Mexican second division teams appeal to CAS for promotion and relegation reinstatement
Associated Press
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Ten of 16 second division teams seeking to reinstate promotion and relegation in Mexico have filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Among the disgruntled is Atlante, a club that was founded in 1918 and has won two league titles but was relegated in 2014.
Since the Mexican Soccer Federation halted promotion in the 2019-2020 season, the Potros de Hierro have won the second division three times.
'There's a document where it was established that promotion and relegation was suspended until 2026, but it did not say that it was cancelled,' said Atlante's owner Emilio Escalante.
The other nine clubs are Atlético La Paz, Atlético Morelia, Cancún, Cimarrones, Alebrijes Oaxaca, Mineros, Venados, Leones Negros and Jaiba Brava.
The Mexican soccer federation declined to comment on the appeal because they have not been notified of it.
The CAS said that it has not yet scheduled a date for a hearing.
The owners of the 18 top-flight teams voted to halt promotion and relegation for six seasons, arguing that it would help to consolidate the second-division clubs before moving into the first division.
Each second division team receives $845,000 a year. Those that finish in the last three places after the two-tournament season are forced to pay a combined $8 million that is spread among the clubs.
'That economic support they provide has remained the same for the past five years and it's meaningless now. Everything costs more now,' said Escalante.
Escalante bought Atlante in 2020 and accepted the league conditions.
"They promised they would reopen promotion in 2026. We are very close to that date and they don't say anything,' Escalante added.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer in this topic
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
26 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle expected to miss 8-12 weeks with hamstring strain
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle is expected to be out eight to 12 weeks with a right hamstring strain that has already landed him on the injured list. Interim manager Tony Mansolino said Friday that an MRI revealed a Grade 2 strain. Mountcastle was injured May 30 in a 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox . 'It's incredibly disappointing,' Mansolino said. 'I feel for him, the group feels for him, but we've got to move forward. We've got some good players here that will step up and pick up the slack.' The Orioles got the news on Mountcastle before they had a season-best, six-game winning streak stopped in a 5-4 loss to the Athletics on Friday night. Mountcastle is hitting .246 with 13 doubles, two homers, 15 RBIs and a .628 OPS through 52 games. He was hitting .298 in May with seven hits in his previous 12 at-bats before the injury. Ryan O'Hearn and top prospect Coby Mayo will split time at first base. The 23-year-old Mayo appeared in his ninth game of the season on Friday after playing in 17 games while making his big league debut a year ago. ___ AP MLB:
Hamilton Spectator
26 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Lebanon aims to lure back wealthy Gulf tourists to jumpstart its war-torn economy
BEIRUT (AP) — Fireworks lit up the night sky over Beirut's famous St. Georges Hotel as hit songs from the 1960s and 70s filled the air in a courtyard overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The retro-themed event was hosted last month by Lebanon's Tourism Ministry to promote the upcoming summer season and perhaps recapture some of the good vibes from an era viewed as a golden one for the country. In the years before a civil war began in 1975, Lebanon was the go-to destination for wealthy tourists from neighboring Gulf countries seeking beaches in summer, snow-capped mountains in winter and urban nightlife year-round. In the decade after the war, tourists from Gulf countries – and crucially, Saudi Arabia – came back, and so did Lebanon's economy. But by the early 2000s, as the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah gained power, Lebanon's relations with Gulf countries began to sour. Tourism gradually dried up, starving its economy of billions of dollars in annual spending. Now, after last year's bruising war with Israel, Hezbollah is much weaker and Lebanon's new political leaders sense an opportunity to revitalize the economy once again with help from wealthy neighbors. They aim to disarm Hezbollah and rekindle ties with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, which in recent years have prohibited their citizens from visiting Lebanon or importing its products . 'Tourism is a big catalyst, and so it's very important that the bans get lifted,' said Laura Khazen Lahoud, the country's tourism minister. On the highway leading to the Beirut airport, once-ubiquitous banners touting Hezbollah's leadership have been replaced with commercial billboards and posters that read 'a new era for Lebanon.' In the center of Beirut, and especially in neighborhoods that hope to attract tourists, political posters are coming down, and police and army patrols are on the rise. There are signs of thawing relations with some Gulf neighbors. The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have lifted yearslong travel bans . All eyes are now on Saudi Arabia , a regional political and economic powerhouse, to see if it will follow suit, according to Lahoud and other Lebanese officials. A key sticking point is security, these officials say. Although a ceasefire with Israel has been in place since November, near-daily airstrikes have continued in southern and eastern Lebanon, where Hezbollah over the years had built its political base and powerful military arsenal. Tourism as a diplomatic and economic bridge As vital as tourism is — it accounted for almost 20% of Lebanon's economy before it tanked in 2019 — the country's leaders say it is just one piece of a larger puzzle they are trying to put back together. Lebanon's agricultural and industrial sectors are in shambles, suffering a major blow in 2021, when Saudi Arabia banned their exports after accusing Hezbollah of smuggling drugs into Riyadh. Years of economic dysfunction have left the country's once-thriving middle class in a state of desperation. The World Bank says poverty nearly tripled in Lebanon over the past decade , affecting close to half its population of nearly 6 million. To make matters worse, inflation is soaring, with the Lebanese pound losing 90% of its value, and many families lost their savings when banks collapsed. Tourism is seen by Lebanon's leaders as the best way to kickstart the reconciliation needed with Gulf countries — and only then can they move on to exports and other economic growth opportunities. 'It's the thing that makes most sense, because that's all Lebanon can sell now,' said Sami Zoughaib, research manager at The Policy Initiative, a Beirut-based think tank. With summer still weeks away, flights to Lebanon are already packed with expats and locals from countries that overturned their travel bans, and hotels say bookings have been brisk. At the event hosted last month by the tourism ministry, the owner of the St. Georges Hotel, Fady El-Khoury, beamed. The hotel, owned by his father in its heyday, has acutely felt Lebanon's ups and downs over the decades, closing and reopening multiple times because of wars. 'I have a feeling that the country is coming back after 50 years,' he said. On a recent weekend, as people crammed the beaches of the northern city of Batroun, and jet skis whizzed along the Mediterranean, local business people sounded optimistic that the country was on the right path. 'We are happy, and everyone here is happy,' said Jad Nasr, co-owner of a private beach club. 'After years of being boycotted by the Arabs and our brothers in the Gulf, we expect this year for us to always be full.' Still, tourism is not a panacea for Lebanon's economy, which for decades has suffered from rampant corruption and waste. Lebanon has been in talks with the International Monetary Fund for years over a recovery plan that would include billions in loans and require the country to combat corruption, restructure its banks, and bring improvements to a range of public services, including electricity and water. Without those and other reforms, Lebanon's wealthy neighbors will lack confidence to invest there, experts said. A tourism boom alone would serve as a 'morphine shot that would only temporarily ease the pain' rather than stop the deepening poverty in Lebanon, Zoughaib said. The tourism minister, Lahoud, agreed, saying a long-term process has only just begun. 'But we're talking about subjects we never talked about before,' she said. 'And I think the whole country has realized that war doesn't serve anyone, and that we really need our economy to be back and flourish again.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Fox Sports
29 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Lindor comes through as pinch hitter in 9th on broken toe, hits 2-run double as Mets beat Rockies
Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Francisco Lindor had a soothing remedy for his broken right pinky toe — a go-ahead hit. Questionable before Friday's game, the Mets shortstop entered as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning and delivered a two-run double to send New York to a 4-2 win over the Colorado Rockies. Lindor sent a cutter from reliever Zach Agnos (0-2) into right field to score Juan Soto and a sliding Pete Alonso. It was Lindor's first go-ahead, pinch-hit RBI of his career, according to the postgame notes. 'Once it comes to those moments, I'm just there to make something happen,' Lindor explained. 'Just get a good pitch, and whatever happens, happens. Don't let the moment get too big.' He tuned out any pain from his toe once he stepped into the batter's box. 'Something is not 100% for sure. But I'm not the only one,' Lindor said. 'I would say most of the guys are not 100%. So there's no excuses." Lindor said manager Carlos Mendoza asked him around the fourth or fifth inning if he might be available to hit. His response was simple. 'I said, 'Yeah,'' Lindor recounted. Lindor's availability — pain and all — comes as no surprise to Alonso. 'That's really special, having a teammate willing to put his body on the line every single day like that,' said Alonso, who had a big game with his bat (a two-run double), his arm (he threw out a runner at home in the fifth) and his sliding ability (he avoided a tag at home on Lindor's double). 'That's a true pro, in my opinion, and he embodies that.' Lindor's pinky toe was broken by a pitch from Dodgers right-hander Tony Gonsolin in the first inning on Wednesday. He sat out Thursday and recovered enough to pinch-hit Friday. He may even be in the lineup on Saturday. 'I would like to start,' Lindor said. 'It's going to be up to the trainers and (Mendoza) and we are going to make a decision together. ... Hopefully tomorrow I'll wake up in a good spot.' Lindor is hitting .282 with 14 homers and 38 RBIs this season. He finished runner-up to Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani in the NL MVP race last season. Ronny Mauricio filled in for Lindor at shortstop against the Rockies on Friday. He had a double in the eighth, his first hit since being called up Tuesday. Manaea makes rehab start In Wilmington, Delaware, Mets lefty Sean Manaea made a rehab start for High-A Brooklyn against the Blue Rocks. He threw 36 pitches — 26 strikes — over 1 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and three earned runs. Manaea, who has been sidelined all season by an oblique injury, struck out two and didn't walk a batter. The 33-year-old Manaea re-signed as a free agent with the Mets for $75 million over three years. He went 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA in 32 starts last season. ___ AP MLB: recommended
