The syndicate reportedly works in convincing lower-ranked players from South America and Europe to fix matches, while the group’s members then place bets with bookies accordingly.

Two individuals of Indian ethnicity but residing in Melbourne, allegedly a part of the Australian branch of an international tennis match-fixing syndicate, have been charged by the Victoria Police for influencing at least two lower-level tournaments in Brazil and Egypt during the 2018 season, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald. The head of the syndicate, revealed as Indian-resident Ravinder Dandiwal by police documents, however has not been charged as yet.

The syndicate reportedly works in convincing lower-ranked players from South America and Europe to fix matches, while the group’s members then place bets with bookies accordingly.

Dandiwal, according to his social media description reported in the SMH, is said to be the owner of India-based sports management company Ultimate Sports Management, and has promoted cricket tours in the past – such as the Willowfest Australian Cricket Championship in 2017 and the Asian Premier League T20, held in Nepal a year later. He has also been described as the ‘General Secretary of the Cricket Council of India’ and ‘Chairman of the Cricket Premier League.’

The case comes just a few days after Tunisian player Majed Kailani was found guilty by the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) of fixing matches played in 2016.

Match fixing, like in other sports, has been plaguing tennis especially since there are official tournaments taking place at the same time all over the world, making it difficult for authorities to police all the events.

Who are the two individuals arrested and what are the charges?

Harsimrat Singh, 22, (a relative of Dandiwal) and Rajesh Kumar, 32, have received nine and 16 charges respectively. Both are residents of Point Cook, a suburb in Melbourne. They have been charged with using information regarding a fixed match to place a total of 22 bets.

According to the charges reported by the SMH, the duo were given information about “one or more of the players… and had arranged with Ravinder Dandiwal to manipulate the result of the match” or of players who had been “recruited (by Dandiwal) to engage in corrupt conduct.”

With the information, the pair placed 22 bets ranging from AUD 8.70 to AUD 25,000 on lower-level tennis matches, with an estimate of AUD 320,000 (around 1.66 crore INR according to today’s exchange rate) expected in winnings. It is also alleged that a part of the winnings are then shared with the players involved.

The pair had been arrested in 2018 and charges have been filed now awaiting a court hearing scheduled for September.

At what level of tennis does match fixing take place the most?

The problem is rife at the lower levels, mainly in the Futures events. Countries like Egypt and Brazil conduct numerous events at the lower level – which is perhaps why the syndicate had aimed to fix matches at these venues. The South American nation also hosts at least one Challenger event, along with the ATP 500 event at Rio de Janeiro, but the higher the level of a tournament, the less likely it is to be involved in match fixing owing to obvious scrutiny.

Why is match fixing prominent at the lower levels?

The players that normally compete at these events are ranked quite low and cannot get an entry to the better prize money events. These players tend to be unknown on the circuit, and since the prize money at this level is not lucrative, they are easy prey. The investigation by the Victoria Police also found that all the players targeted by Kumar and Singh’s group were ranked lower than 200.

What is the pay gap between tournament tiers?

The winner of the M25 event (the highest for a Futures event) in Nussloch, Germany is USD 3600. The amount is doubled to USD 7200 for the winner of the USD 50,000 Bangkok Challenger (a step up from Futures). In both these cases, the winner of the event has to win five matches in knockout format. Meanwhile, the first round loser at the main draw of the Australian Open received AUD 90,000, which is just under USD 62,000. All these events took place in the same week, commencing January 20, 2020.

The disparity in prize money at different levels has been a keen point of discussion after the tour was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving lower ranked players in particular without an income.

Has there been a case of a high profile player being involved in match fixing?

In January this year, former world no 69 Joao Souza of Brazil was banned for life by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) after an investigation revealed that he had been involved in match-fixing at Challenger and Future events in Brazil, Czech Republic, Mexico and the United States. Souza was also charged with failure to report approaches to fix matches, and also failing to cooperate with the investigation.

Do tennis governing bodies coordinate with betting firms to keep track of illegal activities?

Yes. The most prominent case was in 2007, when then world no 4 Nikolay Davydenko pulled out during his match against unfancied Argentine Martin Vassallo Arguello, who was ranked 87 at the time. During their second round match at an ATP event in Poland, betting company Betfair noticed bets being placed on the match to the tune of, according to a BBC report, UK Pound 3.4 million, which was about 10 times the usual money put on second round matches. Crucially, the bet was on Arguello winning the match, despite Davydenko claiming the first set.

Betfair considered void all the bets because of the alarming irregularity, and duly notified the ATP about the unusual pattern. The ATP began its investigation, but after a year cleared Davydenko and Arguello of any wrongdoing.

Has the ATP put up measures to quell unfair betting?

Yes. Though most ATP events are broadcast, there is a lag that can go up to a minute between the live action and pictures coming up on the television screen. During the lag, people in the audience can message punters, who can alter bets immediately before a particular point is televised.

Accordingly, the TIU sends a security team to monitor the crowd at stadia during ATP Tour matches. The team keeps an eye out for suspicious activity – for example, a fan using the phone or laptop frequently during a match. In such cases, security officials investigate the situation, and it may result in the fan being banned from attending tennis events in the future.

Have the governing bodies been proactive in their investigations?

Not entirely. In 2016, the BBC and BuzzFeed News conducted an investigation and revealed that “16 players who have ranked in the top 50 have been repeatedly flagged to the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) over suspicions they have thrown matches.”

The report claimed that some of the players were former Grand Slam winners. Another report from 2008 alleged that 28 players had been involved in illegal activities.

None of the findings however, were followed up on by authorities as the ATP was reluctant to dig into cases going back 10 years, according to BBC.

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For more than three years, expelled University of Southern California (USC) football player Matt Boermeester – embroiled in a Title IX assault accusation case – has been fighting the state legal system just for the chance to have his side heard on a federal level.

Despite a small and rare legal victory, the one-time National Football League (NFL) hopeful says he has a long way to go in his quest for due process in a life derailed by what he deems an unjust “male bias witch hunt.”

“The truth is important because the consequences for me have been so devastating. The truth is all I am seeking here,” Boermeester told Fox News this week. “You don’t realize, you are a kid at the time, that USC is trying to protect itself and its hundreds of millions of Title IX funding, not you as the student.”

Late last month, the California Court of Appeal reversed the trial court decision and overturned Boermeester’s January 2017 expulsion, ruling that his Title IX proceeding was “unfair.”

This paves the way for Boermeester, now 26, to forge ahead with a seven-count federal lawsuit against the prominent university on the grounds of “breach of contract, infliction of emotional distress, negligence and selective enforcement of Title IX,” the federal legislation that outlaws gender-based discrimination in the education system and obliges institutions to pursue investigations around sexual misconduct.

Andrew Miltenberg, an attorney for Boermeester, said it “is clear that USC used a flawed investigation method which included denying Matt the opportunity of real-time cross-examination of witnesses.”

“The next step is to push forward with the federal lawsuit, which has been filed, but we had to put it on hold while the California State Court gave us the right to move forward, which it just did. That suit will go into a discovery which will allow us to depose various witnesses and get to see what was in their (USC) records, which will help us prove this was unfounded, and expose the larger biases in the system,” he continued. “There is a long way to go; we have fought for four years just to get this far. The ruling was an important beginning, but it is not the end.”

Boermeester, then 22, was a member of the USC football team, who kicked the game-winning field goal for USC at the 2017 Rose Bowl.

But just days after the victory, and his first night off crutches after a post-season surgery, Boermeester’s life unraveled.

BRIAN BANKS BIOPIC PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON FALSE RAPE ALLEGATIONS AND THE LIVES IT DESTROYS

According to court documents, in the early hours of Jan. 21, 2017, two USC students heard some commotion and allegedly observed – from a window – Boermeester put his hand on his then-girlfriend Zoe Katz’s neck and push her against a wall near her apartment. One of the students reported this incident to the USC men’s tennis coach – their father – which sparked an investigation, as required by law.

Five days later, Boermeester was charged with “intimate partner violence” – despite the fact that the alleged victim stated on multiple occasions that such conduct never occurred. The honors student was handed a letter informing him of the charges and immediately escorted off campus, ejected with just two classes to go before graduation, suddenly slapped with F’s for other subjects, dropped from the football team, and instantly deemed persona non grata.

“I wasn’t allowed to go to class, I wasn’t allowed to talk to my coaches or teammates, and my eligibility to play had expired. I was completely cut off from everything,” he said. “The school quickly sent me a bill for the two classes I had left; they had already made up their mind that I was guilty.”

The descriptions of the incident from eyewitnesses painted a picture of a rough physical altercation, yet Boermeester contended that he and his then-girlfriend were merely “playing around” and “roughhousing” by throwing McDonald’s fries at one another.

But those few moments have proven to be life-altering.

As a result of the expulsion, Boermeester was unable to complete the two classes needed to receive his degree from USC and unable to resume his role on the USC football team, resulting in irreparable damage to his academic career and derailing aspirations to play in the NFL.

“Based on nothing more than a third-party report by a non-witness–essentially a rumor that was easily and repeatedly disputed–a star athlete lost his education and his future career in the NFL,” Miltenberg continued. “That window of opportunity is very small for an athlete, and now it is gone. Professional sports is absolutely shut down for anyone with a sexual assault mark on their transcript. It doesn’t matter how good they are.”

Not only could Boermeester not get a look in from other NFL teams, but he was made to forgo a scholarship to another school because of the F grades and the financial hold from the two remaining classes.

“I couldn’t even get a try-out or go to a camp because of the stigma on my name,” the once prominent kicker asserted. “And I couldn’t even graduate.”

Moreover, Katz maintained that she was never abused or mistreated by her partner, but was informed the Title IX office was obligated to investigate and could proceed without her consent. In Boermeester’s words, his then-girlfriend tried to “speak up” on his behalf but was “threatened with tampering with an investigation” and treated as something of a battered victim.

Miltenberg also emphasized that the case against his client was “predicated on unlawful gender stereotypes and motivated by a desire to demonstrate publicly the University’s harsh stance against male perpetrators of sexual misconduct, based on nothing more than a third-party report by a non-witness.”

CALIFORNIA PROFESSOR WHO ASKED STUDENT TO ‘ANGLICIZE’ NAME PUT ON LEAVE

As part of a court filing in the initial lawsuit, USC asserted that its investigation found Boermeester put his hands around Katz’s neck, “causing her to cough, and shoved her into a cinder block wall in the alley near her apartment at least twice” in the early hours of Jan. 21, 2017, and has staunchly maintained its position, citing surveillance video, in the case against Boermeester.

A representative for USC told Fox News in a statement that the school “disagree(s) with the appellate court’s decision and plan to appeal the case to the California Supreme Court.”

According to multiple attorneys interviewed by Fox News on the subject nationwide, more and more cases in a similar vein to Boermeester’s are now gaining traction in the justice system at a time when the Education Department is making sweeping changes to the way such investigations take place.

“The procedures at college campuses still stand out. Appeals like those in the recent Matt Boermeester case in California are becoming more common, as disturbingly deficient records reach appeals courts,” observed David Katz, a former assistant U.S. Attorney. “New rules encourage hearings by such standard, not a mere preponderance. New initiatives sent to campuses are a step in the right direction to try to get away from some colleges’ fawning acceptance and knee-jerk pursuit of accusations.”

Enacted in 1972, Title IX was initially designed to ensure that students have fair access to education without being discriminated against on the basis of sex. But decades later, the Department of Education started to clarify the law’s implications for on-campus sexual harassment and in 2011 – under the Obama administration – further defined that it is the responsibility of institutions of higher education “to take immediate and effective steps to end sexual harassment and sexual violence,” and threatened mass fines and the withholding of critical federal funding should schools fail to adequately fulfill Title IX responsibilities.

However, the controversy surrounding Boermeester’s case is just one of many being brought into the public limelight in the era of “Me Too,” contrasted with the notion of due process remains ripe for contentious debate.

Current Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who cited the Boermeester case in her argument for revising federal guidance on campus sexual assault verdicts, recently imposed a number of changes intended to restore due process protections to students accused of wrongdoing. One of the new mandates will also put a stop to the practice of universities launching Title IX investigations without the permission of alleged victims. The department advocated that the changes will “balance the scales of justice on campuses across America.”

“Aside from the increased protections for legitimate victims of sexual misconduct, there were sorely needed protections implemented for those accused to ensure all people are afforded proper access to education,” explained California-based criminal defense attorney, Troy Slaten. “Much like prosecutors around the country, universities understand that students – most of whom are already straddled with staggering debt – don’t have the ability to fight a protracted court battle to vindicate their rights. Universities have nearly limitless resources to take cases through several layers of appeal. As we see in the Boermeester case, he’s been fighting since before 2017 when he was expelled. At that rate, even a win is a loss for him and makes other students feel that they may have rights but with no remedies.”

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While slated to go into effect for the fall semester, the changes have also garnered significant opposition and steep concerns that the reforms will take campuses back to a time when rape and sexual harassment was carried out with impunity, and subsequently, democratic attorneys from 17 states and the District of Columbia have filed a lawsuit against DeVos in a bid to halt regulations passed last month restricting sexual misconduct cases falling under Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination. The state of New York also submitted its own complaint to the Supreme Court earlier this month, and Democratic Presidential hopeful Joe Biden has pledged to reverse the amendments if elected to the top job in November.

“While I may never get those years back, I won’t stop fighting for the truth in the court of law — or for other young men who may find themselves in my circumstances,” Boermeester added.

ZAGREB • Outspoken tennis star Nick Kyrgios led a barrage of criticism against the “boneheaded” decision to hold Novak Djokovic’s charity event in Croatia, after Borna Coric revealed he had become the second high-profile player to test positive for the coronavirus.

Croatia’s Coric, who played in the Adria Tour exhibition tournament last week, joined Grigor Dimitrov in getting the Covid-19 infection.

Dimitrov’s coach Kristijan Groh and world No. 1 Djokovic’s fitness coach Marko Paniki also tested positive, raising concerns for governing bodies who are bidding to restart the sport after a shutdown since March.

Last week, the ATP and the WTA issued revised calendars for the resumption of the circuit from August. But those plans may need to be redrawn, after the risks of athletes from different countries mixing without adhering to social distancing norms were highlighted.

“Boneheaded decision to go ahead with the ‘exhibition’ speedy recovery fellas, but that’s what happens when you disregard all protocols. This IS NOT A JOKE,” Australian Kyrgios said in a scathing social media post that featured three facepalm emojis.

Bulgarian world No. 19 Dimitrov played in Djokovic’s event in Belgrade and the second leg in the Croatian coastal resort of Zadar as did other top names like Austria’s Dominic Thiem (world No. 3) and Germany’s Alexander Zverev (7).

The tournament witnessed packed stands in Belgrade, players hugging at the net, posing for pictures and attending press conferences together.

Serbian Djokovic organised nights out in Belgrade and pictures and videos of him dancing with the other participants at his event were posted on social media. With both Serbia and Croatia easing lockdown measures weeks before the event, players were not obliged to observe social distancing rules in either country.

The Sunday final between Djokovic and Russia’s Andrey Rublev was cancelled as a precaution once Dimitrov tested positive.

Goran Ivanisevic, the director of the Zadar leg and Djokovic’s coach, was greeted with jeers from fans when he broke the news courtside.

BLAST FROM DOWN UNDER

Boneheaded decision to go ahead… speedy recovery fellas, but that’s what happens when you disregard all protocols.

” NICK KYRGIOS, Australian tennis player, on the lack of health measures.

---

NO HOLDS BARRED

Pure hubris. His exho so wrong on so many levels. And flaunting their no precaution behavior on Twitter.

” JON WERTHEIM, Sports Illustrated journalist, quoting a former player on the Adria Tour.

Fans also made their feelings known on social media, with Djokovic, who heads the ATP Tour players’ council, under fire from the tennis community for being irresponsible and not taking the pandemic seriously.

Responding to a Twitter user who was critical of Djokovic, Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim replied: “Can’t disagree… As a former player just wrote me: ‘Pure hubris. His exho so wrong on so many levels. And flaunting their no precaution behavior on Twitter makes everything moving forward for the sport tougher’.”

American great Chris Evert also criticised the organisers for the lack of social distancing, saying “… total physical contact, no face masks, even the fans were without masks.. I don’t get it.”

In a commentary for The Telegraph, tennis correspondent Simon Briggs’ described the positive test results as a “sad but predictable outcome of what can only be viewed as reckless management” and that the players “behaved as if they were immune to the virus”.

With international tennis suspended, 17-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic organised the tour as a charity event to be contested over four legs.

He reportedly took a coronavirus test yesterday after returning to Belgrade in the morning. The results were not available by press time.

Djokovic’s brother Djordje, the overall tournament director, told Sportske Novosti daily paper online edition: “Novak? He took this news very hard. We undertook all the measures prescribed by the governments of Serbia and Croatia.”

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

The ex-wife of a leading tennis player is standing by claims she was the victim of assault.

Nikoloz Basilashvili, who is ranked No. 27 in the world, was charged with violence against Neli Dorokashvili last month following a disagreement, according to a statement from the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia.

Basilashvili was released on a bail of 100,000 Georgian Lari ($31,300) and is due to return to court on July 16 for the next hearing. An investigation into the criminal case is ongoing.

In a statement on Basilashvili’s Facebook page posted after he posted bail, his legal representatives said the allegations are “false and totally unsubstantiated.” The couple, who have a five-year-old son together, divorced last year.

“We would like to ensure Nikoloz Basilashvili’s fans that video footage already submitted to the court evidences our client’s position and fully discharges him from the abovementioned untrue allegations,” a statement from the lawyers said.

However, Dorokashvili’s lawyer says there is evidence to support her claims.

“There are people who are witness to their relationship. There are some video records and audio records. There also some transcripts, there are dialogues of phone text messages and so forth,” Ana Abashidze told CNN.

“Unfortunately, the media covered the issue unfairly and the vast majority of the population of Georgia supported Basilashvili, not because of the aspects of the case, just because of Basilashvili’s reputation and because of his sex.

“But we are still trying to do our best to defend a young lady who is morally judged by the Georgian community.”

Basilashvili became the first Georgian to win an ATP Tour title with victory in Hamburg, Germany, in 2018.

He has gone on to win two more titles, including a defense of his crown in Hamburg last year.

“Nikoloz Basilashvili is deeply saddened by the false allegations and the ordeal he had to go through during the last few days; he also regrets the inconvenience for all friends and family members who have gotten involved,” the statement from his lawyers continued.

“At the same time, he would like to express his gratitude towards the general public for their unconditional support, and he will prove his complete innocence and allowing the whole truth to prevail.”

When contacted for comment, Basilashvili’s attorney Irma Chkadua pointed CNN to her Facebook page where she is providing regular updates on the case.

“We would like to state that (the) Georgian Tennis Federation has always condemned any form of violence,” said a statement from the sport’s national governing body.

“The incident involving Nikoloz Basilashvili is currently under police investigation and GFT will refrain from either announcing its position on the matter or making any comments until such investigation is completed.”

The ATP did not respond to a request for comment when contacted by CNN.

The Tour is currently suspended through to July 31 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The-CNN-Wire

The latest on protests against racism and police brutality from around the world.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond judge temporarily blocked Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Monday from removing a towering statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from the spot where it has stood for 130 years.

A Richmond Circuit Court judge granted a 10-day injunction sought by William Gregory, who contends in a lawsuit that the state promised to “affectionately protect” the statue when it annexed the land it stands on from Henrico County. The lawsuit identifies Gregory as the great-grandson of a couple who were signatories to the deed.

Northam, a Democrat, announced plans to remove the monument and put it in storage last week amid protests in Richmond and across the country against police brutality toward African Americans. The state appeared to be making preparations to move forward with removal this week, with no-parking signs posted nearby and neighbors notified that work was expected to begin in the coming days.

The 14-foot equestrian statue and its 50-foot base stand atop land annexed from Henrico County in the late 1890s. In the deed recording for the land transfer, the state “guaranteed” to “hold said statue and pedestal and circle of ground perpetually sacred to the monumental purpose” and to “faithfully guard it and affectionately protect it,” Gregory’s lawyer, Joseph Blackburn, argued in a court filing Monday.

“Our administration is still reviewing the order,” Northam spokeswoman Alena Yarmosky said. “Governor Northam remains committed to removing this divisive symbol from Virginia’s capital city, and we’re confident in his authority to do so.”

Blackburn emailed a copy of the order to The Washington Post on Monday evening but did not respond to requests for comment. The judge’s name is not clearly legible on the order.

Read the full story about the lawsuit over Richmond’s Robert E. Lee statue here.

Protesters decorate new barrier fence around White House

The miles of new fencing put up around the White House to prevent protesters from getting too close to the building has become a canvas for demonstrators to share messages in support of racial justice.

The fencing began going up around the complex a week ago after President Trump walked from the White House to visit a church that had been burned the night before. The president visited the church after tear gas was used to clear the area of demonstrators.

The fencing, which is over 8 feet tall, went up after multiple reports that Trump was rushed to a secure bunker during demonstrations in Washington.

However, the fences have become their own sort of destination. They have been converted into a makeshift crowd-sourced memorial wall — almost like an art gallery — to black men and women who lost their lives at the hands of police.

Hundreds of people were strolling, looking, adding names and paintings and posters on Monday.

The Secret Service said that areas around the White House, including Lafayette Park, would be closed until at least Wednesday, “in an effort to maintain the necessary security measures surrounding the White House complex, while also allowing for peaceful demonstration,” meaning the impromptu art gallery should stay up for at least a few more days.

Police chief in Portland, Oregon, resigns

SALEM, Ore. — Portland, Oregon’s police chief resigned on Monday, just six months into her job, amid criticism of her department’s handling of protests in Oregon’s largest city, and an African American lieutenant on the force replaced her.

The shakeup comes as police have been sharply criticized for using what has been called inappropriate force against some protesters as huge demonstrations continue in Portland.

“To say this was unexpected would be an understatement,” new Police Chief Chuck Lovell said at a news conference. “I’m humbled. I’m going to listen. I’m going to care about the community, and I’m looking forward to this journey.”

He and community leaders of color credited Jami Resch, who is white, for stepping down as George Floyd protests continue to roil the city.

Resch told the news conference that Lovell is “the exact right person at the exact right moment” to head the police department. Resch had replaced Danielle Outlaw, who was Portland’s first African American female police chief and who became Philadelphia police commissioner in February.

Resch said she suggested the shakeup to Mayor Ted Wheeler, who said he supported Lovell to lead the department as it moves through needed reforms.

“We need Chief Lovell’s leadership,” Wheeler said at the news conference. “We must re-imagine reform and rebuild what public safety looks like.”

Resch said she will stay with the department in a different role.

Demonstrators held two peaceful George Floyd protests in Portland but a third one that lasted until the early hours of Monday resulted in at least 20 arrests, with some demonstrators throwing objects at police, who fired tear gas and sponge-tipped projectiles.

The ACLU of Oregon has called on Portland police to end the use of tear gas, impact weapons and flash bang devices.

Hundreds line up for George Floyd’s memorial in Houston

HOUSTON — Hundreds of mourners lined up outside a church in George Floyd’s native Houston for a final public viewing Monday as his death two weeks ago at the hands of police continued whipping protesters, leaders and cities around the world into action over demands to address racial injustice and police brutality.

As the doors opened at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, where Floyd spent most of his life, Floyd was lying in an open gold-colored casket, dressed in a brown suit and blue tie. His body was escorted to what organizers say will be a six-hour public viewing that was expected to draw thousands of mourners.

Mourners, many wearing masks and T-shirts with the words “I Can’t Breathe,” stood 6 feet apart as they paused briefly to view the casket. Some made the sign of the cross as they passed by. On the stage behind the casket were two identical murals of Floyd wearing a black cap that read “Houston” and angel wings drawn behind him.

Among those expected to attend the service was Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has called Floyd’s death a “horrific act of police brutality.”

Comill Adams, her husband Lamar Smith and their children, 8-year-old Shermame and 10-year-old Saniyah drove 7 1/2 hours from Oklahoma City to attend the public memorial.

“We had been watching the protests on TV. We’ve been at home feeling outraged. At times it brought us to tears,” Adams said. “The fact this one is causing change, we had to come be a part of.”

Adams and her family wore matching black T-shirts that had “George Floyd 1974-2020” on the front and “I Can’t Breathe” on the back. Adams said she had the shirts made for the memorial.

Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped responding. His death has inspired international protests and drawn new attention to the treatment of African Americans by police and the criminal justice system.

Even as the service began, the impact of his death continued to resonate internationally. In Paris, France’s top security official said police will no longer conduct chokeholds that have been blamed for multiple cases of asphyxiation and have come under renewed criticism after Floyd’s death. And in Washington, Democrats in Congress proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures, a potentially far-reaching legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement.

Read the full story here.

Romney marches with evangelicals, becomes first Republican senator to join protests in D.C.

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, on Sunday became the first Republican senator known to march in one of the District of Columbia’s anti-racist demonstrations after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis nearly two weeks ago.

Wearing a mask and garnering little overt notice from fellow protesters, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee marched alongside hundreds of evangelicals at the head of a column of demonstrators that eventually swelled to more than 1,000 people.

Romney said in an interview that he wanted to find “a way to end violence and brutality, and to make sure that people understand that black lives matter.”

Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have waded through the throngs of outraged yet largely peaceful protesters in D.C., and civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., toured the city’s newly named “Black Lives Matter Plaza” on Sunday morning with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat.

Last week, Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, marched in his state. But Romney is the first Republican senator to publicize joining a demonstration.

President Donald Trump last week declared himself “your president of law and order,” and retweeted a letter from his former attorney John Dowd that referred to the protesters as “terrorists.”

Under a beating afternoon sun, protesters around Romney waved signs with biblical phrases and chanted: “Do justice! Do justice!”

At one point in the march, Romney held up his phone and – like so many other Americans have done in the past week – snapped a selfie of himself protesting. His quickly went viral.

Read the full story here.

Germany wants protesters to social distance

BERLIN — The German government is calling on people attending anti-racism protests to stick to coronavirus distancing rules.

At least 15,000 people demonstrated in Berlin and 25,000 protested in Munich on Saturday and there were protests in other German cities as part of the global demonstrations against racism and police brutality that have followed the May 25 death of American George Floyd.

In some cases, protesters were closely packed together despite German requirements for people to stay 1.5 meters (5 feet) apart.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Monday “it is good if people take to the streets in Germany as well with a clear statement against racism.”

But he added: “the pictures that in some cases emerged over the weekend were not good. Both things must be possible: to demonstrate peacefully, which is a fundamental right, and keep to the (social distancing) rules.”

He said many demonstrators “created a big risk for themselves and others.”

Germany has been widely praised for its adroit handling of the pandemic.

UK prime minister says protests ‘subverted by thuggery’ after slave trader’s statue torn down

LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says anti-racism demonstrations have been “subverted by thuggery” after protesters tore down a statue of a slave trader in the city of Bristol and scrawled graffiti on a statue of Winston Churchill in London.

London’s Metropolitan police say a dozen people were arrested and eight officers injured after demonstrators clashed Sunday with police in central London.

Johnson says while people have a right to peacefully protest, they have no right to attack the police. He says “these demonstrations have been subverted by thuggery – and they are a betrayal of the cause they purport to serve.’’

Crime, Policing and Justice Minister Kit Malthouse called Monday for those responsible for toppling the bronze memorial to slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol to be prosecuted.

But Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees told the BBC that while he doesn’t condone criminal damage, he felt no “sense of loss” for the statue.

Armed driver barrels toward Seattle protesters, shooting one before surrendering to police

A chaotic scene unfolded Sunday night in Seattle when an armed driver barreled toward a crowd of protesters, shooting one person who apparently tried to stop him, before ultimately surrendering to police, according to authorities and video footage of the incident.

The violence interrupted a peaceful protest in the name of George Floyd near the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Videos showed protesters appearing to chase after a black Honda Civic as it sped down the street toward a larger crowd, slowing just as it crashed into a metal barrier near an intersection. One protester caught up to the vehicle, video by the Seattle Times shows. The man appeared to try to reach inside the driver’s side window, when a shot rang out.

The protester jolted backward, falling onto the pavement. Bystanders and medics rushed to his aid. The suspect, who has not been identified by police, then exited the vehicle, as the people who had just surrounded his car fled in all directions.

“He’s got a gun!” people screamed in video taken by a Seattle Times reporter.

The suspect then headed toward the heart of the protest where hundreds were gathered in the street. With nowhere to go, some raised their hands in the air. Some lay on the ground.

The man ran through the crowd toward the police line on the other side of the protesters.

Once he emerged from the crowd, he walked toward police with his hands in the air. He walked nearly all the way up to the police line before officers took him away, video of the arrest shows.

Seattle police said the unidentified suspect is in custody and that a gun was recovered from the scene.

The Seattle Fire Department said the 27-year-old victim was transported to the hospital and is in stable condition.

With George Floyd’s death, French anger grows over police brutality

PARIS — France’s government is scrambling to address growing concerns about police violence and racism within the police force, as protests sparked by George Floyd’s death in the U.S. stir up anger around the world.

The country’s top security official, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, was holding a news conference Monday after Floyd-related demonstrations in cities around France. Castaner promised last week to be “unforgiving” with violations by police, but pressure is growing on the government to act.

French President Emmanuel Macron has stayed unusually silent so far both about Floyd’s death and what’s happening in France. Macron’s office says he spoke to the prime minister and other top officials over the weekend, and asked Castaner to “accelerate” plans to improve police ethics that were initially promised in January.

Last week, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation into racist insults and instigating racial hatred based on comments allegedly published by police in a private Facebook group.

Website Streetpress published a string of offensive messages that it said were published within the group, though acknowledged that it is unclear whether the authors were actual police officers or people pretending to be police. Some of the reported comments mocked young men of color who have died fleeing police.

Separately, six police officers in the Normandy city of Rouen are under internal investigation over racist comments in a private WhatsApp group. Both incidents have prompted public concerns about extreme views among French police.

French activists say tensions in low-income neighborhoods with large minority populations grew worse amid coronavirus confinement measures, because they further empowered the police.

At least 23,000 people protested in cities around France on Saturday against racial injustice and police brutality, even defying a police ban on such protests in Paris due to fears about spreading coronavirus.

Activists marched Monday in the western city of Nantes, and more demonstrations are planned in France on Tuesday, when Floyd is being buried.

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka speaks out for Black Lives Matter, faces backlash

TOKYO – Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka is under online attack in her birthplace, after speaking out about racial injustice and encouraging people to join a Black Lives Matter protest march.

Hundreds of people turned out in Tokyo and Osaka over the weekend to express their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and to protest racial injustice in the United States – as well as racism in Japan.

The protesters also took aim at Japanese police for allegedly targeting foreigners, after a Kurdish man claimed to have been stopped by police for no reason and shoved to the ground.

The protests have reopened a debate about racism in Japan – and provoked a backlash from right-wing nationalists.

Many people hoped that the rise of tennis player Osaka, born to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, to the top of the women’s world rankings would help encourage Japanese society to take a more accepting attitude to people known as “hafu,” or half-Japanese.

Osaka moved to New York with her family when she was 3-years-old, but said last year she was giving up her U.S. citizenship to represent Japan in the Tokyo Olympics, because Japan’s Nationality Act stipulates those who hold dual citizenship must choose one before their 22nd birthday.

But for some nationalists, it seems that their acceptance of Osaka is grudging at best – or conditional on her keeping her mouth shut on political issues.

Osaka began speaking out against racial injustice in the United States on Twitter last week, before encouraging people in Japan to join a march in support of Black Lives Matter in the western city of Osaka on Sunday.

Her comments sparked a flood of angry response, with some people arguing that the protest could spark a rise in covid-19 infections, and others arguing that racism was not a problem in Japan, or even that the demonstrations were organized by left-wing activists with an agenda.

“Naomi Osaka does not seem to be the pride of Japan,” one person tweeted. “This is my own personal view after all, but I now recognize her as a terrorist. I do not want her to get involved in tennis, which is played by gentlemen.”

The latest on protests against racism and police brutality from around the world

HOUSTON — Hundreds of mourners lined up outside a church in George Floyd’s native Houston for a final public viewing Monday as his death two weeks ago at the hands of police continued whipping protesters, leaders and cities around the world into action over demands to address racial injustice and police brutality.

As the doors opened at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, where Floyd spent most of his life, Floyd was lying in an open gold-colored casket, dressed in a brown suit and blue tie. His body was escorted to what organizers say will be a six-hour public viewing that was expected to draw thousands of mourners.

Mourners, many wearing masks and T-shirts with the words “I Can’t Breathe,” stood 6 feet apart as they paused briefly to view the casket. Some made the sign of the cross as they passed by. On the stage behind the casket were two identical murals of Floyd wearing a black cap that read “Houston” and angel wings drawn behind him.

Among those expected to attend the service was Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has called Floyd’s death a “horrific act of police brutality.”

Comill Adams, her husband Lamar Smith and their children, 8-year-old Shermame and 10-year-old Saniyah drove 7 1/2 hours from Oklahoma City to attend the public memorial.

“We had been watching the protests on TV. We’ve been at home feeling outraged. At times it brought us to tears,” Adams said. “The fact this one is causing change, we had to come be a part of.”

Adams and her family wore matching black T-shirts that had “George Floyd 1974-2020” on the front and “I Can’t Breathe” on the back. Adams said she had the shirts made for the memorial.

Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped responding. His death has inspired international protests and drawn new attention to the treatment of African Americans by police and the criminal justice system.

Even as the service began, the impact of his death continued to resonate internationally. In Paris, France’s top security official said police will no longer conduct chokeholds that have been blamed for multiple cases of asphyxiation and have come under renewed criticism after Floyd’s death. And in Washington, Democrats in Congress proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures, a potentially far-reaching legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement.

Read the full story here.

Officer charged in Floyd’s death scheduled for first court appearance

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis police officer charged with second-degree murder in George Floyd’s death was scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday.

Derek Chauvin, 44, is also charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s May 25 death. Floyd, a handcuffed black man, died after the white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after Floyd stopped moving and pleading for air.

Floyd’s death set off protests, some violent, in Minneapolis that swiftly spread to cities around the U.S. and the globe. Chauvin and three other officers on the scene were fired the day after Floyd’s death.

Chauvin is being held at a state prison in Oakdale. The other three officers — J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao — are charged with aiding and abetting. They remain in the Hennepin County jail on $750,000 bond.

Floyd’s death has ignited calls to reform the Minneapolis Police Department, which community activists have long accused of entrenched racial discrimination and brutality. A majority of Minneapolis City Council members said Sunday that they favor disbanding the department entirely, though they have yet to offer concrete plans for what would replace it.

“Nobody is saying we want to abolish health or safety,” Council Member Alondra Cano told WCCO-AM on Monday. “What we are saying is we have a broken system that is not producing the outcomes we want.”

The state last week launched a civil rights investigation of the department. On Friday, the council approved a stipulated agreement that immediately banned the use of chokeholds and neck restraints and included several other changes. That investigation is ongoing.

Romney marches with evangelicals, becomes first Republican senator to join protests in D.C.

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, on Sunday became the first Republican senator known to march in one of the District of Columbia’s anti-racist demonstrations after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis nearly two weeks ago.

Wearing a mask and garnering little overt notice from fellow protesters, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee marched alongside hundreds of evangelicals at the head of a column of demonstrators that eventually swelled to more than 1,000 people.

Romney said in an interview that he wanted to find “a way to end violence and brutality, and to make sure that people understand that black lives matter.”

Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have waded through the throngs of outraged yet largely peaceful protesters in D.C., and civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., toured the city’s newly named “Black Lives Matter Plaza” on Sunday morning with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat.

Last week, Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, marched in his state. But Romney is the first Republican senator to publicize joining a demonstration.

President Donald Trump last week declared himself “your president of law and order,” and retweeted a letter from his former attorney John Dowd that referred to the protesters as “terrorists.”

Under a beating afternoon sun, protesters around Romney waved signs with biblical phrases and chanted: “Do justice! Do justice!”

At one point in the march, Romney held up his phone and – like so many other Americans have done in the past week – snapped a selfie of himself protesting. His quickly went viral.

Read the full story here.

Germany wants protesters to social distance

BERLIN — The German government is calling on people attending anti-racism protests to stick to coronavirus distancing rules.

At least 15,000 people demonstrated in Berlin and 25,000 protested in Munich on Saturday and there were protests in other German cities as part of the global demonstrations against racism and police brutality that have followed the May 25 death of American George Floyd.

In some cases, protesters were closely packed together despite German requirements for people to stay 1.5 meters (5 feet) apart.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Monday “it is good if people take to the streets in Germany as well with a clear statement against racism.”

But he added: “the pictures that in some cases emerged over the weekend were not good. Both things must be possible: to demonstrate peacefully, which is a fundamental right, and keep to the (social distancing) rules.”

He said many demonstrators “created a big risk for themselves and others.”

Germany has been widely praised for its adroit handling of the pandemic.

UK prime minister says protests ‘subverted by thuggery’ after slave trader’s statue torn down

LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says anti-racism demonstrations have been “subverted by thuggery” after protesters tore down a statue of a slave trader in the city of Bristol and scrawled graffiti on a statue of Winston Churchill in London.

London’s Metropolitan police say a dozen people were arrested and eight officers injured after demonstrators clashed Sunday with police in central London.

Johnson says while people have a right to peacefully protest, they have no right to attack the police. He says “these demonstrations have been subverted by thuggery – and they are a betrayal of the cause they purport to serve.’’

Crime, Policing and Justice Minister Kit Malthouse called Monday for those responsible for toppling the bronze memorial to slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol to be prosecuted.

But Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees told the BBC that while he doesn’t condone criminal damage, he felt no “sense of loss” for the statue.

Armed driver barrels toward Seattle protesters, shooting one before surrendering to police

A chaotic scene unfolded Sunday night in Seattle when an armed driver barreled toward a crowd of protesters, shooting one person who apparently tried to stop him, before ultimately surrendering to police, according to authorities and video footage of the incident.

The violence interrupted a peaceful protest in the name of George Floyd near the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Videos showed protesters appearing to chase after a black Honda Civic as it sped down the street toward a larger crowd, slowing just as it crashed into a metal barrier near an intersection. One protester caught up to the vehicle, video by the Seattle Times shows. The man appeared to try to reach inside the driver’s side window, when a shot rang out.

The protester jolted backward, falling onto the pavement. Bystanders and medics rushed to his aid. The suspect, who has not been identified by police, then exited the vehicle, as the people who had just surrounded his car fled in all directions.

“He’s got a gun!” people screamed in video taken by a Seattle Times reporter.

The suspect then headed toward the heart of the protest where hundreds were gathered in the street. With nowhere to go, some raised their hands in the air. Some lay on the ground.

The man ran through the crowd toward the police line on the other side of the protesters.

Once he emerged from the crowd, he walked toward police with his hands in the air. He walked nearly all the way up to the police line before officers took him away, video of the arrest shows.

Seattle police said the unidentified suspect is in custody and that a gun was recovered from the scene.

The Seattle Fire Department said the 27-year-old victim was transported to the hospital and is in stable condition.

With George Floyd’s death, French anger grows over police brutality

PARIS — France’s government is scrambling to address growing concerns about police violence and racism within the police force, as protests sparked by George Floyd’s death in the U.S. stir up anger around the world.

The country’s top security official, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, was holding a news conference Monday after Floyd-related demonstrations in cities around France. Castaner promised last week to be “unforgiving” with violations by police, but pressure is growing on the government to act.

French President Emmanuel Macron has stayed unusually silent so far both about Floyd’s death and what’s happening in France. Macron’s office says he spoke to the prime minister and other top officials over the weekend, and asked Castaner to “accelerate” plans to improve police ethics that were initially promised in January.

Last week, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation into racist insults and instigating racial hatred based on comments allegedly published by police in a private Facebook group.

Website Streetpress published a string of offensive messages that it said were published within the group, though acknowledged that it is unclear whether the authors were actual police officers or people pretending to be police. Some of the reported comments mocked young men of color who have died fleeing police.

Separately, six police officers in the Normandy city of Rouen are under internal investigation over racist comments in a private WhatsApp group. Both incidents have prompted public concerns about extreme views among French police.

French activists say tensions in low-income neighborhoods with large minority populations grew worse amid coronavirus confinement measures, because they further empowered the police.

At least 23,000 people protested in cities around France on Saturday against racial injustice and police brutality, even defying a police ban on such protests in Paris due to fears about spreading coronavirus.

Activists marched Monday in the western city of Nantes, and more demonstrations are planned in France on Tuesday, when Floyd is being buried.

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka speaks out for Black Lives Matter, faces backlash

TOKYO – Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka is under online attack in her birthplace, after speaking out about racial injustice and encouraging people to join a Black Lives Matter protest march.

Hundreds of people turned out in Tokyo and Osaka over the weekend to express their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and to protest racial injustice in the United States – as well as racism in Japan.

The protesters also took aim at Japanese police for allegedly targeting foreigners, after a Kurdish man claimed to have been stopped by police for no reason and shoved to the ground.

The protests have reopened a debate about racism in Japan – and provoked a backlash from right-wing nationalists.

Many people hoped that the rise of tennis player Osaka, born to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, to the top of the women’s world rankings would help encourage Japanese society to take a more accepting attitude to people known as “hafu,” or half-Japanese.

Osaka moved to New York with her family when she was 3-years-old, but said last year she was giving up her U.S. citizenship to represent Japan in the Tokyo Olympics, because Japan’s Nationality Act stipulates those who hold dual citizenship must choose one before their 22nd birthday.

But for some nationalists, it seems that their acceptance of Osaka is grudging at best – or conditional on her keeping her mouth shut on political issues.

Osaka began speaking out against racial injustice in the United States on Twitter last week, before encouraging people in Japan to join a march in support of Black Lives Matter in the western city of Osaka on Sunday.

Her comments sparked a flood of angry response, with some people arguing that the protest could spark a rise in covid-19 infections, and others arguing that racism was not a problem in Japan, or even that the demonstrations were organized by left-wing activists with an agenda.

“Naomi Osaka does not seem to be the pride of Japan,” one person tweeted. “This is my own personal view after all, but I now recognize her as a terrorist. I do not want her to get involved in tennis, which is played by gentlemen.”

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“We would like to ensure Nikoloz Basilashvili’s fans that video footage already submitted to the court evidences our client’s position and fully discharges him from the abovementioned untrue allegations,” a statement from the lawyers said.

However, Dorokashvili’s lawyer says there is evidence to support her claims.

“There are people who are witness to their relationship. There are some video records and audio records. There also some transcripts, there are dialogues of phone text messages and so forth,” Ana Abashidze told CNN.

“Unfortunately, the media covered the issue unfairly and the vast majority of the population of Georgia supported Basilashvili, not because of the aspects of the case, just because of Basilashvili’s reputation and because of his sex.

“But we are still trying to do our best to defend a young lady who is morally judged by the Georgian community.”

Basilashvili became the first Georgian to win an ATP Tour title with victory in Hamburg, Germany, in 2018.

He has gone on to win two more titles, including a defense of his crown in Hamburg last year.

“Nikoloz Basilashvili is deeply saddened by the false allegations and the ordeal he had to go through during the last few days; he also regrets the inconvenience for all friends and family members who have gotten involved,” the statement from his lawyers continued.

“At the same time, he would like to express his gratitude towards the general public for their unconditional support, and he will prove his complete innocence and allowing the whole truth to prevail.”

Neither Basilashvili nor his legal representative responded to CNN’s request for comment. In a Facebook post on May 28, Basilashvili’s attorney Irma Chkadua said the lawyers will no longer be commenting to the media.

“We would like to state that (the) Georgian Tennis Federation has always condemned any form of violence,” said a statement from the sport’s national governing body.

“The incident involving Nikoloz Basilashvili is currently under police investigation and GFT will refrain from either announcing its position on the matter or making any comments until such investigation is completed.”

The ATP did not respond to a request for comment when contacted by CNN.

The Tour is currently suspended through to July 31 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Tbilisi: Georgian tennis player Nikoloz Basilashvili has been charged with assaulting his former wife, his lawyer Irma Chkadua said.

Basilashvili, ranked 27th in the world, has denied allegations that he attacked Neka Dorokashvili in front of their five-year-old son and he has been released on 100,000 lari ($26,000) bail.

The preliminary court hearing is scheduled for 16 July.

Basilashvili, 28, faces up to three years in prison, if found guilty.

Basilashvili is one of the most successful tennis players in Georgia’s history, having won three ATP 500 titles since his debut as a professional in 2008. He has also been an ever-present name at the Majors, last reaching the third round of a Grand Slam at the 2019 Australian Open, where he was eliminated by Stefanos Tsitsipas.

LOS ANGELES — Dodgers pitcher David Price has pledged to donate $1,000 to each Dodgers minor leaguer in June.

The aid will go to those not currently on the 40-man roster — a little more than 200 players in all.

NFL: Pro Football Hall of Famer Floyd Little, who starred in the NFL for the Denver Broncos, has been diagnosed with cancer, according to former Syracuse teammate Pat Killorin, who has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for treatment costs. Little, a three-time All-American at Syracuse from 1964-66, was selected sixth overall in 1967 by the Broncos. He led the NFL in rushing yards (1,133) and yards from scrimmage (1,388) in 1971 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010. … Roosevelt Taylor, a star safety on the Chicago Bears’ 1963 NFL championship team, has died at 82. No cause was given. Taylor was an All-Pro in 1963 and made the Pro Bowl that year after leading the league in interceptions with nine. Taylor earned another selection to the Pro Bowl in 1968.

College basketball: Florida point guard Andrew Nembhard is removing his name from the NBA draft and returning to school — just not in Gainesville. A team spokesman said that Nembhard plans to transfer and will have two years of college eligibility left.

NBA: The Washington Wizards reopened their practice facility and began voluntary workouts after the city lifted restrictions.

Autos: The Austrian Health Ministry approved safety conditions which could allow Austria to host season-opening Formula One Grand Prix races on July 5 and 12.

College football: The College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta was badly damaged and looted by protesters in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis.

Hockey: Mark Pavelich, the famed “Miracle on Ice” Olympic player charged with assaulting his neighbor last fall, has been found competent to stand trial. Pavelich, 62, was civilly committed after allegedly striking a neighbor with a long metal pole and causing serious injuries after accusing the neighbor of “spiking his beer.”

Tennis: Fabio Fognini, ranked 11th, said he underwent arthroscopic surgery on both of his ankles.

— Wire reports