Fifa has found no basis for allegations reported by the former head of England's 2018 World Cup bid that rival bidders Spain and Russia were conspiring to bribe referees at next month's tournament in South Africa. Soccer's ruling body said that after an urgent inquiry by its ethics committee, "Fifa has found no indication that there is any basis to the allegations reported by Lord [David] Triesman."
Elsewhere in Europe, Massimo Moratti, the Inter Milan president, said yesterday the Champions League and Serie A winners see Fabio Capello, the England coach, as a candidate to succeed Jose Mourinho as their manager. "I haven't taken a decision. Capello is one of the candidates and he certainly has a great pedigree," Moratti told www.gazzetta.it. France was chosen yesterday to host the European Championship in 2016. Uefa voted for the French bid over Turkey and Italy, the rival candidates.
Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, and Zinedine Zidane, the former national team star, supported their country's case in a presentation to UEFA's ruling executive. "It's a beautiful victory," Zidane said after a tight 7-6 vote. "I am happy for France and for all those people who didn't experience 1998," he told LCI television, referring to the World Cup 12 years ago that France won on home soil.
In England, Manchester United's board announced yesterday that the club's owners will not listen to any offers to sell. "United is not for sale and the owners will not entertain any offers," the board said in a statement. Yesterday's announcement comes as a group of wealthy supporters, calling themselves the Red Knights, are trying to put together a bid to buy out the unpopular Glazers. Luiz Felipe Scolari has resigned from Bunyodkor after failing to win the Asian Champions League.
* Agencies