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Soccer

VAR set to be used at 2018 World Cup following landmark rule change

The video assistant referees (VAR) system is set to be used at this summer’s World Cup in Russia after football’s lawmakers voted on Saturday to approve the use of the officiating technology.

The officiating system was sanctioned when the International Football Association Board voted unanimously to introduce VAR on a permanent basis in a “landmark” decision that’s expected to be implemented across the football world.

It is expected the FIFA Council meeting on March 16 will confirm the use of VAR at the World Cup.

A statement from IFAB, which is made up of the Football Associations of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, as well as FIFA, read: “This landmark meeting, chaired by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, represents a new era for football with video assistance for referees helping to increase integrity and fairness in the game.”

IFAB began experimenting with VAR – which applies the use of a philosophy intended for “minimum interference – maximum benefit” – in March 2016 to identify its usefulness in reducing unfairness caused by obvious errors and incidents missed by the match official.

The officiating system will be used to overturn errors involving goals, penalty awards, red cards, and mistaken identity.

“As of today, video assistant refereeing is part of football,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said, according to Richard Conway of BBC Sport.

“We hope and encourage a favourable decision in this respect because we are very positive about VAR.”

Germany and Italy implemented the use of VAR ahead of the current season, while Spain and France’s top flights will introduce the technology for the 2018-19 season.

Meanwhile, Premier League clubs in England reportedly decided to delay the introduction of VAR until at least the 2019-20 campaign.

NFL

UCF's Griffin lifts 20 reps with prosthetic hand

INDIANAPOLIS — Central Florida linebacker Shaquem Griffin vowed before the NFL scouting combine opened that “something special’s coming soon.” On Saturday, he began fulfilling that promise.

Griffin, who according to the NFL is attempting to become the first player with one hand to be drafted into the league in the modern era, got a roar from the fans in the bleachers when he put up 20 repetitions of 225 pounds in the bench press. The reaction was, by far, the loudest any player has received to this point in the open-to-the-public portion of the testing.

His performance was also better than 10 of the offensive linemen who did their bench presses Friday.

When: April 26-28
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“My goal was six [repetitions],” Griffin said with broad smile. “I think I beat that by a lot. When I first got to training, I did like 11 reps. … Just being able to do that, that was amazing. Hearing the crowd and having the juices flowing, I felt it … I didn’t know I had it in me, but it came out [Saturday].”

He will go through his on-field workout with the rest of the linebackers at the combine Sunday.

Griffin had his left hand amputated at age 4 because of amniotic band syndrome, a congenital condition. He was a late addition to the list of combine invitees, getting his formal invitation on Jan. 30.

He uses a prosthetic on his left arm to attach to the bar when he does weight training, including the bench press.

“I got it my freshman year at UCF, I remember we went to go get it fitted for me,” Griffin said. “When I started lifting weights, I remember I could barely bench the bar, I mean I’m shaking all over the place, the bar’s falling and I’m like, ‘I can’t lift 45 pounds,’ but it just goes to show how much work I put in.”

Griffin was a two-year starter at Central Florida and a first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection in each of those seasons. In 2016 he was the league’s defensive player of the year with 92 tackles, 11.5 sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles.

And this past season he closed out his career as the MVP of the Peach Bowl in his final game as Central Florida went 13-0.

His twin brother, Shaquill Griffin, is a cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks and was a third-round pick in the 2017 draft. Asked if he had outperformed his brother’s work in the bench press at last year’s combine, Shaquem said, “Oh, I did more than him in the bench. That’s one down. I’ve got a few more to go. We’ll see how it goes [Sunday]. … I think he did like three.”

Shaquill Griffin actually did 17 repetitions in the bench press last year, but Shaquem will have a tall order to top his brother’s 40-yard dash time. Shaquill Griffin was one of the fastest players at least year’s combine, running a 4.38.

Shaquem Griffin measured 6 feet ? inch and weighed in at 227 pounds when he arrived at the combine. He said he expects to do both linebacker drills and defensive back drills, but said he would do defensive back drills and linebacker drills at his pro day if he was too fatigued to do double duty Sunday.

When Griffin was at the Senior Bowl last month, he worked with both the defensive line and at linebacker in practices. He consistently showed his speed to the ball and many of the league’s personnel evaluators said they believed he could contribute in an NFL defense, especially as a situational pass rusher.

“I’m planning on doing both linebacker and DB drills,” Griffin said. “We’re going to see how it goes [Sunday] and how I’m feeling after linebacker drills, see if I can take a break and come back and do DB drills or do DB drills at pro day. Doesn’t matter — I’m going to get it in though. … At the Senior Bowl, I played D-line, linebacker and safety.”

Soccer

Neymar to be assessed in 6 weeks following foot surgery

Paris Saint-Germain revealed that Neymar’s foot injury will be assessed in six weeks to determine a possible date for his return to training after the Brazilian superstar underwent surgery Saturday.

Neymar was injured during PSG’s Le Classique victory over Marseille last week and was subsequently diagnosed with a sprained ankle and a fractured metatarsal.

He was initially only expected to miss six weeks before Brazil’s team doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, examined the injury. He determined that Neymar, who will be absent during PSG’s upcoming Champions League match against Real Madrid, could miss up to three months.

A statement from PSG, as translated by ESPN FC, said that the procedure – performed by Dr. Lasmar in Brazil – to repair the fracture on his fifth metatarsal went as planned. The surgery “consisted of the laying of a screw associated with a transplant fixed at the level of the lesion of the fifth metatarsal of the right foot.”

“The operation is over, Neymar is already in his room. It went well,” a spokesperson for the Brazilian football federation (CBF) said, according to Spanish outlet AS.

Based on Dr. Lasmar’s estimation, the 26-year-old may be able to return to action ahead of Brazil’s first World Cup match in Russia against Switzerland on June 17.

NFL

Eye-opener: Punter asked to do staring contest

Michael Dickson won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top college punter last season on the strength of his right foot.

At this week’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, he attempted to use something else to impress one team: his eyes.

Dickson, the former Texas Longhorns standout, said he was asked to take part in a staring contest when he met with the Seattle Seahawks.

“I had to see how long I could stare without blinking,” Dickson said, according to Pro Football Talk. “I had a couple of attempts. I tried a few techniques, looking away from the light, trying to block any sort of wind coming into the eyes. That was a weird process.

“The first time I did terrible. I only lasted for 14 seconds, but my third time I had figured out a technique to look around the room just to get your eyes a little watery, I guess.”

Dickson, the MVP of the Texas Bowl, skipped his senior season with the Longhorns to enter the draft. ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has the Australian ranked as the fifth-best player among kickers, punters and long-snappers — but Dickson will have his work cut out for him.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, only two punters who left school early to enter the NFL draft have been selected — Bradley Pinion (drafted 165th overall by the 49ers in 2015) and Chris Gardocki (No. 78 by the Bears in 1991). Both played for Clemson.

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Soccer