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Abramovich no longer paying Hiddink's wages
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Photo REUTERS
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Roman Abramovich's National Football Academy will no longer
pay Russian national team coach Guus Hiddink's wages, a top Russian football
official has said.
"We haven't had any contact with Hiddink recently and have received
nothing to say that Guus is tearing up his contract," Alexei Sorokin,
the general director of Russian football's governing body said.
"Despite this, we have received a fax from the National Football
Academy saying that, as from January, the fund will no longer pay Guus'
wages," the Russian Football Union (RFU) official went on.
The National Football Academy is financed by Russian billionaire and Chelsea
FC owner Abramovich and in December 2008 the fund paid $5 million into
the RFU's account to guarantee Hiddink's wages.
Media reports in Italy claim that Hiddink, who has been offered a contract
with Russia until Euro 2012 after his current deal runs out this summer,
is set to become Juventus coach. After leading Russia to the semi-finals
of Euro 2008, Hiddink failed to get the side to the 2010 World Cup, losing
in a play-off to Slovenia.
The Russian Football Union will elect a new president on February 3. Former
Zenit St. Petersburg president Sergei Fursenko is widely expected to be
appointed to the post and his links with Gazprom mean the energy giant
is likely to take over from Abramovich as the main source of funding for
the Russian Football Union.
National Football Academy head Sergei Kapkov pulled out of the race to
head the Russian Football Union in December. "Some important people
have told me not to put my name on the ballot," he said.
Vitaly Mutko, the former head of Russian game's ruling body, resigned
late last year after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the union
should not be headed by a political figure. Mutko has served as sport,
tourism and youth minister in the government since May 2008.
RIA
Novosti, January 13, 2010
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