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16 - 31 December 2002 15 December 2002 Ricard Involved In Fatal Car Crash Former Colombia and Middlesbrough striker Hamilton Ricard suffered injuries in a car accident which claimed the life of a 17 year-old boy and injured three others. Ricard was in the car when it veered off the road and hit a tree. It is not known if Ricard was driving at the time of the crash. 14 December 2002 €1.4 Billion Deal For French Club Canal Plus will pay French clubs €480 a season between 2004-2007 for broadcast rights to matches. 13 December 2002 More Injury Misery For Bridges Leeds striker Michael Bridges is out for the rest of the season after snapping an achilles tendon during the clubs UEFA Cup defeat by Malaga. Bridges has barely kicked a ball over the past two seasons after struggling to recover from knee and ankle injuries. 11 December 2002 Maradona's Doctor Arrested Colombian Hernando Mauricio Vergara was arrested at Cali airport in possession of four pounds of cocaine which he tried to hide in his luggage. Vergara gained notoriety when treating the World's most famous drug addict Diego Maradona. Libertadores Funds Slashed Funds for next years Copa Libertadores have been slashed by $9 million dollars to just $20 million. From the first round of games teams will be paid $105,000 every home match with the figure rising to $1.6 million for the winners. Two Match Ban For Barca Barcelona have been given a two match ban and fined a paltry €4,000 for the disgraceful crowd behaviour during last month's derby game with Real Madrid. 7 December 2002 Dacourt Blasts Venables "We should be in the top four with our squad. We are 16th, just three points above the drop. It's a disgrace. The losses to Bolton and Charlton have damaged morale. It's frightening. I had an excellent relationship with O'Leary. We appreciated each other and talked a lot. Now Venables is the manager and I'm the player, full stop and at a time when France call me up for Euro 2004 games, he leaves me in the stand without an explanation. I want to play regularly for France so I have to be playing. I love England but if I have to play elsewhere then why not?" Fortune Out For 3 Months Man United midfielder Quinton Fortune is out for three months after breaking his leg during his team's 2-1 victory over Liverpool. 5 December 2002 Puma New Sponsors of the Azzurri Puma have signed a four year deal to supply the Italian national team, junior teams and women's team with kit and other equipment. The deal will earn the FIGC just over €6 million a season. 2 December 2002 Defender Arrested Following Shooting 21 year old Universitario Mario 'Machito' Gomez and his cousin Raul Urbina were arrested after allegedly being involved in a shooting at a party which left a man injured and Urbina's ex girlfriend in a coma. |