Fifa warning for Turkey

Ankara: Football?s world ruling body, Fifa, has warned Turkey to amend the statute of its football federation on the grounds that it fails to guarantee the independence of federation officials and referees, Anatolia news agency reported.

Fifa deputy general secretary, Jerome Champagne, said in a letter that two provisions of a law regulating the status of the Turkish football federation, which was amended last summer, violated Fifa rules, the Turkish Football Federation said in a statement carried by Anatolia on Monday.

One of the provisions pertains to the election of members to the central referee committee, the body which appoints referees for domestic league matches. The second article relates to the choice of a successor in the event the federation president dies or resigns. The warning comes amid allegations of match-fixing and mafia interference in the Turkish football league, which are currently under investigation.

Papadopulo Lazio coach

Rome: Giuseppe Papadopulo, who was banned for five months earlier this year after an investigation into gambling related match-fixing, has been appointed as coach of struggling Serie A side Lazio.

Papadopulo replaces Mimmo Caso after Lazio?s disappointing start to the season which has left them just above the relegation zone and out of the Uefa Cup. The 56-year-old Papadopulo took Siena into Serie A for the first time in 2003 before he left the club in May.

The Italian football league banned him in August for five months after their investigation into match fixing. Six players from Italy?s top two divisions were also banned.

Third stint for Menotti

Buenos Aires: Cesar Luis Menotti, the chain-smoking coach who led Argentina to their first World Cup victory in 1978, has taken over for a third stint at Independiente.

?I?m returning to a place for which I have great affection,? the 66-year-old told reporters after agreeing terms with the club. ?I?m very happy.?

Menotti, known as El Flaco (The Thin Man) has not coached since being fired by provincial club Rosario Central just over two years ago.

Honour for Armstrong

Austin (US): Even by his lofty standards, Lance Armstrong?s return to the mountaintop in 2004 was pretty special.

The question now facing Armstrong and his legion of fans is whether he will return to challenge the Pyrenees and the French Alps again in 2005.

Already recognised as one of the truly inspiring athletes of his generation, Armstrong took his cycling legacy a step further when he won a record-breaking sixth consecutive Tour de France in July.

And for his accomplishment, he was honoured on Monday as the Associated Press male athlete of the year for the third straight year.

Armstrong joined michael jordan (1991-93) as the only athletes selected by American sports writers and broadcasters three straight times since the honour was first awarded in 1931.

?For me it was a special year,? Armstrong said. ?It?s always nice to win the Tour, but this year was special simply because I made history.?

Sasikiran top seed

New Delhi: As many as 12 Grandmasters will slog it out in the country?s highest prize money chess event ? the Parsvnath International Open chess, which begins here on January 3. GM Krishnan Sasikiran is the top seed. Giving him a tough fight would be the highest-rated player GM Alexander Fominykh of Russia while GM Dibyendu Baruah and Iuldachev are also hot contenders.

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