Barcelona has been fined 25,000 euros ($26,680) by UEFA on Thursday for the racist conduct of their fans during the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain.

Alongside the fine, Barcelona faces a suspended ban on selling tickets to their supporters for their next away European match.

The tie concluded with Barcelona’s defeat, losing 6-4 on aggregate after PSG secured a 4-1 victory in the second leg.

Following the incident, Paris police questioned two individuals after videos emerged on social media showing one fan making monkey noises and another performing Nazi salutes at the Parc des Princes on April 10th.

UEFA said “The UEFA Appeals Body has decided to fine FC Barcelona 25,000 euros and to ban the FC Barcelona from selling tickets to its away supporters for its next UEFA competition match, for the racist behaviour of its supporters.

“Said ban from selling tickets to its away supporters is suspended for a probationary period of one year, starting from the date of the present decision.” It added

Tunde Onakoya, the founder of Chess in Slums Africa, has revealed plans to challenge the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest chess marathon without suffering a loss.

He made the announcement on his social media page on Friday.

Biztellers reports that Onakoya aims to play continuous chess games for 58 hours, aiming to secure victory in each match.

In addition, Onakoya expressed his aspiration to empower illiterate children throughout Africa through this endeavor.

The event is scheduled to take place at Times Square, New York City, on April 17th.

He wrote, “On the 17th of April 2024, I will attempt to break the Guinness World record for the longest Chess marathon in the heart of Times Square New York City for 58 hours without losing a game. 

“Doing this for the dreams of millions of children across Africa without access to education. You guys have been rock solid for me through the years.

“So I need all of us to come together now more than ever to show the world that the Nigerian spirit is unwavering and we can do great things from a small place against all odds.”

The current GWR for the longest chess marathon stands at 56 hours, 9 minutes, and 37 seconds, achieved by Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad, two Norwegians, on November 11, 2018.

Chess in Slums Africa, a non-profit organization is  for its use of chess to promote education and foster champions within disadvantaged communities, is spearheading this initiative.

European Premier League clubs have given their full backing to the introduction of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) for the 2024-25 season.

The decision, announced by the Premier League, is set to see the implementation of the system following an international break in September or October.

SAOT, previously deployed by FIFA during the 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar, is designed to refine offside rulings.

SAOT is expected to reduce the duration of a video assistant referee (VAR) check for offside by approximately 31 seconds.

The Premier League stated that this state-of-the-art technology will deliver faster and more consistent placement of the virtual offside line, utilizing optical player tracking.

Additionally, the league highlighted that SAOT will generate high-quality broadcast graphics, aiming to enhance the experience for both stadium attendees and television viewers.

One objective is to introduce the technology for FA Cup matches hosted by Premier League clubs next season, as well as for the semi-finals and final at Wembley Stadium.

However, decisions regarding whether a player in an offside position is interfering with play, or if a defensive player’s contact with the ball is deliberate and keeps an attacker onside, will still rely on the subjective judgment of the on-field referee.

SAOT was previously tested at the 2021 Arab Cup and Club World Cup, where it was estimated to have reduced the time required for offside VAR decisions from 70 to 25 seconds.

Despite these efforts to improve accuracy and efficiency, the use of VAR for offside calls remains a contentious issue in the top flight, with several high-profile incidents sparking debate in recent seasons.

In September, a breakdown in communication resulted in VAR failing to overturn an erroneous decision to disallow a goal by Luis Diaz for offside during Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Tottenham.

The absence of semi-automated technology in the Premier League this season, despite its use in the Champions League and FIFA competitions, has been a source of frustration for some.

League officials emphasize that while the technology, tested and analyzed throughout the current campaign, will not eradicate delays entirely, it should expedite decisions, especially for the marginal calls that currently seem to linger indefinitely.

It’s being asserted that the average reduction will be 31 seconds.

Similar to goalline technology, the implementation of SAOT should instill greater confidence in decision-making processes and minimize the chances of missed offsides.

While it’s widely accepted that perfection isn’t achievable in football, this advancement should diminish the potential for errors.

However, the current manual crosshair placement will still be accessible as a backup in case SAOT encounters any technical issues.