IN BRIEF (Page 24)
Soccer
Napoli, Genoa celebrate Serie A promotion
MILAN: Genoa and Napoli were both promoted to Serie A on Sunday after a tense goalless draw on the final day of the season which ended in chaotic scenes.
The game in Genoa was billed as a virtual promotion playoff, but in the end the two sides joined champions Juventus in going up under Italy's complicated league rules.
The draw meant Napoli finished second on 79 points and Genoa stayed third on 78 points.
Normally only the top two are automatically promoted but as Genoa finished 10 points above fourth-placed Piacenza, who drew 1-1 with Triestina, they took a third automatic spot and avoided the need for playoffs between third, fourth, fifth and sixth.
Motorcycling
Cool Stoner holds off Rossi in Catalunya
BARCELONA: Championship leader Casey Stoner produced an ice-cool performance to hold off a charging Valentino Rossi and claim his fourth race victory of the season in a thrilling Catalan MotoGP on Sunday.
The 21-year-old Australian came under intense pressure from the seven-times world champion in the closing stages of the race but he never lost his nerve and used the superior speed of his Ducati to clinch a memorable victory.
Local favorite Dani Pedrosa crossed the line in third on his Honda while American John Hopkins repeated his performance of last year with fourth place on the Suzuki.
The win meant that Stoner extended his lead over Rossi in the standings to 14 points after seven races, while Pedrosa another 28 points further back in third.
Golf
South Korean Lee seals first tour victory at Samui
KOH SAMUI, Thailand: South Korea's Lee Sung landed his first career title after firing a nervy final round 71 to win the Asian Tour's Bangkok Airways Open on Sunday.
The 27-year-old clung on to his lead from day one to finish 16 under par for the tournament, three strokes ahead of Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng for his first tour victory since turning professional in 2000.
Lee, who was born deaf, started the day seven strokes ahead and looked set for victory after extending it to nine following three birdies on the front nine.
"I was nervous and my heart was pounding on the 15th," Lee told a news conference, using his brother and caddy Lee Sung-joo as a translator.
"It feels great to win my first title. I won because of my putting."
Rugby
Referee to file report over incident with France coach
WELLINGTON: Australian referee Stuart Dickinson is planning to file a report to the International Rugby Board (IRB) following an alleged dispute with France coach Bernard Laporte.
New Zealand's Sunday Star-Times newspaper reported that Laporte approached Dickinson at a Wellington hotel during the week to complain about the referee's handling of the first test between France and the All Blacks.
New Zealand won the match 42-11, but Laporte told a news conference he did not understand some of the referee's rulings.
The newspaper claimed Laporte confronted Dickinson and told the referee the French team would boycott any matches he was put in charge of at this year's World Cup, to be held mostly in France.
Under the IRB's strict code of conduct, players and officials can face stiff penalties if they are found to have threatened, abused or intimidated referees or touch judges, whether the incident happens on the field or off.
(China Daily 06/12/2007 page24)
