Totti may play for Italy again

Rome: Francesco Totti is open to playing for Italy again — on a limited basis at least. In the hours after Italy won the World Cup final last month, Totti said he was considering retiring from international play. Still recovering from a broken left leg, the AS Roma playmaker did not perform his best at the tournament in Germany. “I’m open to playing for the national team again,” Totti was quoted as saying in a sports daily, following a phone call with new Italy coach Roberto Donadoni. Totti said he had not “played up to potential” in the World Cup. “I would (now) like to play for the national team only when I am well physically,” he added.

Men can watch women

Karachi: Football authorities in Pakistan have dropped restrictions on men watching women play soccer, a senior official said on Saturday. “Anybody can come and watch the matches,” Pakistan Football Federation technical director Mir Farooq said. “We have made adequate security and seating arrangements for everyone.” When the women’s championship was launched last year in Pakistan, the PFF did not allow unaccompanied men to watch. Farooq said women players had to wear baggy track suit trousers and long-sleeved shirts and their matches were to be supervised by a women referee, helped by one male and one female assistant.

Diarra to join Real

Madrid: Mali midfielder Mahamadou Diarra has said he is delighted that five-time French champions Olympique Lyon have given into his wishes and agreed to sell him to Real Madrid. “I’m the happiest person in the world,” the 25-year-old told Saturday’s Spanish sports daily. “It was a dream for me to play for Real Madrid and at last I’m going to fulfil it.” Under pressure from the player, who had threatened to go on strike, Lyon caved in and agreed to sell the holding midfielder to the Primera Liga side on Friday. Diarra is expected in Madrid over the weekend to sort out final details of the move.

Holyfield knocks out Bates

New York: Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield scored a second-round knockout over journeyman Jeremy Bates on Friday in Dallas. Holyfield, 43, rocked Bates at the end of the opening round and had his 32-year-old opponent in deep trouble before the bell sounded to save a dazed Bates.

Late in the second round, an overhand right hurt Bates and a flurry by Holyfield pinned his opponent against the ropes. The fight was stopped at 2:56 of the round with Bates unable to withstand the barrage.

Vij seventh

Beijing: There was disappointment in store for India at the World Junior Athletics Championships as medal hope Saurabh Vij finished seventh in men’s shot put. The Delhi lad, who was the world junior leader in his event going into the final with an effort of 20.35m at the Junior Federation Cup in Chennai last year, could throw the six kg iron ball to a distance of only 19.75m in the final on Saturday.

India B win

New Delhi: India B managed a narrow 5-4 win against Australia in their league match on the second day of the IBSF World Snooker Team Championships at San Jose.

According to information received here, Rafath Habib and Aditya Mehta notched up breaks of 49 and 41, respectively as their team, also including Siddhartha Rao, clinched the match being just one point ahead on Friday.

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