IN BRIEF (Page 20)

Soccer

Atletico ink deal with Spanish winger Reyes

MADRID: Atletico Madrid have agreed to sign Spain winger Jose Antonio Reyes from Arsenal on a four-year contract, the Primera Liga club said on Monday.

Atletico said Reyes would have a medical on Tuesday morning and then be presented at 0800GMT before joining the squad on a pre-season tour to Amsterdam.

Spanish media have reported that the deal was worth between nine and 12 million euros ($US16.4million).

If the reports are accurate, the move takes Atletico's off-season spending up to 70 million euros following their purchases of striker Diego Forlan, winger Simao Sabrosa, and midfielders Cleber Santana, Luis Garcia and Raul Garcia.

Liverpool could spend again, says Parry

LONDON: Liverpool will not be standing still in the transfer market even though they have already made the high-profile signings of Dutch winger Ryan Babel, Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun and Spanish striker Fernando Torres.

"There's still a long way to go before the end of the transfer window. If a player is available and he's right for this club then we will be interested," Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry said on the club's Web site www.liverpoolfc.tv.

"There's definitely a special buzz about the upcoming season. We're all excited about the signings we've made and genuinely happy with what we've done," said Parry.

Athletics

Gatlin to start doping appeal hearing

ATLANTA: Olympic and world 100m champion Justin Gatlin will attempt to get an eight-year ban for taking performance-enhancing drugs overturned when his case comes before an arbitration hearing on Monday.

Gatlin's lawyers are set to argue at a closed, two-day hearing before the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) that he was administered the banned male hormone testosterone without his knowledge.

The 25-year-old American, joint 100m world record holder with Jamaican Asafa Powell, tested positive for testosterone or its precursors at the Kansas Relays in April 2006, but has denied knowingly taking banned substances.

Cricket

India ease to seven-wicket win in second test

NOTTINGHAM, England: India eased to a seven-wicket win over England in the second test at Trent Bridge yesterday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

The tourists, resuming on 10 without loss, reached their victory target of 73 for the loss of Dinesh Karthik, Wasim Jaffer and Sachin Tendulkar in the morning session on the fifth and final day.

England paceman Chris Tremlett took all three wickets to fall but Michael Vaughan's side slipped to their first home defeat in 13 months.

It was India's second test win in England since 1986. The final test starts at The Oval on August 9.

Tennis

Wild card Przysiezny too good for Volandri

SOPOT, Poland: Polish wild card Michael Przysiezny gave the home crowd something to cheer when he knocked out fourth-seeded Italian Filippo Volandri in the first round of the Polish Open on Monday.

Volandri, ranked 28th in the world and who beat world No 1 Roger Federer in Rome in May, crashed out to the 23-year-old Pole, ranked 207th, with Przysiezny winning 6-4 2-6 7-5.

Volandri was the second seed to exit on the opening day of the tournament following the defeat of sixth-seeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro earlier.

(China Daily 08/01/2007 page20)