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

GLASGOW: Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is set to sign highly-rated young Rangers defender Danny Wilson in a deal worth up to five million pounds (7.6 million dollars.Hodgson made his first signing since taking charge of Liverpool when he swooped for England midfielder Joe Cole earlier

MADRID: Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has the "total support" of his Spanish team despite being placed under formal judicial investigation on allegations of sex with an under-age prostitute, a source close to the club told AFP on Wednesday.The 22-year-old was put under investigation

SYDNEY: Japanese midfielder Hirofumi Moriyasu has signed a one-year contract to play for Australian A-League champions Sydney FC, the club said on Wednesday.Moriyasu, 24, impressed Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka in four pre-season matches, including a substitute appearance against

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool rubber-stamped the signing of Joe Cole on a four-year contract after the England midfielder passed his medical on Wednesday.Cole had already agreed personal terms on Monday after being released by Chelsea and flew to the club`s training camp in Switzerland to undergo

BUDAPEST: Hungarian border guards have recovered a black Bentley belonging to Cameroon striker Samuel Eto`o that was stolen in Italy in March, police said Wednesday.Guards at the border between Serbia and Hungary became suspicious when they checked the papers of two Ukrainians wanting to

KUALA LUMPUR: Muslims must not wear the famous Manchester United red jersey because of the "devil" emblem on its team crest, Malaysian clerics said Wednesday.Manchester United and the rest of the English Premier League are massively popular in Muslim-majority Malaysia and the rest of the

SEOUL: South Korea said on Wednesday that Gyeongnam FC coach Cho Kwang-Rae will take over the national team. The Korean Football Association said its technical committee unanimously approved Cho to replace Huh Jung-Moo. Cho, 56, was a midfielder for the national squad in the 1970s and