By JOHN BOSCHINI
Two employees of a Swiss television station have been released after being detained in Qatar while filming a story on the 2022 World Cup.
Reporter Christophe Cerf and cameraman Yvan Thorimbert were handcuffed and interrogated at police stations before being fined and released with their camera confiscated 10 hours later.
The Swiss television station said Qatar had granted the pair media credentials but according to The Peninsula,Qatar has denied the station's claims, saying they entered on tourist visas. Cerf and Thorimbert were filming in a permitted area when they were arrested.
The camera was returned and the pair were allowed to leave the country after the Swiss ambassador in Kuwait intervened. This incident comes after Qatar, who sits in 121st in Press Freedom Index, made assurances as part of its World Cup bid that restrictions would be eased on members of the press.
Here are some more stories to keep your Tuesday going.
Real Salt Lake head coach Jason Kreis is focusing on the team's home leg of the CONCACAF Champions League and has conceded that a one-goal loss would be an acceptable result.
"A win would be spectacular," Kreis told the Mexican media. "Even a one-goal loss, if we're able to score a goal, would have to be viewed as a positive result."
Real Salt Lake takes on Monterrey on Wednesday before returning home to Rio Tinto Stadium on April 27. Real Salt Lake has not lost at home since May of 2009 but Kreis will take on Monterrey coach Victor Vucetich, who has not lost in seven finals appearances.
RANGERS’ DIOUF SAYS HE “ADMIRES” GHADAFI
Never one to shy away from controversy, Two-time African player of the year El Hadji Diouf has expressed public sympathy for Libyan leader Moammar Ghadafi.
“He is a man I have always admired,” the Senegalese striker told an Algerian newspaper. “The situation must be very hard for him and his family.”
Diouf said that he was not familiar with the political situation in Libya but that he knows the Ghadafi family and considers them friends.
INIESTA FACES POSSIBLE SUSPENSION FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta could face a one-match ban and miss next week’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid. The Spanish international was booked during Barcelona’s match with Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals.
UEFA will make a determination Wednesday on whether or not the booking was intentional. Barcelona released a statement saying it did not anticipate a ban being leveled.
Barcelona's chances were given a boost with the news that captain Carles Puyol would be fit to play against Madrid.
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What do you think of today's stories? Concerned about press freedom at the 2022 World Cup? Confident Real Salt Lake can win at home? Upset with Diouf over his controversial comments?
Share your thoughts below.
