World Sport Briefs Blatter singles out England for 2018

KUALA LUMPUR – Fifa president Sepp Blatter yesterday singled out England as a potential World Cup 2018 host but said other countries from Asia, Europe and the Americas also had a good chance.

“England as a country are strong (in football). They generate a lot of advertisements and publicity.They do not need to build new stadiums.They have 10 to 11 stadiums,” he told reporters here.”But don’t forget China too.They also have a lot of stadiums.But the race is still open.There is keen interest.It is going to be a good race,” he said.Brazilian swim ace sunk by dope test SAO PAULO – Brazilian swimmer Rebeca Gusmao has been provisionally suspended by the sport’s world ruling body, FINA, following a positive test for testosterone, it was announced here.Gusmao, who won four medals including two gold in the 50 and 100 metre freestyle during the Pan American Games last July, tested positive for abnormal levels of the banned substance from a control on July 13.After a meeting with Brazilian swimming federation chiefs on Monday she told local media that her body naturally produced high levels of the banned hormone.Gusmao has asked for a counter-analysis of the sample, which if positive could land her with a two-year ban.Schumacher to test with Ferrari LONDON – Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher will come out of retirement to test Ferrari’s title-winning 2007 Formula One car in Barcelona next week, the team said yesterday.”It’s half for pleasure, half for technical reasons,” said a spokesman.Schumacher, 38, retired from Formula One at the end of the 2006 season after winning 91 grands prix in the most successful career of any driver.The German has stayed out of the limelight since, although he attended several races this year as a Ferrari technical adviser.The team won both of this year’s titles, taking the drivers’ crown with Kimi Raikkonen.Formula One’s technical rules are changing next year, with traction control systems and other so-called ‘driver aids’ being removed.Major winners out in force BEIJING – World number two Phil Mickelson and number four Ernie Els lead a cosmopolitan field in the battle for Asia’s richest prize at the third Champions tournament in Shanghai this week.In Mickelson, Els, Padraig Harrington, Vijay Singh, Angel Cabrera and Retief Goosen, the Champions which organisers hope one day will be “Asia’s major” boasts six players with 13 major championship victories between them.With world number one Tigers Woods skipping the $5 million event for the first time, his fellow American Mickelson will be the man to beat among the Tuscan villas of the Sheshan course starting tomorrow.Barca rediscover cutting edge MADRID – Barcelona are counting on home advantage and the return to form of Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry to prise open a Rangers defence that has conceded just three goals in their last 10 European matches.With the two teams tied on seven points at the top of Group E, a win for either side at the Camp Nou tonight would take them to the brink of the last 16 with qualification certain if Olympique Lyon lose to Stuttgart.Barca were held to a 0-0 draw when the two teams met at Ibrox two weeks ago with Rangers’ determined defence and an inspired display by keeper Allan McGregor frustrating the Catalans’ hopes of victory.Nampa-Reuters, AFP and APThey generate a lot of advertisements and publicity.They do not need to build new stadiums.They have 10 to 11 stadiums,” he told reporters here.”But don’t forget China too.They also have a lot of stadiums.But the race is still open.There is keen interest.It is going to be a good race,” he said.Brazilian swim ace sunk by dope test SAO PAULO – Brazilian swimmer Rebeca Gusmao has been provisionally suspended by the sport’s world ruling body, FINA, following a positive test for testosterone, it was announced here.Gusmao, who won four medals including two gold in the 50 and 100 metre freestyle during the Pan American Games last July, tested positive for abnormal levels of the banned substance from a control on July 13.After a meeting with Brazilian swimming federation chiefs on Monday she told local media that her body naturally produced high levels of the banned hormone.Gusmao has asked for a counter-analysis of the sample, which if positive could land her with a two-year ban.Schumacher to test with Ferrari LONDON – Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher will come out of retirement to test Ferrari’s title-winning 2007 Formula One car in Barcelona next week, the team said yesterday.”It’s half for pleasure, half for technical reasons,” said a spokesman.Schumacher, 38, retired from Formula One at the end of the 2006 season after winning 91 grands prix in the most successful career of any driver.The German has stayed out of the limelight since, although he attended several races this year as a Ferrari technical adviser.The team won both of this year’s titles, taking the drivers’ crown with Kimi Raikkonen.Formula One’s technical rules are changing next year, with traction control systems and other so-called ‘driver aids’ being removed.Major winners out in force BEIJING – World number two Phil Mickelson and number four Ernie Els lead a cosmopolitan field in the battle for Asia’s richest prize at the third Champions tournament in Shanghai this week.In Mickelson, Els, Padraig Harrington, Vijay Singh, Angel Cabrera and Retief Goosen, the Champions which organisers hope one day will be “Asia’s major” boasts six players with 13 major championship victories between them.With world number one Tigers Woods skipping the $5 million event for the first time, his fellow American Mickelson will be the man to beat among the Tuscan villas of the Sheshan course starting tomorrow.Barca rediscover cutting edge MADRID – Barcelona are counting on home advantage and the return to form of Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry to prise open a Rangers defence that has conceded just three goals in their last 10 European matches.With the two teams tied on seven points at the top of Group E, a win for either side at the Camp Nou tonight would take them to the brink of the last 16 with qualification certain if Olympique Lyon lose to Stuttgart.Barca were held to a 0-0 draw when the two teams met at Ibrox two weeks ago with Rangers’ determined defence and an inspired display by keeper Allan McGregor frustrating the Catalans’ hopes of victory.Nampa-Reuters, AFP and AP