WORLD CUP NOTES

Soccer’s world body pledged that none of the balls used in the World Cup were made by child labor.

Three years ago, FIFA required each of the world’s leading soccer ball manufacturers to sign a code pledging not to use child labor. The blue-white-and-red World Cup balls are made by Adidas, one of FIFA’s oldest and biggest sponsors. “We have total confidence in Adidas complying with the code,” FIFA spokesman Keith Cooper said.

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Now that his absence from the current World Cup is a reality, former U.S. team captain John Harkes has set his sights on the 2002 World Cup.

“I just turned 31. There’s nothing wrong with me shooting for 2002. Why not?,” said Harkes, who added that the man who replaced him as captain, Thomas Dooley, is 37.