Sports Briefs

■ SOCCER
Spurs sign Wales' Bale
Tottenham Hotspur have signed Southampton's Wales left back Gareth Bale, the English Premier League club said on their Web site on Friday. The Cardiff-born defender, who turns 18 in July, was linked with several top clubs, including Manchester United, during the January transfer window and has opted to join Spurs. Southampton said in a statement to the London Stock Exchange that Bale had been sold for a fee of up to £10 million (US$19.85 million) with an immediate payment of ?5 million. Bale, who made 45 appearances for Southampton, scoring five goals, became the youngest player to feature for Wales when he came on as a substitute against Trinidad and Tobago last summer.

■ SOCCER
Deschamps quit story denied
Juventus yesterday that coach Didier Deschamps had not resigned, denying a report on Italy's SKY television yesterday. Frenchman Deschamps took Juventus back to Serie A this season after they were demoted last year because of their role in Italy's match-fixing scandal. Deschamps, who said this week that he wanted to manage the club in the top division, has been talking to Juventus officials. SKY television said that the club's denial was a delaying tactic.

■ TENNIS
Navratilova slams Bush
Czech-born US passport-carrying tennis legend Martina Navratilova said in a newspaper interview yesterday that she could receive Czech citizenship by the end of the year. "By the end of the year I could get it [Czech citizenship]," the 50-year-old told the Czech daily Lidove Noviny. "I do not have it yet. I am not sufficiently organized," she said in an interview in which she harshly criticized the current state of the US under President George W Bush. Navratilova said she used to be ashamed of the former communist Czechoslovakia, which she quit in 1975 for the US, receiving US citizenship six years later. "Now, I can be ashamed of what is happening in America," she explained.

■ ICE HOCKEY
Tocchet pleads guilty
Former NHL player Rick Tocchet pleaded guilty on Friday to running a sports gambling ring, but might not have to serve any jail time. Tocchet, who played for six NHL teams in a 22-year career, is on leave from his job as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Coyotes. He pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to promote gambling and promoting gambling. Such offenses usually do not carry a jail sentence for first-time offenders. "It's a huge operation and I think it exposes to people the allure of gambling, illegal gambling, in New Jersey," state Criminal Justice Director Gregory Paw said outside the courthouse.

■ SOCCER
Barcelona sue French daily
Barcelona joined fellow Spanish giants Real Madrid in suing French daily newspaper Le Monde for publishing information linking them to Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, who allegedly ran a blood-doping network involving various sports. "Operation Puerto" was the name given to a raid last May on Fuentes premises, where Madrid police uncovered bags of blood and doping products, along with codenames, allegedly of cyclists, and documents which pointed to organized doping. In the aftermath of the scandal it was also alleged that Fuentes had worked closely with top athletes from other sports, including soccer -- allegations which four Spanish clubs later denied.