ECI revokes Sonu Sood's appointment as Punjab's 'state icon', he says voluntarily stepped down
Chandigarh (PTI): The Election Commission of India has annulled the appointment of actor Sonu Sood as Punjab's "state icon", state Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju said on Friday, with the Bollywood star saying that he voluntarily stepped down as a family member was contesting the upcoming assembly polls.
Sood was made the state's "icon" over a year ago by the Election Commission of India.
The ECI revoked Sood's appointment as a "state icon" of Punjab on January 4, Punjab's Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju said in an official statement.
Sood had said last November that his sister Malvika was joining politics but he had no such plans for himself.
In a tweet, he said, "Like all good things, this journey has come to an end too. I've voluntarily stepped down as the state icon of Punjab."
"This decision was mutually taken by me and the EC in light of my family member contesting in Punjab Assembly elections. I wish them luck for future endeavours," Sood said.
Belonging to the Moga district in Punjab, the actor had catapulted to the national spotlight for helping migrant workers reach their homes during the COVID-19 lockdown last year.
Sood had arranged transport facilities for migrant workers stuck in various places while returning back their homes amid joblessness amid the lockdown.
His humanitarian work was highly appreciated by the public.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
