charity -- Hopeys Heart Foundation -- so the withdrawn fin

LONDON -- FIFA President Gianni Infantino has suggested having 16 three-team groups if the World Cup expands to 48 countries.Members of the FIFA Council received a recommendation from world soccers governing body setting out five proposed formats for its showpiece event from 2026 -- two 48-team team options, two 40-team options and sticking at 32.---48 TEAMSInfantino first advocated a new, opening playoff round for 32 of the 48 finalists. The 16 winners would then join 16 seeded teams to begin a 32-team group stage that follows the current World Cup format.But with 16 teams going home after only one game, that idea met with opposition at a meeting of 20 FIFA member nations in Paris last month.Ahead of a meeting of Asian soccer nations in Singapore this week, Infantino drew up a new configuration for a 48-team World Cup that FIFA hopes is easier to understand.All qualifying nations would start out in 16 groups of three teams. The top two teams advance to a new round of 32, with the bottom-place team going home after two matches. The finalists would still play a total of seven games, limiting potential opposition from clubs who send their players on international duty.But only having three games in each group raises the possibility of teams being hard to separate on points, goals scored or goal difference. FIFA is exploring how to determine which teams advance in that scenario, with administrators mulling if penalty shootouts could be used for bonus points.---40 TEAMSInfantino championed a mathematically-clunky 40-team World Cup before being elected in February.Although Sepp Blatters successor no longer backs this plan, two options will still be on the table when the FIFA Council meets in January. There could be eight groups of five teams or 10 groups of four.---32 TEAMSFor the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, there will be no change to the 32-team format that has existed since 1998.However, with Infantinos term ending in 2019, giving more countries a chance to play on world soccers biggest stage would be a popular move among many federations.Everyone sees that the increase of the participation for the World Cup is really a tool to promote football in more countries, Infantino said last month.---Rob Harris is at www.twitter.com/RobHarris and www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports Cody Ford Jersey . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. Doug Flutie Bills Jersey . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. http://www.shoptheofficialbills.com/Elite-Cody-Ford-Bills-Jersey/ . 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NEW YORK -- The WNBA has withdrawn its fines for teams and players who showed support of citizens and police involved in recent shootings by wearing black warm-up shirts before games.WNBA president Lisa Borders said in a statement Saturday that the league was rescinding penalties given to the Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury and their players for wearing the shirts during pregame protests, which began after shootings in Minnesota and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.While we expect players to comply with league rules and uniform guidelines, we also understand their desire to use their platform to address important societal issues, Borders said. Given that the league will now be suspending play until August 26 for the Olympics, we plan to use this time to work with our players and their union on ways for the players to make their views known to their fans and the public.Borders also tweeted her support for the players.Each organization had been fined $5,000 and players were each given a $500 penalty because WNBA rules state that uniforms may not be altered in any way. The normal fine for uniform violations is $200.The fines seemed to galvanize the players, who have used postgame interview sessions and social media to voice their displeasure. There has also been public criticism of the fines, including from New York Knicks star?Carmelo Anthony.Its a huge win overall, said Fever All-Star Tamika Catchings, who is president of the players union. I think more than anything I told [Borders] at times youre going to agree to disagree. With this, Im really proud of the players standing strong and for utilizing their voices. Change starts with us. We have a social responsibility as well.The Rev. Al Sharpton said early Saturday that his organization, the National Action Network, would pay the $500 fines. He called the penalty unacceptable.The Liberty wore the plain black shirts four times, including Wednesday against Washington. Indiana and Phoenix donned the shirts Tuesday night before their nationally televised game.We commend Lisa Borders for recognizing how the players of the WNBA felt and the sensitive time that were living in and being willing to re-evaluate their decision,?Liberty president Isiah Thomas said.dddddddddddd We are also very proud of our players; the world is seeing what we already knew. Theyre truly incredible, thoughtful and talented individuals. Our league, our partners and our society are better because of our players willingness to enter the political and social activism arena.The fines were administered Wednesday, and neither the Fever nor the Liberty wore the shirts at their matinee game Thursday. Tina Charles did wear her warm-up shirt inside-out in honor of a shooting in Florida that morning.Charles said she was happy that the league rescinded the fines. She has donated her entire salary this year to her charity -- Hopeys Heart Foundation -- so the withdrawn fine means more money that will help buy automated external defibrillators.Still, she said it was embarrassing that the players had been fined in the first place.The only good thing that came out of it is that the 70 percent of the WNBA that are African-Americans are protected when the jerseys are on. We are united with police officers, she said. When we take off our jerseys and we are out there, we could be next.We were able to show our voice. People responding to me said you gained a fan, not because of what I do on the court, but the act I did. We have followers now because of who we are, not what we do.WNBA teams abided by the uniform rule Friday -- the final day of games before the monthlong Olympic break. Washington Mystics players had shirts saying Black Lives Matters in the locker room after their game Friday night. Seattle Storm and Minnesota Lynx players tweeted pictures of their teams wearing black shirts featuring a Martin Luther King Jr. quote before their game. To avoid getting fined, they didnt wear those shirts on the court.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. ' ' '