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■ Soccer
Federation head quits
Guido Rossi, the former senator called in to lead the Italian Soccer Federation during a wide-ranging scandal, has resigned. Rossi was named chairman of telecommunications unit Telecom Italia last week. Rossi said the two jobs did not conflict and he was open to continuing his work with the soccer federation but other figures within the sport rejected his offer.

■ Soccer
PSG likened to Schiffer
Paris St Germain are to French soccer what Claudia Schiffer is to l'Oreal, according to the club's coach Guy Lacombe. Lacombe, who was speaking after PSG's weekend victory at Monaco, was complaining that his side get a raw deal from referees. Just as Schiffer is the face of l'Oreal, PSG are the most high profile team in the league and thus referees exploit the media glare surrounding the club to enforce the strict letter of the law. Lacombe was angry that his side were not awarded several penalties against Monaco whereas they were twice penalized in a previous defeat to Sochaux. "At Sochaux we were the victims of PSG's place in French football. PSG are what Claudia Schiffer is to l'Oreal. We could have had two or three penalties [against Monaco]. It's very difficult to accept," Lacombe said.

■ Soccer
Puskas condition stabilizes
Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas may soon be able to leave the intensive care unit he was transferred to last week. The 79-year-old Puskas has been living in a Budapest hospital with Alzheimer's disease since 2000. "In the last few days, we have been able to stabilize Ferenc Puskas' condition," state news agency MTI reported, quoting Zsolt Ivanyi, acting director of the hospital's intensive care unit. "The longer he remains in a stable condition, the lower the risk of complications. Based on the past few days, it's conceivable that ... he may be able to leave the intensive care unit during the weekend." Puskas was part of Hungary's famed "Golden Team" of the 1950s.

■ Rugby Union
Robinson cleared of racism
Former All Black Mark Robinson was cleared on Monday of charges he made racially abusive remarks during Northampton's match against Bath in the English Premiership. Robinson admitted he swore at Bath's Andy Higgins but denied saying anything racist, English Rugby Football Union disciplinary chief Jeff Blackett said. Saturday's match was halted briefly when fans allegedly overheard racist abuse. Four Bath supporters gave statements to the RFU charging Robinson. Neither the clubs nor the match officials found any evidence and Robinson denied the charge, though he admitted to swearing when Higgins refused to return the ball after a penalty was awarded.

■ Soccer
Becks says he's not needed
The quality in the England side is such that David Beckham admits he will not be needed to guarantee their berth in the Euro 2008 finals. Beckham, 31, expects head coach Steve McClaren to steer the team into the finals whether or not he is in the squad. "I'm certain England will qualify without me," Beckham said. "They have a good team and great players and a very good chance of winning something at some point soon," he said. "I'm not thinking about playing for England again. That's for other people to decide," the Real Madrid star said.

■ NFL
Pollack out with broken neck
A broken neck suffered in the first quarter of a victory on Sunday over Cleveland will sideline Cincinnati linebacker David Pollack for the remainder of the National Football League season. The Bengals announced on Monday that Pollack was done for the year after colliding with Browns running back Reuben Droughns in a 34-17 triumph. Pollack was motionless on the field for several minutes before being placed on a stretcher and taken off. Team officials said Pollack was conscious and had feeling in his extremities when he was taken to University Hospital. Rashad Jeanty, a former player in Canada, will replace Pollack at strongside linebacker for the Bengals, who have won both their first two games.

■ Tennis
Justine faces long layoff
Justine Henin-Hardenne will be out for three weeks because of a torn knee muscle which forced her to quit in the decisive match of the Fed Cup final. The French Open champion said she might not play again before the season-ending Sony Ericsson championships in Madrid, on Nov. 6. Henin-Hardenne pulled out of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, early next month and is doubtful for the Oct. 9-15 Zurich Open. She retired with a knee injury in Sunday in Belgium's Fed Cup doubles match against Italy. Francesca Schiavone and Roberta Vinci beat Henin-Hardenne and Kirsten Flipkens 3-6, 6-2, 2-0, giving Italy a 3-2 victory and its first title in the top team event in women's tennis.

■ Soccer
Romario may leave Miami
Former World Cup star Romario's stay with Miami FC may have ended when the Vancouver Whitecaps defeated Miami FC 2-0 in a United Soccer League playoff match on Sunday. Vancouver won the two-match aggregate series 6-1. Romario signed a one-year contract with the expansion club this year. The star who helped lead Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title reportedly will return to his homeland and conclude his quest for a career milestone of 1,000 goals. The 40-year-old scored a league-leading 19 goals in his first USL season. Romario, whose travels include stops with FC Barcelona, Valencia, PSV Eindhoven and Vasco de Gama, has 983 career goals. As he walked off the field following Sunday's loss, Romario refused to discuss his future playing plans.

■ NFL
Terrell Owens has surgery
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens underwent surgery to repair a broken finger on Monday, sidelining the controversial player for two to four weeks. Owens broke the fourth metacarpal on his right hand early in the Cowboys' 27-10 win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday. Doctors surgically inserted a metal plate around the fractured bone on the back of his hand. "I think it was fluke thing," Owens said on the team's Web site. "I think I was going in blocking and I felt something weird. "I felt like I jammed it. But I just kept playing." Owens hopes to be back on the field by Oct. 8 when the Cowboys take on his former team the Philadelphia Eagles.


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