Global Sport

Shelbourne are concerned that events across the border at Drumcree, where a banned march by the Orange Order has led to civil unrest by the Protestant loyalist community could affect the match.No new date or venue has yet been agreed.

Moore ex-wife turns down museum offer
LONDON: The former wife of England captain Bobby Moore has rejected an offer from the Football Museum of over one million pounds (about Rs 6.72 crores) for a collection of her late husband’s memorabilia.

Tina Moore wanted about two million for the collection of more than 100 itemsfrom Moore’s career including trophies and winner’s medals from the 1966 World Cup final, the 1964 FA Cup and 1963 European Cup Winner’S cup.Despite a 100,000 pounds (about Rs 69 lakhs) contribution from English Premier League clubs, the museum could offer just more than one million, director Kevin Moore said. Bobby Moore died of cancer five years ago after a glittering football career.

Vogts apologises to Fifa for comments
BONN: Germany coach Berti Vogts has apologised to Fifa president Sepp Blatter for criticising the refereeing in Germany’s 3-0 loss to Croatia in the World Cup quarter-finals, the Sid Sport News Agency said. The agency said Fifa had released a statement yesterday saying Vogts regretted the style and contents of critical remarks he had made to the media after Germany were defeated by Croatia.

Vogts had complained about the refereeing and suggested there might have been a conspiracy against Germany, who have won the World Cup three times.

Hiddink signs up for RealMadrid
MADRID: Guus Hiddink, coach of Holland’s World Cup squad, today signed a two-year contract with Champions League winners Real Madrid.

The 51-year-old Hiddink replaces Jose Antonio Camacho, who quit the Spanish club earlier this month after only 22 days on the job.

Clemente to continue as Spain coach
MADRID: Javier Clemente will remain Spain’s coach until at least the 2000 European Championship despite the side’s poor showing in the World Cup.The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) gave its backing to Clemente despite widespread public calls for him to be sacked.

President Angel Maria Villar said yesterday the RFEF would honour the remaining two years on Clemente’s contract and he could continue as Spanish national coach until the European Championship “at least.”

Clemente is currently on holiday and may yet still resign. The majority of Spaniards who responded to polls run by the national media said they wanted Clemente to go.

World Cup fans to `pay’ theprice
GENEVA: Fans of the world’s number one sport may miss out on the next World Cup on television because the rights may be bought up by pay-TV companies, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has warned.

The Geneva-based EBU said yesterday the chances of everyone being able to watch the next tournaments would be reduced because of Fifa’s sale of the worldwide television rights for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups to the German sports marketing and media group Kirch for 2.8 billion Swiss francs ($1.8 billion).

“In 2002, many matches will only be seen by those who can afford pay TV channels. This will spoil the excitement of the World Cup.”

Television rights for France 1998 were sold by Fifa long ago to the mainly public broadcasters which are members of the EBU ignoring potential revenue from satellite, pay-per-view and cable viewers.

Miller gets Australia call-up for Pak tour
MELBOURNE: Bowler Colin Miller was a surprise inclusion in the Australian cricket squad named today to tourPakistan starting in September.

Miller, who last season set a record for the most Sheffield Shield domestic wickets taken in a season, earned his first call-up to the national squad when the 14-man touring party was released by the Australian Cricket Board. The 34-year-old Miller set the record of 70 wickets bowling a mixture of pace and spinners. Squad: Mark Taylor (captain), Steve Waugh (vice-captain), Damien Fleming, Ian Healy, Michael Kasprowicz, Justin Langer, Darren Lehmann, Stuart MacGill, Glenn McGrath, Colin Miller, Ricky Ponting, Gavin Robertson, Michael Slater, Mark Waugh.

Kournikova to miss Federation Cup
MAHWAH (US): Anna Kournikova is going to have to wait a little longer to return to tennis. The Russian teen-age sensation aggravated a thumb injury preparing for an exhibition here and will be sidelined several weeks, forcing her to miss the Federation Cup in Spain next weekend.

Kournikova, 17, injured her right thumb playing at Eastbourne in mid-June and the injury forced her toskip Wimbledon.