ZURICH — Gianni Infantino is the new president of soccer’s corruption-scarred world governing body, winning election after promising national leaders of the sport that he would share the wealth from FIFA’s $5 billion World Cup revenues.
Infantino was chosen on the second-ballot to fill the unexpired term of longtime FIFA leader Sepp Blatter, who was forced out by the pressure of U.S. and Swiss investigations of bribery and corruption that emerged two days before the previous vote in May 2015.
The stunning outcome seemed to catch the 45-year-old Infantino off-guard. He had to compose himself before starting his acceptance speech and saluted voters by patting his heart with his right hand.
Infantino pledged to meet quickly with World Cup broadcasters and sponsors, saying they “they need to regain trust and confidence in football and in FIFA.”
“I am convinced a new era is starting,” said the Swiss-born former lawyer. Blatter headed FIFA for more than 17 years.
Infantino only became a candidate when a case of financial wrongdoing removed his own boss, Michel Platini, at Europe’s soccer body UEFA.
There were only four candidates on the ballot after Tokyo Sexwale withdrew during his campaign speech to voters. The four were Infantino, UEFA’s general secretary; Sheikh Salman of Bahrain, the Asian confederation president; Prince Ali of Jordan; and Jerome Champagne of France.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Atlantic Coast Conference reprimanded Duke guard Grayson Allen for an incident involving Florida State’s Xavier Rathan-Mayes.
The league issued a three-paragraph statement after reviewing the game, saying Allen was reprimanded for his “involvement in the tripping of” Rathan-Mayes.
ACC officials say the matter is closed and they will not comment further.
Allen stuck his left leg out and Rathan-Mayes tripped and fell with 3.4 seconds left in No. 15 Duke’s 80-65 home victory Thursday night. That incident happened after Rathan-Mayes appeared to grab the back of Allen’s jersey in an attempt to fling himself downcourt.
Official Tony Greene, positioned next to the players, did not call a foul.
In a victory over Louisville two weeks earlier, Allen received a flagrant foul for tripping the Cardinals’ Ray Spalding.
GOLF
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — PGA Tour officials say Jason Bohn suffered a mild heart attack after the second round at the Honda Classic.
The tour says Bohn complained of chest pains after his round and went to see a medical staff at PGA National. He was taken by ambulance to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, where tests revealed a mild heart attack.
Bohn was staying in the hospital overnight until more tests Saturday. He was in stable condition.
His wife was home in Atlanta, though her parents were with Bohn at the hospital.
The 42-year-old Bohn is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour who is No. 71 in the world. He is among the more popular players who often partners with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
BASEBALL
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Indians outfielder Abraham Almonte has been suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.
MLB said Friday that Almonte tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid generally used by veterinarians on horses.
The 26-year-old outfielder will not be allowed to play in regular season games until July, but can play in spring training.
Almonte was likely to compete for a starting job in the outfield while Michael Brantley works his way back from a shoulder injury.
NBA
MIAMI — Joe Johnson has agreed to sign with Miami, a move that would give the Heat a shooter that they craved for the stretch run.
A person with knowledge of the negotiations spoke with the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been signed.
Johnson could sign with the Heat as early as Saturday when he clears waivers. The earliest Johnson — who was bought out by the Brooklyn Nets earlier this week — could play for the Heat is Sunday, when they visit the New York Knicks.
It’s a complex move for the Heat, who made a series of deals at the trading deadline to get under the luxury-tax threshold and avoid the highly punitive repeater tax. The team was planning to wait until the second week of March to add a player, then would add another in the final week of the season to fill the roster but still escape the repeater.
Barring another move, those plans are now changed. The Heat have long had a philosophy that they would pay the tax if they deemed a move worthwhile, and Johnson’s shooting ability apparently qualifies as such.
HORSE RACING
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah is a dad in waiting.
Coolmore’s Ashford Stud said that Untouched Talent is in foal to American Pharoah. The announcement comes two weeks after the 12-year-old mare became the lucky first lady to be bred to racing’s first Triple Crown winner in 37 years.
A tweet sent by Coolmore says “It’s very early days but we’re happy to confirm Untouched Talent (dam of Bodemeister) is in foal to American Pharoah.”
If all goes well, the first of many baby Pharoahs is about 11 months away.
American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes to become the 12th Triple Crown champion, and closed his racing career with a win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He was retired after the race, and stands at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky, with a $200,000 stud fee.
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