Czech Republic punishes national team for ignoring fans after World Cup qualifier
Prague (AP): The Czech Republic soccer association stripped Tomáš Soucek of his captaincy and denied financial bonuses to national team players as punishment for ignoring their fans after their final World Cup qualifier against Gibraltar.
The Czechs, who had been assured of second place in Group L, won the home game 6-0 in Olomouc on Monday, but the players didn't go thank the diehard fans who were critical of their performance in the qualifying campaign.
The team will be seeded in Thursday's draw for the 16-team playoffs next March for four remaining European spots at next summer's World Cup.
The association Tuesday apologized to fans and said the players won't receive the financial bonuses for the game. Instead, the money will go to charities. Soucek will lose his captaincy for the team's next match.
“The fans have a full right to express their disagreement with the unsatisfactory performance in the recent games,” the association said in a statement.
“The reaction of the players should have been quite the contrary. They should have thanked the active fans.”
In Monday's, supporters repeatedly chanted “Fight for Czechia.”
The Czechs struggled in the qualifying campaign and fired coach Ivan Hašek following a humiliating 2-1 defeat to Faroe Islands last month.
Hašek's assistant Jaroslav Köstl led the team to a 1-0 win over San Marino in a friendly and against Gibraltar.
A new coach could be named for the playoffs.
The Czechs last qualified for the tournament in 2006.
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One dead due to electrocution on 'Jailer 2' movie set in Chennai
Chennai (PTI): A 28-year-old worker died of electrocution on the sets of the upcoming Tamil film 'Jailer 2', starring Superstar Rajinikanth, at a private film studio here, police said.
The deceased has been identified as Karthikeyan.
The incident occurred at the venue in Panaiyur. According to preliminary reports, Karthikeyan suffered a fatal electric shock while engaging in art direction work, erecting a house-like set for the movie's shooting, police said
Kanathur police said FIR is yet to be filed, but further investigations are underway to determine the circumstances that led to the electrical leak.
