Sports Roundup
Florin Orban, 30.03.2020, 11:33
As we mentioned
last week, the Tokyo Olympics have been postponed for next year. The exact date
is yet to be announced. Meanwhile most athletes are training in isolation due
to the coronavirus outbreak. The situation is also hampering anti-doping
testing. In this context, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chief Witold
Banka had a message on Friday for any athlete thinking they could take
advantage of the gap in drug-testing created by the coronavirus outbreak – we
will catch you and eliminate you.
Meanwhile the
President of the Romanian Football Federation, Razvan Burleanu, sent a letter
to FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, asking for clear confirmation for the
participation of footballers born before 1997 in the Olympic Games, rescheduled
for 2021, when they will no longer be under 23 years of age. The document reads:
Considering the special creation created by the postponement of the Olympic
Games for 2021, we believe it is necessary to amend the regulations for this
edition, adding a special provision to confirm that all players born in 1997
will be eligible for the Tokyo Olympics, although they will no longer fit the
under-23 category, as a result of the postponement. Similar requests have been
forwarded by Federations from Australia and South Korea. The defending Olympic
champion, Brazil, would lose 11 players of its 23-strong squad in case FIFA
maintains the 23 age limit.
The coronavirus
has led to a major financial crisis in sports. Several football clubs have
consequently lowered their players’ salaries. FCSB and Viitorul Constanta have
halved salaries. The situation is dire for Poli Iasi, where footballers, the
technical staff and all the other employees will be paid 75% of the national
gross salary. Universitatea Craiova chairman, Sorin Cartu, said this will not
happen at his club and players have no reasons to worry. In turn, Marius
Croitoru, headcoach at FC Botosani, announced his club cannot slash players’
salaries, as they are low as it is. FC Botosani players earn on average 2-3000
euros, which is way below the First League average salary, Croitoru went on to
say.
(translated by
V. Palcu)
