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■SOCCER

Gerrard charged with assault

Steven Gerrard, the captain of English Premier League leaders Liverpool, was charged yesterday with assault and affray over an alleged bar brawl, police said. The soccer star, 28, was charged with two others who were also arrested at 2:30am on Monday after an incident at a bar in Southport, England. The venue’s disc jockey, a 34-year-old local man, required hospital treatment after suffering facial injuries. Gerrard was released on bail from Southport police station early yesterday. The disturbance occurred hours after Liverpool won 5-1 at Newcastle United on Sunday. “The three men will be appearing at North Sefton Magistrates’ Court on Jan. 23,” police said in a statement. Gerrard was arrested at the Lounge Inn, which was closed on Monday, but shards of broken glass were visible on the floor.



■SOCCER

Four die in celebrations

At least four people were killed during a raucous night of partying in the streets of Vietnam after the national soccer team won its first international title, a newspaper reported yesterday. Three men died in traffic accidents in Ho Chi Minh City and another was hit and killed by drag racers in the neighboring province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau after Vietnam beat Thailand on aggregate to win the Southeast Asian championship on Sunday, Thanh Nien Daily reported. In Hanoi, hundreds of thousands of people jammed the city to celebrate the win. Hanoi hospitals treated 63 cases of people injured in traffic accidents, including three skull fractures.



■SOCCER

Three-second red card

Amateur soccer player David Pratt is being credited with earning the fastest-ever red card after being sent off just three seconds into a game. The Chippenham, England, striker made headlines on Monday after getting the red card for lunging at Bashley’s Chris Knowles in the seventh-tier Southern Premier Division over the weekend. “I play with passion and commitment and I saw the ball and just went for the tackle,” Pratt said. Media called Pratt’s accomplishment a world record, although not all amateur leagues keep records of such feats. The record for quickest dismissal in a professional match is believed to be held by Italian club Bologna’s Giuseppe Lorenzo, who was sent off after 10 seconds in 1990 for hitting a Parma player.



■BASKETBALL

Clippers’ Davis suspended

Ricky Davis, a swingman for the Los Angeles Clippers, was suspended for five games by the NBA on Monday for violating the league’s anti-drug program. The 29-year-old veteran was originally announced as missing his first game yesterday when the Clippers were to visit Sacramento. Because Davis has not played since Nov. 22 with a left knee injury, his suspension will not begin until he is healthy and returned to the active lineup for the Clippers.



■HOCKEY

Dead Russian took drugs

Alexei Cherepanov, the New York Rangers draft pick who died during a Russian league hockey match in October, was taking banned drugs, the public prosecutor’s office said. It said that analysis of his blood and urine showed no presence of alcohol or narcotics, but indicated that the 19-year-old had been taking banned medications for several months. It added that he was suffering from a chronic heart disease. The Avangard Omsk player collapsed while returning to the bench toward the end of a match against Vitiaz Chekhov on Oct. 14.


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