Guangzhou Evergrande
Appeal court upholds Brazil striker Robinho’s rape conviction
Veteran Brazil international striker Robinho on Thursday had a nine-year sentence for the rape of a young woman upheld by a court in Italy. Judges of the Milan Court of Appeal confirmed the sentence for both Robinho and one of his friends for group sexual violence dating back to January 2013. Robinho was playing for AC Milan at the time of the attack and was tried in absentia in November 2017. The pair were among a group of six men accused of taking part in the gang rape of a 22-year-old Albanian woman in a Milan nightclub. They were both ordered to jointly pay the woman damages of 60,000 euros ($ 73,000). The case against the four other accused has been suspended. Robinho, 36, who has denied the charges, has the right to again appeal the sentence within 90 days. Robinho was forced to pull...
Beijing’s Workers’ Stadium razed as China target World Cup bid
China rapidly tore down the famous Workers’ Stadium in Beijing this week as part of grand plans to revamp its football infrastructure ahead of an expected World Cup bid. The imposing arena in the heart of the Chinese capital will be almost completely rebuilt and is scheduled for completion in December 2022. Groups of people gathered to watch as the stadium, a landmark for decades, was levelled within just a few days, with the goalposts poignantly left standing even as the stands crashed down all around. The Workers’ Stadium was built in 1959 as one of 10 major construction projects to mark the 10th anniversary of communist China. Fondly known as “Gongti” — an abbreviation of its name in Chinese — the cavernous but crumbling arena was home to Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan and host...
