IN BRIEF (Page 23)

Soccer

China to appoint Petrovic as national coach

China is poised to appoint former Yugoslavia international Vladimir Petrovic to guide its national team through 2010 World Cup finals qualifiers, local media reported on Tuesday.

The Serbian's appointment follows a recommendation by compatriot and former Red Star Belgrade teammate Ratomir Dujkovic, who last year was made coach of China's Olympic team.

The 52-year-old Petrovic, who coached Chinese Super League Club Dalian Shide to a premiership in 2005, arrived in Beijing on Sunday for talks with Chinese Football Association officials after agreeing to basic terms, according to sources.

His appointment could be made public this week.

China last month sacked Zhu Guanghu as coach following the national team's disappointing performance at the Asian Cup and announced its intention to hire a foreign coach.

Former France striker Jean-Pierre Papin, former Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit and ex-Scotland boss Berti Vogts were reportedly considered.

Basketball

Former NBA player Bateer traded to Xinjiang Guanghui

Former NBA center Monk Bateer has been traded to Xinjiang Guanghui for the upcoming 2007-08 season of the Chinese Basketball Association League (CBA).

Bateer, 32, who took a year off after playing for the Beijing Ducks in the 2005-06 season, signed a one-year contract with Guanghui this summer.

The deal was reportedly worth of 4.2 million RMB ($555,556).

The Ducks claimed its priority to sign Bateer, who joined the club in 1988 when he was just 13. But the league office said he was a free player a year after the expiration of his contract with the club, in adherence to transferring and contract rules.

The office also registered former national head coach Jiang Xingquan as Guanghui's head coach.

Jiang has a year left on his contract with the Cyclones but claimed he didn't receive salaries after the end of the 2006-07 season, which forced him to sign two-year contract with Guanghui.

Soccer

Pepsi Soccer Challenge produces national winner

Heilongjiang University won the National Finals of the 2007 Pepsi 5on5 Soccer Challenge in Beijing on the weekend.

The players also won the chance to compete with Pepsi-sponsored superstars in England.

Last year, the Shenyang Feilong Team dominated the 2006 tournament and traveled to Spain to challenge Barcelona's Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho.

The annual nationwide soccer gala was founded by Pepsi seven years ago to promote grassroots development.

This year it invited world gymnastics champions Li Xiaopeng and Xing Aowei as well as former diving queen Gao Min to take part and encourage more youngsters to play sport.

(China Daily 09/12/2007 page23)