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■ Soccer
Petit under investigation
The former head of Nike France, Jean-Claude Petit, has been placed under formal investigation by Paris magistrates investigating possible tax fraud at soccer club Paris Saint-Germain, a judicial official said Friday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because French law bars the disclosure of information from ongoing investigations, said Petit was facing charges of forgery and the use of forgeries, as well as using bonuses to players to avoid certain government-levied fees. His placement under investigation Thursday is one step short of a formal indictment. Nike France, PSG's official sponsor since 1989, has been accused of having made bogus royalty payments to players, enabling the club to dodge social charges on part of its wage bill between 1998 and 2003.

■ Soccer
Hooliganism declines
British police increased banning orders for disruptive fans by 21 percent last season and saw an 11 percent decrease in arrests. The statistics published by the Home Office yesterday show that arrests for soccer-related offenses fell from 4,067 to 3,628 over the 2004-2005 season, building on a 10 percent decline for the season before. The research showed more than 29 million people watched soccer last season, with an arrest rate of one per 10,732 spectators. Police have now banned 3,153 people from attending domestic and international football matches. Banning orders are given to people who cause or contribute to violence or disorder at soccer matches. "These statistics show that banning orders work and they also have a deterrent effect on others," said David Swift, a deputy chief constable with Staffordshire Police who is the police spokesman on soccer issues. Home Office minister Paul Goggins launched a new Britain-wide Football Policing Unit yesterday.

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