Roma Unhappy with Rescheduling of Interrupted Udinese Match

AS Roma's supporters cheer during the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, 2nd leg soccer match between AS Roma and AC Milan in Rome, Italy, 18 April 2024. (EPA)
AS Roma's supporters cheer during the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, 2nd leg soccer match between AS Roma and AC Milan in Rome, Italy, 18 April 2024. (EPA)
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Roma Unhappy with Rescheduling of Interrupted Udinese Match

AS Roma's supporters cheer during the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, 2nd leg soccer match between AS Roma and AC Milan in Rome, Italy, 18 April 2024. (EPA)
AS Roma's supporters cheer during the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, 2nd leg soccer match between AS Roma and AC Milan in Rome, Italy, 18 April 2024. (EPA)

AS Roma said Serie A's decision to schedule the remaining 18 minutes of their suspended fixture against Udinese for April 25 is unfair as it puts the club at a disadvantage in their Europa League semi-final against Bayer Leverkusen.

The April 14 match at Udinese was suspended in the second half after Roma defender Evan Ndicka collapsed on the pitch and Serie A said the remainder would be played on Thursday.

Roma are also scheduled to play Bologna and Napoli this week before hosting Bayer Leverkusen on May 2 in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.

"AS Roma with its results and four consecutive European semi-finals contributed to UEFA ranking and thus five slots for Italian teams in the next edition of the Champions League," the club said on Friday.

"Despite that, (Serie A) President (Lorenzo) Casini took today an unfair decision, as it holds, against AS Roma forcing us to face Bayer 04 Leverkusen at disadvantage," it added.

"This is a clear backwards step for the whole of Italian football."



Saudi Arabia’s Participation in Paris Olympics Part of Quality of Life Program, Al-Bakr Says

The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)
The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Participation in Paris Olympics Part of Quality of Life Program, Al-Bakr Says

The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)
The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)

CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Quality of Life Program Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Bakr said on Friday the Kingdom’s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is part of integrated and comprehensive efforts to build a distinguished future for the sports sector in the Kingdom.

This will help reach the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in achieving sports excellence and building a vital and stimulating sports sector for young Saudi men and women.

Al-Bakr said the participation reflects the support of the country’s wise leadership for the sports sector, as well as the efforts made by the Ministry of Sports and the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee to develop the sector under the supervision of Sports Minister and Chairman of the Olympic and Paralympic Committee Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal.

The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program, which is “achieving excellence in several sports regionally and globally” by launching several initiatives on supporting and empowering Saudi athletes and contributing to increasing the number of athletes participating in the Olympic Games.

Since its launch in 2018, the program has offered many initiatives to develop the sports sector, Al-Bakr said. He cited the Elite Athletes Development Program, which trained and empowered Saudi players participating in the Paris Olympics, in addition to initiatives concerned with supporting and empowering women to contribute to the sports system, the Saudi Games, and building sports academies, including the establishment of Mahd Academy.

The program seeks to discover, develop, and support sports talents with the aim of creating a sports generation capable of competing in and representing the Kingdom in various regional and international events, he added.