Gabsi joins Worldwide Bridge Contest
Gabsi joins Worldwide Bridge Contest
JAKARTA: Thirty pairs took part at the Indonesian Contract
Bridge Association (Gabsi)-organized bridge tournament at the
Kinara Restaurant in South Jakarta on Friday.
Scheduled for two days until Saturday, the contest has been
held as part of the Worldwide Bridge Contest sponsored by the
World Bridge Federation (WBF).
While the Friday's participants were invitees, the Saturday's
round will be an open tournament at the Bulungan Bridge Center in
South Jakarta.
The Worldwide Bridge Contest, which was founded in 1986, is
being staged concurrently in around 50 countries with the boards
being played in the same number and the card decks being of the
same deal.
The 1992 season saw a record 103,000 participants while the
1995 had a record 90 countries.--JP
;AFP;
ANPAs..r..
Putbriefs-Golf-Sorenstam
Journeyman golfer challenges Sorenstam to million-dollar match
JP/9/Brief
Journeyman golfer challenges Annika
POTOMAC, Maryland: A journeyman PGA player issued a challenge
on Thursday to the world's top female golfer Annika Sorenstam to
play head-to-head for US$1 million, the Washington Post reported.
John Riegger wants to square off against Sorenstam over 18
holes of stoke play, the newspaper said.
Riegger said the offer is in response to a comment the LPGA
Tour's career money leader made following her participation in
the PGA Colonial event two weeks ago.
Sorenstam said at the time that if she played 30 events on the
PGA Tour that she could place in the top 100.
"I've been playing professional golf for 18 years and this is
my seventh year on the tour and I've never finished in the top
125," said Riegger, whose best finish on the PGA Tour this year
is tied for 13th at the Shell Houston Open. --AFP
;AFP;
ANPAs..r..
Putbriefs-Olympics-TV rights
US networks bid for lucrative Olympic TV rights
JP/9/Brief
U.S. networks bid for Olympic TV rights
LAUSANNE, Switzerland: Three US networks will bid on Friday
for potentially the most lucrative broadcast contract in the
history of sport, seeking exclusive rights to show the 2010 and
2012 Olympic Games in the United States.
ABC, Fox and NBC are said to be considering record bids of
around US$2 billion to secure the deal, about $500 million more
than has been previously paid to televise Summer and Winter Games
on U.S. territory, according to newspaper reports.
For the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the U.S. TV
rights deal traditionally seals about one-third of its total
revenue and half its earnings from worldwide television broadcast
of Olympic events. --AFP
;AFP;
ANPAs..r..
Putbriefs-Basket-NBA-Mengke
Spurs spectator Mengke could be China's first NBA champion
JP/9/Brief
Mengke could be China's 1st NBA champ
SAN ANTONIO, Texas: Yao Ming made an epic entrance. Wang Zhi
Zhi made a historic debut. But Mengke Bateer, the third member of
Chinese basketball's "Great Walking Wall", might beat them both
to the ultimate prize.
Mengke is on the verge of becoming the first Asian player with
a National Basketball Association championship ring.
The seven-foot center is not on the 12-man playoff roster of
the San Antonio Spurs, but Mengke would be among those rewarded
for his season-long efforts should the Spurs defeat New Jersey in
the NBA Finals.
"I feel sort of sad in a way I'm not on the roster," Mengke
said. "But once I'm able to get over that and realize the team is
playing for the championship, the sacrifice is worth it."--AFP
;REUTERS;
ANPAs..r..
Putbriefs-Cycling-Dope
Two top officials arrested in doping probe
JP/9/Brief
Top officials arrested in doping probe
BRESCIA, Italy: Two cycling team directors have been placed
under house arrest and 22 other people are being investigated as
part of a probe into doping, Italian police said on Thursday.
Olivano Locatelli, team manager of Landbouwkrediet and William
Dazzani, manager of the women's Team 2002 Aurora, were both
arrested.
"I can confirm that Olivano Locatelli and William Dazzani were
arrested and 22 other people were formally placed under
investigation and 35 locations (were) searched in eight different
regions of Italy as a continuation of the investigation started
last May," Lieutenant Mario Cavaretta, who is from the customs
section of the Italian police, said. --Reuters
;AFP;
ANPAs..r..
Putbriefs-Basket-NBA-Jackson
NBA star's business manager arrested for embezzlement
JP/9/Brief
NBA star's business manager arrested
LOS ANGELES, California: A Los Angeles businessman who worked
as a business manager for National Basketball Association player
Mark Jackson was arrested Thursday on charges he embezzled nearly
US$3 million from the athlete, a federal prosecutor said.
Bruce Jay Breger, 40, is charged with two counts of wire fraud
in connection with the alleged theft from Jackson, a 16-year
veteran who plays for the Utah Jazz.
If convicted, Breger could face up to 10 years in prison,
prosecutors said.
Assistant US Attorney Douglas Fuchs said Breger was originally
hired by Jackson in 1993 to balance the player's checking
account, pay his bills, and give investment advice. --AFP