The latest FIFA and AFC instructions confirmed that the existing executive committee members would not have the voting rights in the election of the Bangladesh Football Federation on April 28.
   The federation in its letters to the FIFA and AFC sought clarification about the voting power of its executive committee members and the world and Asian football’s governing bodies ruled that they may contest the election but they will not be eligible to cast votes. However, the number of the voters will not be reduced as the latest instructions said the votes will be cast by another delegate of their respective organisations. And as such the BFF vice-president Sirajul Islam Bachchu, who represents Wari Club, will not be able to vote in the election. Instead, another delegate from Wari Club will cast vote.
   However, the new situation has thrown the BFF into a new dilemma. Now 13 new names will be added to the already published voter list. The federation was still thinking about what to do on Wednesday. ‘Maybe we have to call an executive committee meeting and ask for replacements, at the moment we don’t know how long it will take to add the new names, I also don’t know whether the enrolment of new voters will force the changing of the election date, if we require time then a two-day deferment is a possibility,’ said SA Sultan, the president of the BFF.
   Meanwhile, Quazi Salahuddin finalised his panel for the upcoming election on Tuesday, the last date of withdrawal of candidature. Salahuddin, who is vying for the presidency, confirmed the nomination of the existing BFF senior vice-president Monir Ahmed for the post again. Abdur Rahim, Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu, Golam Rasul Mollah and acting general secretary Monjur Hossain Malu were chosen for the four vice-president posts.
   Former general secretary Anwarul Huq Helal and current vice-president Sirajul Islam Bachchu both were named for the membership posts. However, their view was that they sacrificed for the greater unity of the panel. The other 13 organisers chosen for the membership posts are Golam Rabbani Helal, Mozzamel Huq Mukta, Amirul Islam Babu, Azfaruzzaman Sohrab, Mahbubur Rahman Shahin, MA Azim Badal from the Dhaka-based clubs while Asaduzzaman Khasru, Makbul Ahmed, Abul Kahir Chandan, Shafiquzzaman, Dewan Arshad Ali, Hakiul Islam, Shahiduzzaman Shahid and Md Shafiquzzaman were chosen from the DFAs.
   On the other hand, Major General (retd) Amin Ahmed Chowdhury also submitted his full panel of candidates to the BFF Election Commission. Former national striker Abdus Salam Murshedi is contesting for the post of senior vice-president, former national midfielder Badal Roy, Kazi Nabil Ahmed, Nurul Alam Chowdhury and Shawkat Ali Khan Jahagnir are the four vice-presidential candidates.
   Former general secretary Harunur Rashid will vie for a member’s post along with Fazlur Rahman Babul, Sheikh Md Aslam, Zinnatul Islam, Satyajit Das Rupu, MA Gafur, Hasanuzzaman Khan Bablu, Abdul Wadud Pintu, Monzur Morshed, Saiful Islam Bhutto, Shamsul Huq Chowdhury, Hamidul Huq Bahalul, Toufiqul Islam, Ekrakul Karim Chowdhury, Khurshid Alam Babul and Abul fasan Chowdhury Prince.

Delhi Daredevils (143/1) beat Deccan Chargers (142/8) by nine wickets
   A clinical performance from the Delhi Daredevils, beginning with some miserly bowling and capped by Virender Sehwag’s blistering 41-ball 94, produced an early finish in Hyderabad, the Deccan Chargers losing by nine wickets with seven overs to spare.
   For the second game running, the bowlers and the top order did the job for Delhi; Sehwag had fallen after a cameo against the Rajasthan Royals but he took full toll of the Deccan bowlers, smashing 30 off one Andrew Symonds over to help his team to another resounding win.
   The victory, though, had been set up by Delhi’s bowlers and followed another unimpressive performance by the Deccan batsmen. Rohit Sharma’s dazzling 66, including 26 in a Farveez Maharoof over, had helped them recover from a shambolic start to post 142 for 8, but the score was well short of being competitive on a flat deck. At Eden Gardens the pitch was to blame but at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, the bowlers held sway over the Deccan batsmen for most of the innings.
   The presence of Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds and Shahid Afridi in one team might scare off any bowling attack but Glenn McGrath and Mohammad Asif were perhaps the ideal pair to challenge them. McGrath started in typical miserly fashion with a maiden, but it was Asif who did the early damage. Adam Gilchrist played on after smashing Asif over the square-leg boundary, and two overs later Laxman only managed a faint inside-edge onto the stumps off an in-cutter.
   At the other end, Venugopal Rao was all at sea against McGrath, managing only two runs off his first eight deliveries against the Australian, before breaking the shackles with a four over long-off. He had a lucky stay at the crease, with mistimed pulls and heaves, till Farveez Maharoof ended his misery, inducing a hit straight down the throat of Shikhar Dhawan on the cover boundary.
   McGrath bowled through his four but Andrew Symonds’ two consecutive fours in his fourth – pulling one to midwicket and stepping out to make room for one over mid-wicket – spoilt his figures. Symonds had top-scored for his side in the Kolkata nightmare, but Maharoof prevented a repeat, getting him to edge one to wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik. Rohit got going with a first-ball four off Yo Mahesh, and took his chances from the start, hitting two streaky boundaries off Maharoof. There was a brief lull after Shahid Afridi fell leg-before to Rajat Bhatia, but Rohit got the momentum going with a six off Bhatia before going berserk in the 18th over bowled by Maharoof.
    Mid-wicket was targeted the first two deliveries, then Rohit made room to send one screaming through the covers and paddled one to fine leg, before a dead-straight drive, all resulting in boundaries. That over – which read 1,6,6,4,4,4,2 – ensured Deccan reached a respectable score. Rohit reached his fifty off just 31 balls, falling for 66 off 36, and saw a crucial 52 coming off the last three overs.
   Delhi’s reply began with Sehwag surviving a close leg-before shout against Chaminda Vaas, and he soon began to make Deccan pay, hitting RP Singh for fours through mid-wicket and to the fine-leg boundary. He was on 13 when given another life, Pragyan Ojha spilling one on the boundary, Vaas the aggrieved bowler yet again.
   Gautam Gambhir fell to RP in the next over, but Shikhar Dhawan came up with another unbeaten innings, acting as a perfect foil to Sehwag’s pyrotechnics at the other end. Short deliveries were dispatched with disdain by both batsmen before Sehwag cut loose against Sanjay Bangar. Twenty came off four deliveries: a four over backward point was followed by two lobs behind square leg, before he hammered one over midwicket to bring up fifty off just 27 balls. Gilchrist fluffed a stumping down the leg side as Sehwag tried to hit Ojha inside-out; but the blitz that followed would have deflated the already demoralised Deccan players.
   At 112 for 1 off 12 overs, Delhi were almost home but their captain was perhaps keen on flying out of Hyderabad quickly. The 13th over, from Symonds , saw Sehwag levelling the scores as he dealt in boundaries, alternating between fours and sixes. A wide from Vaas the next over sealed the win. Deccan would be disappointed with their second consecutive loss but, thoroughly outplayed by the visitors, they can have no complaints.

Chelsea snatched a Champions League lifeline as Liverpool defender John Arne Riise’s last-gasp own goal allowed Avram Grant’s side to escape with a 1-1 draw from Tuesday’s semi-final first leg.
   Liverpool had dominated after taking the lead through Dirk Kuyt just before half-time at Anfield but they failed to press home that advantage.
   Petr Cech produced three superb saves to keep out Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard and Chelsea were able to make Rafa Benitez’s team pay in the final minute of stoppage time when Riise headed into his own net.
   Benitez was understandably devastated by the late goal.
   ‘It is really disappointing,’ admitted the Spaniard.
   ‘An own goal at the end of the game, it really is a blow. We had the better chances but Petr Cech was pretty good at stopping them.
   ‘They are a strong team but we are a good one. Next week we must play for the full 90 minutes like we did tonight (Tuesday) and just stick to our task.’
   Cech said that Chelsea had deserved the rub of the green after being at the wrong end of two semi-final exits in the last three years by Liverpool.
   ‘We think we have been quite unlucky in the last semi-finals against Liverpool,’ said the Czech stopper, who has returned to action earlier than expected after having 5-0 stitches inserted in his face following a training ground incident.
   ‘We got a lucky goal but to be fair the way we played we deserved it,’ he added.
   After suffering semi-final exits at Anfield in two of the last three seasons, the Blues will have left Merseyside feeling luck was on their side at last.
   They lost to Luis Garcia’s ‘phantom goal’ in 2005 and were beaten on penalties last season.
   Now, bolstered by a precious away goal their tepid display hardly deserved, Chelsea will believe they can avenge those bitter memories and finish the job at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday.
   It was fitting that a tie with so much enmity propelling the participants should take place to the backdrop of the power struggle between Liverpool co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
   Hicks had been advised to stay away for his own safety but defiantly took his place in the Anfield directors’ box.
   The crowd’s frenzied passion didn’t inspire many fireworks on the pitch early on though. Goals are at a premium whenever these obdurate sides meet in Europe and it was a typically tentative start.
   Liverpool threatened to break the stalemate first. Kuyt raced onto Xabi Alonso’s long pass, only for the Dutchman’s poor chest control to let Ricardo Carvalho and Cech clear the danger.
   Joe Cole had a sight of goal when Frank Lampard, back after spending time with his ill mother, picked out the England winger in the penalty area. Cole’s tame volley didn’t do justice to the sublime pass.
   Didier Drogba appealed for a penalty when he tumbled under Jamie Carragher’s tackle. Carragher missed the ball but the challenge was just outside the area and referee Konrad Plautz waved away Drogba’s protests.
   When Steven Gerrard’s defence-splitting pass put Fernando Torres clean through, Anfield rose in expectation of yet another decisive contribution from the Spaniard. For once Torres was frustrated as Cech made a superb stop.
   Gradually Liverpool began to turn the screw and their relentless pressing played a key role in Kuyt’s 43rd minute opener after Chelsea were unhinged by Alonso’s quick free-kick.
   Kuyt robbed Lampard on the edge of the area and Javier Mascherano took a swipe at the loose ball. The Argentine’s miscued effort should have been cleared but Claude Makelele rashly jumped in front of Ashley Cole and Kuyt was able to pounce, sliding his shot under Cech.
   Liverpool were grateful for the gift but it was a shambolic goal to concede and summed up Chelsea’s confused display.
   Grant’s inspirational qualities have been questioned constantly this season and now was the moment for the Israeli to lift his side. Yet they emerged after half-time just as flat as before.
   Liverpool winger Ryan Babel caused chaos in the Chelsea defence as he surged past Paulo Ferreira and whipped in a low cross that led to a blocked Torres shot.
   Babel was a constant danger and went close in the 60th minute with a dipping half-volley that flashed past Cech’s far post.
   Chelsea finally stirred when Michael Ballack met Lampard’s free-kick with a glancing header which Jose Reina held well.
   Florent Malouda had a much better chance moments later as he took Lampard’s pass and cut inside Alvaro Arbeloa. Just as Malouda was about to pull the trigger, Mascherano slid in with a crucial block.
   Gerrard forced a brilliant one-handed tip-over from Cech in the closing minutes as Liverpool strove to take total control of the tie.
   Cech then denied Torres with another fine stop at his near post and Chelsea took full advantage.
   With virtually the last kick of the game, Salomon Kalou swung in a cross from the left and Riise, diving to head clear, succeeded only in diverting the ball into his own net.
   Anfield fell silent as Liverpool were left to wonder if they would rue those missed chances.

The Pakistan National Cricket Academy lifted the Grameenphone Academy Cup triangular one-day tournament outclassing Bangladesh’s GP-BCB Academy by 39 runs in the final at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday.
   Opener Khurram Manzoor smashed 107 to guide Pakistan to a challenging total of 276-6 in 50 overs as the hosts were skittled out for 237 with 46.3 overs despite half-centuries from Nasir Hossain and Mushfiqur Rahim.
   Dropped on seven by Farhad Hossain at slip off Mahbubul Alam, Khurram batted patiently for his 141-ball knock that included seven fours and two sixes. He was ably aided by man-of-the-tournament Khalid Latif, who made 81 off 79 runs hitting five sixes and two fours.
   The duo added 157 runs for the third wicket and batted together until the 48th over, when GP-BCB Academy captain Mehrab Hossain Jr struck with the wicket of Latif. Mehrab later added two wickets to his tally in the final over to return with 3-59.
   The hosts were very much in the game with Nasir and Mushfiq adding 93 runs for the sixth wicket, but their departure in successive overs turned the game into a one-sided affair.
   Nasir was run out in the 43rd over making 52 off 67 balls and Musfiq, who looked solid on way to 56 off 55 balls, followed him holing out to Ali Asad. Ahmed Sehzad then did the rest moping up the tail to return with 3-35.

Purists might object to the helter-skelter of Twenty20, but one of the joys of the IPL is the way fantasy can become reality. Ever wondered how Andrew Symonds and Shahid Afridi might fare in the same team? Simple: just buy them both at auction. Curious about the new-ball potential of Glenn McGrath and Mohammad Asif? Ditto.
   It was the dream seam team which came out on top, providing a masterclass from both ends, with Farveez Maharoof – until he was collared late on by the pulsating Rohit Sharma - carrying on the good work at first change. You’ve heard of dibbly, dobbly and wobbly. Well, step forward niggardly, naggingly and give-away-nothingly.
   But it was the pairing for the first time in the competition of McGrath and Asif that really got the aesthete’s juices flowing. One, a retired 38-year-old, still shaking his head furiously at the slightest aberration and showing that there really is no substitute for targeting the top of off stump; the other, aged 25, languid, supple, flowing, and the man more likely than any in the game to emerge with McGrath’s crown.
   After the seven overs they bowled together at the start of the match, a Deccan Chargers top four containing Adam Gilchrist, VVS Laxman and Symonds had scraped together 34 runs for the loss of two wickets: McGrath had 4-1-22-0, Asif 3-0-11-2. Four of the runs McGrath conceded came from a Chinese cut by Venugopal Rao, and one of them might have been a wicket after Rao fortuitously top-edged a pull which somehow plopped to safety.
   McGrath began immaculately to ensure he has now bowled two of the three maidens sent down in the IPL so far [the third, by Ishant Sharma, came on the Eden Gardens slag-heap], and his parsimony proved contagious. Asif, bowling with his right arm in a brace following elbow surgery, caught the bug, and although Gilchrist picked his third ball up for six - these things happen - he struck back soon after with a ball that ricocheted onto leg-stump as Gilchrist aimed to cut.
   The delivery that got Laxman four overs later was more worthy of a wicket, jagging back at the last moment to turn Laxman’s attempted whip through the leg side, so often a strength, into a fatal weakness. But it was the way the two bowlers fed off each other, like a pair of misers cackling over a piggy-bank, which truly stifled Deccan. ‘They gave us the start we wanted,’ Virender Sehwag said afterwards. ‘It allowed us to put them under pressure.’
   Maharoof, another McGrath prototype, was the ideal foil, removing Rao with the last ball of his first over, then snaring the big beast Symonds with the third delivery of his second as Dinesh Karthik pulled off a smart tumbling catch. After three overs, Maharoof had 2 for 10, and it required some ferocious - not to say precocious – hitting from Sharma to dent his figures.
   This, though, might just be the most effective trio of seamers in the competition. If Delhi were made to look good by an inexperienced Rajasthan Royals side at the Ferozshah Kotla on Saturday, then this was high-class seam bowling on a good pitch against a potentially headache-inducing batting line-up. Remarkably, the trio cost the Daredevils’ owners, GMR Holdings, a not-very-grand total of US$1,225,000, which is less than Symonds – out for just 12 yesterday and mauled for 30 in an over by Sehwag – fetched by himself.
   Sehwag, predictably enough, was named man-of-the-match for his undefeated 94 off 41 balls, but without the control handed him for all but one of the 12 overs bowled by McGrath and his two sidekicks, he might never have thrown such caution to the wind. For all tonight’s evidence, it really is a batsman’s game.

The Sri Lankan umpire Asoka de Silva and Steve Davis of Australia have been promoted to ICC’s Elite Panel, following the body’s decision to expand the pool from 10 to 12 umpires.
   De Silva, the former leg-spinner who played 10 Tests and 28 ODIs between 1985 and 1992, was one of eight full-time umpires selected for the ICC’s Elite Panel when it was first introduced in 2002. De Silva has stood in 33 Tests and 76 ODIs after making his debut in 1999 and has served previously on the Elite Panel between 2002 and 2004.
   Davis, 56, has stood in 11 Tests, 71 ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals having made his top-level debut in 1992.
   ‘Their promotions are a result of perseverance, hard work and commitment and I am sure these two umpires will serve as an inspiration to the other international umpires who are striving hard to break into the Elite Panel,’ Dave Richardson, the ICC’s general manager, said. ‘For Asoka, it will be his second time in the Elite Panel and he has returned after performing outstandingly on the international panel over the past 12 months.
   ‘Asoka brings with him a combination of playing and umpiring skills and that combination is one that we believe will serve him well in the months and years to come.
   ‘Steve has served an apprenticeship on the fringes of the Elite Panel and his elevation reflects not only his consistency during recent years but also his excellence over the past year in particular.
   ‘I have no doubt that the elevation of these two quality umpires will strengthen the Elite Panel.’
   De Silva was understandably delighted in his promotion, adding, ‘It has required a lot of hard work leading to good decision-making on a consistent basis and I am glad my efforts have been recognised. I am now keen to ensure I maintain the high standards I have set myself.’
   ‘I am thrilled to be appointed to the Elite Panel,’ Davis said, ‘as it has to be the aim of every umpire to be appointed to this select group. I have worked hard for this and now I look forward to concentrating on umpiring on a full-time basis. I have always enjoyed the company of those umpires already on the Elite Panel and now I have the chance to work with them all on a more regular basis. I am really looking forward to the challenges ahead.’

The first semi-final of the Brac Bank Club Cup Hockey Tournament between arch-rivals Dhaka Mohammedan and Abahani was abandoned with two minutes left and the umpire refusing to conduct the match at the Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium on Wednesday. The match was locked at 1-1.
   The match was very physical as both the teams adopted an aggressive approach from the start. Mohammedan forward Prince kicked the umpire Golam Kibria in the first half with the referee just flashing the green card.
   Abahani went ahead in the 32nd minute from a penalty-corner with Rocky finding the board. In the 68th minute, Masum of Mohammedan equalised when the ball found the net from a deflection off Abahani defender Khokon’s stick.
   Abahani players strongly protested and the umpire, citing lack of security, refused to continue the game.

The Bangladesh Under-15 team conceded a two-wicket defeat against Pakistan to bow out from the semi-final stage of the CLICO International U/15 Challenge Championship at Nevis in West Indies on Tuesday.
   Sent into bat, Bangladesh were all out for 131 in 47.2 overs with Ratnak Saha scoring 46 and Rakin Ahmed making 28. Waqar grabbed 2-8. Despite losing eight wickets Pakistan team reached the target with Nayeem contributing 52 and Hasan 44.
   Bangladesh skipper Iktedar Nazeef Ahmed, younger brother of national opener Shahriar Nafees Ahmed, bowled superbly to claim five for 23 runs and was adjudged man-of-the-match. Asif Hasan Mitul bagged two for 15.
   Earlier, Bangladesh team reached the semi-finals of the knockout basis competition with a nine-wicket win over Holland in one of the two opening day’s matches at the Police Sports Club at Bridgetown in Barbados on Saturday
   The group stage league-basis match of the two-tier eight-team tournament will begin on April 26 with Bangladesh taking on hosts West Indies in the first round match at Queen’s Park Oval.
   Bangladesh will play Kenya in the second round match on April 27 at NCC in Couva and will face Ireland in the third round match on April 29 at the same venue.
   The semi-final will be held on May 1 while the final is scheduled for May 4.

New Zealand will warm up for the Champions Trophy in September with a three-ODI series in Pakistan, subject to safety approval. New Zealand had been asked to extend their trip to five matches, after West Indies turned down Pakistan’s offer to visit for three one-dayers as well, but decided on three.
   A New Zealand spokesperson told Cricinfo: ‘NZC has agreed to play three matches in Pakistan. With the Champions Trophy taking place we felt that was the right number in terms of our preparation.’
   It will be their first visit in five years and is likely to take place in August, but details will only be finalised once security approval has been given. ‘The security aspects will be worked through closer to the time,’ NZC confirmed.
   The board is not keen to return to Karachi, where a bomb exploded on New Zealand’s last tour of the country, in 2002. Instead it is understood they favour Rawalpindi and Lahore.
   The news is a further fillip for Pakistan following Australia’s agreement, announced on Monday, to fulfil their obligations in Pakistan in a tour split into two legs over two visits in 2009 and 2010. Australia had postponed their tour, originally scheduled for March and April, owing to security concerns arising from suicide bombings in Pakistan. The Champions Trophy is slated for Pakistan, but Sri Lanka are down as reserve hosts.

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram believes one-day cricket will need to undergo some changes for it to survive in the wake of the rising popularity of the Twenty20 format.
   Akram said he, at times, got bored watching 50-over matches in the middle stages and there was a definite need to bring about changes in the rules to revive one-day cricket and make it more exciting and watchable.
   ‘Twenty20 cricket is gaining popularity because it is exciting cricket and it is aimed at the younger generation who want to watch high class sport in three to four hours,’ Akram said.
   ‘Twenty20 cricket is good for the future of the game but at the same time it is not quality cricket. It is simply entertainment. And to protect the real competition like one-dayers or Test matches, the ICC needs to think about revolutionary rule changes.’
   Akram said the idea of Test cricket under lights was not a bad one and could be worked out if given proper thought.
   He said that the Indian Premier League was a good idea but the credit for launching this sort of tournament should be given to the Indian Cricket League.
   ‘I think the Indian Board started working on the IPL after the ICL. I know this much these events mean good money for players and will entertain the crowds but they are also going to damage the traditional cricket in the long run. How much only time will tell,’ the former left-arm paceman said.
   Akram, who played 114 Tests and 356 one-dayers before retiring in 2003, said he was happy the players were getting paid well.
   ‘I think the boards of different countries should also think about raising the pay packages of their players or else we will have a situation where players might opt to give
   preference to the private Twenty20 leagues instead of their national teams,’ he said.
   The 10 successive wins over minnows Zimbabwe and Bangladesh notwithstanding, Akram felt Pakistan was quite some way behind India in the cricketing ladder.
   ‘Any win, any century or any wicket does matter in international cricket no matter what the opposition. So I think the team has done well to win so convincingly against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. But I think while it is good for the players’ morale but we are still lagging behind other teams,’ he stated.
   ‘The Indian team is well ahead of us at this time and we need to work really hard to do well in the Asia Cup at home and improve our rankings,’ the former left-arm paceman said.
   Akram expressed surprise over the continued omission of Mohammad Yousuf from the Pakistan Twenty20 side.

Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, will once again give football fans the chance for a pre-season look at the line-up of four of Europe’s biggest teams, when the Emirates Stadium plays host to the Emirates Cup on August 2 and 3.
   Emirates recently signed a three-year extension to its partnership with Arsenal Football Club to sponsor the Emirates Cup.
   Joining Arsenal for this second Emirates Cup will be La Liga giants CF Real Madrid, Serie A heavyweights Juventus FC and fellow Emirates-sponsored team from the Bundesliga Hamburg SV.

A three-day National Air-gun Shooting Championship begins here today. More than 150 members belonging to 25 shooting clubs of the country will participate in the competition arranged by the Sylhet Rifle Club.
   The competition, divided into four events, will be held at the shooting range of the Sylhet sector headquarters of Bangladesh Rifle at Akhalia area. Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan, divisional commissioner, is expected to inaugurate the championship.
   Major Gen Ahsab Uddin, president of the Bangladesh Shooting Federation and GOC of 9 Infantry Division, is also expected to attend at the prize-giving ceremony as chief guest on Saturday.

Dhaka City Corporation Pioneer Football League, involving 70 teams divided in five zones, starts at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Friday. Sponsors Dhaka City Corporation will provide Tk 10 lakh for the tournament.
   Eight grounds across the capital will host the matches with the age limit of 16. Any player who has played for any premier, first, second and third division football is ineligible for the meet.

The two-day 24th National Junior Athletics, organised by the Bangladesh Athletics Federation, will begin on May 7 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
   Interested teams and associations have been requested to send lists of their participants (Under-15 and Under-17) by April 28.

Bangladesh Rifles beat Wari Club by straight sets (25-12, 25-10, 25-18) in the Metropolis Premier Division Volleyball League at the Dhaka Volleyball Stadium on Wednesday.
   In another match, Police AC upset Titas Club 25-12, 25-14, 25-20.

Silvio Berlusconi said on Wednesday he would step down as AC Milan president when he starts his third stint as Italian prime minister.
   ‘I will have to give up the presidency of Milan and this pains me. My new role is incompatible,’ Berlusconi, who is expected to be sworn in early next month after winning last week’s general election, told Italy’s Radio Radio station.
   The move is unlikely to cause upheaval at the seven-times European champions as vice president Adriano Galliani is in charge of the day-to-day running of the club anyway.
   Berlusconi also stepped down as president of Milan while remaining its owner during his last term at the helm of government, between 2001 and 2006.
   Berlusconi added that the high asking price Barcelona have put on Ronaldinho had not destroyed Milan’s hopes of signing the Brazil forward.
   ‘We still want to have him and we know that he wants Milan,’ Berlusconi said. ‘Barcelona presented a request that everyone considers excessive. We are moving forward and we’ll see. We are still interested.’
   According to Italian media, Barcelona asked for 50 million euros ($80 million) for Ronaldinho, whom Milan have agreed personal terms with, plus Italy full back Gianluca Zambrotta.
   Berlusconi also denied media speculation that he might seek to block a potential move by George Soros to take over AS Roma after the club confirmed they met a representative of a group linked to the American billionaire financier last week.
   ‘I’m not against the arrival of foreign investors for Roma,’ he said.
   ‘It’s a consolidated practice in Europe now. Just think of the English teams, with (Roman) Abramovich who has taken over a club (Chelsea) that is dear to the hearts of many English people.
   ‘Roma fans want a winning team, so if someone comes in who can put in the resources to build a winning team who will be protagonists in Italy and Europe, they will be enthusiastic and I hope things develop as they want them to.
   ‘I don’t see how I could get in the way of something like this.’
   He also suggested cutting small clubs from the bigger teams’ fixtures lists.
   ‘I think the big clubs should have their own championship,’ he said, although it was not clear whether his proposal referred to Italy or Europe as a whole.
   ‘When you assemble a team that costs a lot, it’s unthinkable to go to a provincial capital’s team with a stadium of 20,000 people, which maybe isn’t even full. The big clubs from the big cities should have their own championship and there should be another for clubs with fewer fans.’

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard described the last week as the hardest of his life after his mother was rushed to hospital with a serious illness.
   Lampard returned to action for the first time since the news against Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday when Chelsea snatched a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
   The England international said any thoughts of a Champions League final had been put firmly to the back of his mind while his mother Pat battled with pneumonia. ‘This time last week was very bleak,’ Lampard, who missed the Premier League games against Wigan Athletic and Everton, told the Chelsea Web site (www. chelseafc.com) on Wednesday.
   ‘I won’t go into details but we were getting a very bleak outlook. That was the hardest moment for me in my life.’
   His mother’s condition improved enough for Lampard to play against Liverpool, although he said he had resigned himself to missing the match.
   ‘Three days ago I wasn’t playing in my mind. But we got some decent news on Saturday afternoon and my head came round a little bit then. I made a decision to go in training on Sunday to see how I felt,’ the 29-year-old said.
   ‘The manager and the club have been fantastic and have not put any pressure on me whatsoever. I felt I could come and play and in a way the training and the playing has helped to take my mind off things, whereas last week I was in a bad situation.’
   Lampard was at fault for Liverpool’s goal when he got caught in possession just outside his own area. He said the past week had taken its toll.
   ‘I have been in better shape for games both mentally and physically but it has been a very difficult week,’ he said.
   Lampard is hopeful of playing in Chelsea’s must-win Premier League match against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. They trail United by three points with three games remaining.

The European Commission has warned FIFA not to seek ‘gentleman’s agreements’ to limit foreign players at soccer clubs, which risk costly court cases like the Bosman ruling.
   ‘EU laws are superior to any such gentleman’s agreements,’ an official at the EU executive familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.
   ‘I would advise FIFA to think carefully and maybe to think twice about such a move.’
   The official was responding to reports last week in which FIFA officials said president Sepp Blatter will try to bypass EU labour laws by reaching a deal with national associations at FIFA’s annual congress next month to limit teams to five foreign nationals on the pitch.
   ‘If say Chelsea were to be blocked from buying Ronaldinho because of such a deal between FIFA and the English FA, the player or Chelsea would, be well within their rights to challenge such an agreement under EU law,’ another official said.
   ‘Footballers are treated as workers and will always be treated as such, therefore must be allowed access to work in all member states by national authorities.’
   Soccer’s European governing body UEFA has also warned Blatter over his proposals, which conflict with EU laws on the free movement of workers, pointing out that any move to outflank Brussels could potentially lead to widespread legal actions.
   UEFA wants a deal with Brussels on its home-grown player rule which sets a quota of locally trained players at clubs but without any discrimination on nationality and avoid a repeat of a 1995 ruling by the European Court of Justice – Europe’s top court – which proved damning for the sport.
   Better known as the ‘Bosman ruling’, named after Belgian player Jean-Marc Bosman, the ECJ gave all sports professionals within the 27-member bloc the freedom to change clubs, much to the anger of soccer’s authorities.
   ‘We have to see how it plays out, but yes, this could be challenged in the national courts and if necessary end up at the ECJ which, like Bosman, could prove very costly,’ the second Commission official said.
   To change FIFA’s rules, Blatter needs 75 per cent support at the congress in Sydney where each of FIFA’s 208 member associations who are eligible to vote have one vote each and UEFA as an organisation has none.

Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard insists his focus remains entirely on the job in hand, despite reports that have linked the Dutchman with Chelsea.
   Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League semi-final against Manchester United occupies the back pages both in England and Spain, as two of Europe’s most illustrious clubs reconvene old rivalries.
   But while all eyes will be on what unfolds at Camp Nou, one interesting subplot is Chelsea’s reported interest in Barca’s underfire coach.
   The Catalan giants have failed to replicate the glorious free-flowing football of past campaigns this term, and having slipped way below arch rivals Real Madrid in La Liga, it has been suggested that should Rijkaard not deliver the European Cup then this season could prove to be his last at Barcelona.
   There are of course parallels with Chelsea, as like Rijkaard, Avram Grant has come under pressure from a number of supporters skeptical as to whether he has the tactical nous of his predecessor Jose Mourinho, while Blues owner Roman Abramovich is known to crave the Champagne football he has yet to be served at Stamford Bridge.
   Rijkaard’s sides are notoriously easy on the eye but when quizzed on Chelsea in The Independent, Rijkaard was reticent to be too candid in his comments.
   ‘I’m not someone who makes plans,’ Rijkaard told The Independent.
   ‘If I work somewhere then I am not thinking about other things. First, I finish the job here.’
   When asked about whether his phlegmatic approach would work in West London, Rijkaard rejected the notion that his mantra for success is ‘slowly-slowly’.
   ‘Not slowly,’ he added. ‘The faster is the better.
   ‘My personal fulfilment comes from the way I work with people, but the goal is to win and to give the best that you can and to have a team that can perform and make the fans proud.
   ‘That is the goal. And that is ambitious.’

Palermo’s controversial president Maurizio Zamparini denied on Tuesday that English Premier League giants Arsenal have made a move for highly-rated Brazilian forward Amauri.
   Amauri is certain to leave the Sicilians at the end of the season with many of Europe’s top clubs reported to be possible destinations, but apparently not Arsenal.
   ‘We’ve not received any proposals from Arsenal for Amauri,’ said Zamparini. ‘Juventus are not the only ones to have made a move, but the Gunners have not come forward.’

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood admits that Mathieu Flamini’s days at the club appear to be numbered.
   The French international’s current contract at Emirates Stadium is due to expire in the summer, and he is yet to sign a new deal despite a reported £50,000 a week offer being on the table for over a month.
   The Gunners now fear that Flamini may have already agreed a pre-contract agreement with Italian suitors Juventus, and accept that they may be forced to part company with the combative midfielder in the near future.
   ‘We have made what we think is a pretty generous offer and we are waiting to hear whether he will accept or not,’ Hill-Wood said in the Daily Star of London.
   ‘You just don’t know nowadays. You think players have a pretty good life, but, somehow, someone persuades them the grass might be greener somewhere else.
   ‘So I don’t know the answer, all I know is we think we have pushed the boat out.’
   Juventus have been tracking Flamini for some time now, and are believed to have offered him a deal worth around £10,000 a week more than the Gunners.

Avram Grant believes Chelsea are in pole position to reach their first Champions League final after his side escaped with a fortunate 1-1 draw in the semi-final first leg against Liverpool.
   Grant has made an art-form out of hiding his emotions since succeeding Jose Mourinho in September, but there was no disguising the Chelsea’s manager’s satisfaction after John Arne Riise’s last-gasp own goal cancelled out Dirk Kuyt’s opener at Anfield on Tuesday.
   He fielded every question at the post-match press conference with a glint in his eye and a barely suppressed smile playing on his lips. For months Grant has been told he is out of his depth at the highest level, while facing constant speculation linking more glamorous names with his job.
   But now, after a lacklustre display that reaped more reward than it deserved, the Israeli’s luck may have finally changed.
   He is within 90 minutes of delivering Chelsea’s first Champions League final appearance. All his team have to do is maintain their impressive record at Stamford Bridge, where they are unbeaten for over two years, in next Wednesday’s second leg to reach May’s Moscow showpiece.
   Grant expects nothing less, although he resisted the temptation to take a swipe at his critics. ‘I do not concern myself with what people say, I am just doing my job to get results. And I know that 1-1 away from home in Europe is good result. It is a big step now towards our goal,’ he said.
   ‘Although the draw is good for us, we know it will be tough at Stamford Bridge. It is always difficult for teams to play at Anfield with the support Liverpool’s fans create, but it can also be intimidating for teams who visit Stamford Bridge.
   ‘We know this is a big step towards the Champions League final now, and we believe we can complete the task in the second leg.’
   After two doses of Champions League semi-final heartbreak at Liverpool in the last three seasons, Chelsea were in trouble again as they fell behind in the 43rd minute.
   Kuyt dispossessed Frank Lampard and Javier Mascherano miscued a shot goalwards. Ashley Cole would have cleared but for Claude Makelele’s ill-advised jump towards the ball which allowed Kuyt to poke home.
   Only Petr Cech stopped Liverpool’s taking complete control after that. The Chelsea keeper had already denied Fernando Torres once before half-time and frustrated the Spanish striker again in the closing stages, as well as brilliantly tipping over Steven Gerrard’s powerful shot.
   Those heroics gave Chelsea hope. Even so they couldn’t have expected much reward when Salomon Kalou swung over a cross with virtually the last kick of the game. But Riise, diving to head clear, diverted the ball into his own net to silence the Kop.
   Grant insisted Chelsea’s good fortune was merited after several bad breaks this season.
   ‘We have had a lot of goals scored against us in the last minutes and never scored any ourselves. I think we deserve it,’ he said.
   ‘There was a big mistake by us for their goal. Until then we controlled the game. In the second half we made some changes and in the end we got a good result.’
   Liverpool, for so long Europe’s Cinderella team, will find it a lot harder to get to the ball this year. The Reds haven’t won at Stamford Bridge since January 2004 and are yet to score there in eight attempts under Benitez, but the Spaniard was still in defiant mood as he looked ahead to the return.
   ‘We must now be positive and clear our minds. If we play like that at Stamford Bridge next week and take those chances, we will go through,’ he said.
   ‘We have confidence in ourselves. I am confident we can do it, I will recall the first 20 minutes of the second period when we were very much on top of Chelsea. If we can do that again at Stamford Bridge, we can still get to the final.’
   While Liverpool’s European future now hangs by a slender thread, off the pitch Benitez revealed a meeting between warring Liverpool co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett is on the cards.
   Hicks attended the match, even joining the crowd in singing the club’s ‘You’ll never walk alone’ anthem before kick-off, after talking with Benitez at the club’s training ground earlier on Tuesday.
   ‘It was okay. I was talking with him. We were talking about having a meeting with the owners and everyone so it was positive. It was just to say hello and arrange the meeting,’ Benitez said.
   ‘It will be positive. After the meeting if we have something important we will say it.’

Both German giants Bayern Munich and Scottish mammoths Rangers had disappointing seasons by their high standards last term but both are now on course to redeem themselves by winning four trophies this campaign.
   However, both sides enter today’s UEFA Cup semi-final first leg matches under-strength as Bayern host Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg and Rangers are at home to highflying Serie A outfit Fiorentina.
   Bayern Munich have already captured the League Cup and last weekend’s German Cup in what is coach Ottmar Hitzfeld and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn’s farewell seasons with the Bavarian side, but the two bigger prizes remain to be delivered in the UEFA Cup and national title.
   However, they travel to Russia not in the best of heart rather surprisingly as 35-goal scoring World Cup winner Luca Toni is suspended – after picking up a booking in their epic 3-3 draw with Getafe in the last round – and doubts surrounding German international forward Miroslav Klose.
   Klose failed to train on Tuesday as he was still recovering from a blow to his foot he picked up during the 2-1 German Cup final win over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday which saw Toni bag his fourth successive double.
   ‘There is a doubt over Klose,’ admitted the club.
   Should that be the case Bayern are likely to field the makeshift pairing of Klose’s fellow Polish-born German international Lukas Podolski and the rarely used Jan Schlaudraff, who is Hanover bound next season having been selected just six times this season.
   Bayern have also been distracted over the break-up of contract talks with German international defender Philip Lahm, who has now indicated that he wants to play abroad.
   One good piece of news for Bayern is that hardman Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel is prepared to play even though he broke his nose in the Cup final.
   Zenit for their part will have little fear of travelling to Germany for the first leg having thrashed Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 in the previous round and then wrapped up their last four place at home in the second leg.
   Former Dutch national coach Dick Advocaat has already become a hero for delivering the national title but would become a super hero should he guide Zenit to their first ever European trophy.
   Rangers – who lost to Fiorentina in the 1961 UEFA Cup final when it was a two-legged affair – meanwhile have just the League Cup to their name but booked their ticket into the Scottish Cup final last Sunday on penalties over St Johnstone and face tiny Queen of the South in the final.
   Whilst bitter rivals Celtic lead in the title race, Rangers have several games in hand but a mixture of a fixture pile-up and an ever increasing long-term injury list to key players could put a dampener on their aspirations to a quadruple sweep of trophies.
   Rangers, though, go into the match stretched almost to the limit with inspirational keeper Allan McGregor all but certain to be out for the season alongside midfielder Lee McCulloch as doubts persist over Charlie Adam, Steven Naismith and Chris Burke for the gruelling run-in.
   Fiorentina for their part don’t seem to have been affected in the least by the departure of Toni last summer and in Adrian Mutu have a top class striker to worry many a defence.

Petr Cech has landed one of the biggest sponsorship deals in world football after agreeing a £17.5-million, five-year contract with Adidas.
   The 27-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper has become the sportswear company’s No 1 goalkeeping icon and will appear with their other key names in a global advertising campaign after the European Championship.
   Cech will feature in tournament promotions wearing the protective helmet he has worn since brain surgery in 2006, plus boots and gloves made by Adidas. Cech wore a helmet designed by Canterbury when he returned to football after his collision with Reading’s Stephen Hunt, but it sparked a row with his country’s sponsors Puma and Adidas at Chelsea.

Rafa Benitez took out his frustrations on Austrian referee Konrad Plautz after Liverpool gifted Chelsea a route back into their Champions League semi-final.
   John Arne Riise’s stoppage time own goal gave Chelsea a 1-1 draw in Tuesday’s first leg at Anfield and left Benitez’s side as underdogs ahead of the return in London next Wednesday.
   But Benitez was convinced an inconsistent, fussy display from Plautz had played a key role in stopping Liverpool extending their lead after Dirk Kuyt’s opener.
   The Reds manager insisted Plautz, who also angered Benitez after his display during a defeat against Marseille earlier this season, added on too much injury time, failed to give Liverpool a penalty for a push and let Chelsea break up the game by not penalising their fouls.
   ‘I was surprised they didn’t score from a free-kick or corner because it was always fouls against us. It was difficult to understand,’ Benitez said.
   ‘It was really disappointing but it is not the first time. We knew before the game because against Marseille it was more or less the same.
   ‘You can’t blame the referee for the own goal but it was one minute injury time in the first half and four in the second half. It is very difficult to explain.
   ‘In the first half there were fouls against us for pushing and I have seen one Chelsea player do that in their penalty area. I was really surprised.’
   Benitez refused to blame Norwegian defender Riise for heading Salomon Kalou’s cross into his own net. Instead he pointed the finger at his players for wasting chances to put the game beyond Avram Grant’s side.
   ‘It is not the player’s fault. It could have gone to the stands or to the other side. These kinds of balls that bounce are really difficult,’ Benitez said.
   ‘We had three chances but in this kind of game it is not easy to create chances. We have to take them.
   ‘Normally when you concede a goal at the end everyone is disappointed. We have 90 minutes and we have to go there for a win.’
   After two doses of Champions League misery at Anfield in the last three seasons, Chelsea left Merseyside hardly able to believe their luck after a lacklustre display that got more than it deserved.
   Chelsea manager Avram Grant was adamant Chelsea were worth a draw and said, ‘We never score in the last minute and have conceded three or four, so I think we deserved it.
   ‘It was a game without many chances. It was a typical game for a semi-final.
   ‘There was a big mistake by us for their goal. Until then we controlled the game. In the second half we made some changes and in the end we got a good result for us.
   ‘It was a big goal because it gave us an advantage for the second game. 1-1 away is always an advantage but it will be tough again. I hope we will see this is an important goal.’

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has warned Chelsea that Liverpool will end their unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge and reach their third Champions League Final in four years.
   Avram Grant’s team have not lost at home since Barcelona won 2-1 in February 2006 and Liverpool’s record at Stamford Bridge is also poor. ‘I am happy for people to say Chelsea are favourites, it’s not important. We just have to block that out.
   ‘We were the better team and created the better chances, I don’t think Pepe [Reina] had anything to do apart from pick the ball out of the net at the end.
   ‘Petr Cech pulled off two-three fantastic saves and we would have come off that pitch disappointed at 1-0 because it should have been a 3-0 victory.
   ‘We’ve gone to Inter Milan, we’ve gone to Arsenal and scored so there is no reason why we can’t do it at Stamford Bridge.
   ‘We have come back a number of times and this team never knows when it’s beaten. Football can come down to small details and we were unfortunate that the luck was with Chelsea, maybe we will get the luck at Stamford Bridge.’
   Cech agreed that Chelsea were fortunate to come away with a draw but believes his side have now done enough to reach the final in Moscow on 21 May against Manchester United or Barcelona. He said, ‘On the last two times we played at Anfield we didn’t take our chances so this time we kept going right until the very end.
   ‘It’s up to now we have had many chances to go through to the Final and haven’t been able to do so.
   ‘Once you break through that barrier though you have a big chance to win the tournament and I am confident now we will go all the way.’
   Gerrard is confident, though, that Fernando Torres will be the man who can get the ball past Cech and end their barren run at Stamford Bridge, even though he missed two great chances to give Liverpool victory last night.
   ‘We haven’t played there with Fernando Torres in our team yet and he can cause defences problems as we saw in the first half,’ Gerrard added. Reina also feels Grant’s team will feel the strain of having to face United on Saturday before the return leg next week.
   Benitez can rest key players for their game at Birmingham, with fourth place in the Premier League virtually guaranteed.
   Reina said, ‘They have a much tougher game than us and can’t rest as many players as we can.
   ‘I hope a game like that will take a lot out of them.’
   Substitute Riise’s error in the fifth minute of added time cancelled out Dirk Kuyt’s first half effort, as he headed Salomon Kalou’s cross past Reina.
   But Gerrard said, ‘As captain we can’t point any fingers at John and we must make sure we get his head right because he has a big part still to play. It’s not about blame, it’s about sticking together. We win, lose and draw together.’

The chances of Spain being expelled from the Euro 2008 championships decreased on Tuesday when it was reported the government-run Spanish Sports Council had backed down on controversial plans to force the Spanish football federation to hold elections before Euro 2008.
   In December 2007 the government ordered all sporting federations not involved in the Olympics to hold elections before the Games begin in Beijing in August.
   However, the football federation said such a plan would be impractical this year because of the timing of the Euro 2008 finals. Spanish media reports said that the government had agreed to make an exception for the football federation and it could now hold its elections at the end of the year.
   The disagreement over the timing of the elections between FIFA, who backed the Spanish football federation, and the Socialist government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero had raised the prospect that Spain could have been banned from Euro 2008.
   In February, FIFA president Sepp Blatter warned that government interference in the administration of football in Spain could lead the country’s national teams and clubs to be barred from international competitions like Euro 2008.
   Greece only just escaped a ban from international competition before the 2002 World Cup after FIFA expressed displeasure at government interference in footballing administrative issues.
   The federation decided at the assembly in March to hold elections before November 26 but after Euro 2008 which will be co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland from June 7-29, in defiance of the government.

Barcelona midfielder Xavi feels that Cristiano Ronaldo could become an even better player in Spain.
   The Spanish international believes the Manchester United winger has a tendency to overcomplicate things at times, and can even border on the verge of arrogance, but admits to being a huge admirer of the Portuguese star.
   However, Xavi has also insinuated that Ronaldo has it easy in England as he given more time and space to showcase his talent, and feels that a real test of his ability would be provided by the tight and uncompromising defences in the Primera Liga.
   ‘Ronaldo has goals, dribbling, pace and a winning mentality but also he over-complicates things,’ Xavi said in the Daily Express.
   ‘He feels so superior to everybody, and rightly so, that he tries things that are unnecessary.
   ‘He could be a much better player if he was here, playing with us. I have a soft spot for him. I would love him to join us.
   ‘I feel that at the moment he doesn’t get as much pressure, as many demands, as he would get here. In England, if you do a couple of things right, people talk about you being a legend.
   ‘Here if you don’t control a ball properly or if you kick the ball into the stands, people hate you. So you have to become a better player. Along with Lionel Messi, Ronaldo is the best player in the world. In fact he is in front of Leo in terms of influence in a game. The kid has everything. We are talking about physical and technical football.’
   Xavi also gave former Arsenal star Thierry Henry as the perfect example of how world class talent can find it difficult to adapt to the rigours of life in the Spanish top flight.
   ‘Fernando Torres is a better player over in England, with all the space he finds in front of him; here defences place themselves in their own box,’ he said,
   ‘Thierry is like a horse that needs space to turn and he doesn’t find it here. He has played better in away games, but in the Camp Nou he struggles.
   ‘It is true the pace of the game between Liverpool and Arsenal was amazing, but the ball was lost or robbed every 30 seconds – that is not beautiful football.
   ‘Football is played with the ball, it is about moving it from side to side to find spaces, to find yourself in superiority on the wing, to have little moments of magic.
   ‘We can all be physical but not everybody can be tactically adept. That needs training and faith in that style. This way of playing has got much more merit.’

German coach Joachim Low has indicated that this summer’s European Championships in Switzerland and Austria would be one of the most closely-contested ever with several sides in with a shout of glory.
   ‘At the last World Cup there were 11 European sides in the last 16, six in the quarters and the Europeans monopolised the semi-finals,’ Low said in an interview published by the Tagesspiegel and Frankfurter Rundschau newspapers.
   ‘This tournament will be the most closely contested in history - there is no big favourite,’ he concluded.
   ‘Of course you can count on Italy and France but I really think all the teams have a chance,’ Low added. Megarding his own team, Low, who took over from Jurgen Klinsmann after the 2006 World Cup, said that Die Mannschaft ‘must still progress.’
   ‘In terms of rhythm of play and passing accuracy German football must in general do a lot more in terms of education,’ Low opined. ‘I expect us in principle to get through the opening phase even if that will be more difficult than one expects,’ he added.
   The Germans face Poland, Croatia and Austria in Group B.

Swiss bank Credit Suisse on Tuesday admitted that thousands of free footballs it has handed out ahead of the summer’s Euro 2008 championships could have been made by child labour in Pakistan.
   The bank said it ‘cannot at this time completely rule out the possible involvement of child labour’ in the manufacture of the balls, following an expose on Swiss German television.
   ‘Even the mere hint of suspicion that the ban on child labour may have been violated in the manufacture of the footballs is unacceptable to Credit Suisse,’ the bank said in a statement.
   As a result, Credit Suisse said it will donate 1 million Swiss francs (622,000 euros) to the United Nations children’s fund, UNICEF. An investigation by Swiss TV station SF1 found that the company mandated by Credit Suisse to produce the footballs, Sunflex International, used Pakistani villagers to do the work for just 35 Swiss cents per ball.
   ‘We sewed a great number of these balls,’ one man told the TV reporters.
   ‘Everyone took part, men, women and children,’ he said.
   Credit Suisse has distributed 200,000 free footballs across Switzerland ahead of the Euro 2008 championships, which take place here and in neighbouring Austria from June 7-29.

The Confederation of South American Football has called on FIFA president Joseph Blatter to push back the ban on playing matches at altitude until after their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign, the Bolivian Football Federation revealed on Tuesday.
   World football’s governing body FIFA have banned the South American team from staging qualifiers above 3,500m in La Paz but the Bolivians claim they are being discriminated against.
   ‘It’s the first time that we have endured such a difficult situation. For this reason we’re calling on your understanding and ask you to make a gesture at this critical moment,’ the CSF said in a letter to FIFA.
   ‘We think that if we can finish these qualifiers like we want to (by playing the home matches in La Paz) we will be in a position to apply any directive on the subject in the future.’
   FIFA has ordered the next batch of World Cup 2010 qualifying games against Chile and Paraguay in June to be moved away from La Paz claiming that matches at such altitude are detrimental to players’ health.
   La Paz’s Hernando Siles stadium is at 3577m altitude.