■ Soccer
Police bust gambling ring
Police in southern Vietnam have detained 18 people and seized hundreds of thousands of dollars after busting one of the country's largest soccer betting rings, police said yesterday. Raids were conducted on 13 houses in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday morning and around 7 billion dong (US$437,000) in betting money was found, said a city police officer on condition on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The ring, which had been operating since last year and had connections with betting companies in Hong Kong and Macau, offered bets on European soccer matches, he said. Vietnam only allows betting on horse and dog racing in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern resort city of Vung Tau. Betting on soccer is illegal and carries a jail term of up to seven years. However, Vietnam is mulling a plan that would allow legal betting.
■ Sailing
Depression moves offshore
Tough but not dangerous conditions are expected to greet sailors in the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race after the start this afternoon from Sydney Harbour. The "southerly buster" -- an intense depression forecast earlier in the week -- is now set to be further offshore from Sydney. As a result, the start will not be in a 30 knot (55.5kph) breeze as previously forecast, but in a more sedate 10 knots to 12 knots. Australian sailor Lou Abrahams will equal the late John Bennetto's milestone of 44 races.
■ Athletics
Sandie Richards retires
Jamaican 400m runner Sandie Richards announced her retirement on Sunday. Richards, who won gold at the 2001 world championships and bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympics in the 4x400m relay, wants to concentrate on coaching. "I've been toying with [retirement] for two years now," she said. "It's a hard thing to do, [but] my body couldn't handle the training anymore and I don't want to do anything else on the track internationally." The 38-year-old Richards competed at four Olympics. She also won the 400m at the 1993 and 2000 World Indoor Championships and at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia.
■ Baseball
Brewers buy Suppan
The Milwaukee Brewers were among the last minute Christmas shoppers on Sunday, signing righthanded pitcher Jeff Suppan to a four-year deal worth US$42 million. The contract is the richest in the history of the Brewers franchise, reported MLB.com. Suppan, who helped the St Louis Cardinals to the World Series in October, winning the National League Championship Series MVP honors, is scheduled to undergo a physical next week. "We're jumping the gun a little bit, but we wanted to make an announcement before things leaked out," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin told MLB.com.
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