Match Fixing Probe Postpones Turkish Super Cup

Turkish football teams Besiktas and Fenerbahce have been implicated in a match-fixing case.  This probe has led to the postponement of the Turkish Super Cup final between the two teams which was to take place tomorrow with no new date set.  Approximately 30 people have been charged including the deputy chairman and coach of Besiktas and the president of league champ Fenerbahce.  The probe alleges 19 games were fixed.

Women Soccer Players on the Juice Too

Women take steroids to cheat too.  At the soccer Women's World Cup five North Korean players tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid.  The cases will be reviewed by FIFA and each player could face a ban of up to two years.  As usual there is some far fetched story of why they were taking this.  After a lighting strike the players accidentally took the steroids with traditional Chinese medicines which they claim can be confused with each other.  Doesn't make sense and how was it an accident?  You cheated and you got caught.

Tour de France Rider Fails Doping Test

The Tour de France kicked off July 2nd and now has its first rider to fail a doping test.  Russian rider Alexandr Kolobnev of the Katusha team failed a doping test from July 6th that contained traces of Hydrochlorothiazide.  Kolobnev had four days to submit a B sample and contest the positive result but his team decided to end his ride for the Tour.  Kolobnev was 69th at the time of his departure.

Corruption in Soccer

We have been hearing it for awhile now and only time will bring out more evidence of corruption in Soccer.  When it reaches to the highest level you know the sport has some issues.  FIFA, the international governing body of football is deep in conflict over recent corruption claims over the World Cup selection process.  The latest allegations came from the U.K. after an inquiry into their failed bid for the 2018 World Cup.  Lord Triesman, former FA head has accused four member of the FIFA executive committee who votes for World Cup hosts of unethical and improper behavior.  These accusations include demands for money and honorary knighthoods.  Last fall two FIFA voters were suspended for similar actions when they tried to sell their World Cup votes.  The World Cup is big business and can potentially generate great sums of money for a host country.  Anything for the almighty dollar.  Not just the players and games but now the governing body is embroiled in sports corruption.

Mexico Soccer Players Test Positive for Banned Substance

At the beginning of the CONCACAF Gold Gup five players from Mexico's soccer team tested positive for a banned substance and were temporarily removed from the tournament.  The illegal substance was clenbuterol which the secretary general of Mexican soccer federation believes came from the players eating contaminated beef.  Regardless of the five players missing time the team still went on to win the Gold Cup.