World Sports Briefs

Trinidad set to face Jones in January MIAMI – Felix Trinidad will end a two-year retirement to fight Roy Jones next January, fight promoter Don King announced, in a match-up of former champions trying to recapture past glories.

No site or date was announced for the bout, to be fought just above the super middleweight limit at 170 pounds, but it could come around the birthdays of each fighter. US veteran Jones turns 39 on January 16.Puerto Rican legend Trinidad turns 35 on January 10.Trinidad, 42-2 with 35 knockouts, walked away in May of 2005 after losing a 12-round decision to Winky Wright.Priest enters Rossi tax probe row MILAN – Former motorcycling world champion Valentino Rossi is used to being worshipped in Italy but now he has faced the wrath of the church after being investigated for tax evasion.Priest Claudio Miglioranza reacted angrily in a sermon after Rossi, whose nickname is ‘The Doctor’ having received an honorary degree, had also been dubbed ‘God’s motorcyclist’ by parishioners in a town near Treviso.”I am astonished by the popular reaction,” he was quoted as saying in Italian media.”Do not let yourselves be influenced by the face of this good boy.Do you not want to believe that ‘The Doctor’ has a tax bill for 60 million euros?” Boucher charged over Kallis comments JOHANNESBURG – The row over the omission of Jacques Kallis from South Africa’s World Twenty20 team deepened on Wednesday when wicketkeeper Mark Boucher was summonsed to a disciplinary hearing over comments he made criticising the decision.Cricket South Africa said Boucher would have to attend a hearing Friday on five counts of breaching the body’s rules and code of conduct following comments attributed to him in a newspaper article.Boucher was quoted by the Business Day newspaper as suggesting there were ulterior motives for Kallis being left out.”It is either those who have an issue with him, and have a chip on their shoulders, or those who have ulterior motives.”He did not elaborate.Wiltord sticking with Lyon LYON – Striker Sylvain Wiltord will be staying with French champions Lyon next season, club sporting director Bernard Lacombe insisted yesterday.”He’s going to stay here.There are just two weeks left in the transfer window and it will be hard to find a player of Wiltord’s quality,” said Lacombe.”If he were to leave his only desire would be to go to Paris Saint-Germain.”The 33-year-old France international had been on the brink of signing for his former club Rennes after a troubled last season at the Stade Gerland.Delaney calls it quits at Villa LONDON – Aston Villa defender Mark Delaney has decided to hang up his boots after failing to recover from a succession of injuries over the last few years.The 31-year-old last played a competitive game 11 months ago in Wales’ Euro 2008 qualifying defeat to the Czech Republic, where he won the last of his 36 international caps.Delaney, who made 193 appearances during his eight-and-a-half year stay at Villa Park, plans to pursue a career in coaching after calling time on his career.No deal yet for Alves, Chelsea say LONDON – Chelsea have denied reports that they have reached an agreement with Sevilla of Spain for the transfer of Brazilian defender Daniel Alves.The club have, however, have confirmed they are interested in signing the fullback.Reports in Spain had suggested Alves was on the brink of completing a move and that the clubs had reached an agreement over a 36 million euros switch to Stamford Bridge.Alves, who insists he wants to join Chelsea, was left out of Sevilla’s Champions League squad for Wednesday’s night’s qualifier against AEK Athens.US veteran Jones turns 39 on January 16.Puerto Rican legend Trinidad turns 35 on January 10.Trinidad, 42-2 with 35 knockouts, walked away in May of 2005 after losing a 12-round decision to Winky Wright.Priest enters Rossi tax probe row MILAN – Former motorcycling world champion Valentino Rossi is used to being worshipped in Italy but now he has faced the wrath of the church after being investigated for tax evasion.Priest Claudio Miglioranza reacted angrily in a sermon after Rossi, whose nickname is ‘The Doctor’ having received an honorary degree, had also been dubbed ‘God’s motorcyclist’ by parishioners in a town near Treviso.”I am astonished by the popular reaction,” he was quoted as saying in Italian media.”Do not let yourselves be influenced by the face of this good boy.Do you not want to believe that ‘The Doctor’ has a tax bill for 60 million euros?” Boucher charged over Kallis comments JOHANNESBURG – The row over the omission of Jacques Kallis from South Africa’s World Twenty20 team deepened on Wednesday when wicketkeeper Mark Boucher was summonsed to a disciplinary hearing over comments he made criticising the decision.Cricket South Africa said Boucher would have to attend a hearing Friday on five counts of breaching the body’s rules and code of conduct following comments attributed to him in a newspaper article.Boucher was quoted by the Business Day newspaper as suggesting there were ulterior motives for Kallis being left out.”It is either those who have an issue with him, and have a chip on their shoulders, or those who have ulterior motives.”He did not elaborate.Wiltord sticking with Lyon LYON – Striker Sylvain Wiltord will be staying with French champions Lyon next season, club sporting director Bernard Lacombe insisted yesterday.”He’s going to stay here.There are just two weeks left in the transfer window and it will be hard to find a player of Wiltord’s quality,” said Lacombe.”If he were to leave his only desire would be to go to Paris Saint-Germain.”The 33-year-old France international had been on the brink of signing for his former club Rennes after a troubled last season at the Stade Gerland.Delaney calls it quits at Villa LONDON – Aston Villa defender Mark Delaney has decided to hang up his boots after failing to recover from a succession of injuries over the last few years.The 31-year-old last played a competitive game 11 months ago in Wales’ Euro 2008 qualifying defeat to the Czech Republic, where he won the last of his 36 international caps.Delaney, who made 193 appearances during his eight-and-a-half year stay at Villa Park, plans to pursue a career in coaching after calling time on his career.No deal yet for Alves, Chelsea say LONDON – Chelsea have denied reports that they have reached an agreement with Sevilla of Spain for the transfer of Brazilian defender Daniel Alves.The club have, however, have confirmed they are interested in signing the fullback.Reports in Spain had suggested Alves was on the brink of completing a move and that the clubs had reached an agreement over a 36 million euros switch to Stamford Bridge.Alves, who insists he wants to join Chelsea, was left out of Sevilla’s Champions League squad for Wednesday’s night’s qualifier against AEK Athens.