Global Sport

Senior customs inspector Craig Fleming said in the report that there is widespread belief that the Sydney Games could be the quot;dirtiestquot; in history.

Organised crime has moved into sport with individual criminals and syndicates involved in the trafficking of sports drugs, according to the report.

The trade is estimated to be worth four trillion US dollars a year internationally.

To date the government has committed no resources to stop the trafficking of anabolic steroids.

Fastest women8217;s meet to feature six best

CHENGDU: Six of the world8217;s fastest women, including world sprint queen Marion Jones, prepared today to face off in a 100-metre sprint in the southwest Chinese city of Chengdu.

But the absence of last year8217;s number two and three 8212; GailDevers of the United States and Merlene Ottey of Jamaica 8212; means the race tomorrow is likely to be dominated by Jones and Chinese hopeful Li Xuemei.

At stake in the race is a one-million-Yuan 120,482 bonus for anyone breaking Florence Griffith-Joyner8217;s 10-year-old world record of 10.49 seconds.

The other sprinters lined up to compete in the 100 metres race include Savatheda Fynes of The Bahamas, who was last year8217;s bronze medallist at the World Championships in Athens, and Carlette Guidry, a member of the winning US 4215;100 metre relay team at the 1996 Olympics.

Atherton overcomes low score sequence

LONDON: Former England captain Michael Atherton ended a sequence of low scores with a timely 98 for Lancashire in the English 40-overs league yesterday.

With the international matches against the touring South Africans starting later this month, Atherton8217;s innings against Derbyshire at Old Trafford eased the England selectors8217; concern over his form.

Since returning from the tour of Caribbean,Atherton8217;s scores in all domestic competitions have been 0, 33 not out, 11, 12, 28, 1 and 0 for an average of only just over 14.

Atherton8217;s half-century will have given him some renewed confidence to carry into Lancashire8217;s last two championship matches before selectors name their side for the first Test against South Africa.

Woods ends victory drought

DULUTH: Tiger Woods captured his first US PGA Tour title in 10 months, overcoming three early bogeys to post a one-shot victory in the Bellsouth Classic.

Woods had not won in his native country since last season8217;s Western Open. But he birdied the 10th and 13th holes before parring the final five to complete an even-par 72 for a 17-under 271. He had used a course-record 63 on Saturday to build a three-stroke cushion, and edged Jay Don Blake by a stroke.

Woods8217; only victory this year was a triumph in Thailand, his mother8217;s homeland. This week he was playing for the first time since a disappointing eighth-place tie at the Masters.

Woods, 22,added his seventh US Tour victory to a pair of runner-up finishes this year. The 3,24,000 first prize made him the third PGA Tour player to eclipse one million dollars in 1998 earnings.

Blake finished second while Mexico8217;s Esteban Toledo and former Nike Tour standout Steve Flesch tied for third at 14-under 274.

Batistuta set to leave Fiorentina

ROME: Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta is ready to leave Fiorentina, the player8217;s agent Settimio Aloisio has said.

quot;Batistuta wants to leave Florence and possibly join another Italian club,quot; Aloisio said after watching Batistuta score one goal 8212; his 21st this season 8212; in Fiorentina8217;s 4-1 victory yesterday against Lazio in the next to last round of the Italian league.

quot;He8217;s now going to join the Argentine National team. It8217;s possible that today8217;s match was his last with a Fiorentina jersey,quot; Aloisio said.

The agent said Batistuta was being sought by Roma, AC Milan and Lazio.

Batistuta, who8217;s expected to lead Argentina8217;s offense in the WorldCup finals in France, has been playing with Fiorentina since 1991.

Ronaldo meets the Pope in private

VATICAN CITY: Inter Milan8217;s Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo was received in private by Pope John Paul II here today.

The footballer, who was accompanied by his mother, had long been hoping for a private audience with the Pope, following his arrival in Italy last summer.

Kiwis are dangerous, says Fernando

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka8217;s new cricket manager says New Zealand8217;s unpredictability makes it a quot;dangerousquot; team.

New Zealand, which arrives later this month for a seven-week tour of Sri Lanka, quot;has been doing everything right,quot; but still not winning, Ranjit Fernando was quoted as saying by the state-run The Daily News today. quot;Such a team is a dangerous one, because you don8217;t know when they will come good.quot;

quot;My belief is that success has no magic formula,quot; said Fernando, who took over the manager8217;s post from Duleep Mendis over the weekend.

Sri Lanka also replaced Australian coachBruce Yardley with Sri Lankan Roy Dias.

Jordan gladdens home state fans

CHARLOTTE: Was this Michael Jordan8217;s last tongue-wagging game in his home state of North Carolina?

With possible retirement an issue raised in virtually every NBA city this season, the question didn8217;t escape Jordan last night as the Chicago Bulls defeated the Charlotte Hornets 94-80 to take a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semi-final series.

The Bulls can close out the best-of-7 series in Chicago on Wednesday night. If they lose, they will return to the Charlotte Coliseum for game 6.

The Bulls had game 4 well in hand by the end of the third quarter, but many fans hung around for the final horn to flash photos of what may be Jordan8217;s final NBA appearance in his home state.

Parents also stood with children three and four deep along the Bulls route to their bus, hoping for one last autograph, or one last smile from arguably basketball8217;s best player ever.

Jordan, who still refused to show his hand when asked againabout possible retirement, scored 31 points to lead the Bulls in scoring, increasing his double-digit scoring streak to a remarkable 1,001 straight games.

Jordan was born in Wilmington and won a National championship while playing for the university of North Carolina in 1982.

Jordan hopes the next time he returns to North Carolina will be to visit his mother, not play game 6 against the Hornets.