Georgia get all-clear for qualifiers

IRELAND’s World Cup group rivals Georgia will be permitted to stage two Group qualifiers next month in the nation’s capital Tbilisi.

Georgia’s ‘home’ game against the Republic earlier this month was switched to the German city of Mainz after Tbilisi was deemed unsafe following fighting with Russia over the breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Georgia host Cyprus on October 11 while Bulgaria will visit Tbilisi on October 15.

Meanwhile, Man Utd midfielder Anderson has been cleared of any wrongdoing after a notorious drug dealer was arrested at his home in Brazil.

Richard Alex da Silva Martins ‘Gigi’ was detained at the home of the Brazil international after a year-long investigation, but Public Ministry official Ricardo Herbstrich stressed Anderson was not involved in the case.

Herbstrich, who led the operation in the Menino Deus neighbourhood in Porto Alegre, confirmed: “There is nothing against Anderson in this investigation. According to what we have, he is just a friend of the dealer and maybe he doesn’t even know he is a criminal.”

Agent Paulo Tonietto, who manages Anderson’s businesses in Brazil, added: “The only thing I can say is that Anderson, as well as any other person, can be a friend of whoever he wants, but he is not involved in any crime.

“Anderson is a professional and he will offer an explanation of what has happened soon.”