,” Alcott tweeted. “I thought I did enough to qualify – 2x champion, number 1 in the world. But unfortunately I missed the only thing that mattered, being able to walk. Disgusting discrimination.”He added: “And please do not tell me I am a agreater risk’ because I am disabled. I am disabled yes but that does not make me SICK. I am fitter and healthier than nearly everybody reading this right now. There are no added risks.(IANS)
UEFA eases club finance rules
Nyon: UEFA has eased its rules for monitoring spending by Europe’s top soccer clubs due to financial instability caused by the coronavirus pandemic.The European soccer industry is losing hundreds of millions of euros (dollars) in income from playing games without fans and disruption to broadcast contracts. UEFA announced changes on Thursday effectively combining two accounting years for clubs into one that will be assessed next year in the Financial Fair Play program. “The adverse impact of the pandemic is neutralized by averaging the combined deficit of 2020 and 2021 and by further allowing specific COVID-19 adjustments,” Europe’s soccer body said in a statement after an executive committee meeting. In other decisions prompted by the pandemic delaying the current season, UEFA advised member federations to close the player transfer window on Oct. 5. The deadline is typically around Aug. 31. The new suggested date is one day before UEFA’s deadline for registering squads to play in the Champions League and Europa League. The group stages begin from Oct. 20-22, one month later than usual. (AP)