HOBART: Steve Randell, Australia's most experienced cricket umpire, on Monday pleaded not guilty in the Tasmanian Supreme Court to 32 charges of indecent assault dating back to 1982.

Randell's trial was not expected to start for two weeks, allowing time for legal argument on how much of the trial should be conducted in open court and for a jury to be sworn in.

Randell, 44, who has officiated in an Australian record 36 Tests, has stood down from umpiring duties and been suspended from his job as a school teacher in Hobart until the matter is finalised.

Brewery to beer soccer club expenses

KELHEIM, GERMANY: A test barrel of Bavarian beer has had an enthusiastic reception by Greenland's soccer champions Rodebay 77 -- besides some deep gulps landing them extra income in the form of a sponsorship by the Schneider Brewery.

The brewery said it had been sponsoring the club in the current season from May to next month. Rodebay's players are wearing the Schneider logoon their red, white and black jerseys, while Schneider made no mention of the amount of beer sent north.

Briggs' chance to fight Tyson

NEW YORK: Francois Botha was in Mike Tyson's recent past and Shannon Briggs hopes to be in Tyson's future.

Briggs could get his wish by beating Botha in a bout August 7 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Botha had his chance on January 16. The South African was leading Tyson on all three cards after four rounds, but he got knocked out in the fifth round by a single right to the head.

Tyson is expected to fight on October 2 against a yet to be named opponent.

EU's `fine' to World Cup organisers

BRUSSELS: European Union regulators are expected to issue a `symbolic' fine to the French organisers of last year's World Cup after an investigation into claims that ticket sales for the soccer tournament discriminated against non-French fans, an EU spokesman has said.

Spokesman Stefan Rating said the European Commission would announce itsdecision after a probe of several months into the French organising committee's handling of ticket distribution. Rating declined to give details of the fine but said it ``won't be in millions'' of Euros (dollars).

Moroccan Hadji in record transfer

COVENTRY: Moroccan international Mustapha Hadji has set a Coventry transfer record when he completed his 4 million pounds (about Rs 29 crore) switch from RC Deportivo to Highfield Road.

The African Footballer of the Year underwent a routine medical before completing his move from the Spanish club and being unveiled at an afternoon press conference.

China in frenzy over United tie

SHANGHAI: Shanghai soccer fans were gearing up for the upcoming match between Chinese league leaders Shanghai Shenhua and European Cup winners Manchester United, local press reported.

United were due to arrive in Shanghai for Wednesday's match, with the local Wenhui daily printing a detailed schedule of the team's short 48-hour stay in the bustling eastern seaboardcity.

Local papers also reported that star English mid-fielder David Beckham would not be joining his teammates for the sold-out exhibition match, despite a flurry of reports that the newlywed would join the team's tour in Shanghai after missing the Australian portion of the trip.

Give us time to click, pleads Vieri

MILAN: Inter Milan's new star Christian Vieri called on the club's fans to give Ronaldo and himself time to build a winning combination.

Inter splashed out nearly $ 50 million to buy Vieri from Lazio with club president Massimo Moratto pairing the world's expensive footballer with probably its most gifted striker; Ronaldo.

But Vieri sent the San Siro faithful a warning about the new season, as the team started their pre-season training this week -- don't expect instant success.

Russia to host 2008 European soccer

MOSCOW: The Russian Football Union (RFU) executive committee has decided to host the 2008 European Championships, the Sport Express newspaperreported.

The ambitious RFU have also decided to sent to European football's ruling body Uefa a bid to host the 2000 European Champions league final in the recently-renovated Luzhniki stadium, where last season's Uefa Cup final was held in May.

Taylor opposed to two Aussie teams

SYDNEY: Former captain Mark Taylor said Australia's World Cup cricket triumph did not justify the decision to select separate Test and limited overs teams.

Taylor, who retired from international cricket earlier this year, said he hoped the two national teams would come closer together.

He said Australia had gone ``reasonably well'' under his successor Steve Waugh.

Federation questions Johnson comeback

TORONTO: Athletics Canada has said it is going to court in an effort to throw out an arbitrator's decision allowing banned sprinter Ben Johnson to seek reinstatement.

The National Track and Field Federation had appeared to accept arbitrator Graeme Mew's April ruling and filed an application to theInternational Amateur Athletics Federation on Johnson's behalf seeking his international reinstatement.