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Sports Briefs

■ TV coverage
New Delhi lays down law
The Indian government on Thursday made it mandatory for sports television companies and rights holders to share their broadcasts of important events with state-run television and radio channels. Jaipal Reddy, India's federal information and broadcasting minister, said the Cabinet has approved the proposal that sports events of national and international importance must be broadcast of free-to-air television and radio channels. The decision comes in the wake of satellite and pay TV channels cornering most sporting events in recent years after paying hefty rights fees. Reddy, who is also the Cabinet's spokesman, told reporters that it would be mandatory for sports channels and rights marketing firms to share the telecast feeds with state-run Prasar Bharati.

■ Soccer
Flamengo to hire Tite
Flamengo reached a deal to hire coach Tite on Thursday until the end of 2006. Tite will replace Andrade, who wasn't able to lift the Rio de Janeiro club out of the relegation zone in the Brazilian league, Flamengo spokesman Carlos Eduardo Mansur said. Tite was expected to be officially introduced on Monday. He had not signed a contract yet, but Mansur said only minor details had to be finalized. Official details on the transaction were not immediately released, but local media said Tite will receive a monthly salary of 100,000 reals (US$44,700). Flamengo is 20th in the 22-team Brazilian league with 34 points, only two off last-place Brasiliense, which has a game in hand. The five-time champion club, Brazil's most popular, has the competition's worst offense with 37 goals scored in 32 matches. It also has the fewest wins -- eight -- along with Figueirense and Brasiliense.

■ Golf
Ernie Els prepares to play
Ernie Els will return to competitive golf at South Africa's Nedbank Golf Challenge in December after a four-month injury layoff. The two-time US Open champion and 2002 British Open winner injured his left knee during a sailing holiday in the Mediterranean in July. Nedbank tournament director Alistair Roper confirmed Els' participation in the 12-man field for the event at Sun City, South Africa, over the Gary Player Country Club course from Dec. 1-4. "When I called him yesterday he was playing nine holes of golf and said he felt great," Roper said Thursday. No. 5-ranked Els of South Africa will join five other players from the top 10 -- compatriot Retief Goosen, Jim Furyk and Chris DiMarco of the US, Spain's Sergio Garcia and Australia's Adam Scott -- in the tournament.

■ Soccer
Schmid to coach Crew
Sigi Schmid, who led the Los Angeles Galaxy to three MLS Cup appearances and a championship, was hired Thursday as coach of the Columbus Crew. He replaces Greg Andrulis, fired in July after leading the Crew to a 4-2-10 record. That was the worst in the Eastern Conference a year after Columbus had the best mark. The Galaxy beat New England 1-0 in overtime to win the MLS Cup under Schmid in 2002. He also had great success as a college coach at UCLA from 1980-1999, leading the team to titles in 1985, 1990 and 1997. The 52-year-old Schmid also coached the US under-20 team twice, most recently in the World Youth Championship. The Galaxy fired Schmid last year.

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