Lawsuit against Wada chief

Vienna: Former Austrian ski coach Walter Mayer filed a defamation lawsuit against the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), claiming he was wrongly accused of blood doping at the Turin Olympics.

Mayer?s attorney, Herwig Hasslacher, said that the suit against Wada chief Dick Pound was filed in Vienna district court, and that a similar complaint against International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge would be filed on Thursday.

?We are very optimistic that the court will return a favourable verdict,? Hasslacher said. A court date was not immediately set.

Conte released from jail

Taft (California): Balco founder Victor Conte was released early on Thursday from a prison where he spent four months after pleading guilty to orchestrating an illegal steroids distribution scheme that allegedly involved many high-profile athletes. Conte was picked up by his family after his release from Taft Correctional Institution, about 65km southwest of Bakersfield, according to spokeswoman Mandy Ruff.

Conte founded and managed the Burlingame-based bay area laboratory co-operative, where the steroids were sold.

Chelsea partnership

London: Chelsea have announced a long-term partnership with the owner of four Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs which will involve the English champions playing in a biennial tournament in the United States.

Chief executive Peter Kenyon said in New York on Wednesday that Chelsea would enter into a strategic alliance with Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).

AEG owns the Chicago Fire, Houston Dynamo, D.C. United and MLS champions the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The group is also involved in the development of stadiums including The Home Depot Center in Los Angeles and venues under construction in Bridgeview, Illinois and Harrison, New Jersey.

Chelsea said the relationship would begin in the European summer of 2007 with the staging of a tournament every two years involving the London club and a host MLS team.

Shevchenko denial

Milan: AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko has rejected newspaper reports that he has agreed a move to English club Chelsea.

An English newspaper reported on Thursday that Shevchenko had agreed ?in principle to a four-year contract worth in excess of ?110,000 ($191,700) a week? and that the player had told Chelsea he would put in a transfer request to Milan.

But the Ukrainian striker said: ?I don?t know of any offer and I am calm. I don?t need to deny anything, it is all clear. It is just that others keep talking about this story,? he said.

Shevchenko, who is in his seventh season with Milan after joining them from Dynamo Kiev, recently said that he hoped to emulate captain Paolo Maldini and stay with the club until the end of his career.

Bolton to sign Tal

Jerusalem: Bolton Wanderers have agreed to sign Maccabi Haifa midfielder Idan Tal on a three-year contract, his representative said on Wednesday.

?Idan Tal will join Bolton in July upon the completion of his contract with Haifa,? Erez Malka told a website.

It will be Tal?s second stint in the Premier League. He played for Everton in the 2001-02 season and has also had spells with Spanish teams Merida and Rayo Vallecano.

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