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■ SOCCER

Henry still an Arsenal fan

Thierry Henry would love to return to former club Arsenal in some capacity in the future, the Barcelona striker said on Wednesday. "It does not matter what will happen with my new team, I'll never find the affection I was shown at Arsenal," Henry told Sky television. "In part that's because I don't think my legs will let me play for another club for eight years. You always return to the place you belong to and so I hope one day to be able to work with that club. I have this club in my blood." The 30-year-old said he had followed Arsenal's games since leaving for Spain in the close season. "I'm proud to have played for Arsenal and to be a fan of theirs," he said.



■ GOLF

TV commentator suspended

A commentator on US cable television's Golf Channel was suspended for two weeks on Wednesday by the company for saying last week that young players who wanted to challenge Tiger Woods should "lynch him in a back alley." Kelly Tilghman was laughing during the exchange on Friday with analyst Nick Faldo at the Mercedes-Benz Championship and Woods' agent at IMG said he didn't think there was any ill intent. But the comments became prevalent on news shows on Wednesday and American black activist Al Sharpton joined the fray by demanding she be fired immediately. Golf Channel didn't know who would replace Tilghman.



■ SWIMMING

Kovacs opts out of Games

Former Olympic champion Agnes Kovacs won't compete at the Beijing Games because she lacks motivation and is tired after being cleared of doping charges last year. "After giving it a lot of thought, I will not prepare for the Beijing Olympics," Kovacs said on Monday. "But my life will be complete only if I take part in the national championships. So, officially, I am not retiring yet." Hungary's national swimming championships are in July, the month before the Beijing Olympics. Kovacs won gold in the 200m breaststroke at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She also won a bronze in the same event at the 1996 Atlanta Games, as well as two world and seven European gold medals.



■ EQUESTRIAN

Swiss pull out of dressage

Switzerland's dressage team will not take part at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The move follows the withdrawal of the team's top rider, Silvia Ikle, who doesn't want to expose her horse to travel-related stress and the humid conditions in Hong Kong during the summer. "Ikle's decision not to participate has consequences for the entire national dressage team," the Swiss equestrian federation said Tuesday in a statement. Switzerland said it had only qualified for the event because of the performance of Ikle and her horse, Salieri.



■ SOCCER

Coach rules out change

Thailand coach Charnwit Polcheewin says he has no interest in coaching Vietnam's national team because he loves his country too much. The Thai national team boss, reportedly a candidate for the vacant Vietnam post, said he was too patriotic to consider coaching another country, even if the salary was bigger. "I'm not interested because I couldn't do it," Charnwit said yesterday. "I know the money would be better than what I earn but I'm Thai, I always will be and I'm happy where I am. We have World Cup qualification to think about now, that's my focus.
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