Uefa lifts ban on Israel home ties

London: Uefa said on Wednesday that it had decided to lift a two-year ban on Israel playing their home matches on Israeli soil with immediate effect.

Uefa said it attached the conditions that all matches would have to be played in the Tel Aviv area and “security guarantees be provided for every match”.

“The Israel football association and its clubs must confirm in writing that these conditions are accepted prior to entry to any Uefa competition,” a Uefa statement said. “In addition, Uefa may impose a ban on any match or matches in Israel at any given time if, in its opinion, the security situation should deteriorate.”

Uefa banned all matches under its jurisdiction against foreign opposition in Israel in March 2002 because of a worsening security situation in the country.

FA confirms fastest goal

London: An amateur soccer player who scored after two and a half seconds had his achievement recognised as the world’s fastest goal by the England Football Association.

Marc Burrows, 25, scored the goal for Cowes Sports against Eastleigh Reserves in an amateur league match on April 3. The FA gave its confirmation on Tuesday after receiving a match report from Referee John Sorrell.

The world’s fastest goal listed by Guinness was 2.8 seconds, scored by Argentine Ricardo Olivera for Rio Negro against Soriano on December 26, 1998.

Ex-England skipper dies

London: Former England captain George Hardwick has died at the age of 84. A debonair figure even into old age, he was known in his playing days as football’s Errol Flynn.

Hardwick was a contemporary of fellow Middlesbrough player and England international Wilf Mannion and the two joined the north-east club as schoolboys in the 1930s.

A tough-tackling left-back or centre-back, Hardwick captained England 13 times before a knee injury cut short his international career in the late 1940s.

Middlesbrough will hold a minute’s silence in Hardwick’s memory before their home match with Aston Villa on Saturday. Mannion died four years ago.

Marion for long jump in Britain

London: Triple Olympic champion Marion Jones will take part in the long jump for the first time in Britain at the Gateshead Grand Prix on June 27.

“The Olympic Games are only a few months away and although I haven’t made my final decision about which events I’ll compete in, jumping in Gateshead will give me a good opportunity to assess my long jump form,” Jones said in a statement released on Wednesday.

US athletes warned

Colorado Springs: Four US track and field athletes received public warnings for using the stimulant modafinil, but they can compete at the Athens Olympics and other events this year. Sprinter Chryste Gaines and hurdlers Sandra Glover and Eric Thomas tested positive for modafinil at the US Championships in June. Another hurdler, Chris Phillips, tested positive at the world championships in August. Thomas was stripped of his national championship in the 400m hurdles.

Nadal out for 3 months

Madrid: Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal will be out for up to three months missing the French Open and Wimbledon after tests confirmed a hairline fracture to a bone in his left foot.

Spanish tennis federation doctor Angel Ruiz Cotorro said the injury would need between six to eight weeks to heal and that Nadal would not be ready to play in tournaments for another three to five weeks after that.

The injury means that the 17-year-old will also miss selection for the Spanish team in the Athens Olympics as places will go to the four players ranked highest on June 14.

Sport on Screen

Cricket: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe second ODI, live from 12.50 pm on ESPN
Tennis: Monte Carlo Masters, live from 1.30 pm on STAR Sports
Soccer: Uefa Cup, live from 1.25 am (Friday) on ESPN and STAR Sports