Print

Mail

wiki links

Sports Briefs

■ SOCCER

Van Basten to join Ajax

Marco Van Basten will leave his job as Dutch national team coach after Euro 2008 and take charge of Ajax, the club announced on Friday. Van Basten has signed a four-year deal and will take John van't Schip and Rob Witschge, two of his assistants with the Dutch team, with him. "The new staff will be presented to the media on March 5. We are very happy," said Ajax technical director Martin Van Geel. "They represent three former great players, they are all ambitious and want to restore Ajax to the highest level in Holland and in Europe." Van Basten will succeed Adrie Koster who took charge of Ajax on a caretaker basis following the departure of Henk ten Cate.



■ SOCCER

Japan files China protest

Japan have filed a formal protest against hosts China for "dangerous" play after a number of players were hurt in heavy challenges during their East Asian championship clash, a Japanese team spokesman said yesterday. Delegation chief Kuniya Daini handed in the petition to the East Asian Football Federation on Friday, Futoshi Nagamatsu said. Japan's Michihiro Yasuda was sent sprawling by a flying kick from China's goalkeeper Zong Lei, while defender Li Weifeng grabbed winger Keita Suzuki by the throat in the match on Wednesday. Playmaker Yasuhito Endo also received a kick to the thigh which left him writhing on the floor. The petition also asked the federation to examine dubious decisions by North Korean referee Song O-tae during the match, Nagamastu said. Song booked four Chinese players but did not send anyone off.



■ BASKETBALL

Zagreb cancel Belgrade trip

Croatian champions Cibona Zagreb canceled a trip to Belgrade on Friday after Croatia's foreign ministry said it would be too risky in the light of recent unrest in both countries. Rioters in Belgrade attacked several foreign embassies on Thursday, including Croatia's, after a mass rally against Western support for Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia last Sunday. A group of Croatian soccer fans burnt the Serbian flag in Zagreb's main square on Thursday and police arrested 44 people. Cibona were already halfway to Belgrade when they were advised to turn back. They were due to face top Serbian team, Partizan Belgrade, in a regional championship game yesterday. Partizan president Djordje Colovic told Serbian news agency Tanjug the safety of Croatian players was not at risk.



■ SOCCER

Fans unfurl racist banners

French soccer's determination to stamp out racism was greeted with jeers on Friday when fans of second division Bastia unfurled hate-filled banners attacking one of their opponents' black players. Jean-Pierre Hugues, the director of the country's professional soccer league, denounced the banners, aimed at Boubacar Kebe, as having a "racist and homophobic character. It was unacceptable that with these banners being shown, stadium officials had to be asked to take them down otherwise the match would not start." Kebe had already been the target of racist taunts when the teams met earlier this season. He reacted to the abuse by making a one-finger gesture to his tormentors and was red-carded as a result. A loudspeaker announcement pleading for racist chants on the terraces to be halted was greeted with whistles from the Bastia supporters.
This story has been viewed 542 times.