Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/898252
maltatoday WEDNESDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2017 Sport 20 SPORTTODAY OLYMPICS FOOTBALL Former Namibian sprinter Fredericks suspended by IOC FORMER Namibian sprinter Frankie Fredericks was sus- pended by the International Olympic Committee on Tues- day after being placed under formal investigation in France in a probe into allegations of vote buying to win the 2016 Summer Olympics for Rio de Janeiro. Fredericks, who won four sil- ver medals at the 1992 and 1996 Games, is suspected of receiv- ing bribes and laundering the money through Paris, a source close to the inquiry in France said on Friday. He appeared before a French magistrate on Thursday. Fredericks has previously re- jected allegations of corruption. The IOC said in a statement that its executive board had de- cided to suspend Fredericks af- ter "considering the gravity and urgency of the situation and its impact on the reputation of the IOC." Fredericks is already being in- vestigated by the global Athlet- ics Integrity Unit over payments he received from Papa Massata Diack, the son of former world athletics chief Lamine Diack, on the day Rio won the vote to host the 2016 Olympics. Fredericks has previously said that a payment of $300,000 (£228,372) to his company was recompense for legitimate work. Fredericks also sat on the IAAF Council, world athletics' governing body, until he was suspended in July pending the outcome of the Integrity Unit probe. Rio was awarded the games in 2009, beating Chicago, Tokyo and Madrid. Last month, the IOC suspend- ed the head of Brazil's national Olympic committee, Carlos Nuzman, after he was charged in Brazil with racketeering in connection with alleged vote buying to win the Games for Rio. Nuzman is accused of ar- ranging more than $2 million in bribes to get the IOC to pick Rio. He has denied any wrong- doing. Namibian former sprinter Frankie Fredericks Moyes named West Ham manager following Bilic exit Break a boost for Manchester United's injured players, says Mourinho WEST Ham United have ap- pointed David Moyes as their manager following the sack- ing of Slaven Bilic, the Premier League club said yesterday. Croatian Bilic was sacked on Monday following a meet- ing with club officials as West Ham dropped into the relega- tion zone after a 4-1 home de- feat by Liverpool left them with two wins in 11 league games. "It's a big job we have in hand now but I'm sure with every- body together we can get the right results between now and the end of the season," Moyes said in a video posted on West Ham's Twitter account. Joint Chairman David Sulli- van said the club would benefit from Moyes' experience in the Premier League. "We need somebody with experience, knowledge of the Premier League and the play- ers in it, and we believe David is the right man to turn things around and get the best out of the players at the club," Sulli- van said in a statement. "He is highly regarded and respected within the game, and will bring fresh ideas, or- ganisation and enthusiasm." Moyes coached Sunderland last season but stepped down following the club's relegation to the Championship. The former Everton manag- er's stock has fallen consider- ably in recent years, following an unsuccessful spell at Span- ish side Real Sociedad and an ill-fated stint as Alex Fergu- son's successor at Manchester United in 2013-14. David Moyes M ANCHESTER United's in- jured players can utilise the international break to regain full fitness while key squad members can get much- needed rest, manager Jose Mourinho has said. United midfielders Michael Carrick (calf ) and Paul Pog- ba (hamstring) have been in- jured since September while long-term absentees Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo, who sustained knee in- juries last season, are yet to recover. Mourinho's team head into the international break fol- lowing a 1-0 league defeat at champions Chelsea which left them second in the standings, eight points be- hind leaders and local rivals Manchester City. "We have the group of play- ers which are the ones that we hope will recover as soon as possible," Mourinho told the club's website. "They have to work every day but they are in a good position now. Pogba, Ibrahi- movic, Rojo, Fellaini. They are in good positions so I think we can go into this part of the season, the Christmas period, and after, in a strong position." United have won all four of their Champions League games and are on the verge of qualif ying for the knock- out stages while also com- peting to retain the League Cup title. With nine matches to be played across all competi- tions in December, Mour- inho is hopeful that his key players, who were not select- ed for their national teams for this month's friendlies, get a well-earned break. "They (international play- ers) all disappear and then we have a couple... like (Chris) Smalling and (Ander) Her- rera and they really deserve, after so many matches, to have a week off which I'm go- ing to give them," Mourinho said. Following the international break, United host Newcas- tle United at Old Trafford on Nov. 18.