New racism probe launched against Croatia

WARSAW, Poland — Croatia is facing a second charge over the racist behavior of its fans after UEFA launched a new investigation against the country’s football federation following crowd incidents during a European Championship match.

The proceedings relate to “the improper conduct of supporters (display of racist banners and symbols)” during Monday’s Group C match against Spain in Gdansk, UEFA said Wednesday

UEFA is also investigating “the setting-off and throwing of fireworks” by Croatia fans and the “improper conduct of the team,” which had six players booked during the 1-0 loss.

The new probe was opened by UEFA only a day after it fined the Croatian FA (euro) 80,000 ($101,000) for its supporters’ racist abuse of Italy forward Mario Balotelli in the team’s second match at Euro 2012. Stadium monitors showed 300 Croatia fans making monkey noises at Balotelli, who is black.

The association was also fined (euro) 25,000 ($31,500) last week for its fans’ behavior at an earlier match against Ireland.

Croatia was eliminated from Euro 2012 after finishing third in its group.

UEFA’s disciplinary body will deal with the new case on Sunday.

UEFA President Michel Platini said at a media briefing on Monday that the poor behavior of Croatian fans had soured an otherwise impressive tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

After saying he was “not happy with the Croatian people,” Platini described the atmosphere at Euro 2012 stadiums as “99 percent great. The people who come to the stadiums, they were nice, except some Croatians.”

Croatia’s games against Ireland and Italy were both delayed to clear fireworks and smoke from the field after goals by the Croatians.

On Sunday, Croatia coach Slaven Bilic defended his country’s image after UEFA announced its first racism charge against the federation.

“We are not a racist country and that’s why we are so angry with these couple of crazy supporters,” Bilic said.

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Empire Challenge notebook: Explosive Bedell earns MVP honors in Long Island rout

It was the big finish everyone came to see as part of a huge day for William Floyd running back Stacey Bedell.

“They kept saying, 'Stacey when are you going to break a long run,'" he recalled.

The answer was the third quarter.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound speedster finally broke free of New York City defense on a sudden cutback, getting into the second level and outrunning the city's safeties to the end zone. The electric 92-yard score midway through the third quarter was the backbreaker in Long Island’s dominant 31-7 win over NYC in the 17th annual Empire Challenge senior all-star football game at Hofstra University Tuesday night. Bedell’s burst came immediately after NYC was stopped on a fourth-down run on the 1-yard line.

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Team Long Island's Mike Richardson celebrates a touchdown during the 31-7 victory over Team New York City.

Photos: Empire Challenge

“My first touchdown was a short run,” said Bedell, who earned game MVP honors. “Everyone is used to me breaking a long run. I guess that one was it right there.”

It was the third time he found the end zone, his first two scores 1-yard runs in the first and third quarters, respectively. Bedell rushed 15 times for 137 yards altogether. He was coming off a remarkable season in which he ran for a Long Island Championship game-record 412 yards and scored four touchdowns in a 54-47 win over East Meadow. Bedell, the co-winner of the 2011 Hansen Award, given to the most outstanding player in Suffolk County, had 2,532 rushing yards as a senior, the third-highest total in Suffolk history.

"That was a big play for them, obviously," NYC coach Sean O'Connor said of the 92-yard dash to pay dirt. "He put on the jets. He's got some good explosion."

Fort Hamilton’s Ibric leads NYC’s defensive effort: Mensur Ibric gave his team the playmaking lift it needed on defense. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound defensive end shot through the line and blocked Long Island’s first PAT attempt and earned a sack of kicker Ryan Norton after a botched snap after on the second extra point.

“The offense wasn't really producing,” Ibric said. “The defense has to make plays, make things happen, pump the whole team up, get the momentum [on our side].”

It appeared the Sacred Heart-bound standout had made that play when he forced Isaiah Barnes to fumble and recovered the ball on the Long Island 48-yard line with New York City down just 12-0 midway through the second quarter. It came a play after Dan Low was intercepted by Brian VonBaren, but the city drive stalled at the Long Island 31.

“I just went and made the play, try to be an athlete,” Ibric said.

Empire Challenge enjoys second straight record-breaking crowd: Boomer Esiason said he is approached by kids all the time about the Empire Challenge, which benefits his foundation for cystic fibrosis.

“They say, ‘I’m going to be here in two years Mr. Esaison,’" the former New York Jets quarterback said. “It’s something to shoot for. We want to make it really special for them.”

The size of the crowds the last two years have shown exactly that. Last season they packed 11,992 people into Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium. Tuesday night the record was shattered with 12,418 fans in the stands.

It showed Esaison that after 17 years, the game has taken hold as something people look forward to. Esiason feels it is better promoted better now through the media, particularly with his WFAN morning radio show he co-hosts with Craig Carton.

“What has taken root here is a lot of the younger kids who will be in the game next year will be in the crowd and kids that are ninth-graders, eighth-graders and seventh-graders come to this game," Esiason said. "They have seen it over the years. Their parents have seen it.”

jstaszewski@nypost.com

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NHL plans to take Devils from owner Vanderbeek

EXCLUSIVE

Hockey is getting ready to freeze out New Jersey Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is preparing to take control of the money-losing hockey franchise in the event Vanderbeek fails to refinance the Devils’ debt before a looming Aug. 14 deadline, The Post has learned.

In recent days, the commissioner’s office has told potential suitors to be ready in case he moves on the team and pushes Vanderbeek aside, a source close to the situation said.

Vanderbeek is near a deal to sell a majority stake to a mystery investor, which would allow him to keep control of the Eastern Conference champions, one source said. The proceeds from a sale would be used to repay lenders much of the $77 million in past due debt.

But while Bettman has said publicly that he expects the Devils’ financial situation to be resolved soon, his behind-the-scenes moves suggest he’s far from confident that a deal will get done.

His skepticism shouldn’t come as a surprise. Since the Devils missed a principal payment in September, Vanderbeek has said several times he was close to a solution to the team’s debt woes, only to come up short.

When the team made it to Stanley Cup finals this spring, the team’s lenders agreed to extend the deadline for when they could put the team in default from early July to August, sources said.

Asked about the Devils before Game 1 of the finals last month, Bettman said Vanderbeek “is working to both refinance the debt on the club and equity-raise, and he appears to be fairly confident that he can pull this off in the next few weeks.”

Bettman added, “Since I’ve been in touch with the banks on a regular basis, we seem to be on track.”

The commissioner is expected to give Vanderbeek a few more weeks to complete a financial restructuring but will not wait until the Aug. 14 deadline passes, sources said.

The NHL would likely force him out sooner to give suitors enough time to study the team’s financials and make an offer to lenders before the bankruptcy deadline, according to sources.

Moreover, new investors may not want to buy the team and leave Vanderbeek in charge, sources added.

Faced with losing control of the team, Vanderbeek could also decide to put the Devils into bankruptcy and buy himself several months to arrange a restructuring plan.

Thanks to their success on ice this year, when the team staged an upset win over the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Championships, the Devils could go from losing $20 million in the regular season to almost breaking even next year, sources said.

The Devils declined to comment, while the NHL did not return calls.

jkosman@nypost.com

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Egypt Showdown Gains Momentum

Egypt1_G_20120618183217.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" alt="[EGYPT1]" height="369" width="553"/> Reuters

Supporters of Mohammed Morsi gather in Tahrir Square Monday.

CAIRO—The Muslim Brotherhood appeared headed for a showdown with Egypt's ruling generals hours after claiming victory in Egypt's first freely contested presidential election, even as the military sought to assure the public it would hand over power.

The Brotherhood, intent on reclaiming some of the powers that the military has claimed for itself in recent days, said it would convene Parliament on Tuesday in defiance of a court order dissolving the body, and called on Egyptians to take to the streets to challenge the military's recent moves to consolidate power.

The calls sets up a possible showdown with security forces who have been ordered to keep all lawmakers from entering the Parliament building.

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Maj.-Gens. Mohamed el Assar, left, and Mamdouh Shahin address a news conference.

The Brotherhood's presidential candidate, Mohammed Morsi, and his rival, ex-Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, both claimed victory in the weekend vote. But the Brotherhood's precinct-by-precinct reporting of results convinced many analysts it was the more reliable of the two camps, showing Mr. Morsi winning 52% of the vote.

Mr. Shafiq's campaign has claimed victory by the same margin, but hasn't provided numbers of its own to challenge the Morsi campaign's results for any individual precinct.

Instead, Mr. Shafiq's campaign appears to be hoping the Presidential Election Commission will back its allegations of voter fraud and irregularities to tip the race in Mr. Shafiq's favor.

Mr. Shafiq's candidacy was made possible by the commission, which rejected a law passed by the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated Parliament—and approved by the military—that would have banned Mr. Shafiq from running because of his ties to the old regime.

Likely president-elect Mohamed Morsi promises to unite Egyptians after the Muslim Brotherhood declares early victory. Video courtesy of Reuters.

The commission is headed by a judge who was appointed to the Supreme Court by former President Hosni Mubarak and came up as a judge serving in state security courts used to try political dissidents. The commission's decisions are unappealable.

The confrontation with the Brotherhood, brewing for months, has boiled over in just the past week, as the Egyptian state seemed to mobilize on multiple fronts to trim the Brotherhood's political ambitions.

On Wednesday, the military-appointed Minister of Justice declared martial law, giving the military sweeping powers to enforce law and order. On Thursday, the Supreme Court, which is stacked with Mubarak-era judges, dissolved Parliament on a technicality. The country's ruling generals claimed all of the Parliament's legislative powers for itself.

Then on Sunday, shortly after polls closed in the presidential vote, the military issued a constitutional decree that gave the country's top generals many of the executive powers previously reserved for the president.

The Brotherhood and the secular opposition ranks denounced what they perceived as a military coup.

But the ruling appears to have convinced many revolutionaries, who had been considering boycotting the weekend vote, that the military and remnants of the Mubarak regime were a far greater threat than the Brotherhood, pushing them to vote for Mr. Morsi despite unease with the group's Islamist ideology.

The U.S. military, which is Egypt's primary source of military aid, also relayed its concern to Egypt's ruling generals.

"We're deeply concerned about new amendments to the constitution declaration, including the timing of their announcements as polls were closing for the presidential election," Pentagon spokesman George Little said Monday.

Facing a freshly united opposition, and criticism from its most important ally, the military tried to assuage public opinion on Monday. Two Egyptian generals convened a rare news conference in which they reiterated the military's commitment to handing over power to a civilian president by June 30.

"Everyone is blowing this out of proportion," said Maj. Gen. Mohammed el-Assar, a member of the interim ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. "No one will return Egypt to the past, no matter who wins the presidency."

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Era of Chaos Erodes Cairo's Influence in the Arab World

Egypt Military Tightens Grip

Egypt's incoming president, Gen. Assar said, would still retain the power to appoint ministers and veto legislation, despite the legislative authority the military has assumed.

"We want a little more trust in us," said Gen. Assar. "Stop the criticisms that we are a state within a state. Please. Stop."

Later on Monday, the military announced the formation a new National Defense Council that would bring together the country's newly elected leaders and top generals. It wasn't clear what the council's duties would be.

The Brotherhood and other opposition forces are looking for far more substantive concessions from the country's military rulers. It plans to convene Parliament as scheduled, in defiance of the Supreme Court ruling.

In a victory speech early Monday morning, Mr. Morsi followed the conciliatory tone and made no mention of Islamic law, instead stressing the group's commitment to building a civil, democratic and constitutional state.

Secular opposition activists said both sides of the Islamist-secular divide appeared to have been jolted to put aside their deep differences by the recent steps by the military to consolidate power.

"They now seem more willing to cooperate with us," said Shadi Ghazali Harb, a secular revolutionary youth leader who has been meeting regularly with the Brotherhood in recent days. "We hope this cooperation will extend to more than just talking and saying good stuff."

—Matt Bradleyand Tamer El-Ghobashy contributed to this article.

Write to Matt Bradley at matt.bradley@dowjones.com and Charles Levinson at charles.levinson@wsj.com

A version of this article appeared June 19, 2012, on page A6 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Egypt Showdown Gains Momentum.

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I can’t turn my back on my baby

The creator of the 401(k) plan concedes there may be problems — including too many options and high fees, but he says all those are fixable in a strong economy.

Ted Benna (right), who in the early ’80s devised the most popular IRA, believes the problems of all retirement plans, both private and public, are highlighted when the economy is bad.

“All retirement programs are dependent on a strong economy. And right now the stock market has poor returns. And the bond market looks very bad,” he says. And bonds, he notes, are where many retirees have traditionally put a big part of their assets, hoping to live off the yield.

Yet Benna believes the 401(k), with certain reforms, can still be an effective retirement savings vehicle. The biggest problem today, he believes, is that workers don’t know how to use the plan and too often switch among a plethora of confusing investment choices.

“We need to simplify the array of confusing investment choices,” he says.

The solution?

Plans should automatically put workers into a mix of long-term life-cycle funds. Workers need to be educated in how to use 401(k)s and all other retirement vehicles, Benna says.

“Convince workers to stay through the ups and downs of the market, to invest for the long term.”

stock market, 401(k), economy, retirement

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Furyk has a share of lead at U.S. Open

SAN FRANCISCO — Graeme McDowell was trying to be complimentary when he said to have success at a U.S. Open you have to play “Jim Furyk golf.” When asked to explain, it took him some time to find the right words.

“I don’t like the word ‘plodder,’’’ McDowell said. “It’s kind of a little bit disrespectful.’’

Truth is, Furyk doesn’t mind being called “a plodder.” In fact, he considers it a compliment, especially when it puts him atop the leaderboard as it has done after two rounds of the 112th U.S. Open at the Olympic Club.

Call him what you want, but Furyk has been one of the few to finish the first 36 holes in red numbers. A 1-under par 69 yesterday, coupled with an even-par 70 on Thursday, had him at 1-under for the tournament and tied for the lead with Tiger Woods and David Toms going into today’s third round.

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THE SOUND AND THE FURYK: Jim Furyk, putting on the second hole yesterday, has a share of the lead at the U.S. Open heading into the third round today.

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Jim Furyk.

U.S. OPEN HOLE BY HOLE

So go ahead and call him a plodder. He doesn’t mind, especially when it comes to dealing with the difficult setup at the Olympic Club.

“I think the way the golf course is set up, that’s pretty much what you need to do,” Furyk said. “Get the ball in the fairway or in a playable spot as best you can, get the ball on the green or in a playable spot as best you can and try to make four.

“I’m just trying to plod,” he added. “I think it’s a good word. You take what the course gives you and play the best you can from there.”

That style of patient, precise play helped Furyk win the 2003 U.S. Open at Olympia Fields for the only major championship of his career. It also served him well yesterday.

He made three birdies on the day, two on par-3s at the third and 15th holes, and could have added a couple more. He missed a 15-footer for birdie at the par-4 10th, and narrowly missed a birdie at the par-4 18th.

At age 42, Furyk said he is confident he still has what it takes to win another major.

“I realize that the window’s not wide open anymore,” he said. “I have a lot more good years behind me than I probably do ahead of me, but I still feel like I’ve got some game. I’ve got some more tournaments to win. And I’ve always said, we’re judged by the number of events we win and by the number of major championships we win.

“It would be a blessing for me to get another major championship under my belt. And I feel like in the next few years I have the opportunity still to be able to do that.”

It might even come in the next few days.

george.willis@nypost.com

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Sponsors and fans stick by Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong still can’t be beat.

Despite this week’s allegations that the 40-year-old cycling champ turned triathlete used performance-enhancing drugs, his corporate sponsors and fans are sticking with him.

Sponsors — including Nike, sunglasses brand Oakley and Anheuser-Busch — issued statements of support yesterday for Armstrong while marketing experts and shoppers agree that the Texan’s achievements and positive image outweigh the allegations.

“He’s successfully ridden out past allegations about this before,” Kevin Adler, president of Engage Marketing, a leading Chicago-based sports marketing firm, told The Post. “This is just another first round. What he’s proven is that over time, due process works very well in his favor.”

Tamara Beckwith/NY Post

Despite recent doping allegations, cycling champ Lance Armstrong (above) still has the support of his fans, including Thom Rowland, who said he’ll continue buying Livestrong merchandise.

The public seems to have a distinct separation between accusations and proven facts before making their judgments, Adler said.

“Personal achievement has earned him the right to reclaim celebrity status no matter what the outcome,” said branding expert Jarrod Moses of United Entertainment Group.

Armstrong is accused by the US Anti-Doping Agency of using the performance enhancing drug, EPO, and human growth hormone.

Similar accusations have dogged Armstrong for years, and he has continuously and strenuously denied them.

The charges may lead to him being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.

With the USADA charges, Armstrong cannot compete in any triathlons.

He was training for a June 24 event in France.

Armstrong has until next Friday to respond to the allegations.

Shoppers at the Niketown store on 57th Street were far from ready to castigate the cyclist.

“There is no question of his perseverance and dedication and focus on the positive,” Thom Rowland, 46, of Castle Rock, Colo., a colon cancer survivor shopping at Niketown, told The Post.

On the drug scandal, Rowland said he’d keep an open mind until the verdict.

“Everybody was doing it back then,” he said. “Was he at an advantage if everyone was doing it? But the flip side is, cheating is cheating.”

Queens resident Lucas Mendoza, 31, was buying a Livestrong T-shirt despite the doping charges.

“He is a good person,” Mendoza said. “He has done a lot of good things for people. I’m getting one of the shirts.”

The Livestrong foundation supports people with cancer. According to IRS filings, the not-for-profit based in Austin, Texas, brings in $43 million in tax-free money per year.

The company earns around $30 million from licensing the brand to stores such as Niketown where a T-shirt can cost $38.

The foundation plows back about $28 million annually to the public in marketing awards to health centers to raise awareness about ways of dealing with the disease.

While fans and sponsors are keeping the faith, Adler did say it may be wiser for those companies looking to jump onto the Armstrong brand to wait.

“If your brand is considering a new deal with Lance Armstrong, you might want to ride this one out. For new deals, I’d call this one a definite hold.”

catkinson@nypost.com

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