S P O R T S

Inter 2
Bayern 0
Madrid, May 23
A goal in each half by Argentina striker Diego Milito helped Inter Milan overcome Bayern Munich 2-0 in the Champions League final Saturday in Madrid's Bernabeu stadium and end the Italian club's 45-year wait for Europe's top club title. Coach Jose Mourinho may have dominated the build-up to this year's final - not least because of what looks like his impending move to Real Madrid - but Milito stole the show on the pitch with two clinical finishes to help Inter become the first Italian club to register the treble of domestic league, cup and Champions League.

Inter Milan players celebrate with the trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on Saturday. Inter won with a 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich. — AFP

Kuznetsova marches on
Paris, May 23
Svetlana Kuznetsova has endured a miserable start to the European claycourt season but somehow the Russian knew that come the defence of her French Open title everything would fall nicely into place. The sixth seed recovered from a terrible start, losing the first three games, to kick off her Paris campaign with a 6-3 6-1 win over Romanian Sorana Cirstea on Sunday. "It was surprising for me, because I felt I had been preparing and giving my best in practice, and I was not having as good results as I would have liked," Kuznetsova told reporters.

Could be my last World Cup: Gerrard
London, May 23
England footballer Steven Gerrard has said that that he will take stock on his international career after next month’s World Cup in South Africa. “My thinking is to make the most of this World Cup because it could be my last. I turn 30 in a week and you never know what will happen down the line,” News of The World quoted Gerrard, as saying.

Legends
Manuel Francisco dos Santos
Joy of the people
Was (born Oct 28, 1933, died Jan 20, 1983) known by the nickname "Garrincha" ("little bird"). He was a Brazilian football right winger and forward who helped them win the World Cups of 1958 and 1962. He played the majority of his professional career for Brazilian club Botafogo.

Punjab ‘clipping’ its own sports wings
Patiala , May 23
While the Punjab government is all set to declare a new sports policy for the state, the most important question in the mind of the sports fraternity is what new things it will contain and will it be able to help Punjab reach the position it once enjoyed in the field of sports. The coaches are basically concentrating on the division of sports wings by the Punjab sports department and the facilities being offered by it.

Inter 2
Bayern 0

Madrid, May 23
A goal in each half by Argentina striker Diego Milito helped Inter Milan overcome Bayern Munich 2-0 in the Champions League final Saturday in Madrid's Bernabeu stadium and end the Italian club's 45-year wait for Europe's top club title. Coach Jose Mourinho may have dominated the build-up to this year's final - not least because of what looks like his impending move to Real Madrid - but Milito stole the show on the pitch with two clinical finishes to help Inter become the first Italian club to register the treble of domestic league, cup and Champions League.

"I cannot explain how I feel," said Milito, who also scored in all three Champions League knockout rounds as well as netting the winner in the Italian Cup final against AS Roma.

Bayern were going for a treble themselves, but without the suspended Franck Ribery were overly reliant on Arjen Robben and were unable to break a resolute Inter defence down. Bayern coach Louis van Gaal said Ribery's absence made a huge difference. "It is always easy to say after a defeat that Ribery was missing.

Mourinho, meanwhile, joins Ernst Happel (Feyenoord and SV Hamburg) and Ottmar Hitzfeld (Borussia Dortmund and Munich) as the only coach to have won the European Cup/Champions League with two different clubs.

Although the Nerazzuri started the stronger, Bayern displayed the resilience that has been their trademark this season and slowly began to settle with Robben nearly finding Ivica Olic at the near post after 10 minutes.

Inter had to wait until the 18th minute for their first goal threat when a Wesley Sneijder free-kick took a slight deflection but Hans-Joerg Butt pushed the ball away to safety. Despite having the edge in terms of possession, van Gaal was left fuming in the 35th minute when his side fell behind to a simple route-one effort from Inter. — DPA

Inter Milan's shy striker Diego Milito finally hit the global headlines on Saturday with two superb goals to clinch the European Cup having previously gone about his business almost unnoticed in the wider world. Nicknamed "the Prince" in Italy, the Argentine was will now be acclaimed as the King after showing his customary calmness with strikes either side of the break to down Bayern Munich 2-0 in Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium. A late bloomer, the 30-year-old could justifiably claim to have personally sealed Inter's unprecedented Italian treble this season having scored the winner in the Italian Cup final earlier this month and last weekend's scudetto-clinching match at Siena. However, such is Milito's bashfulness, he did no such thing. "It's a joy I've never experienced. Incredible. I am so happy for Inter because we wanted this so badly," he told reporters after carrying his toddler around with the Champions League trophy in front of delirious fans. "We are so happy and it's a unique sensation," he added before surprisingly being coy about whether he will stay at Inter next season. "Let's see," he said. The Argentine, a scorer of four goals in 21 caps, was named in Diego Maradona's World Cup squad for the first time to little fanfare but will now be the talk of South Africa. — Reuters

After guiding Inter Milan to a Champions League final win over Bayern Munich that sealed his second career Treble, Jose Mourinho admitted he was "more likely to leave than stay" and is interested in joining Real Madrid. The Portuguese became only the third coach to win Europe's premier competition with two different clubs - he won it with Porto in 2004 - and now he wants to go one better. "I want to be the only coach to win the Champions League with three different clubs. "It's more likely that I will leave rather than stay. The Champions League I won at Porto (2004) was my last game there and this time it will almost certainly be my last game for Inter. I want another challenge in my career," Mourinho was quoted as saying. "It's not definite that I'll go but I want new risks, new experiences, and now is the moment to decide." He also hinted that Real Madrid are willing to take him. "Great season, incredible season. But at this moment I have not many words to describe how I feel because it's almost for sure that I will leave. Real Madrid is the only club that wants me. It is an enormous club, a club that wants the same as me; I want to win, I want to feel important, I want to keep winning. — IANS

Kuznetsova marches on

Gisela Dulko

Paris, May 23
Svetlana Kuznetsova has endured a miserable start to the European claycourt season but somehow the Russian knew that come the defence of her French Open title everything would fall nicely into place. The sixth seed recovered from a terrible start, losing the first three games, to kick off her Paris campaign with a 6-3 6-1 win over Romanian Sorana Cirstea on Sunday. "It was surprising for me, because I felt I had been preparing and giving my best in practice, and I was not having as good results as I would have liked," Kuznetsova told reporters.

"But I knew this moment had to pass because I deserve better than that, and I worked harder than these results. I was just concerned about when it was going to pass." Last season Kuznetsova, 24, compiled an imperious 17-3 claycourt record on the European swing before bursting through the pack to claim her second Grand Slam crown in Paris. Robin Soderling sauntered into round two with the minimum of effort after a 6-0 6-2 6-3 victory over French wildcard Laurent Recouderc. India’s Somdev Devvarman put up a spirited fight before losing 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 3-6 to Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland. Somdev, after becoming the first Indian in more than a decade to qualify for the French Open singles, fought valiantly. — Reuters

Could be my last World Cup: Gerrard

London, May 23
England footballer Steven Gerrard has said that that he will take stock on his international career after next month’s World Cup in South Africa. “My thinking is to make the most of this World Cup because it could be my last. I turn 30 in a week and you never know what will happen down the line,” News of The World quoted Gerrard, as saying. “I’ve never considered finishing for England, but a lot of the players are coming to an age where they will have three or four weeks' holiday after the World Cup to consider their next move,” he added. The midfielder also believes that a lot depends on how well his team does in the tournament and what the manager might be thinking. — ANI

Diarra ruled out

TIGNES: France midfielder Lassana Diarra has been ruled out of the World Cup because of persistent stomach pains, a team spokesman said on Saturday. The holding midfielder had not trained for three days after feeling unwell on a hike up a glacier in the French Alps resort of Tignes, where France are in a week-long training camp. "Following stomach pains, medical check-ups have shown an unforeseeable illness that justifies an indeterminate rest period," the spokesman said.

Diego to get luxury toilets

Johannesburg: Argentina coach Diego Maradona is to get luxury toilets at next month's World Cup following a special request from the Argentine Football Association, a South African newspaper said today. Maradona's snazzy loos will include new wash basins, toilet bowls, cisterns, taps and E-Bidet luxury toilet seats, reported the Sunday Times. — Agencies

Legends
Manuel Francisco dos Santos
Joy of the people

Punjab ‘clipping’ its own sports wings
Gagan K. Teja
Tribune News Service

Patiala , May 23
While the Punjab government is all set to declare a new sports policy for the state, the most important question in the mind of the sports fraternity is what new things it will contain and will it be able to help Punjab reach the position it once enjoyed in the field of sports. The coaches are basically concentrating on the division of sports wings by the Punjab sports department and the facilities being offered by it.

It is pertinent to mention here that the sports department has given school and college wings to 15 games that are athletics, boxing, basketball, badminton, cycling, gymnastics, judo, hockey, football, volleyball, wrestling, weightlifting, kho-kho, handball and kabaddi but more than half of the games have not given any output at national and international level for many years now. But still, the department continues to run these wings whereas there are other games the results for which are remarkable when it comes to international level, but still these are not added in this wing list.

“Punjab is currently focussing on certain games and provides scholarships for the players of these games but it needs to focus on other games based on their performance. Archery and shooting are the A-grade games because of their world ranking and results at international-level. They are on the priority list of the GoI, but Punjab sports department has not given them recognition. In the past, there have been many players from Punjab, in these games, who have won laurels for the state and country but still the department has not bothered to add them in the wing list,” informed one of the officials.

BRIEFLY

Cairns takes Modi to court
Wellington: Former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns has finally acted on his threat to sue Lalit Modi and has initiated legal action against the suspended IPL commissioner for suggesting that he was involved in match-fixing. Cairns' name was taken off the list of players auctioned in January for the third Indian Premier League and Modi, on his twitter page, had stated that the Kiwi was removed "due to his past record in match fixing." Furious with Modi, the all-rounder had threatened legal action at that time but has initiated it only now. — PTI

Alam denies making match-fixing allegations against Akmal
Karachi: Former coach Intikhab Alam has denied making match-fixing allegations against stumper Kamran Akmal during his deposition before a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) inquiry committee probing the team's disastrous tour of Australia earlier this year. "Look at the video recording of my statement. I have never said Kamran or any player indulged in match-fixing," Intikhab said. — PTI

ICC probe routine exercise: PCB
Lahore: ICC's probe into match-fixing allegations during Pakistan's tour of Australia early this year is just a routine exercise and not much should be read into it, PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt said on Sunday. ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit chief Paul Condon had said in London on Thursday that the ACSU was probing if match-fixing played any part in Pakistan's tour of Australia but Butt said it was just a routine exercise done in every series between any two countries. — PTI

Ribery staying at Bayern until 2015
BERLIN: French playmaker Franck Ribery has signed an extension to his Bayern Munich contract until 2015, the losing Champions League finalists said on Sunday. "We're delighted we've reached agreement on a contract extension with one of the world's best players," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the Bundesliga club's website (www.fcbayern.t-com.de). Bayern said the new deal was signed with the 27-year-old before they lost 2-0 in the Champions League final to Inter Milan in Madrid on Saturday. — Reuters

Blackpool for EPL
London: Blackpool beat Cardiff City 3-2 in the Football League Championship playoff final at Wembley stadium, a game dubbed as the richest match in the club football. After the victory Blackpool stands to gain around 90 million pounds, up 50 percent on the value of last year’s promotion prize. The winner-takes-all game will also propel them into next season’s Premier League. — DPA

Bolt cruises on China return
SHANGHAI: Usain Bolt celebrated his return to China for the first time since the 2008 Olympics with a comfortable victory in the 200 metres at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting on Sunday. The Olympic and world sprint champion raced ahead by the halfway stage and crossed the line 10 metres clear of the field in 19.76 seconds but his time was well shy of his world mark of 19.19. The 23-year-old Jamaican, who ran the fastest 100 metres of the year (9.86) in Daegu, South Korea on Wednesday, was followed over the line by Americans Angelo Taylor and Ryan Bailey in second and third. — Reuters