Online Sports News - News and updates regarding the sport

Online Sports News - News and updates regarding the sportA collection of the latest breaking news stories in the sport industry including online betting news and live and online bookmakers news stories.http://www.sporttopnews.com/stn-atom-rss.xml2010-10-12T13:12:12+01:00Z08/16/2010 - Online Sporting and football2010-08-16T00:00:00+01:00Z2010-08-16T00:00:00+01:00Zhttp://www.sporttopnews.com/news-74-online-sporting-and-football.html

According to the Regulatory Agency of the Online games (ARJEL in French), the French market of the online sporting bets would have brought more than 83 million Euros in bets during the first month following the opening of the Football World Cup, on June 11th. Of course the World Cup is a special event, and it is especially the French Championship of football which will show the real profitability of the bets online. The vice-president of the group Manga Gaming, Isabelle Parize, thinks that this right to bet risk to include 25% and 40% of the margin generated by the bets sites. �The means implemented by the federations to fight against the fraud do not have any common measurement with what one asks us to pour�, explains Isabelle Parize. In addition, the sites transfer about 85 Euros to who bet 100 Euros, and this is after tax and other contributions. Then sites recover a �net profit of the games� about 4.70 Euros out of these 100 Euros. Analysts suggested that World Cup betting might have cannibalized some of Sporting bet�s other sport offerings. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Up until now, the NFL, college football and college basketball have been the target sports for gamblers in the United States. Hockey and makor league Baseball have not been as popular, and there may be soon be another sport for gamblers to get excited about. One of the top soccer leagues in the World, the English Premier League will now be accessible in the US on a regular basis. ESPN has finally secured the rights to sub license from FOX that will allow it to air seventy four matches from the Premier League this season. The contract is actually for three years, with ESPN airing the matches on ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN 3 and ESPN mobile. The seventy-four games will be up from the forty-six games that ESPN broadcast last season. Soccer gambling has never been popular in the US, but it is the driving force behind sports betting company's such as William Hill and Ladbrokes in Europe. Outside the US, soccer is universally accepted to be the most popular sport in the world. Americans have had a difficult time warming to the sport. In recent years, however, soccer has gained popularity while other sports such as hockey and boxing have lost their appeal. Mixed Martial Arts has become big among the youth of America, and the recent run by the US team at the World Cup has once again given soccer an open door into the homes of US citizens. The Premiere League begins this Saturday evening when Manchester City visits Tottenham. ESPN will show the game live. ESPN has been increasing their coverage on SportsCenter and had extensive coverage during the World Cup. FOX has been showing soccer matches in the Premiere League in the US since 1998. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Online Bookmaker William Hill reported a surge of people placing bets on whether there was extraterrestrial life after claims were published about former Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered a cover up of an RAF pilot�s experience during the second World War, fearing �panic and loss of faith in religion.� Betting officials on Thursday said they slashed the odds that David Cameron, the Prime Minister or Barack Obama, the US President, would admit the existence of aliens within a year from 100/1 to 80/1. One gambler even placed a bet that will pay out more than a million pounds if any such claims are proved. "We have had loads of calls. There are thousands of believers out there many of whom are putting their money on an imminent announcement," said a Hill's spokesman. According to newly declassified files on UFOs, released on Thursday online by the National Archives, Churchill allegedly banned reporting of the �bizarre� incident, off the east coast of England, for half a century amid fears disclosures about unidentified flying objects would create public hysteria. He is said to have made the orders during a secret war meeting with US General Dwight Eisenhower, the then commander of the Allied Forces, at an undisclosed location in America during the latter part of the conflict. The allegations involving Churchill were made by the grandson of one his personal bodyguards, an RAF officer who overheard the discussion, who wrote to the Ministry of Defence in 1999 inquiring about the incident after his grandfather disclosed details to his family. After investigating the claims, an MoD official said there was no evidence to support the claims as all �UFO files before 1967 were destroyed after five years� due to insufficient public interest. This was supported by a Cabinet Office official. The gambler, whose details were redacted, placed a 100-1 bet with the bookmakers that �aliens would be found on earth (dead or alive) before the end of the century�. He placed the wager in 1990 as part of double "paired" bet on that year's football World Cup with the bookmaker's Lower Briggate branch in Leeds. The bet was never paid. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Tiger Woods was heading out of Ohio by the time live final-round television coverage of last week�s Bridgestone Invitational began. That�s become a familiar occurrence as Woods searches for his first victory since a five-month break from golf following a sex scandal. It�s drawn the attention of television networks, led by CBS Corp., the sport�s leading broadcaster with 21 tournaments on the U.S. PGA Tour, including this week�s PGA Championship. Ratings for the past two events on CBS -- the Greenbrier Classic and the Bridgestone -- have declined as much as 68 percent from the events held the same weeks a year ago, when Woods won them both. During his 13-year reign over the sport, Woods drove up the value of television contracts to as high as the four-year, $850 million deal that expired after the 2006 season, an increase CBS President Sean McManus termed �inflated.� With the PGA Tour�s current contracts with CBS and NBC set to run out in 2012, that value may soon deflate. The tour�s contract with Comcast Corp.�s Golf Channel expires in 2021. �This is a business, and right now the networks are nervous,� Brad Adgate, research director at Horizon Media, a New York-based advertising company, said in a telephone interview. Negotiations on new contracts likely won�t begin in earnest until next year. McManus said he will keep a close eye on Woods, the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking and the sport�s most valuable commodity. �Fortunately, we have a couple more years to go, but we have to monitor the Tiger situation very carefully and see how often he is in contention and then factor that into all the other variables and try to quantify when you�re putting a value on a sports property,� McManus said on a media conference call on Aug. 9. �You have to try to figure out what the intelligent bid is.� Ratings alone don�t determine future contracts, McManus said. He is also relying on the return on core golf advertisers, such as the financial institutions that have shied away from the sport due to government criticism over the past two years. �That marketplace, having been very depressed in �08 and �09, has come back very strong this year,� McManus said. �So I would say that�s a positive factor.� <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

One of the biggest opponents of any type of online gambling legislation making its way through Congress has finally stepped aside. The NFL has decided to end its opposition to HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Encorcement Act, thanks to an amendment added during the markup stage by Peter King, that expressly forbids any licensed Internet gaming site from offering sports-betting to its customers. The NFL and other professional sports leagues has long had concerns over the integrity of their games, should they be opened to online sports betting, especially to overseas companies. In an E-Mail exchange with PokerNews.com, Brian McCarthy, a vice president of communications for the NFL stated: �We don�t oppose it since it now includes the language we had hoped for�The amended language adequately addressed our specific concern. We are pleased with the outcome.� Poker legislation has been riding a wave recently. First, the House Financial Services Committee passed HR 2267 by a 41-22 bipartisan vote, and now a major opponent has removed the roadblocks possibly paving the way for a legal and regulated online poker industry in the United States. There is no word yet on how this amendment might affect sites like Party Gaming, Bodog or Online Bookmaker from receiving a license, or whether they will have to part ways with their sports-books, which might not be economically feasible for them. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

One year ago this week, an unheralded golfer from South Korea exposed the inaugural chink in Tiger Woods' armor. Y.E. Yang chased down Woods in the final round of the PGA Championship outside Minneapolis, handing him his first loss in a major when he held the 54-hole lead. He strolled around picturesque Whistling Straits on Tuesday in another world entirely - fresh off the worst performance of his career, hoping simply to play on the weekend. The prevailing question throughout most of last year's PGA was, "How can he possibly lose?" Now, on the eve of this PGA, it's more like, "Will he make the cut?" The image of Woods pouring in putts, and pumping his fist in triumph, gave way last week to the jarring sight of him resigned to hacking it around. It was shocking enough to watch him finish 18-over-par in the Bridgestone Invitational. It was more shocking to see him hit shots without contemplation, as if he didn't care. Let's start with this premise in examining Woods' golfing troubles: Of course the turmoil in his personal life is affecting his play. How could his mind not drift at times? Plus, on a tangible level, he became the world's best player by blending extraordinary talent with supernatural drive (much like his good friend Michael Jordan did in basketball). Woods has spent far less time practicing this year, he said, because of all the issues swirling in his life. The numbers convey the magnitude of Woods' woes. It's nothing new for him to hit wayward tee shots, but he's dropped to 163rd on the Tour this year in driving accuracy (from 86th last year). More striking is his inability to reach greens in regulation - 16th last year, 166th this year - and his sudden struggle making putts (23rd in putting average last year, 84th this year). <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

When the budget of New Jersey came almost ten billion dollars short, Governor Christie inflicted more cuts on the residents of the state than ever, with his eye ever on the plans to make Atlantic City a gambling Mecca once more. In this climate, who can blame the sports racing industry in New Jersey, who is basically on life support, for wanting a piece of the action, and for seeing sports betting as the ointment for New Jersey�s wounds? Indeed, almost six hundred million dollars a year in prospective revenue is a difficult sum to turn down. That�s the figure Cantor Fitzgerald came up with two years ago in a report that estimated how much money would go to the state�s casinos if sports betting were legalized. The report also projected an additional $60 million in tourism would be generated for the state treasury. State Sen. Ray Lesniak, who likes those numbers, has been riding the sports-betting pony for a while. But it�s been mostly a cold trail for the Union County Democrat � until now. Last year, he sued the U.S. Justice Department seeking to overturn a federal law that restricts sports betting to Nevada, Oregon, Montana and Delaware. And with the support of Sen. Jeff Van Drew, a Democrat representing Cumberland and Atlantic counties, Lesniak also is pushing an amendment to the state constitution that would allow sports betting in New Jersey as well as the legalization of internet gaming through Atlantic City casinos. If the cards fall into place, there could be a sports-betting question on the ballot in November. �It�s ridiculous to me that New Jersey and 45 other states cannot legally bet on sporting events, but citizens in four states can,� he says. �We are being discriminated against.� There�s little doubt New Jersey�s gaming outlets could use a lift. Gross operating profits at Atlantic City�s 11 casinos dropped 25.2 percent in the first quarter of this year, according to state casino regulators. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Although the past year has been long, it seems like only yesterday when Tiger Woods was America�s poster boy, seemingly doing no wrong. However, over the past year, a lot has changed, and chances are Woods won�t be able to put his way back to Jack Nicklaus' record for major championships. Only eight months ago, Woods had already won 14 majors, one by 15 strokes (the 2000 Pebble Beach U.S. Open), another by 12 (the 1997 Masters) and a third (the 2008 Torrey Pines Open) on a knee that belonged on an operating table, all before the age of 34. Then Woods crashed his sport utility vehicle in the early morning after Thanksgiving, and his losing streak began. He has now lost his swing, his wife, his coach and, most recently, his putting stroke. His dignity is up for debate, thanks to salacious details provided by former flames. This week brings the PGA Championship, a.k.a. Glory's Last Shot. It's also Woods' last chance to salvage something from a lost year. Golf Digest commissioned a team to count the number of bunkers at Whistling Straits, and the tally was 967, a world record. If he does not contend, Woods might just want to hide in one of them. Woods was a non-factor in the 2004 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. He opened with a 75, survived the cut with 69, stayed within nine shots of eventual winner Vijay Singh with another 69 and came home with 73, finishing at two-under and tied for 24th. . <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

There are the frustrated developers who must now shelve multimillion-dollar building plans and hope for success in the next legislative session. There are the municipal officials across the state who were counting on those developments for new jobs and tax revenue. And then there are people like Robert Young, a landscaper in Palmer who wanted a casino to enliven the local business climate and can�t believe the legislation fell through again. "The leaders of state government ought to be ashamed of themselves," said Young, a member of a Palmer business group that lobbied for a casino there. "They all agreed on 99 percent of the bill, and then they let their egos get in the way." Fallout from the collapsed negotiations was immediate and emotional yesterday, with labor unions and community leaders accusing Governor Deval Patrick and legislative leaders of fumbling a chance to create badly needed economic activity. "My members are unbelievably disappointed and angry," said Mark Erlich, executive secretary of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters. More than 5,000 of the council�s members, or about 25 percent, are out of work, according to Erlich. "We never thought casinos were a silver bullet," he said, "but to the degree any economic development gets stopped, that�s fewer jobs for people to look forward to." Nationwide, casino legislation has often proved difficult to pass. In Maryland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, expanded gambling bills and referendums have repeatedly failed before winning approval. "It�s not unusual for states to take years to consider these initiatives," said Michael Pollack of Spectrum Gaming Group, an industry research firm. "It requires intensive debate on all the issues involved." <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Ladbrokes Plc rose the most in more than a year in London trading as the U.K. bookmaker�s new chief executive officer revamped his management team and announced supplier changes and cost cuts to boost underperforming units. Ladbrokes climbed as much as 7.4 percent, the most since April 2009. John O�Reilly, who was responsible for establishing Ladbrokes� online business, will be leaving due to a �flatter executive board structure,� CEO Richard Glynn said in a statement today. The company named new managers for its digital channels and retail operations. �We�ve found it hard to compete recently, so we�ve taken a long hard look at ourselves,� Glynn, who took over as chief in April, told analysts at a meeting today. Ladbrokes also announced a four-year contract with a new supplier, Global Draw Ltd., for gambling machines. The bookmaker aims to boost its take from in-shop gambling machines and improve its Internet operations, which have been growing more slowly than competitors, to compensate for declining over-the-counter bets. Operating profit at its e- gaming unit rose 40 percent to 29.1 million pounds ($46.3 million) as the company cut costs by moving the unit to Gibraltar last year. The company will also centralize marketing and shut some offices and move workers to its headquarters in Harrow, London, Glynn said. Ladbrokes was 8.6 pence higher at 147.3 pence as of 12:47 p.m. in London, after earlier increasing as much as 10.3 pence to 149 pence. The shares have risen 7.1 percent this year, giving the company a market value of 1.33 billion pounds. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Cristiano Ronaldo's brilliant late free-kick earned Real Madrid a 3-2 win over Mexican side America in Jose Mourinho's first match at the helm in Los Angeles. Mourinho, missing Spain internationals Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Alvaro Arbeloa, Raul Albiol and Xabi Alonso, who are still on holiday after their World Cup triumph last month, fielded a competitive side for his first game in charge. Former Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek started in place of Casillas, with youngster Juanfran at right-back, Marcelo on the left and Pepe in the centre of the defence alongside Ezequiel Garay. Fernando Gago, Lassana Diarra and Ronaldo began in midfield, along with recent signing Pedro Leon, while youngster Sergio Canales also made his debut in a support role behind Karim Benzema up front. After missing two decent chances early in the game, Benzema unselfishly set up Canales to score the first goal of the Mourinho era. It came 11 minutes before half-time, but Enrique Esqueda equalised shortly after the interval following some sloppy defending by Madrid, and Vicente Sanchez side-footed home on the hour to give the Mexicans the lead. But Mourinho's side hit back through substitute Gonzalo Higuain moments later and Ronaldo secured a debut victory for the Portuguese coach with a superb free-kick 10 minutes from time. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

In 2006, the then Republican-led Congress passed legislation effectively outlawing every form of internet gambling. The law, called the UIGEA was signed into law by a Republican President, George W. Bush. Although the �Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act� hardly succeeded in deterring all forms of gambling, it has clearly chilled American developments in the area, as opposed to the rest of the world. Earlier this year, for example, a British citizen was sentenced to nearly three years in jail on federal racketeering charges, stemming from his role as CEO of an overseas gambling operation, after he was pressured to plead guilty. However, that was before the great economic crisis of recent years hit the country, and with pressure building to increase government tax revenues, efforts to repeal or at least mitigate the UIGEA are gaining momentum. For example, last Wednesday, the House Financial Services Committee voted 41 to 22 to favorable pass out of committee and into the House, a bill to lift the 2006 ban on all online casino gambling and sports betting. The vote blurred party lines somewhat, with seven Republicans joining all but four Democrats who voted in favor of the measure. Interestingly, both Georgians on the committee � Democrat David Scott and Republican Tom Price � voted against the legislation. However, the fact that the overwhelming majority of committee Republicans voted to continue the 2006 restrictions, illustrates the continuing penchant by the GOP nationally for limiting rather than expanding individual liberty. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Beijing Olympic star and all around hunk Michael Phelps is looking forward to see how the best swimmers in the world will handle the ban on body suits recently imposed by FINA. It is thought that body suits were partly responsible for creating several world records. Michael Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics last year will swim at five events this week at the US national championships, a qualifier for the Pan Pacific meet here in two weeks as well as next year's World Championships in Shanghai. All over the world, record times have been slower since the polyurethane bodysuits used by professional swimmers were banned this year after 43 world records were set in Rome last year. However, Phelps expects close races, even if the speeds are not at unprecedented levels. "I still think you're going to see tight races," Phelps said. "I would rather see a tight race than watch a world record get obliterated by five seconds." Phelps says that he is looking forward to seeing which swimmers will be able to back up their results in previous years with raw talent now that the aiding attire no longer exists. "It's really going to be interesting to see who can make the transition between wearing (normal) suits and not wearing (banned) suits," Phelps said. "It's going to show who's willing to put in more work to be able to be in better physical shape. You're not going to be able to float as easy on top of the water as you were with the (banned) suits." Phelps plans to swim the 200-meter freestyle, 100 and 200 butterfly, 200 individual medley and 200 backstroke at the US meet. His first day in the pool will be Wednesday, when he competes in two events, making it his busiest day. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Roderick Wright supports a New Jersey lawsuit challenging federal that restricts and limits online sports betting. Experts say legal sports betting could generate $1 billion in annual revenue for the state. Gamblers in Las Angeles may have put their bets big on the Lakers winning the NBA championship, but if they wanted to do it legally in California, they would be breaking the law if they did so. A recent bill that is being passed through the legislative process means to allow Californians to legally bet on sports in their own state. This is due to a state legislator who is saying the California cannot afford not to legalize online sports betting if it ever wants to fill its empty coffers. State Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood), who chairs the committee the overseas gambling and sports betting, supports a lawsuit filed by the New Jersey officials challenging federal law (coincidentally, a suit which Governor Christie wants no part of) that limits sports betting to only a handful of states. Wright said he might ask the Legislature to join the suit. "If you took the sports book in Nevada and other places, it's a pretty healthy piece of money, and we currently don't get squat,'' Wright said. "I don't know how much longer we can afford to basically be providing the revenue to all these other states from California people.'' Under California law, it is a misdemeanor to bet on a sporting event. And the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act prohibits the state from sanctioning sports betting, according to Whittier Law School professor I. Nelson Rose, an expert on gambling law. The lawsuit by New Jersey argues that the 1992 federal law violates the U.S. Constitution by allowing betting in some states but not others. Rose said the law has "major constitutional problems.'' <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

An assistant manager at the Penrith branch of Ladbrokes bookmakers stole nearly all the cash from the safe after he was threatened by loan sharks to whom he owed money. But at Carlisle Crown Court, Judge Paul Batty QC drew back from jailing Wells after hearing that he was a man of previous good character who harboured an ambition to make a career in the Army. The defendant, of Ellenby Road, Skelton, near Penrith, had earlier pleaded guilty to a single charge of stealing £2,600 from Ladbrokes. Becky McGregor, prosecuting, said that on the day of the offence Wells had been in charge of cashing up. The next morning, he was untypically late for work and the manager found that £2,600 was missing from the £2,658 that had been in the safe. Wells told his boss: �There�s no point in opening the safe � there�s no money in it. I think you should call security.� Wells went on to explain what he had done, saying that he owed a loan shark money after borrowing it seven or eight years previously. �He said they had tracked him down and the deadline [for repayment] had been the previous day,� Miss McGregor told the court. "Threats were made. This was the easy way out and he handed over the money to loan sharks from Bolton.� She added that the Crown had found no evidence to counter his loanshark claim and police confirmed he no longer had the cash. Greg Hoare, for Wells, said that his client had originally intended to plead not guilty but he now accepted, after taking legal advice, that he was guilty because the threats were not of �sufficient immediacy�. He imposed a community order with a 250-hour unpaid work requirement and ordered Wells to repay the £2,600 he stole. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

This week we will see the final stats for the Canadian Open Golf Odds and Canadian Open Golf Betting lines for the Annual RBC Canadian Open from St.George�s Golf and Country Club at Toronto Ontario, Canada from July 22 to July 25, 2010. This tournament has prize money of $5.1 million and of that $918,000 goes to the Winner. This tournament makes available a place for American Golfers to win a country�s championship. Why? Because it�s easy to qualify for this tournament and normally has a lower quality type of participation. It gives those who would not likely win a major tournament that opportunity to win a national open. Next one might ask, why this is their first tournament in more than 42 years. Some reasons are that is a neighborhood where the residents are really fond of it, and the property does not have sufficient practice areas among a few reasons. It has taken the club member that long to get the tournament back! A strong characteristic of this course is its 103 bunkers that are very difficult to play through! And also the greens slope away from the bunkers making it hard to stop the roll of the ball. This should have an influence on the Canadian Open Odds and the Canadian Open Betting lines for this tournament. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

A European Consumer organization which tracked seven state run monopoly online sports books with regard to payouts during the 2010 World Cup, has released its final tally, and it appears that those betting on sports in Germany are the biggest losers. The World Cup Report analyzes the odds offered on World Cup matches by six monopolies: Denmark�s Dansk Spil, France�s PMU, Germany�s Oddset, Greece�s OPAP, The Netherlands� De Lotto, and Sweden�s Svenska Spel. While the overall findings found the monopolistic sportsbooks to offer 32% shorter odds than at private operators (and 35% worse when betting the home team), bettors were found to be a whopping 48% worse off with Oddset as opposed to typical online sportsbooks in Germany. Sweden and the Netherlands� companies offered well worse odds as well, with successful punters 40% poorer in the former and 35% poorer in the latter on winning bets. Despite new competition entering France under the new French gambling laws, France�s former monopoly still left customers with an average win of 31.5% less payout; OPAP of Greece did barely better at 31% under average. Only Denmark�s Dansk Spil can be said to have offered a competitive odds, at 14.4% lower than average. The importance of these numbers is clear: These non-competitive rates threaten to turn customers away from the legally proscribed online sportsbook. Millions of EU consumers who wanted to bet during the World Cup were subjected to hugely inferior prices by the monopolies that their governments strive so hard to protect. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

British Columbia launched North America's first government-run online casino on Thursday, aiming to take a cut of the big dollars its residents are already gambling over the web. The western Canadian province could no longer "stand on the sidelines" and lose revenue to the hundreds of off-shore websites available to residents to gamble money, often illegally, officials said. "The hard reality is this - that activity is not going away," said Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman, whose office oversees the British Columbia Lottery Corporation. Sports betting also falls under this category. The province's right-of-center Liberal government, which once opposed expansion of land-based casinos in British Columbia, has sought a new revenue source to close an expected C$1.7 billion deficit in this fiscal year. "British Columbia may be the first jurisdiction in North America to offer games and sports betting, but I can predict that it won't be the last," Coleman told a ceremony in Vancouver launching the www.playnow.com site. The global online gambling casino industry generates around C$20 billion in revenues annually, with British Columbia residents thought to be gambling around C$100 million annually, according to provincial lottery officials. Casino revenues will go into the province's general fund. Canada, in general, does not tax money won through a lottery or from recreational gambling. British Columbia's web casino will only take bets from provincial residents. British Columbia said it also has worked with lottery officials in Quebec and Canada's Atlantic provinces, which have expressed interest in offering online betting on games such as craps, poker, roulette and sports betting. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

There is a certain irony in Governor Christie�s sudden backing of casino gambling, and his enthusiasm to supplement New Jersey�s coffers with casino gambling revenue. Governor Chris Christie announced that he would put a great emphasis on revitalizing Atlantic City and its casinos, in order to revitalize the city and its money making cash cow. However, while doing this he has also declined to participate in a lawsuit filed on behalf of the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association which would essentially legalize online sports betting in the state. The reason stated for this is that right now, overturning an 18 year old ban on sports betting is not a priority just now for his administration. "At this time, given the unprecedented economic crisis and other challenges facing the state, the governor has determined that the state�s limited resources would be better utilized by focusing on other, more immediate issues facing the citizens of New Jersey," Chiesa wrote in a letter to the judge hearing the matter. However, only a week after this, the Governor announced his �grand plan� for Atlantic City. This plan includes taking over Atlantic City, privatizing the non-profitable Izon Center and the Meadowlands Track and a complete overhaul of the city itself. The question must be asked, if the Governor is so intent on improving the state�s emptying budget and recognizes the importance of gambling and casino related revenue, why differentiate between casino gambling and sports betting? Joe Brennan, Jr., founder of iMEGA.org, explains the impact legalized wagering might have on the state, especially during these tough economic times. �New Jersey stands to realize the creation of up to 57,000 jobs, $7 billion in annual gross gaming revenue and up to $472 in annual state gaming taxes should it establish itself as the dominant hub for the industry.� Some have speculated that Christie has distanced himself from the lawsuit in order to appease the NFL. The NFL distaste for wagering on sports events is well know, and is known to aggressively pursue this premise, as was shown in the recent trial in Delaware, where the NFL sued the state and won. The NFL recently awarded New Jersey the Super Bowl. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour said on Monday that he plans to go to court in order to block a development proposed by the Choctaw Indians, and that he plans to hire outside counsel. In a letter to Attorney General Jim Hood on Monday, the Governor said that the development is clearly inconsistent with the state�s policy to develop destination gaming for the benefit of all Mississippians. Barbour asked Hood to look into the matter in June, with Hood�s response coming last week, claiming that a gaming compact signed by the previous Governor left the state with little or no legal grounds to halt the plan. State and Federal courts has already defended the compact, with the state�s deadline for protesting ending long ago. In a letter to Attorney General Jim Hood on Monday, Barbour said the development "is clearly inconsistent with the policy of this state to develop destination gaming for the economic benefit of all Mississippians." Barbour chastised Hood for telling tribal chief Beasley Denson the state's legal options the day he told Barbour. That "breach of confidentiality" puts the state at a disadvantage, the governor said. Several other statewide elected officials oppose the development, including Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and State Auditor Stacey Pickering, who is from Jones County. U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper, both Republicans, also are against it. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

The Era of Lance Armstrong ended on Sunday in Paris as the world�s most famous cyclist retired from world�s most celebrated cycling race. Lance Armstrong, who had stood atop the dais on the Champs Elysees seven years in a row, climbed it again this year, but this time as a member of the Radio Shack Team that won the often-overlooked team classification. For the second year in a row, Armstrong watched as rival and thee time winner Alberto Contador from Spain slip into the yellow winner�s jersey. Armstrong was third in 2009 and fifth in the previous year. This year he came in at 23rd place, almost forty minutes behind after crashing seven times. Contador won by 39 seconds over Luxembourg's Andy Schleck in one of the closest races in Tour history. It was a repeat for Schleck, too, who was four minutes behind Contador a year ago. While these two gifted cyclists move on to prepare what could easily be half a decade of sportive rivalry, Armstrong turns 39 in Spetember, and is about to face one of the most serious legal challenges to his career as a rider and his advocacy for cancer awareness. A federal investigation into allegations of systematic doping by Armstrong�s teams has been issuing subpoenas to cyclists all over the country. Even Greg LeMonde, the first American to win and a frequent critic of Armstrong is among those called to testify. The investigation was prompted by allegations made by Floyd Landis, who said that he witnessed Amrstong use illegal drugs as well as participate in �blood doping,� the process of artificially raising levels of red blood cells in the body. Landis himself won the 2006 tour with the Swiss Phnak team, but was quickly stripped of his title after an illegal testosterone ration was discovered in his bloodstream. Landis made a lengthy and expensive defense but could not get his title back. In May he finally admitted to using performance enhancing drugs while at the same time accusing Armstrong. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade, FBI Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena and Dearborn Heights Police Chief Lee Gavin. On Monday, July 19, Judge O�Meara sentenced Grosse Pointe Park resident David Alan Stronski, 56, to probation for a term of 24 months and a $2,000 fine, and sentenced St. Clair Shores resident John Stephen Shelly, 50, to probation for a term of 12 months probation and a $2,000 fine. On Tuesday, July 13, Judge O�Meara sentenced Dearborn resident Christopher Grodzicki, 67, to probation for a term of two years and a $2,000 fine. The sentences result from the defendants� guilty pleas to one count each of participating in an illegal sports betting business. According to evidence, the operation made as much as $25,000 a week from illegal betting conducted at bars, restaurants and other businesses located in Detroit and Dearborn. Law enforcement agencies also seized over $412,000 in illegal sports betting proceeds and properties used to conduct the gambling operations. McQuade stated, �Illegal gambling is a big business that corrupts sports leagues and athletes. We want to put people on notice that gambling on professional and amateur sports is a crime, and it will be prosecuted.� Arena added, �Illegal gambling is by no means a victimless crime. The FBI, with the cooperation of our law enforcement partners, is committed to aggressively investigate illegal sports betting and illegal criminal enterprises.� As an attorney, Shelly also faces disciplinary action. Attorney Discipline Board records show that Shelly was subject to an automatic interim suspension effective March 02, 2010, based on his guilty plea. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Federal fraud and money laundering charges were filed Wednesday in Las Vegas against a man who is accused of using a sports betting scheme to steal nearly $1 million from investors. According to a statement released by Nevada's U.S attorney, Daniel Bogden, an arrest warrant has been issued for Yul Na. An indictment charges Na with 30 counts of wire fraud and 29 counts of money laundering. The indictment alleged the defendant began marketing an investment opportunity early this year that involved the technique of "sports arbitrage" for placing and accepting sports wagers. Na said that investors would not lose money if they invested in the technique, which involved betting on both sides of the same event. According to the statement from the U.S. attorney's office, Na told investors he had an exclusive and binding agreement with Mandalay Bay to accept large lay-off wagers, a wager made by one bookmaker with another to help balance bets and reduce risk, from its sports book at a discounted rate of 18 percent. He also told investors that he had contracted with an offshore sports book to bet the other side of the same events for which he had accepted wagers from Mandalay Bay. Authorities alleged that Na knew his representations to investors were false and part of a scheme to defraud them of their money. Specifically, Na knew he did not have an exclusive agreement with Mandalay Bay to accept lay-off wagers at a discounted rate of 18 percent, authorities alleged. According to the statement from the U.S. attorney's office, investors transferred by wire more than $962,000 to Na. "Na subsequently withdrew the funds and used them to gamble at Mandalay Bay instead of using them for the sports betting investment program," according to the statement. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

CNN earlier this year posted an article titled �The Rise and Rise of Fantasy Sports,� in which it reported the activity is expanding at double-digit rates. The Fantasy Sports Trade Association estimates 27.1 million adults in the United States currently participate in and will spend roughly $4 billion on virtual sports competitions in 2010. Prizes earned by game winners vary from less than $100 in cash or comparable value to $10,000 or more. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 made exceptions for horse racing, fantasy sports, state lotteries, and certain kinds of securities transactions. The magazine Editor & Publisher�in referring to a recent cash-reward sports fantasy contest run by the Philadelphia Inquirer web site Philly.com�remarked that the publication �has become the first newspaper to offer online sports betting in the United States.� All but six states permit their citizens to partake of fantasy sports for money and in-kind rewards. Media portals such as CBSSports.com and Yahoo.com offer free fantasy sports games in football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. The demographic profile of fantasy sports players is highly desirable. According to World Fantasy Games, a typical player is a college-educated 37-year-old male who is married with children and has a $94,000 annual household income. He manages six fantasy teams in various sports and, in doing so, is online at least three to four hours a week. Men compose about 90% of fantasy sports players. Horse racing needs to pay close attention, given the magnitude and growth trajectory of the fantasy-sports market. This segment of sports entertainment represents an increasingly important competitor for the gaming dollar. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

EU Commissioner Michel Barnier will participate in the EPFL General Assembly to be held next Friday (23 July 21010) in Paris. The Commissioner in charge of Internal Market and Services will discuss with the European Leagues the most pressing issues impacting upon the Leagues business' model. Vital reforms advocated by the EPFL, namely protection of intellectual property rights and sports betting integrity, will be at the heard of the discussions, as essential policies to ensure the integrity of sporting competitions and sport's economic viability and further development. During the meeting, Jean-François Vilotte, President of the French Regulatory Authority of Online Gaming will also update the Leagues� representatives about the new law which regulates the opening of the French online gambling market, while Michal Krejza, Head of the Sport Unit of the European Commission, will focus his intervention on the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty in the field of sport, following its entry into force on 1 December 2009. The agenda of the EPFL General Assembly includes other vital matters, such as the EPFL Report on Leagues' Organisation, Structure and Governance, financial solidarity at the Leagues' and UEFA level, implementation of UEFA financial fair play, as well as the EPFL Standing Committees� reports and the 2010/2011 Calendar of EPFL Meetings and Events. The EPFL General Assembly shall be preceded by the meeting of the Board of Directors, where several matters of relevant interest for the 30 EPFL Members and Associate Members shall be addressed. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Malaysia scrapped a plan to let non-Muslims bet on international sports, succumbing to public pressure that such a move would increase and promote gambling among the nation citizens. Prime Minister Najib Razak announced authorities have revoked the permit previously given to Ascot Sports, a company linked to Malaysian billionaire Vincent Tan, to run betting on sports. "After taking all opinions into account, it is clear to the government that a large part of society does not agree that a betting license should be given to Ascot Sports," Najib said late Friday after chairing a meeting of his ethnic Malay Muslim ruling party. . Gambling is a sensitive political issue in Malaysia, where ethnic Malay Muslims comprise nearly two thirds the 28 million strong population. Non-Muslims which are mainly comprised of mainly ethnic Chinese and Indians are allowed to purchase lottery tickets and visit the country�s sole casino. But any other form of betting is illegal. . Gambling is a sensitive political issue in Malaysia, where ethnic Malay Muslims comprise nearly two-thirds of the country's 28 million people. Non-Muslim minorities, mainly ethnic Chinese and Indians, are allowed to purchase lotteries, visit the country's sole casino and wager on horse races, but other betting is illegal. . Tan's conglomerate announced in May that Ascot would soon start accepting bets from non-Muslims on soccer, basketball, motor racing, tennis, golf and other key international sports events, as part of the government's efforts to combat illegal gambling estimated to total billions of dollars each year. But the plan drew criticism from opposition parties and many Muslim nongovernment groups, which insisted it would increase social problems such as illegal money lending and gambling debts. . No compensation would be paid to Ascot, because the government had only approved the plan in principle and had the right to cancel it, Najib added. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

While Louis Oosthuizen celebrated his runaway victory this weekend on St. Andrews' Old Course, the fate of the most famed player in golf history remains more uncertain than ever before. Tiger Woods not only failed to challenge at the British Open, but his erratic play may remove him from his familiar spot as the gambling favorite of any tournament he enters. The unbeatable champion may have been taken down by Elin Nordegren when no golfer could have done the same. Sports betting oddsmakers have automatically installed Tiger as the choice to win every time he plays for almost a decade. At the height of his dominance, Woods was frequently favored by bookmakers over the entire field, and many players successfully gambled on Woods to rout all opponents. After all, this was the man raised from infancy to be the best golfer the world had ever seen, and for years it has seemed his destiny to achieve that goal. Tiger went so far as to defeat the world's best players in the 2009 US Open while playing with a broken leg. But Tiger's marital infidelities hit the newspapers, and the total disruption of his personal life has apparently left his game in tatters. No longer do the drives find the green with uncanny accuracy, nor do the putts curve magically into the cup. Woods fell 13 strokes behind Oosthuizen by the time the British Open ended. But, even worse, Tiger finished tied for 23rd on a course he had avowed his favorite, one on which he has set records. Many wondered how long it would take Tiger Woods to regain his game after his public embarrassment and subsequent separation from wife Elin and his children. Now, the question may be not when, but if Tiger can return to the icy focus which allowed him to play golf on a level beyond any other man in history. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

In the world of sports, and especially when it comes to sports betting, who an athlete dates is almost as important as how he does on the filed, as the two may very well be connected. This is the reason sports fans everywhere are rejoicing that Miles Austin is now dating the reality show start Kim Kardashian. For some, who a person sees or sleeps with is their own business. However, in the world of high stakes sports betting, who a player sees can be seen either as a good or bad omen. After all, there is nothing that affects how a player will score than the home he comes to at the end of the day. For example, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo did not fare well on the gridiron when he was dating singer Jessica Simpson. The whole disastrous relationship was dubbed �Yoko Romo� by fans, after Yoko Ono, John Lennon�s girlfriend who was allegedly responsible for breaking apart the Beatles, and has since become the most hated woman in music�s history. So, when Cowboys wide receiver MKiles Austin reportedly became romantically involved with the star of �Keeping up with the Kardashians� Kim Kardashian, fans and football enthusiasts were left wondering how the relationship would affect their star�s performance on the team. Kardashian was a fixture at New Orleans Saints games this year when Reggie Bush, her former boyfriend, and his teammates won the Super Bowl. Furthermore, Kardashian's sister, Khloe, was hubby Lamar Odom's good luck charm when the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA title in June. Betting on the least likely outcome could win someone a lot of money. Maybe for these two, celebrity and sports can make a winning mix. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

New Jersey is getting ready for a state run referendum determining the future of online sports betting and gambling, a decision that could have ramifications for the rest of the country. In order to reconcile the different view points on online gambling the legislators of the Democratic Party have suggested that a gaming summit be organized and then the final proposals be put to a public vote in a referendum in fall this year. There is another reason for the hectic movements in the context of online gambling. Governor Chris Christie had appointed an advisory committee to make recommendations for reviving the gambling industries that include land casinos and racetracks. This report is due just two weeks from now. Apart from the disagreement between CANJ and S490 there are reports of conflicting legislative bills in the state Senate and Assembly and also the fact that racetracks want new initiatives such as being allowed to offer slot machines at their venues. Senator Raymond Lesniak, who is the sponsor of S490, explained that all sectors of the gambling industry are in trouble and are therefore trying to gain advantage at the expense of others. He said, "They don�t realize, or don�t want to realize, they�re killing each other. It�s time for the Legislature and the governor to adopt a policy based on maximizing revenues from gaming and saving our dying tourist attractions." Lesniak gave an assurance that he would not move his bill forward until all issues have been discussed at the summit and a new proposal is generated. John Burzichelli, chairman of the New Jersey State Assembly gaming panel also indicated that he was open to a new proposal and welcomed a summit debate and discussion for the resolution of all issues. . The Assembly Regulatory Oversight and Gaming Committee has approved a bill last week that seeks to ask state voters in a referendum a number of questions related to gambling, particularly online gambling. The questions include whether to legalize sports betting assuming that the federal ban on the practice in most states is lifted; whether to allow sports betting over the Internet in New Jersey; whether to allow the Atlantic City licensed land casinos to operate online gambling sites and what types of expanded gambling options to allow at New Jersey racetracks. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

An international crackdown in four Asian countries targeting illegal football gambling during the World Cup resulted in more than 5,000 arrests and the seizure of $10m in cash, Interpol has said. Interpol, the international policing organisation, said on Friday that officers raided 800 illegal gambling dens in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and China, including the territories of Hong Kong and Macau. The dens handled more than $115m in illegal World Cup bets. "As well as having clear connections to organised crime gangs, illegal soccer gambling is also linked with corruption, money laundering and prostitution," Jean-Michel Louboutin, Interpol's executive director, said in a statement. In addition to the cash, officers seized alleged criminal assets including cars, bank cards, computers and mobile phones. The operation was coordinated from Interpol's headquarters in France and Louboutin praised the close cooperation of Asian police forces. Joe Saumarez Smith, news editor of the website betasia.com, told Al Jazeera that the arrests were insignificant compared to the size of the issue. The international operation dubbed SOGA III, which followed two smaller gambling raids, ran between June 11 and July 11, as millions around the world were glued to their television screens, following the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa. Sports betting remains illegal in much of Asia, unlike the most of Europe, even though it is apparently popular with the region's sports fans. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

The Tour de France began one of its most punishing stages in its recent history, as the riders entered the Pyrenees for four days that include four ascents in the Col de Tourmalet. Andy Schleck of Luxembourg held the yellow jersey with a 31-second lead over the defending champion, Spaniard Alberto Contador. But that will be challenged throughout the final week of racing as the riders test their endurance and desire against some of the most difficult cycling roads in the world. The 114.7-mile ride from Revel to the ski resort of Ax-3 Domaines on Sunday will lead riders up two extreme climbs, including the Port de Pailheres, a climb so long and steep that cycling's governing body doesn't even classify it, to an uphill finish. That's followed by two more tough stages in the mountains along the French-Spanish border, including a first climb of the Tourmalet. Then, after a much-needed rest day, on Thursday the riders turn around and cross the mountains in the other direction, to end at the top of the Tourmalet. The mountains will also decide the winner of the polka-dot jersey that designates the best climber, or King of the Mountains. The jersey is being worn by Anthony Charteau of France, but as the bigger climbs offer more points, the competition is far from decided. Meanwhile, the race for the green jersey for best sprinter will be put on hold over the mountains as the riders in contention for it struggle just to avoid expulsion for being too slow. Alessandro Petacchi of Italy holds the jersey by just two points over Norway's Thor Hushovd. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

The Japanese Sumo governing body has decided to ban all players tainted with online sports betting scandal from the upcoming Nagoya grand tournament. The Japan Sumo Association is the agency that governs the 2,000 year old sport of sumo wrestling. The group is known for its strict adherence to tradition and ritual, and has made a decision to push forward with the upcoming July 11 Nagoya grand tournaments, in spite of the fact that 14 top-division sumo wrestlers won�t be competing. These wrestlers have been ousted from the tournament after they admitted to illegally betting on sports. Japanese gambling laws forbid sports betting. Of sumo�s 700 active wrestlers, about 65 of theme recently admitted to breaking these laws by wagering on basketball, golf and other games. Japanese media has exploded with reports of yakuza involvement, and the fiasco is hitting the once-sacred world of sumo very hard. Among the wrestlers who have been forbidden from taking part in this year�s Nagoya tournament is 34 year-old Kotomitsuki, a high-ranking wrestler who is just one level away from becoming yokozuna, or grand champion � the highest level of champion in the world of sumo. A Japanese magazine published allegations that Kotomitsuki is heavily in debt from betting on sports in Japan, and was paying off gangsters to keep quiet. Kotomitsuki and his master, along with the other 13 wrestlers removed from the tournament, may end up being expelled from the sport entirely. The Japan Sumo Association has put together an investigative committee to look into the gambling allegations, and plans to announce a final decision about the fate of the accused wrestlers on July 4. Despite the fact that sports betting is not allowed in Japan, many Japanese sports fans gamble on the internet. All online sportsbooks in Japan are actually hosted overseas, where internet betting is legal. Most internet betting sites that accept Japanese players are international and offer English as their primary language, but a few of the larger sites do cater to punters in Japan, offering Japanese language services and taking bets in Yen. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Federal authorities investigating possible fraud and doping charges against the celebrated Lance Armstrong and his associates have issued grand jury subpoenas to witnesses, according to several people briefed on the case, who preferred to speak anonymously because they did not want to be identified discussing a federal investigation. The Grand Jury subpoenas represent a significant step in the investigation as to whether Lance Armstrong and the rest of the United States Postal Service cycling team systematically used performance enhancing drugs in the early to mid 2000s. The investigation was kick started when cyclist Floyd Landis, who was stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title for doping told investigators that he and all the other riders on the team engaged in performance enhancing together. In particular, Landis said that the team used the money given to it by sponsors in order to purchase drugs, and that Lance Armstrong and the team manger had encouraged the riders to use the drugs. At one race, the team bus came to a halt for the riders in order to conduct blood transfusions. Armstrong, who came to fame because of his anti-cancer campaign, has repeatedly said that he has never used performance enhancing drugs or methods. He has also never been sanctioned, some may say caught, for doping violations. He has stated that Landis�s testimony is not credible, due to the fact that he lied about his own doping practices. Landis, who has met several times with the lead agent on the case, Jeff Novitzky, is not thought to be among the witnesses the authorities want to question before the grand jury, at least at this point. But other riders, including several who are competing at the Tour, have already been contacted by investigators. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Gov. Chris Christie today said he will not sign on to a legal battle to bring sports betting to New Jersey, damaging efforts to reverse an 18-year ban on wagering in the state. In a letter to the judge handling the case, Christie chief counsel Jeff Chiesa wrote that the governor would not join the lawsuit Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) filed against the federal government last year. "At this time, given the unprecedented economic crisis and other challenges facing the state, the governor has determined that the state�s limited resources would be better utilized by focusing on other, more immediate issues facing the citizens of New Jersey," Chiesa wrote. A Christie spokesman, Michael Drewniak, said "there were just too many steep legal hurdles to clear, and it would at best be a legal long shot." . Lesniak and industry representatives argue sports betting could bring the state millions in annual revenue while helping to revitalize Atlantic City. The lawsuit argues the 1992 sports betting ban discriminates against New Jersey and 45 other states where such wagering is illegal. Only Delaware, Montana, Nevada and Oregon met the deadline to sign up for it. Lesniak today said he is "disappointed" in Christie�s decision but believes with the support of Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) he still has "a powerful argument" that the ban unconstitutionally restricts states� rights under the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. . That amendment gives the states, and the people, "powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states." . "We expect to win," Lesniak said. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Apart from the games themselves, the World Cup had its share of winners and losers in other fields as well. Here are the biggest winners and the biggest losers. To begin with, South Africa is the unequalled winner of this World Cup, regardless of what was done on the field. A nation that is heavily interested in football, yet never before had they dared to host any sort of international event. Betting stats worldwide showed that, apart from the deafening vuvuzela ruckus, fans and players were pleased with the country�s performance of the host of the World Cup. Any country that hosts any sort of international event, from the World Cup to the Olympic Games, has the chance to shine and showcase its own uniqueness, and South Africa definitely rose to the occasion. It is also hoped that the Cup will help transform South Africa in other areas as well, that foreign investments will be attracted to the country, and that the nation�s poverty, a remnant of the Apartheid Regime, will soon be mended. Spain is the next obvious winner in this World Cup, but they showed much more mettle than just on the field. The Spanish team have a style of playing that is all their own, refusing to compromise their own ideals and preferring to play the game in the old fashioned way. Betting favorites from the start, they won the World Cup without any subterfuge, or dirty tricks, but playing a good, solid game. ESPN is the next winner on the list, and for fans everywhere, the coverage was spot on. The network giant knew enough to supply a multitude of shots and angles, and made sure to provide well informed commentators. Providing extensive analysis for the sport�s veterans, as well as giving information for those who are new to the sport, ESPN left no viewer out of the loop. A big loser in this World Cup is none other than FIFA, who refused to budge in terms of changing policies regarding technology during the matches. In fact, the board shot down any proposal for instant replays unanimously. This is too bad, as there were many instances in the games where an instant replay of the goals could have helped quiet controversy, but FIFA flat out refused to even consider it. Perhaps the biggest losers of the World Cup were the football superstars. The games left no lasting impression of this or that player�s amazing feats. Even such legends as Messi and Ronaldo left much to be desired in terms of playing, and this will not be a Cup they will be remembered for. It was shown that not superstars were those who won the games, but teams acting collectively as a team. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Ce soir est un grand soir pour l�Espagne et les Pays-Bas, qui tenteront de décrocher le titre de champion du monde de football ! Plus très longtemps encore, pour que l�Afrique du Sud, qui aura accueilli cette année le Mondial 2010, tourne la page la plus glorieuse de son histoire� En effet c�est une atmosphère de fierté qui a régné ces six dernières semaines de la frontière du Zimbabwe au Cap de Bonne Espérance, étant même plus intense ou plutôt plus fédératrice que le sentiment général qui avait touchée l�Afrique du Sud à l�issue de l�élection de Nelson Mandela. C�est alors la toute première fois qu�un pays européen sera champion du monde de football hors du vieux continent, suite à la finale qui opposera ce soir la Hollande à l�Espagne, au stade de Soccer City de Johannesburg. C�est en effet la première fois qu�une équipe rejoindra ce club très fermé des champions de Coupe du Monde, depuis un certain 12 juillet 1998. Ce titre est le rêve des deux meilleurs buteurs de la compétition, Sneijder et Villa avec 5 buts, et pour cause ces deux nations dont le Palmarès est vierge jusqu�alors, n�ont jamais été sacrés depuis la création de la Coupe du Monde, en 1930 ! <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

In what is being called a setback for the complete and final legalization of online gambling and other internet gaming, the European Court of Justice rules yesterday that a national government may restrict the promotion and advertising of online casinos and other online gaming options in Sweden. However, the court also ruled that apart from the restriction, the Swedish government may not impose harder sanctions on the promotions of gambling operated outside the country. The ruling came as a result of a fine imposed by the government on two Swedish newspapers, Expressen and Aftonbladet of 50,000 Swedish crowns, contrary to Swedish law. After the Swedish ruling was given, the newspapers appealed to the ECJ. After the European Court verdict was given, both sides commented to the media. The president of a group of European Lotteries said that �It is up to the legislator to embrace the reality of online gaming and betting in Europe. Italy, France and the UK have introduced online gaming legislation and Denmark is set to follow suit in 2011.� The ECJ is reportedly currently examining the market practices of the Swedish gaming monopoly company Svenska Spel. Svenska Spel was recently ranked worst among European online gaming monopolies in terms of returns on bets. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Charges against a Sunday Mirror journalist arrested after a football fan's intrusion into the England team's dressing room during the World Cup in South Africa have been dropped. Simon Wright, 44, had been charged with attempting to defeat the ends of justice and fraud. But the charges were withdrawn during a short hearing at Cape Town's special World Cup court, his lawyer William Booth said. Mr Booth said Wright paid a 750 rand (£65) admission of guilt fine for a technical breach of the Immigration Act. He said: "He is relieved it's over. He has been through absolute hell and his family want him back home. They have been through an emotional roller coaster. Mr Booth said the charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice was "removed from the court roll" after prosecuting authorities agreed there was no evidence.He said his client paid an admission of guilt fine concerning his request to put a different name in the Bay Hotel's register, despite giving staff the correct details. He added Wright was expected to leave South Africa following the return of his passport. Mr Booth told the court at a hearing on Wednesday that he wanted to record publicly that there was no charge of conspiracy or collusion between his client and the soccer fan, Pavlos Joseph. Speaking outside court, he said the pair met as a result of a telephone call made to the Sunday Mirror by Mr Joseph's sister and did not believe there was any basis for continuing with the charges. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

The second semifinal of the 2010 World Cup will be on July 7, and will be located in the east port city of Durban between the two European heavyweights, Germany and Spain. Whatever happens, this is an all-European World Cup final, on a foreign continent, an unprecedented occurrence. The Dutch team booked their place in the final on July 6, after a thrilling game with Uruguay, giving them a theoretical advantage, with an extra day of rest in between games. Germany, although thought of once as a lumbering, dull giant to watch in the Cup games, has shown some of the finest football this World Cup has seen. Defeating England and destroying Argentina in the previous two rounds, Germany now faces Spain in what appears to be a massive battle for the right to play it on the final World Cup game. Although it enjoyed relatively little ball possession in those two games, Germany was ruthless once it got the ball in its clutches. In addition, adding to the intensity of the game, Germany is unbeaten in three previous games against Spain in world Cup formats. West Germany beat Spain 2-1 at Villa Park in a group game in 1966. They won by the same score at the Bernabeu in 1982, when the sides met in a second-round group match. Defeat eliminated the hosts, even though they had one more match to play. On the other hand, Spain beat Germany in Euro 2008, their second win in eight consecutive games. Previously, the Spanish have recorded another victory against Germany, 1-0 in the 1984 European Championship. Spain beat Germany in Euro 2008, their second win in eight competitive games. Previously, the Spaniards have recorded another victory over Germany, 1-0 in the group stage at the 1984 European Championship. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Brazil's Tourism Ministry launched a campaign in Johannesburg, South Africa to promote Brazil as a tourist destination in preparation for Brazil's hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The campaign is called "O Brasil te chama, celebre a vida aqui" (Brazil calls you, celebrate life here). During the launching ceremony of the campaign, two short films directed by Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles were shown, reports China's Xinhua news agency. One of films, "Apito" (Whistle), will be aired Sunday worldwide just after the World Cup final. The other will be made available on the internet Monday. Tourism Minister Luiz Barretto said that one billion reais (US$568 million) will be invested in the tourism sector in the following years. Another 400 million reais (US$227 million) will be financed through the Development Bank's loans to each of the host cities to build or renovate stadiums. The government also intends to invest in the population's qualification in the tourism sector, Barretto said. "There will be more people qualified and in the job market. This is one of the most important legacies of the World Cup," he said. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said that the 2014 World Cup should not only be regarded as Brazil's, but as a Latin American event. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

For the first time since it began airing Sumo tournaments on television some j57 years ago, Japan�s public broadcasting network decided on Tuesday not to air the upcoming competition live, because of an online sports betting scandal that sullied the sport�s reputation. The decision was made after a public outcry against Suma fans in Japan ober the behavior of coaches and players who are accused of gambling heavily on baseball. At times, these bets were placed with bookies belonging to organized crime syndicates. NHK which has broadcast each of the six annual tourneys since 1953 said that the scandal caused an influx of complaints from viewers, who did not want the 15 day competition to be aired, thus penalizing the teams, diminishing sponsorship, and causing heavy losses. Instead of the usually live broadcast, NHK said that it will air a shortened version on its website. After much deliberation, the Japan Sumo Association banned senior wrestler Kotomitsuki and his coach, Otake, and its chairman agreed to step down. However, many say that this has not done enough to clean the sport�s tarnished image. "We would like all of you to stake your life on this and make a fresh start," Education Minister Fumio Kawabata told the association's acting chief on Tuesday before the NHK announcement. He said this could be sumo's last chance to regain face. Responding to allegations, 34 year old Kotomitsuki admitted to sports betting on baseball games, and of running up debts estimated at $50,000. An internal survey has showed that at least 65 of the Sumo wrestlers registered with the Association have engaged in illegal sports betting. Police are investigating, and one arrest has been made to date. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Although it was expected that Diego Maradona would deliver the goods for Argentina, being a legendary player none has surpassed by far, in reality the games were less than romantic, and Argentina left the World Cup shame faced, after an exhausting debacle at the hands of Germany. After the game, Lionel Messi wept in the dressing rooms, while the demeanor of Maradona was that of a man who had had a death in the family. Diego Maradona was left crushed, beated, dejected, almost unable to cope with the turbulent emotions eating away at him, a shadow of a man. First announcing his resignation, and then changing his mind midway through the press conference, Maradona was exposed as a broken man, shrunken. However, this outcome was long foretold, as Argentina had gambled on a man who may have been a gifted football player, but was sadly, not a coach. His team was a doughnut, plenty of defense up in front, but a glaring hole in the middle, after he benched Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Zanetti from his 23. Amid the sadness and pain, Maradona tried to defend his players, especially his star striker, Lionel Messi, who left the World Cup with over 30 shots, but with zero goals. Maradona said: "Messi didn't score, either because the chance didn't come, or the goalkeepers were good. But he played a great World Cup. To see him crying in the dressing room, saying to me that he deeply regrets what has happened, means that anyone who says he didn't honour the Argentine colours would be stupid.� "It could be due to the way we played. It's a different type of game right now. I have no explanation. We were selfish. These days, maybe its more about the collective. Rooney will have scant consolation from the knowledge that, just like Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, he failed to command the stage but England's anguish over their defeat by the Germans was dwarfed by the reaction from the Argentines. "Sometimes you fail to live up to your own expectations. I really don't now why this has happened. They totally dominated us, and we never had enough possession. On top of that, our counter-attacking play was atrocious, but I'm not pointing the finger at anyone." While Maradona received a hug from his daughter, he was left seeking consolation only from the hurt in his players' eyes. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

The German Striker Miroslav Klose said recently that he is more interests in winning the World Cup for his teammates and for his country, than bestin Cristian Ronaldo�s record for goals scored at the tournament. Klose�s second-half brace helped complete a staggering 4-0 quarter final win over Argentina in Cape Town, giving the 32 year old four goals, matching the record previously scored by German Gerd Müller on 14 at World Cups. With only two matched to play, Klose needs just a single goal to match Ronaldo�s record, who took his score to 15 when Brazil defeated Ghana in the second round 4 years ago. But the Bayern Munich striker is putting the team above individual accolades. "I don't know whether I am going to pass Ronaldo's record, and I don't really care," he said. "I didn't think about the record beforehand. I just wanted to win the game. I am more interested in what we do as a team. If we end this tournament winning the World Cup that would be far more important than any goals I score." . The Argentina result was the third time Germany have scored four in a game at this World Cup, after comprehensive victories over England in the previous round and Group D opponents Australia. The one German disappointment was the booking Müller collected for deliberate handball, which will rule him out of Wednesday's semi-final in Durban. Argentina must now regroup after being comprehensively outclassed by a team they lost to on penalties at the same stage of the tournament four years ago. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

After watching the national team go down, 4-0, to far superior Germany, fans wept openly at the downtown Buenos Aires obelisk where thousands had gathered to view the game on enormous TV screens. Argentina and Brazil weren't the only countries in mourning. Six South American teams made it into the tournament's second round; only Uruguay will play in the semifinals, on Tuesday against Holland. But in Argentina, a country obsessed with the sport and with team coach Diego Maradona, the loss hit especially hard. It's been a controversial World Cup. Officials have blown crucial calls but eschewed instant replay. The French team mutinied against its coach and didn't make it to the second round. Nigeria's president, Goodluck Jonathan, formed a special commission to reorganize soccer after the national team failed to win a single game. Many Argentine fans took it as an article of faith that their team � led by Maradona, who as a player led the squad to its 1986 World Cup victory but who had no experience as the national coach � would advance to the finals, possibly taking home the coveted trophy. But as sportswriter Sergio Danishewsky wrote on the Clarin newspaper's website, Germany was so dominant that it stripped the Argentina squad "naked," exposing its "technical disorder�. The Cup is just a memory of what must be learned." On Friday, Argentina's neighbor, soccer rival and tournament favorite Brazil, was beaten, 2-1, by the Netherlands, provoking a similar round of soul-searching and second-guessing among soccer-mad fans. In Brazil's earlier games, Sao Paulo buzzed with the sound of vuvuzelas, the plastic trumpets that fans in South Africa are tooting throughout the matches. The horns fell silent Friday. Unlike earlier games, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva did not upload match pictures to his website. He departed Saturday on a state visit to Africa, which he had previously scheduled so he could attend the World Cup final July 11. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Activists in Malaysia on Saturday launched a campaign to ban all forms of gambling in the country, after the government canceled plans to legalize sports betting. More than 500 mostly Malay Muslim supporters launched the movement with a demonstration at the capital's national mosque on Saturday, chanting "We hate gambling" and "Gambling is for the weak." The campaign follows Prime Minister Najib Razak's announcement last week that his government had dropped a proposal to allow sports betting amid protests by groups who fear it would create more social ills. Malaysia bans its majority Muslims from gambling but allows betting at a casino in Genting Highlands, on horse-racing and the national lottery. Conservative Islamic opposition party PAS youth chief Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi, a member of the coalition against gambling, said the new campaign was aimed at getting all Malaysians to give up gambling. "We want to eliminate gambling on ships at sea, from the kampungs and all the way to the peak of Genting Highlands," he said. "It cannot be done immediately but on a phase by phase basis so that its acceptable to all religions and gambling can be totally eliminated," he added. Uproar over sports betting erupted after Ascot Sports, a company controlled by influential tycoon Vincent Tan, said in May it had been granted a license to offer odds for the hugely popular English Premier League football season. Berjaya, the property-to-gaming group which has a 70 percent state in Ascot Sports, has said the illegal sports betting market in Malaysia is worth as much as 20 billion ringgit (six billion US dollars) a year. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

This World Cup has been riddles with tribulations, and the latest drama is no exception. The threat of a power outage during the World Cup surfaced again yesterday when the thousands of workers employed by South Africa�s power supply company turned down a proposed pay raise, which they deemed as to little, and unfair, in favor of taking action in the form of a strike. Officials from the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and Solidarity joined their colleagues at the National Union of Mine workers in rejecting Eskom�s latest offer of a 8.5 per cent pay rise and a monthly �110 housing allowance. Together, the three unions represent the majority of the workforce employed by the power utility company, numbering some 32,000. A spokesman for the National Union of Metalworkers said that despite the fact that embarking on a full strike next week would be illegal, since electricity is considered an essential service under the Labor Relations Act, their members and workers affiliated with Numsa had decided to down tools. Solidarity has not yet announced the action it will take following it rejection of the Eskom proposal. NUM would have been willing to compromise on the wage increase if management would accede to their housing allowance demand. �If you want [us to accept] 8.5 per cent then the housing allowance has to be R2500 (�235),� he concluded. Analysts believe the unions are using the threat of strike action during the World Cup as a bargaining chip. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

At every World Cup, in which the United States invariably loses, the press asks if this is the World Cup in which American will finally embrace football, or soccer as it is known in the local colloquial. And, sadly, the answer is always no. There are several reasons why the Land of the Free never got invested in football. A recent American Commentator recently said that he finally knew the reason, and it was, in the main, impatience. Americans cannot get emotionally involved in game in which there are few scores, few wins, and little of the minute by minute excitement Americans crave. Americans seem to find offence with the very fact that there is something called an offence. In American football, when a player is knocked to the ground, he gets up and does it to someone else. Not so for �civilized� football. Kick as hard as you can, but keep things polite, please! In addition, football fans agree that the refereeing in the games is awful, and push the idea of instant replay. However, FIFA has already said that it would not consider instant replay as of now, since it would undermine the authority of the referees. Plus, Americans are known for making games up, and are in fact the world leaders in the field. But when American football broke off from�soccer� in the 1860s, the rules were changed so that players actually got more of a chance to score goals. It seemed more fun to hold the ball with the hands, and to tackle anyone carrying the ball. As a result, American football has a higher level of scoring. Americans like their kicks in large quantities, and if football games ended with no scores, the NFL could never fill stadiums. Americans are calling for reforms to the game, but the rest of the world is simply not listening. Far reaching reforms to soccer to make it more like football is seen as sacrilegious, and perhaps that is why soccer never caught on in America. They simply cannot help thinking of ways to make it more interesting as they watch it. And this is the nation that brought us the �ever thrilling� baseball. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Two months ago, or even a few weeks ago, there were very few people who were willing to listen to the enigmatic man who writes poetry, is considering retirement as a farmer, and is known as a severe martinet to the team he coaches. Although Takeshi Okada is the Japanese team�s coach at the World Cup, it was difficult over the past few months to take him seriously. His assertion that Japan would reach the semi-finals was perceived as a joke. The country has never won a tournament away from home, and the team�s coach was considered a laughingstock. However, Japan has surprisingly reached the second round, where it will face Paraguay on Tuesday. Once derided by his fellow countrymen, Okada is no longer booed at by fans that stay up to watch games that begin in the middle of the night and begin at dawn. Uncharacteristic of the inhabitants of the island of the Rising Sun, people in ecstasy are celebrating the win in the streets and throwing themselves in the river, as 50 people did after Japan�s stunning victory over Denmark on Thursday. The moment of public redemption for Okada is as amazing as it is surprising. Japan�s preparations for the World Cup were sad and dismal. After it lost to Serbia 3-0, Okada was denounced in the media as a bad joke, and of his prediction that Japan would reach the semi-finals, commentators stated that it was �like ordering the current national team to walk on the moon.� Okada was Japan�s coach in the 1998 World Cup, where it was drummed out after one goal and no match wins. Japan was a co-host of the 2002 World Cup with South Korea and reached the second round under another coach, the Frenchman Philippe Troussier. But that was at home. Japan had never won a World Cup match on foreign soil. And according to common wisdom, it did not seem likely to do so in South Africa with Okada returning to take charge in an emergency after his predecessor had a stroke. As the World cup opened, Okada benched Japan�s most prominent player, and played with a single striker. That striker scored the only goal of that match, and for the first time, Japan, had won its first tournament game on foreign soil. �This is not an achievement at all,� Okada admonished his players. �What�s coming next is the point.� <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

The United States has been eliminated by rival Ghana from the World Cup. although the resourceful team has always found ways in the past to overcome adversity and come out on top in the end, This time there was no reprieve, no redemption. The United States has found ways, time and time again to recover from early deficits and losses, and to come out on top again and again. However, when it conceded a goal to Ghana in the opening moments of overtime on their game on Saturday night, there were no answers, no excuses that could make things any better. This time, there were no clumsy goalkeepers to let them back into the match, no heroic comebacks, no rising to the occasion. After Asamoah Gyan scored less than three minutes into the extra period, the Americans' desperate measures fell short, resulting in a 2-1 loss to the Black Stars before a Royal Bafokeng Stadium crowd of 34,976 that included former president Bill Clinton, Mick Jagger and Kobe Bryant. The U.S. World Cup campaign had finally come to a numbing end. Ghana, on the other hand, the only African team to reach the second stage of the tournament, will face Uruguay in a quarterfinal Friday in Johannesburg. The comforting part of allowing a goal early in a match is that there is plenty of time to respond. The United States fell behind England in the fourth minute and answered late in the half en route to a 1-1 draw. It had conceded two first-half goals to Slovenia before surging after the break and earning a 2-2 tie. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Passionate dismay can be expected from the French fans at the humiliating defeat of their beloved team that won the 1998 World Cup, following its elimination from the greatest quadrennial show on earth. However, some worry that the tirades against the players often have an unappealing racist undertone, even if that is not the express intent. There is little dispute that �Les Bleus,� as the team is know in colloquial performed sub par at the World Cup. Among other dramas, the team's stay in South Africa included a celebrity striker being sent home because of swearing, and the rest of the team refusing to practice. However, facts aside, since then, the members of the largely black team have been called hoodlums, �gang bosses,� and have been said to be disrespectful of France. These terms have been used in the main to describe residents of the country's minority- and immigrant-filled suburban ghettos. As a result, many say that such commentary sparks racial hatred. Criticizing the situation in France's ghettoes is a delicate tap dance, because focusing on the criminal and other negative aspects plaguing those areas inevitably circles back to the people living in the largely immigrant and heavily Muslim areas. Problems afflicting the projects include high crime, poor education and a failure to integrate immigrant youths into French culture. Politicians have fervently joined in the harangues, in particular questioning team members' disobedience, and the decision by some on the squad not to sing France's national anthem, "La Marseillaise." <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

It seems that there is nothing stopping them now. South Africa is aiming for a roll, and wished to duplicate the flush and pride that the World Cup games brought it. South Africa wants to tackle no less than the Olympic Games. First the 1995 Rugby World Cup, now the greatest sports show in the world, and next the Olympic Games. These days, Cape Town is the epicenter of an earthquake of sorts, and International Olympic Committee Jacques said that the city had already a viable bid for the Games in 1997, when it finished third behind Athens and Rome in its effort to secure the 2004 Olympic Games. South African president Jacob Zuma has agreed to meet with Rogge before the football finished here. Of course, one of the impediments is the question whether or not the South African World Cup is a success at all, and of course it is not finished yet. Apart from that, there is the ever-present debate on whether the billions spent on the Cup could have gone to feed the poor, build desperately needed housing, hospitals� and infrastructure struggling to keep up with its international reputation. Of course, the last thing anyone expects is to eradicate three centuries of Apartheid with a big festival. However, the World Cup has lifted the hearts of South Africans of either color, and has shown them that such things are a possibility. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

All through history, humans have enjoyed kicking a ball, or something like a ball. Kicking something, in any case. According to historical references, early balls were made of stitched hides, human skulls or pig and cow bladders. During the T�sin and Han dynasties in China, a game was played that was called �tsu chu� in which animan skin balls to dribbles to gaps in a net stretched between two posts. The ancient Egyptians had a similar game, while the Greeks and Romans had a game that was more similar to American football, and which entailed both kicking and carrying the ball. However, it was during the 1800s that Charles Goodyear designed and patented the vulcanized rubber ball. The rest, as they say, is history; football became the most played game in the world. The 2010 South Africa World Cup represents a great turning point for FIFA. For the first time, the greatest even in football is played in Africa, and the excitement and drama of a regular World Cup, together with the awe inspiring beauty of the African continent are irresistible magnets to millions of fans from every corner of the globe. South Africans see this event as a gateway to tourism on a greater scale. The 2010 World Cup is en event that could completely transform the African continent from end to end. The rest of the world sees Africa as poverty stricken, war torn and disease ridden. For the African players in the World Cup, the event means more than it does to their counterparts from other continents. In football, they get lost amid the colors and flags of a multitude of nations, they forget that most of their countrymen live on roughly two dollars a day, and forget the raging tuberculosis and HIV ravaging their lands. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

The refereeing standard at the World Cup this year is inevitably coming under scrutiny, with some controversial claims that some referees are not up to the challenge of refereeing. Being a referee on the world�s biggest stage may be anyone�s dream come true, but it is also a thankless task, with players, fans and coaches free to lash out without the officials having any option of answering back. This year, FIFA appointed 30 referees from 28 countries for the tournament, and many have been praised for both their fitness, and for keeping their cards in their pockets. However, despite all this, some decisions have been sorely questioned. One of the most high profile clashes between team and referee came when Mali's Koman Coulibaly disallowed Maurice Edu�s goal for the United States, denyting them a vital win, and sparking an outcry in the United States. Meanwhile, South African coach Carlos Parreira, blasted the Swiss referee Massimo Busacca for reducing his team to ten men in their crushing 3-0 loss to Uruguay that destroyed any dream of World Cup advancement. "He is the worst referee in this competition," Parreira said. "I hope we don't see his face again in any game anymore. He probably does not deserve to be here." On Monday, Swizterland defender Stephane Grichting attacked Saudi referee Khalil Al Ghamdi who was in charge of their 1-0 defeat against Chile, which saw nine bookings and a sending off. However, the head of refereeing at FIFA said that although he was satisfied overall with the judging in this World Cup, mistakes were bound to happen. Referees; of course, are human, and are bound to err, which brings up the question whether cameras should be used in official capacity. FIFA president Sepp Blatter has previously spoken out against the use of cameras, arguing that they would interrupt the flow of the game, although he appears to have softened his stance <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

The 2010 World Cup is as much a battle between the biggest corporate brands as it is between the greatest football players. Two of the biggest names having it out are Nike and Adidas. In one corner sits Adidas, who is without a doubt the grandfather of football. For over 40 years, Adidas has been the main sponsor between international football in general, and European football in particular. However, this World Cup there is a new rival in the other corner. Nike has made a name for itself as an aggressive marketer, and both are vying the crown, and for billions upon billions of dollars. Sports analysts say that Nike is a master of ambush marketing, and that that is partly the reason how it managed to push its way into the football market with surprising speed. They began it in the Los Angeles Olympics, which were sponsored by Converse. Nike took over all sorts of building in central L.A. and put signs and banners all over them. Whether in official capacity as official sponsor or not, Nike always finds a way to get its name out. However, the same can be said for Adidas, who is not a company that is about to fade from the public eye any time soon. Before the competition began, Adidas had already set high goals for itself, aiming to top the previous record achieved in 2008, with sales of over $1.3 billion Euros. Football is far from being the greatest sport there is in America, as it is in Europe. At this year�s World Cup, Nike is sponsoring nine teams, its most ever, including the US, England, Portugal and Holland. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Palestinians have always been avid football fans, but the tournament this year is drawing record numbers of fans to the flag decked cafes and bars, all powered with portable generators. There is little else to do in the isolated Gaza Strip. "All the people of Gaza have are the sea and the World Cup," says Abu Mohammed al-Sultan, 44, setting up a projection screen at the cafe. "I figured I would combine the two and double my customers." The Gaza strip is under severe siege by Egypt and Israel and only basic goods are allowed to cross the boarder, ever since the capture of an Israeli soldier in 2006. The already tight sanctions were tightened further when the Hamas terrorist organization seized power a year later. Israel has affirmed in the past that the closure and the naval blockade is necessary to keep the movement from importing weapons and rocket into the Strip. The residents of the Gaza Strip organized their own World Cup last month, in preparation for the real thing, with 16 local football teams posing as national squads, with �France� beating �Jordan� to win the championship. "We are locked up in this little prison. So we are all looking for new interests, and the World Cup is a good way to enjoy ourselves," said Hisham, 30, as he watched Friday's 0-0 draw between England and Algeria. The game, which featured the only Arab team to make the cut for the World Cup, drew an especially large crowd, including many women, who previously had little interest in sports. The match, featuring the only Arab team to have qualified for the tournament, drew an especially large crowd, including many women who previously had little interest in sports. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

This World Cup is far from safe. More and more incidents are coming to light, of glaring security holes and inefficiency. South African security is getting a bad rap all over the world. At some point during this World Cup, people will have to face the fact. South African security is a fiasco, the games are unsafe, and the country cannot guarantee a team will not be attacked or that the fans will not be harmed in the streets, in their hotels or in the stands. The largest security hole appears to be the porous security at Cape Town, where a fan left the stands at England�s game against Algeria, walked through several lines of security straight into the team�s locker room, seconds after Princes Harry and William departed. The fan met David Beckham, who encouraged him to leave. However, this incident showed all, including the police, FIFA and the private security teams that they are unable to offer even halfway decent protection at the World Cup games. Indeed, this game was special in that authorities identified it has having a high risk of breaking out in violence or terrorist attack. However, the fan was wearing an England jersey, his ticket straight into the team�s inner sanctum. As usual, no one is willing to take the blame, fingers are pointed, accusations are made, press conferences are convened. As they do, security measures continue to deteriorate. It has even come to the point when it is surprising that a pilceman blocks anyone�s path at all. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

In this World Cup, it seems the underdogs this time around are none other than Italy, country where football is almost part of the country�s politics. After a crushing loss in their first game, and when you thought Italy could not suffer any more, goalkeeper-legend Gianluigi Buffon has been diagnosed with a spinal herniation. With short term recovery looking highly unlikely, it appears that the handsome buck will have to not only miss his country�s game against New Zealand, but will in fact have to miss the entire World Cup. Buffon has been with the Italian national team since 1997 and has been part of every single major international competition since then except for Euro 2000, which he missed due to a broken arm. Four years ago, Italy won the World Cup, and one highly contributing factor was none other than Buffon himself. Italy won that World Cup with one of the best defensive records ever, due in no small part to the great ball catching of Buffon. Buffon�s replacement, Federico Marchetti is good, but he is no Buffon. He plays for Cagliari - not Inter, Milan or Juve. Morgan De Sanctis, and Salvatore Sirigu if he is given clearance by FIFA to step in, are the other two goalkeepers but they will be behind Marchetti in the pecking order. None of the three are top class. Or experienced. Or well known. Or well endowed. Or legends. Buffon is all of the above. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Given how long South Africa�s regime of Apartheid and the movement against it occupied the world�s imagination, there seems to be an expectation that a month of nonstop football should mean something more than what it is. More than any other World Cup that came before, there is the inclination to see the games in the much larger context of the cliché of South Africans coming together to enjoy football together, enjoying their favorite game across social divisions. The last time Soweto captured the world�s attention was 34 years ago today, when students protesting against the Apartheid regime and unequal education were fired upon by the police. As the pictures spread across the world, the incident became a turning point in the struggle against apartheid across the globe. Shooting into the backs of students, the apartheid regime was recognized as illegitimate and immoral, and that day politicized a generation of South Africans that would push through an increasingly violent conflict in the 1980s toward the end of apartheid. At the opening ceremonies last week, FIFA clearly wanted to cast itself as the good guy in the feel good story about transformational South Africa, with Nelson Mandela as the main character. With no regard for his age of physical well being, FIFA did not even seem to care whether he was even able to speak, but seemed content to want to trot him as a kind of mascot. Of course, the admiration for Nelson Mandela is far from being undeserved, and it comes as no surprise that he continues to inspire, especially now, when the eyes of the world are drawn towards South Africa. However, the Mandela FIFA expected to get was a caricature, a one dimensional living saint who saved the nation from civil war through the noble principal of non violence, even thoughout his 27 year incarceration. Mandela was in fact the first commander of the armed wing of the African National Congress. And while he was imprisoned, the apartheid state offered to release him in the mid-1980s in exchange for renouncing violence in the movement against apartheid. He refused and remained in prison. The man behind the saint is all too human. Of course, the admiration for Nelson Mandela is far from being undeserved, and it comes as no surprise that he continues to inspire, especially now, when the eyes of the world are drawn towards South Africa. However, the Mandela FIFA expected to get was a caricature, a one dimensional living saint who saved the nation from civil war through the noble principal of non violence, even thoughout his 27 year incarceration. Mandela was in fact the first commander of the armed wing of the African National Congress. And while he was imprisoned, the apartheid state offered to release him in the mid-1980s in exchange for renouncing violence in the movement against apartheid. He refused and remained in prison. The man behind the saint is all too human. No doubt that it's not the story that FIFA wanted, and as the vuvzelas drone on and one during the games, one has to wonder whether all that noise is not drowning out the truth as well, as well as the legitimacy of the real problems South Africa is facing. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

In an especially sleepy World Cup, Switzerland provided the electric jolt that was so desperately needed. Gelson Fernandes scored on a rare Swiss attack, giving his team a great 1-0 advantage against Spain. The loss ended Spain�s run of 12 straight wins, and was only their second loss in over 50 wins. The other was to the U.S. at the Confederations Cup in South Africa last year. The win also provided a thrill at a World Cup that had few surprises and only 25 goals in the first 16 games. "I'm not used to scoring goals, so I was a bit surprised," said Fernandes, who got just his second in international play. "It was a bit of luck." Not only luck, but tenacity and taking advantage of opportunities. Eren Derdiyok created Switzerland's big chance in the 52nd minute by surging through the center of Spain's defense. Gerard Pique's desperate tackle stopped Derdiyok, but Fernandes pounced on the loose ball and forced it into the net. And tenacity. Eren Derdiyok created Switzerland's big chance in the 52nd minute by surging through the center of Spain's defense. Gerard Pique's desperate tackle stopped Derdiyok, but Fernandes pounced on the loose ball and forced it into the net. Although Spain badly outshot the Swiss and held the ball 63% of the time, it could find no way through Switzerland's determined defense. "Today wasn't our day," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said. "We have two games ahead of us. We have to find a way to win them." <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

An esteemed public university has shut down indefinitely, after students clashed over the question whether to cancel classes in order to watch the World Cup or not. Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology is closed for the time being, and indefinitely, due to violent clashed between the students, who debates on whether classes should be cancelled and university closed, so that the students would be able to watch the World Cup. The students were asked to leave the university and the dormitories by Sunday in order to calm the situation. The decision was made late Saturday after at least five students were grievously injured in violent clashes between two groups of students. One of the parties demanded an early summer vacation, so that they could watch football on television, without having to study for tests and go to classes. In order to accomplish this, they locked the gate of the university, and asked other students not to cross their picket line. No date has been set for when the university will reopen. Earlier this month, hundreds of angry football fans smashed vehicles in Dhaka after power outages interrupted live TV broadcasts of a World Cup match between Argentina and Nigeria. Football is the most popular sport in Bangladesh even though the South Asian nation has never qualified for any major international tournament. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Some may call him a Diva, some may call his spoiled. He complains of a lack of protections, shows that he feels that the World Cup is all about him. However, there is no doubt about it. The Premier league is not the same without Cristiano Ronaldo. Even if we put aside the debate who is the world�s best football player for the moment, the fact that Ronaldo even is in the running shows that what he brings to the World Cup is far beyond almost any other player. Within 20 minutes of the start of Portugal�s game against Ivory Coast, Ronaldo showed everyone what the Brits missed out on, ever since he left Old Trafford for Real Madrid 12 months ago. Ronaldo rattled the Ivory Coast with a 35 yard shot and tried a free kick from even further than that. Before the game had even begun, Ronaldo had already showed all the traits that made him universally loved and admired, and also loathed, during his time in England. However, whether you love him or hate him, Ronaldo is a player that makes things happen, a born showman. Messi eclipsed Ronaldo in Spain last season, such was his brilliance for Barcelona, but don�t fall into the trap of dismissing Ronaldo�s talents. He is a wonderful player, a modern-day superstar, and, like it or not, Old Trafford and the Premier League are poorer, less interesting places, without him. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

The Vuvuzela, the traditional South African trumpet heard buzzing all through the World Cup Games this year, are creating a buzz not only in South Africa, but around the world, as well. Television viewers around the world are complaining of the incessant buzzing created by the Vuvuzela, a traditional plastic trumpet used in South Africa. Some viewers go so far as to watch the games with the sound turned off on their television sets. However, the president of FIFA is unimpressed by the masses of complaints, saying that Africa has it�s own rhythm, it�s own sounds, and that he would not feel comfortable banning a people�s traditional music from the games, and that it had never been done before. Vuvuzelas have played an important part of football culture in South Africa for over ten years, and many locals compare it to singing, chanting and dancing done in other countries. So, while the sounds may make the World Cup Games a little harder to watch, producers at ESPN feel that capturing the sound is part of capturing the games and their great moments. "Our host country is South Africa, and so it is what it is." <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

In a relatively slow World Cup without many awe-inspiring moments, last night Germany stormed out of the gate and pursued goal after goal with a determination that left Australia blown away in the dust. No team has ever begun their World Cup quite so, and it would be difficult to imagine any team making their debut game any better in the first week of games. Indeed, Australia had a chance to sneak in an offhand goal in the first few minutes, but were unable to pull it off. However, even had they scored first, it is doubtful whether they could have bested Germany, who in the humble opinion of this writer, was far better and controlled the game utterly. It seemed like it was all Germany all the time in a fabulous display of speed, economic movement and clockwork precision. Lukas Podolski began the chain with a goal at the eighth minute with a kick too powerful for the goalie to stop. Next the top scorer from the previous World Cup, Miroslav Klose who head butted the ball beautifully to the back of the gate. In the second half it was Muller and Cacau who made the goals. However, goals don�t make a match; it was the complete control of the game, the movement of the ball, and the amazing coordination. So precise was the game, that it left almost no room for wild displays of individual talent. No Ronaldinho-esque dribbling antics. What the world saw was a great and oiled machine. A great beginning for Germany in the World Cup. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have without a doubt been the best football players of the past few years, outplaying all other players in the game in terms of flawless talent and grace. However, every year other players come into the field, and all bets are open as the World Cup draws near the beginning of its first full week. Lionel Messi, Barcelon�s Argentinean prodigy has carried on this season where he left off last year. Spearheading the previous year�s unprecedented Triplete , Messi completed the 2009 football year by winning no less than six trophies, including the Club World Cup. Between last year�s season and the current one, Messi�s goal ratio stands at 0.75 per game, a remarkable figure, to say the least. In fact, although he is not technically a stiker, he scores more goals than most of the great strikers football has known. However, Messi�s worth as a player does not lie only in the copious amount of goals he manages to pull off. World Cup viewers will be in for a rare opportunity to see a true football wizard. In the Triplete season he set up 18 of Barcelona�s points, in all games. Together with his mastery at dribbling, Messi is an unprecedented player and it is rare to see the ball taken away from him. He was voted the FIFA player of the year in 2009, but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to repeat the record this year at the World Cup. What has not been said about the gorgeous, swaggering Cristiano Ronaldo. Unless he is injured, this player will be hard to beat this Cup. Although played primarily infield, Ronaldo managed to score 15 goals in 16 games for Madrid this year. The former Ballon d´Or and FIFA will be aiming at having World Cup and reclaiming his number one spot. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Brazil, the perennial favorite of the World Cup, five time champion and playing descendants of Pele, will take its place tomorrow as a player in the World Cup. However, it will be a very different Brazil this time that will play. When Selaco takes the field for its first match against in South Africa against North Korea, the team will not be the fabled Pele which played a �beautiful game� or even the same team that won the 1982 World Cup, who�s play was so gifted it was compared to poetry in motion. Gone is the elegance, the grace, and the superstardom. This time, the Brazillian team will focus on pragmatism, seamless teamwork and hustle. Perhaps the best football player in the world, temperamental Ronaldinho did not make the cut. Instead, Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri, Brazil�s head coach better known as Dunga, has built a solid team concentrating mainly on defence. Goalkeeper Julio César, who play a great game at Inter Milan and six sterling defensive midfielders, among them Lúcio and Maicon. Fans of Brazil feel disgruntled, since they put as much emphasis on style as results, and the new Braillian team�s motto is do anything it takes to get the gold, and that is exactly what Dunga is drilling them to do. "We have stars here, but they must play together on the field because that is the most important thing," Dunga told reporters in late May. "We have to play as a team or we will not progress." <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

The most anticipated event of the soccer world opens tomorrow, and fans all over the world will be crowding round their television screens to watch the latest action. However, for perhaps the first World Cup ever, football fans will be able to see more matches and games in the internet than was ever possible before, and may even be able to see more games online than on television. With the advent of the World Cup Games opening tomorrow, fans all over the world will sit crowded and breathless to watch their favorite teams play in the all round football showdown. However, many people will prefer to watch the games on their computers or mobile phones, rather than watch them on television. Fans who will prefer to watch the games on their traditional televisions will have a host of options to choose from. High definition live matches will be broadcast around the world via on demand services available both in English and in Spanish. ESPN will air all 44 matches live beginning tomorrow morning at nine thirty am with South Africa against Mexico. ESPN2 and ABC will air ten matches each. In addition, ESPN Classic will air all 64 World Cup matches each day from 6 pm until midnight. ABC will open its World Cup broadcasts on Sunday, with the game played by its well publicized national men�s team against England. It will end its coverage with the July 11 title match. Football fans are also expected to watch games online more than ever before. Cambridge�s Akamai Technologies have published predictions that this World Cup will break records for Web video traffic, shattering the previous record set when President Barack Obama was inaugurated. But why watch the games only at home? 23% of Americans said that they plan to watch the World Cup games on their mobile phones. ESPN Mobile will air 46 games viewable via cellular network. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

All bets are off for this one. This World Cup, football�s quadrennial extravaganza has never been held in Africa, and not below the equator since 1978, when Argentina won on its own turf. In South Africa, the Cup is being held in wintertime, with half the venues nearly a mile high. It seems that almost anyone can win this year, even the Americans, who led Brazil by to goals midway through last year�s Confederation Cup final in Johannesburg before finally being defeated. Of the defeat, captain Carlos Bocanegra said �We showed we belong. �� Although other teams had already left the Americans for dead after the crushing defeatin the preliminaries, Bocanegra feels confident that this World cup will be different. �We�re not just going to be a pushover in the World Cup when we come down here.�� Only time and goals will tell if there is any merit to this confidence. The Bradley Bunch, which meets England in Rustenberg in it�s Sturday opener are 80-1 to win the Cup, longer shots than a dozen of the 32 countries in the eight-group field. The Americans have never come this cloes to winning the World cup, and have gone three and out in three of the last five tournaments, including the last one in 2006 where they were beaten by newcomer Ghana after drawing with the eventual winner, Italy. However, the last time the month long event was held in a faraway continent in 2002 the United States made it to the quarterfinals, astonishing Portugal and defeating Mexico, before being eventually beaten by Germany. Soccer analysts dismissed this whole tournament, stating that it was a wrong side of the dateline outlier. The fact is, Europeans have never won the World cup when it was held outside their continent, and they do not have a sure winner this time, either. Spain, which entered the European community two years ago was shut out by the Americans after being unbeaten in 35 matches, and has never made it to a final. Italy is growing old in key positions. France has long said goodbye to its superstars. Portugal, even with Wizard Cristiano Ronaldo had to work hard to get even to fourth place in the last Cup. However, the most solid contender for the Cup is, as always, Brazil. Five time winners, Pele�s countryman have shown an ability to adapt to any circumstance on four continents: Sweden, Chile, Mexico, United States and Japan. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

"England Expects" is the catch phrase seen all over England these past few months; in the tabloids, on the radio, splashed across ads. Hailing back to 1805, when naval hero Horatio Nelson warned his sailors "England expects that every man will do his duty." This time, however, no foreign power is aiming to sweep across England�s shores. The battle is not against Napoleon this time, but against the United States, which England faces Saturday in its first match of the 2010 World Cup. England�s feeling about the upcoming duel are as complicated as the Middle East Peace talks. The mood is a mix of bravado of nerves, fear and hope, longing and paranoia. The English football team is ranked as eighth in the world while the USA is ranked 14. However, in a country where tradition is paramount, the English have a tradition of letting their fans down. The fans, for their part, never voice hopes of a victory without caveats. However, this time around, many fans are nourishing higher hopes than usual. This year, England has a roster of strong and experienced players. Fabio Capello is already being compared to Alf Ramsey, who led England to its 1966 triumph. In addition, the team has had one of its best qualifying seasons in recent memory, winning nine out of ten games. On the other hand, the United States is still considered a secondary power when it comes to football. The United States has never done better than in the tournament than third, way back in 1930. The Sun tabloid assigned each national team a role in the upcoming Toy Story, and said of the US that it was like a toy dinosaur Rex � "big and powerful but in reality there is no real menace to them." <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Shakira, the hip and hipped Columbian singer well known for her dancing, and other moves, as well as her efforts to promote early childhood education visited a South African school Wednesday before the concert World Cup kickoff, trying to promote 1Goal: Education for All and to rock the Waka Waka, the official World Cup dance. Students at the Isu-lihle primary school in Soweto, Johannesburg got to meet the legendary hips of the star of �Hips don�t lie� and give the Waka Waka a whirl. The Waka Waka is the song officially chosen to be the anthem of the FIFA 2010 World Cup. Shakira, singer of the anthem, said that �I am honored that 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)' was chosen to be part of the excitement and the legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup is a miracle of global excitement, connecting every country, race, religion and condition around a single passion. It represents an event that has the power to unite and integrate, and that�s what this song is about." Shakira collaborated on the song with Zolani Mahola, who said of the work that "We are thrilled to have collaborated with Shakira on 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)', especially as we feel that the song captures the spirit and energy of the African World Cup. We are certain the song will inspire people around the world to celebrate the gathering of nations at the place where it all started. Here in Africa!" <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

Although a global recession is under way, bookmakers worldwide are gearing up to make a mint on the upcoming world Cup football games. However, with the value of bets rising to the level of billions of dollars, how does the hosting country itself enjoy these profits? It seems that financial institutions in South Africa are threatening customers with strict legal repercussions if they are found to be indulging in internet betting activities. On the other hand, making a bet with your local bookie is perfectly legal, and these unqualified statements are tarnishing the reputations of the majority of legally licensed betting operators in South Africa. In South Africa today, there are a myriad of operator who offer betting products without legal permit, or even knowledge, of the local gambling Board. No individual entity, however, is allowed to offer any form of betting unless they have met the conditions of an very stringent investigation process, and the Gambling Board�s prime purpose is to the ensure that the South African betting market is controlled and monitored to ensure the safety, legality and security of both the bookmaker and the public. In addition, most of these non licensed companies operate outside the boundaries of South Africa, and clients using their services often have no legal recourse should the deal turn sour. Of course, it is South Africa�s interest that it�s money not be exported as well. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

In Wednesday night's League Cup game between Chelsea and the Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti made some interesting decisions, which are resulting in a lot of criticism and one of the largest stories in sports news at the moment. At half time, when Chelsea was down 1-0, Ancelotti made the decision to bring in all three subs. Ancelotti said, "I felt we fielded a strong team... But in the first half they did not play well. That is why I used all three substitutes". He went on to say that this is not something that he usually does, but in this case he believed it to be the best move strategically. The subbed team did well, bringing the score up from 1-0 to a tied 3-3. However, in the second half Salomon Kalou was injured and had to leave the game so Chelsea was left with only 10 players against 11. For a 10 on 11 game, Chelsea played surprisingly well. However, when it came down to penalties, Blackburn came out on top. Chelsea's teenage prospect, Gael Kakuta, took the final penalty kick, which was saved by Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson to boost the Rovers into the final four. Ancelotti says he believed Kakuta could handle the penalty. Ancelotti spent the hours following the match defending himself and his decisions. However, from a sports betting perspective, fans that placed a sports bet on the game could have been sorely hurt by Ancelotti's rash decision-making. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

All you basketball fans out there who thought Allen Iverson's retirement was permanent are in for a surprise. Allen Iverson signed to play with the Philadelphia 76ers again today. It looks like #3 is back in play, as Iverson signed a free-agent contract today. Iverson, 34, announced his retirement last week from the Memphis Grizzlies. However, the Sixers were in need of someone to replace their starting point guard, Lou Williams, as he is out for the next eight weeks due to jaw surgery. Iverson, his business manager and his agent met to discuss the deal on Monday morning and he is set to make his return from retirement on next Monday's home game against Denver. This is one of the biggest stories in basketball sports news, as Iverson is something of a symbol in the basketball world. He chose to come out of his retirement not for the money or contract, according to his agent, but rather for the opportunity to return to play in Philadelphia. Iverson played 10 seasons with the Sixers, during which time he posted the best average in team history, was a 7-time All Star and won two All Star MVPs. Iverson was removed from the team when he refused to play the forth quarter of a December 2006 game in Chicago. However, both Iverson and the Sixers seem excited to be reunited. This story is brought to you by Sports Top News, one of the best places to find sports news and sports betting resources on the Web. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

French tennis player Amelie Mauresmo is set to make a decision about whether or not she is going to retire from women's tennis. Her decision is expected to be announced on Thursday, in one of the largest stories in tennis and sports news as of late. Mauresmo, who recently turned 30, has been one of the big names in women's tennis for years. She is a former World #1 champion, won two Grand Slam singles in 2006, is a Wimbledon winner and has come to be one of the most known names in women's tennis. She has been a consistent winner on the professional front for a decade, when she won the Australian Open. Her decision to retire has come as a result of a recent slip in her success. Mauresmo was recently beat out during the second round of the US Open by Aleksandra Wozniak, Canadian tennis star. Although she won the Paris Indoor Open at the beginning of the season she has been struggling. Tennis fans will be glued to their sports news sites on Thursday, awaiting her decision about retirement. Will she leave the world of tennis or decide to stay and make a comeback? If Mauresmo decides to retire it is clear that her absence will leave a mark on the world of women's tennis. This is an exclusive from Sport Top News, your home for sports betting news. Check back frequently for all the top sports news. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>

McLaren Mercedes recently announced the exciting sports news that they have signed Jenson Button, the reigning F1 World Champion, to a multi-year deal. Button will join 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton, who is going into his fourth season as a driver with McLaren Mercedes. This deal marks a first in Formula 1 history. Never before has a team begun their season with a line-up made up of the two most recent World Champions. The new McLaren Mercedes team is looking to be a force to be reckoned with and sports betting enthusiasts will surely be keeping their eyes on this team. The contract also marks the first time that two British World Champions have been partnered on one team in over 30 years. The last was in 1968, when Jim Clark was partnered with Graham Hill at Lotus. When asked why he was leaving Brawn GP, whom he won his championship with, Button said that he was out to set new challenges for himself. He said, "When I visited the McLaren Technology Centre earlier this month, it wasn't simply the technical resources and incredible standards of excellence that impressed me. No, I was equally struck by the ambition, the motivation and the winning spirit that flow through everybody there". It was this spirit that enticed Button into signing with McLaren. This is a sports news exclusive from Sport Top News, your top source for news and sports betting information on the Web. <a href="http://www.sporttopnews.com/">SportTopNews</a>