Qatar

Zidane's head-butt goes on display

A statue immortalizing the head-butt delivered by French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane to Italian player Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final has gone on outdoor display in Qatar.

Workers were on Friday making the final touches after fixing the five-meter monument, sculpted by Algerian-born French artist Adel Abdessemed, on the Doha corniche. It was bought by the Qatar Museums Authority, as the Gulf state prepares to build a massive infrastructure to host the 2022 World Cup.

United States

Ronaldo appeals for Miami fan

Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo is appealing to Florida officials to drop charges against an over-enthusiastic fan who was arrested during a match after rushing the field to embrace him.

Ronaldo, one of the world's highest-paid athletes, handled the incident calmly during a match in Miami in August, even chatting with the 19-year-old fan and telling security officials to take it easy on him before he was carted away.

The Portuguese star is now asking prosecutors to drop charges against Ronald Gjoka, a Canadian student who faces two counts of disorderly conduct and trespassing as a result of the incident in front of 70,000 fans during an International Champions Cup match in Miami between Real Madrid and Chelsea.

England

Dalglish joins Liverpool's board

Liverpool great Kenny Dalglish joined the club's board as a non-executive director on Friday, 16 months after his second spell as manager ended by getting the sack.

Dalglish, who won six English league titles and three European Cups as a player and three more league crowns in his first stint as manager, left the club in May 2012 and was replaced by Brendan Rodgers.

The Scot helped stabilize Liverpool through a difficult period on and off the pitch before being dismissed following an eighth-place finish in the Premier League.

The club said his new role would "allow the ownership and senior management to benefit not just from the Anfield legend's decades of experience but also his close affinity with supporters".

Wilshere insists he's no smoker

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere insisted on Friday he was not a smoker after being photographed with a cigarette and receiving a rebuke for his conduct from Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.

Wilshere was photographed smoking a cigarette outside a London nightclub in the early hours of Thursday morning as players relaxed following their Champions League victory at home to Italian side Napoli on Tuesday.

Arsenal, the Premier League leader, travels to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday and Wenger said on Friday he intended to make his feelings known to the 21-year-old Wilshere before that match.

Scotland

Forster backed for England role

Celtic manager Neil Lennon is in no doubt goalkeeper Fraser Forster could do a job for England after the shot-stopper was linked with a move to Barcelona.

Forster impressed against the Spanish giant with several fine saves in Celtic's 1-0 Champions League loss at Parkhead on Tuesday. That prompted Barcelona defender Dani Alves to say Forster, included in England's squad for this month's World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland, could replace Victor Valdes when he leaves the Catalan club next year.

"I don't want to stop the speculation," said Lennon. "I want him to keep playing well and if an opportunity like that arises then who am I to stand in his way?"

Brazil

Internacional sacks Dunga

Former Brazil coach Dunga has been sacked by Internacional after a fourth successive defeat in the Brazilian Championship, the club from the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul said on Friday.

"Internacional have made changes in the professional team's technical staff (including) coach Dunga," it said in a statement on its website. "The Reds thank him for his services and congratulate him on winning the Gaucho championship," it said, referring to the state championship played in the first third of the season.

Italy

Lazio hit with stadium ban for 'racism'

Lazio was ordered to play one match behind closed doors by UEFA on Friday after its fans were accused of racism during a Europa League game. UEFA said the incidents took place in the Sept 19 clash with Polish side Legia Warsaw.

Lazio was also punished for its supporters unfurling "inappropriate" banners and for throwing smoke bombs onto the pitch which delayed the kickoff.

The Italian club was also fined 40,000 euros ($54,000).

AFP-Reuters

(China Daily 10/06/2013 page11)