BERLIN: French footballer Franck Ribery said Friday he is not worried about his career despite being charged this week with having sex with an under-age prostitute, because he did not knowingly do anything wrong."I am not scared about my future or about my career, either in the (French)

LAGOS: Swede Lars Lagerback has turned down an offer to continue as Nigeria coach, the national football federation (NFF) confirmed on Friday.NFF president Aminu Maigari said that Lagerback told him he did not wish to continue in his post despite being offered a four-year deal, with

NYON: Cash-strapped Spanish league club Real Mallorca, who boast world tennis number one Rafael Nadal as a shareholder, have been banned from this season`s Europa League, UEFA announced on Thursday.   European football`s governing body said the decision had been taken after Mallorca,

 LYON: Veteran Brazilian defender Cris signed a two-year extension to his contract with French club Lyon on Thursday.   The 33-year-old, who arrived at Lyon from Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte in 2004, will be tied to the club until the end of the 2012-2013 season.   "My Lyon story is not

 LONDON: The 2012 London Olympics will not escape the austerity measures imposed by Britain`s new coalition government, the minister responsible for the Games told AFP in an interview.   When his Conservative Party was in opposition, Hugh Robertson attacked the way the Games budget

ATLANTA: Andy Roddick resumed where he left off nearly a decade ago, advancing with a 6-1, 6-7 (1/7), 6-3 win over Rajeev Ram at the Atlanta Tennis Championships nine years after his last appearance at the venue. Third seed Lleyton Hewitt fell victim to Slovak Lukas Lacko, who stunned

SYDNEY: Tickets are selling fast for this year`s Ashes cricket series against England with some Test days already sold out, Cricket Australia said on Friday. Tickets for the opening three days of the third Test at Perth`s WACA Ground have sold out while the fifth Sydney Test has sold out

  SYDNEY: FIFA has cleared Australia of any wrongdoing in its bid to host the 2022 World Cup, after allegations of bribery, football officials said on Friday.   Football Federation Australia (FFA) said the world body found there was no case to answer after The Age newspaper reported

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka entered a new cricketing era on Friday, facing an uncertain future without the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan, the world`s leading wicket-taker. Muralitharan, 38, quit Test cricket on Thursday after reaching the unprecedented 800-wicket landmark, having played a

BANGKOK: World number one Rafael Nadal will play at the Thailand Open in September, organisers said Thursday, raising hopes of a boost to the country`s tourism industry in the wake of deadly unrest.It will be the first time Nadal -- who took his second Wimbledon winner`s trophy this year

TOKYO: A FIFA team on Thursday praised Japan`s 2022 World Cup bid for its balance between old and new, environmental awareness and a high-tech approach, including a plan for 3-D match telecasts.The group of inspectors from football`s governing body made the comments as they wrapped up a

BERLIN: French authorities are hounding Franck Ribery over under-age sex allegations because of France`s awful World Cup, the chairman of the midfielder`s German club Bayern Munich said Thursday."I think the whole story is politically motivated because of France`s poor performance in the

LONDON: Australian legend Shane Warne insists Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan`s record total of 800 Test wickets will never be beaten.Muralitharan reached the astonishing haul with his final ball in Test cricket when he dismissed Pragyan Ojha to bring India`s second innings to an

ROME: A 15-year-old boy has died suddenly while playing football in Cordenons in the northeast of Italy, near Venice, Italian news agency Ansa reported Thursday.Giacomo Palazzi was playing with friends in the park when he suddenly fell to the ground motionless.His friends, who initially

SYDNEY: Skipper Ricky Ponting`s decision to bat first with disastrous results for Australia in the second Headingley Test against Pakistan was roundly condemned by the Australian press on Thursday. The Australians were routed for just 88 on the first day for their lowest innings since

GALLE: Retiring world bowling record holder Muttiah Muralitharan finished with 800 wickets as Sri Lanka beat India by 10 wickets in the first Test on Thursday.Brief scores:Sri Lanka 520-8 declared and 96-0; India 276 and 338.BDST: 1623hrs, July 22, 2010

CARDIFF: Champions League matches next season will feature two extra assistant referees after the experiment was approved by Wednesday`s meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB).The additional assistant referees system was used in the Europa League last season and

GALLE: Hosts Sri Lanka were well-placed to win the first Test against India after spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan wreaked havoc in his final match on Wednesday.The world`s leading wicket-taker grabbed 5-63 in the first innings as India were forced to follow on after being shot out for

LEEDS: Australia, after winning the toss, were bowled out for 88 by Pakistan on the first day of the second Test at Headingley here on Wednesday.Australia`s score was their lowest Test innings total since being bowled out for 76 by the West Indies at Perth in 1984.Tim Paine was last man

TOKYO: FIFA officials inspecting Japan`s bid for the 2022 World Cup gave the thumbs-up to a major football stadium outside Tokyo Wednesday, according to the Japanese bid chief.A five-member team from the sport`s world governing body visited the 64,000-seat stadium in the satellite city of