Global Sport

Official scoffs Maradona's interest in NapoliNAPLES: A director of the ailing Serie A' side Napoli described the recently-retired Argentine...

Official scoffs Maradona’s interest in Napoli

NAPLES: A director of the ailing Serie A’ side Napoli described the recently-retired Argentine ace Diego Maradona’s interest in taking over as president of the club, absurd’. Salvatore Bagni, director of football at the club, said that if he had the chance he would explain to the 37-year-old Argentinian the reality of the situation. “It would only take 30 seconds to outline the situation for him. The club has serious problems and is fighting a relegation battle. So the last thing we need is this kind of publicity destablising the players,” Bagni said.

In an interview with television network America 2 on Saturday, Maradona said he planned to send his representative to Italy to discuss the offer. The former World Cup star, who led Argentina to the 1986 trophy and to the final in 1990, has received overtures from a group opposed to Ferlaino, who want him to become president in order to attract crowds and financial backing for the club.

Sanctions affect Nigerian friendlies

Story continues below this ad

LAGOS: The new Nigerian minister of sport has said that his country would not play any warm-up friendlies for next year’s World Cup finals with European opposition because of the sporting sanctions imposed on Nigeria in 1995. The minister Emeka Omeruah said that as the sanction, which were imposed for abuse of human rights, were still in place Nigeria would play in a quadrangular tournament in Hong Kong with fellow qualifier Chile and South Korea. They are also due to play a friendly against Yugoslavia. Chief Mike Umeh, a former manager of Nigeria, had said the Nigerian football federation should have its pre-World Cup training camp outside Europe if the European Union didn’t remove the sanctions.

German coach in troubled waters

BONN: The spectre of the former East-German doping has returned to haunt German sports with news that prosecutors have launched a probe into deeds of the head coach of the country’s World Championships swimming team. The Berlin prosecutors office said it was investigating Winfried Leopold on suspicion he gave banned substances to swimmers during his time as an East German coach. The timing could hardly have been worse for the German swimming federation (DSV) team, headed by Leopold, which is scheduled to leave for the World Championships in Perth (Australia) later this week. But DSV president Ruediger Tretow insisted news of the probe would not have any effect on the position of Leopold.

South Korea announces 2002 venues

TOKYO: South Korea today named ten cities as venues for the World Cup finals in the year 2002 when it is co-hosting the tournament with Japan. The 2002 World Cup committee of South Korea said it had chosen Seoul, Pusan, Taegu, Kwangju, Ulsan, Taejon, Inchon, Suwon, Chonju and Sogwipo in Cheju Island. However the committee said it had yet to make final decision on Seoul, which has to submit its stadium construction plans. Japan will host half of the 64 matches.