| Soccer: Fifa man favours direct entry for oceania
The Oceania Football Confederation might have a much-needed ally in veteran US administrator Chuck Blazer as they take on City Hall to retain direct entry rights to major Fifa tournaments. Speaking as a Fifa executive member and as general secretary of the Concacaf (North/Central American and Caribbean) Confederation, New Yorker Blazer said he favoured Oceania holding direct entry to the Confederations Cup and Fifa's Club World Cup. Blazer, in New Zealand to continue planning and preparation for next year's world under-17 women's championship, said he did not agree with suggestions the world club championship should be the domain of professional clubs only. Fifa president Sepp Blatter started alarm bells ringing at last year's Club World Cup in Japan when he spoke out against amateur clubs participating in the tournament.
NCAA: Sooners failed to monitor working athletes
The NCAA alleges Oklahoma failed to adequately monitor the employment of several athletes, including some football players who worked during the academic year. The NCAA's findings came in an investigation after Oklahoma self-reported violations and dismissed starting quarterback Rhett Bomar and offensive lineman J.D. Quinn in August for taking excess pay from a Norman car dealership where they worked. Oklahoma disclosed yesterday that it had received its notice of allegations from the NCAA and is scheduled to appear before the NCAA's Committee on Infractions on April 14 in Indianapolis. The NCAA asked athletic director Joe Castiglione and football coach Bob Stoops to attend the meeting, along with compliance officials, general counsel Joseph Harroz and director of football operations Merv Johnson.
Sports in brief: Lawyer admits leaking documents
SAN FRANCISCO ---- Two San Francisco Chronicle reporters will avoid jail time after a criminal defense lawyer agreed to plead guilty to leaking them secret grand jury documents from the BALCO steroids investigation.Attorney Troy Ellerman admitted in court papers filed Wednesday that he allowed reporters Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada to view transcripts of the grand jury testimony of baseball stars Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield and sprinter Tim Montgomery, according to court documents. The Chronicle published stories in 2004 that reported Giambi and Montgomery admitted taking steroids while Bonds and Sheffield testified that they didn't knowingly take performance enhancing drugs. .
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