London - English football fans face substantial price increases to watch Premier League action next season, according to a BBC report. Season tickets costs at Premier League clubs for the 2008-09 campaign have risen by 7.2 percent - more than twice the rate of consumer price inflation. The BBC's research reveals that the average cost of a mid-priced season ticket has risen to £590 (about R8 968). A season ticket in the upper east stand at Manchester United will be £665 (about R10 108), a six percent increase on last season.
South Africa: Premier Soccer League club BidVest Wits have placed five players on the transfer list in an end of season clean-out. They are Brazilian-born striker Marcos de Jesus, former Kaizer Chiefs defender Nhlanhla Kubheka, former Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena, Kagiso Denge and goalkeeper Sean Roberts, who is set to join Ajax Cape Town. Wits swapped Zambian midfielder Noah Chivuta for SuperSport's Sibusiso Mahlangu last week."
Mexico City - The president of the Mexican soccer federation says former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is the final choice as the next coach of country's national team. In a radio interview with Estadio W from Australia, Justino Compean says the federation will likely announce next week that Eriksson, coach of Britain's Manchester City, will replace Hugo Sanchez.
Sydney - World governing body Fifa have shelved their controversial ban on international football matches played at high altitude, president Sepp Blatter said. Blatter said Fifa's executive committee had decided provisionally to suspend the measure, which particularly incensed Bolivia, at a meeting ahead of this week's Congress here. Bolivia's football federation claimed they were discriminated against by the Fifa ban. The capital La Paz's Hernando Siles stadium is 3 577m above sea-level.
Kolkata - Thousands of Indian soccer fans gave a boisterous farewell to retiring German stalwart Oliver Kahn in his last game for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. Around 120 000 fans packed into the Salt Lake stadium to watch Bayern defeat India's oldest club Mohun Bagan 3-0 in a friendly in the soccer-mad eastern city of Kolkata. Kahn (38) was voted best player of the 2002 World Cup
London - Arsenal have ruled out looking for an new investor who could provide the cash injection needed to keep up with giant clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea. The Gunners are traditionally the smallest spenders of the Premiership's big four and their failure to win a trophy for the third successive season has left fans fearing they cannot compete with a major spending spree.
England- Liverpool have told Chelsea that striker Fernando Torres is not for sale at any price. Chelsea are reportedly keen to lure Torres from Anfield after his stunning debut season in the Premier League. A bid of around £50-million (about R750-million) was expected to test Liverpool's desire to keep the former Atletico Madrid star.
Central Gauteng Athletics yesterday announced the cancellation of the Absa relay which was to take place on August 3.
From int.iol.co.za
