/ 31 January 1999

SPORTS BRIEFS

ERNIE LETS IT SLIP

AFTER three good rounds at the Heineken Classic, Ernie Els finished with a disappointing round of 3 over par 75 to slip back into 2nd place. Australian Jarrod Moseley shot a 3 under 69 to get to 14 under and take the title, one ahead of Ernie, Berhard Langer and another Australian, Peter Lonard. Els, who is looking for his second victory in three starts this year, went into the final round with three-stroke lead, after shooting a 3-under-par 69 on Saturday at the Vines Resort golf course.

FIFA WARNING

COUNTRIES bidding to host the 2006 World Cup have been warned by FIFA that they will be struck off the list if they step out of line with football’s governing body’s new guidelines on campaigning. This weekend, national associations in Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa — along with those in Brazil, England and Germany — are studying the rules that will govern their campaigns to host world football’s showcase. FIFA director of communications Keith Cooper says the guidelines were drawn up before the bribery scandal that has hit the International Olympic Committee, and are not a knee-jerk reaction to those events.

TERGAT BEATEN

FOUR-time world cross-country champion Paul Tergat was beaten to second place on Saturday in Nairobi by fellow soldier Paul Koech during the local Armed Forces campionships held at Ngong Race Course near the Kenyan capital. Koech clocked 36:04 to retain the title for the second year running while Tergat was timed 36:17. Tom Nyariki came third in 36:22 while Kiptum Muigei was fourth in 36:28. “I will get revenge during the national championships and (also) the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) cross country challenge on 27 February,” said Tergat.