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R/£ World at a glance - November 26, 2009
November 26, 2009 Edition 4
Rafa's job safe, insists Reds boss
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez's job is not under threat despite his team's elimination from the Champions League, according to managing director Christian Purslow. "Rafa's signed a new five-year contract. He's four months into that contract, so to discuss that is not appropriate. He is under no threat," said Purslow. "You can never predict last-minute goals, which have cost us dear in the Champions League," Purslow said. "That's no basis to make managerial decisions. We don't run our business in that respect.
Rafa to play in Davis Cup final
Rafael Nadal has officially been chosen to play for Spain in the Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic. The second-ranked Nadal missed last year's final win over Argentina with a knee injury. He last played for Spain in March, when the team beat Serbia in the first round. Nadal and Fernando Verdasco, who are both playing at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, will lead the Spanish team along with David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez in the final on indoor clay in Barcelona from December 4-6. The Czechs will be represented by Radek Stepanek, Tomas Berdych, Jan Hajek and Lukas Dlouhy.
Disabled sports leader in world body
Pieter Badenhorst, a co-opted executive member of the South African Sports Association for Physically Disabled (SASAPD) was yesterday elected to serve on the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sport Federation (IWAS) at their annual meeting held in Bangalore India. SASAPD is delighted about Badenhorst's election. "This is great news for South African Sports. To have a voice at an international level is important for our organisation. This also shows the trust the world has in our organisation and our abilities," said Koos Engelbrecht, president of SASAPD. Badenhorst was also the deputy Chef de Mission of Team South Africa at the Beijing Paralympic games and has recently been appointed by Sascoc as the Chef de Mission of Team South Africa for the London 2012 Paralympic games.
Ernie in action at Leopard Creek
Ernie Els has confirmed that he will tee it up in December's Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek in Mpumalanga, which will be his only appearance on the Sunshine Tour this summer. Els this week confirmed his place in the e1-million tournament from December 10-13, which is co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and European Tour. Els will be joined in the field by Ryder Cup star and nine-time European Tour champion Thomas Bjorn, who will make his first appearance in the Leopard Creek event, fellow Ryder Cup players Paul McGinley and David Howell, and defending champion Richard Sterne.
Abusive coach Cockerill banned, fined
Leicester head coach Richard Cockerill has received a four-week ban for abusing match officials, the RFU said yesterday. The two incidents happened during an Anglo-Welsh Cup match against Newport Gwent Dragons on November 14, and Cockerill is now banned from any involvement with English champions Leicester or match officials on game days until December 23. He was also fined £2000 pounds.
Pakistan trio may be cleared for IPL
Pakistan's government is considering allowing three Pakistan players to compete in next year's Indian Premier League after they were locked out of the competition in 2009. The Pakistan Cricket Board has asked for No Objection Certificates (NOC) from the sports ministry for fast bowlers Umar Gul and Sohail Tanvir, along with allrounder Abdul Razzaq, to take part in the IPL in March-April 2010. Pakistan's government barred its players from taking part in the lucrative Twenty20 league this year in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks and consequent strained political relations between the neighboring countries.
Uefa probe focuses on seven games
Seven European club matches, including one Champions League qualifier, are under investigation after last week's exposure of a match-fixing ring, Uefa said yesterday. "From the original list of around 40 fixtures in Europe that were considered suspicious in terms of results, Uefa is today further investigating seven European club competition fixtures under its jurisdiction in more detail," said Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino. The five clubs involved are KF Tirana (Albania), FC Dinaburg (Latvia), KS Vllaznia (Albania), NK IB Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Budapest Honved (Hungary). - Sapa-AFP/AP/Reuters
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