Rothenberg Touts Morocco Bid
Alan Rothenberg, the Los Angeles attorney who is acting as an advisor to Morocco in its attempt to win the right to stage the World Cup in 2010, said Thursday that recent terrorist acts in Spain linked to Moroccan citizens should not harm the country’s bid.
Rothenberg, former president of U.S. Soccer and founder of Major League Soccer, said he believed the race had narrowed to two candidates: Morocco and South Africa.
Egypt, Libya and Tunisia also are in the running but are not regarded as serious challengers. A decision on the host nation will be announced by FIFA on May 15 in Switzerland.
Rothenberg said Morocco has “a proven history of being able to control” terrorism, adding that events such as the World Cup are unlikely targets.
“Since the Munich Olympics in 1972,” he said from London, “the World Cup, Olympics and big international gatherings are pretty much terrorist free.
“The terrorists are pretty smart. They go where there’s vulnerability. They don’t go right into the heart of heavily secured areas, and those big events get heavily secured.”
Pele Surgery
Three-time World Cup winner Pele underwent emergency surgery for a detached retina in his left eye.
Doctors at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil, said Pele, 63, came through the surgery without any complications.
Fallout Continues
Ron Atkinson, the former Manchester United and Aston Villa coach who resigned Wednesday as an analyst and commentator for Britain’s Independent television network after making a racist comment, Thursday was fired as a columnist for England’s Guardian newspaper.
The Guardian took the action after reviewing the remarks, which were made after Chelsea’s 3-1 loss to AS Monaco in the European Champions League semifinals at a time when Atkinson thought that he was off the air. In fact, the broadcast was still being carried live in the Middle East.
Atkinson offered to apologize to Chelsea’s French defender Marcel Desailly, a World Cup winner, who was the subject of the remark.
“To the people I have offended, particularly Marcel Desailly, I would apologize for the comments I made,” Atkinson told BBC’s Radio 5 Live. “It was not an intentional comment, but it was an unfortunate one. I did not even know I had said it.”
Zidane Is Best
Real Madrid and France midfielder Zinedine Zidane was chosen by fans as the best European player of the last 50 years in an on-line vote organized by UEFA as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.
Zidane, who led France to its World Cup victory in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000, earned 123,582 votes, narrowly defeating former Bayern Munich and Germany defender Franz Beckenbauer with 122,569 and former Ajax Amsterdam and Netherlands striker Johan Cruyff with 119,332.
Another Dutchman, Marco Van Basten, finished fourth, followed by Dino Zoff of Italy, Alfredo Di Steffano of Spain, Eusebio of Portugal, Lev Yashin of the then-Soviet Union, Michel Platini of France and Paolo Maldini of Italy.
Quick Passes
Doctors at the Suizo-Argentino Clinic in Buenos Aires said former World Cup winner Diego Maradona, 43, was “responding well” to treatment but remained in guarded condition because of heart inflammation and pneumonia.... Newcastle United and Olympique Marseille played to a scoreless tie at Newcastle in the first leg of the UEFA Cup semifinals.... Bolton Wanderers confirmed that the club is in talks with free agent Brazilian World Cup winner Rivaldo, 32.... Defending champion Boca Juniors of Argentina got goals from Rolando Schiavi, Javier Villareal and Matias Donnet to defeat Bolivar of Bolivia, 3-0, in Buenos Aires on Wednesday night and advance to the second round of the Copa Libertadores.... Germany will play Iran in Tehran on Oct. 9 in a match to benefit victims of the earthquake that leveled the Iranian city of Bam in December.... Striker Damani Ralph, the 2003 MLS rookie of the year, signed a multiyear contract extension with the Chicago Fire.
-- Compiled by Grahame L. Jones
