Top Officials Reject Pay-for-Play Proposal
Joseph “Sepp” Blatter, president of FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, and Lennart Johansson, president of UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, Saturday rejected a proposal by Europe’s most powerful club teams asking for cash when they release a player for national team duty.
“They must take this proposal to their national federations first to get it approved.... I’m not worried that this will pass,” Blatter said after meeting Johansson at Stockholm during centennial celebrations of the Swedish Football Assn., one of only seven FIFA charter members.
Said Johansson: “I’m going to fight this proposal as long as I’m the chief.”
The demands for compensation came from an association of European clubs called the G-14, after its original number of members, but which now has 18 members.
Official Is Slain
Branko Bulatovic, 53, who was general secretary of the Serbia and Montenegro soccer federation, died late Friday in a Belgrade hospital after being shot in the head in the lobby of the association’s headquarters.
Police said they have a detailed description of the attacker, who fled on foot. A motive was unclear.
Galaxy Wins
Carlos Ruiz scored on a penalty kick in the eighth minute and the Galaxy defeated the Kansas City Wizards, 1-0, at Cary, N.C., in its final exhibition game.
The Galaxy, which opens its Major League Soccer season Saturday at the Home Depot Center against the New England Revolution, was awarded the penalty kick after forward Jovan Kirovski was fouled by Kansas City’s Shavar Thomas.
In the 31st minute, Ruiz left the game because of an undisclosed injury. Midfielder Arturo Torres also suffered an injury and left in the 51st.
Eriksson Update
Sven-Goran Eriksson’s future as England coach was thrown into doubt amid reports in the British tabloid the Sun that he met Thursday with Peter Kenyon, chief executive of Chelsea of the English Premier League.
There are rumors that Chelsea Coach Claudio Ranieri will be fired at the end of the season and Eriksson has been mentioned as the leading candidate to take over the club even though he is negotiating a contract with England.
League Results
Chelsea moved within six points of first-place Arsenal, defeating last-place Wolverhampton, 5-2, at Stamford Bridge on three second-half goals by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
Defender Aitor Lopez Rekarte scored an own-goal in injury time and Deportivo La Coruna beat Real Sociedad, 2-1, at San Sebastian and moved into third place in the Spanish league.
In France, Brazilian striker Giovane Elber’s first-minute goal gave defending champion Lyon a 1-0 victory at Nice and kept the team in first place in the first division.
Lyon, which has 63 points, leads Monaco on goals difference. Dado Prso’s second-half goal gave Monaco a 1-0 victory at Le Mans.
In Germany, VfL Bochum goalkeeper Rein van Duijnhoven set a Bundesliga record by going 911 minutes without giving up a goal at home but lost to Schalke, 2-1.
Road to Athens
Tunisia and Morocco earned men’s berths for the Athens Olympics with victories in an Africa qualifying tournament.
Tunisia beat Nigeria, 2-0, to win Group A and Morocco beat Angola, 2-1, to win Group C.
