WEDNESDAY, 1.00PM:
WORLD soccer governing body Fifa said yesterday it will support any disciplinary action taken against the South African team for their behaviour last weekend.
Bafana Bafana players threatened to boycott their England meeting the night before the Old Trafford match, unless their demands for match fees were met by the South African Football Association.
Fifa media representative Andreas Herren said on Tuesday: ”If players go on strike a day or two before an international match, it is up to the national association to take disciplinary measures. But the national association will be backed by Fifa and Caf on whatever disciplinary measures it institutes.”
SPORT BRIEFS
FERREIRA FIGHTS THROUGH SOUTH AFRICAN tennis star Wayne Ferreira beat Sweden’s Mikael Tillstrom after a struggle in the first round of the French Open in Paris on Tuesday. Ferreira won the five-set match, 6-7, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-1.
DE REUCK THIRD IN COLORADO COLLEEN DE REUCK of South Africa came third in the women’s section of the Bolder Boulder road race in Colarado, USA on Monday. Libbie Hickman, USA, came first, and Delillah Asiago of Kenya came second. All the winners in the men’s section were Kenyans.
LEAGUE PLAYOFFS SOONER The dates for the last matches of the United Bank League First Division national soccer playoffs have been brought forward. On June 11 Black Leopards will meet Themba Classic and African Wanderers will play Santos.
SA RUGBY SHOULD ‘GET PRO’ FORMER South African rugby captain Franois Pienaar called on the South African squad which will face Tonga in Cape Town on June 10, to improve their professionalism. He said on Tuesday if SA wants to play on the same level as Australia and New Zealand, they would have to ”embrace professionalism”.
STECH IN RUSSIAN FINAL JESSICA STECH of South Africa lost the final of the WTA 25 000 Futures tennis tournament in Sochi, Russia last weekend. She lost to second seed Nina Louarsabishvili of Russia, 705, 6-0.
CARTER WINS FRENCH BIATHLON TRIATHLETE Kim Carter of South Africa won the second leg of the French Biathlon Grand Prix in Rennes on Sunday. She came fourth in the first leg two weeks ago.
COMRADES DEDICATION THIS year’s Comrades Marathon is to be dedicated to the late Vernon Jones, who died last month. Jones attended or participated in every Comrades race since the first one, in 1921.
CAPE TOWN ODDS IMPROVE OLYMPIC bid city Cape Town has moved up the list of favourites, to third position. The International Olympic Committee sports letter reported on Friday the order of favourites for the 2004 Olympics is: Rome, Athens, Cape Town, Stockholm and Buenos Aires.