Jovic to pay fine to avoid jail sentence
MADRID • Real Madrid and Serbia forward Luka Jovic has agreed to pay a fine in exchange for a six-month jail sentence after flouting Serbia’s Covid-19 restrictions, according to a court statement.
The court said the footballer has been ordered to pay a fine of around €30,000 (S$47,600) within a month in order to avoid prison.
Jovic, who has scored only two goals since joining Real in a €60 million move from Eintracht Frankfurt last year, returned to Serbia when the pandemic disrupted world sport in March.
REUTERS
EPL likely to stick to 3-sub rule: Masters
LONDON • Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said on Tuesday that the English top flight was expected to stick to its three-substitute rule.
All the other major European leagues and the Champions League have continued with the five-sub rule that was introduced when football returned after the coronavirus lockdown earlier this year. However, Masters, giving evidence to British lawmakers on the House of Commons digital, culture, media and sport committee, said clubs had voted against it twice already and there was little appetite for a change.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Gunnersaurus set to return for Arsenal
LONDON • Arsenal brought Gunnersaurus back from the brink of extinction on Tuesday, barely a month after the club’s beloved mascot was made redundant as part of a cost-cutting effort due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jerry Quy, who entertained home fans at the Emirates Stadium by dressing up as a green dinosaur, was let go by the club at the start of October. Arsenal have said they would bring back Gunnersaurus – who on Tuesday posted pictures of himself on social media giving a thumbs-up – when fans are allowed to return to the stadium.
REUTERS
NBA’s Dec 22 start gets confirmation
LOS ANGELES • The National Basketball Association (NBA) Board of Governors gave final approval on Tuesday to the agreement with the players’ union on a Dec 22 start date for the 2020-21 season.
The upcoming campaign will include 72 regular-season games, down from a typical 82-game season. Other key dates finalised are a Nov 18 NBA draft, the opening of free agent negotiations on Nov 20 and the first day players can sign free agent deals on Nov 22.
REUTERS