Global sports

Hossain worried

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s promising opening batsman Mehrab Hossain, in in hospital with a serious knee-problem, said on Thursday that he feared without quick medical help abroad, his cricket career might end.

“The doctor who operated me here has told me a second operation was needed and for that I have to go abroad,” a worried Hossain told AFP from his hospital. He had orthoscopic operation on his right knee on Tuesday, he said, but has been in the hospital for the past 18 days.

Hakkinen quickest

MONZA (ITALY): Dual Formula 1 World champion Mika Hakkinen was quickest in testing here for the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix. The Finn completed 36 laps in his McLaren-Mercedes, clocking one minutes, 24.518 seconds on Wednesday to come in ahead of Brazilian Pedro Paolo Diniz (Sauber) in 1:25.085 and Jarno Trulli of Italy (Jordan) in 1:25.213.

The ultra-focused Hakkinen declined to comment on his satisfactory day’s work, leaving the track smartly after his session.

Loroupe confident

NEW YORK: Kenyan World marathon record holder Tegla Loroupe will use the picturesque confines of the Big Apple’s Central Park on Saturday as part of her preparation for the Olympic marathon in Sydney.

Loroupe, 27, will be competing in the 29th New York Mini Marathon 10-kilometer, which she says will be a guide to her hopes of winning the marathon gold medal in Sydney. She said the Sydney Games will be her best chance to win the gold medal. “I did not have the success I was hoping for in the two other Olympics,” she said. “I think this will be my best chance to win.”

Hoya to attack

BIG BEAR (CALIFORNIA): Oscar de la Hoya wants to be more aggressive when he returns to the ring on June 17 to defend his World Boxing Council welterweight title against unbeaten fellow American Shane Mosley.

“I want to attack, attack and attack,” de la Hoya said on Wednesday here at his training camp. “I want to be explosive and aggressive right from the beginning. I’m in great shape and when I am, nobody can beat me.” The 26-year-old Golden Boy’ fought Mosley as an amateur and sparred between 50 and 60 rounds with him earlier in their career, said his opponent’s style suits him well.

S Africa defends Brazil

LONDON: South Africa defended its deal with Brazil to back each other’s bids for upcoming football World Cups, and insisted the 2006 event had to go to Africa to give the continent a greater slice of World revenues from soccer on Wednesday.

In an interview with the BBC’s Newsnight’ programme, South African campaign director Danny Jordaan confirmed he had discussed with Brazil a plan whereby the South American country would lobby for South Africa’s 2006 bid and vice versa in 2010. “Perhaps we have learned from 1993 when England had a discussion with Germany about securing Euro 1996,” Jordaan said. “We have gone that route by talking to Brazil and many other confederations,” he said. Under the deal Brazil would withdraw its bid for the 2006 tournament and mount a challenge for the subsequent World Cup four years later.

Olympic torch

ULURU (AUSTRALIA): Sydney Olympic organisers, under fire after a series of embarrassing bungles, breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday when the Aboriginal owners of the sacred rock Uluru welcomed the Olympic torch at the start of its 100 day relay of Australia.

Australia’s governor-general, Sir William Deane, who will open the Olympics on September 15, needed two attempts in bitingly cold winds to light the first torch with the flame that had been flown in from New Zealand after a 17-day tour of the Pacific.