Football

The Saudi Football Federation has banned referee Fahad al-Mirdasi for life over bribery and urged FIFA to remove him from the pool of referees for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Mirdasi was suspended for offering to take a bribe to influence the outcome of a match, the federation’s disciplinary and ethics committee said late Tuesday.

The 32-year-old is one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent referees, having earned a FIFA badge in 2011 and officiating at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 and the Confederations Cup in Russia in 2017.

The Colombian Football Federation announced on Monday a provisional list of 35 players for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. Included in the squad are 11 veterans of the 2014 World Cup, among them are James Rodriguez, David Ospina, Carlos Sanchez, Abel Aguilar and Cristian Zapata.

Arsenal star Mesut Ozil, Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos and Bayern Munich trio Mats Hummels, Thomas Mueller and Jerome Boateng are part of Germany’s 27-man provisional list for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The list was confirmed by FIFA on their verified Twitter handle on Tuesday.

Long-term injury absentee Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus, who missed the 2014 World Cup due to injury, are included.

Niger Tornadoes have been thrown into mourning mood following the death of their defender, Hussaini Isah, CompleteSports reports.

Hussaini lost his life during a motorcycle accident along Maitumbi Road, Minna.

“With sorrow heart, we painfully announced the sudden exit of our dedicated and humble defender Hussaini Isah, who lost his life this Monday evening,” the club wrote on their Twitter handle on Monday.

Thomas Tuchel has been appointed as the new coach of Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal, the French champions confirmed in a statement issued on Monday. The statement read  "Paris Saint-Germain are happy to announce the arrival of Thomas Tuchel as first-team coach. The German coach has signed a two-year contract with the French champions."

Although reports have emerged on new cases of Ebola Virus outbreak in DR Congo, the Nigeria Football Federation says the development will not affect the planned friendly match with the Super Eagles. The Federation's 1st Vice-President, Seyi Akinwumi in a chat with News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Lagos said necessary precautionary measures had been put in place to forestall transmission of the deadly disease into Nigeria.