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Briton Howell shocked by alarming dip in form

LONDON: Britain's David Howell, who held off world

No 1 Tiger Woods to win the HSBC Champions title in China in 2005, said he was shocked by his nosedive in form this year.

The 32-year-old Englishman was plagued by injury during the 2006-07 European Tour season and finished down in 142nd place on the order of merit, with earnings of 164,716 euros ($243,400) from 17 appearances.

"I had shoulder problems after the 2006 Ryder Cup and this year it has been mainly injuries to my lower back," Howell said on Tuesday.

"It has been quite a shock to have my best year followed directly by my worst year," added Howell in reference to his third-place finish on the 2005-06 tour.

Howell has won four times on the European circuit.

World champion Staviski charged over car accident

SOFIA, Bulgaria: World ice-dance champion Maxim Staviski faces up to 10 years in prison after prosecutors charged him on Tuesday over a car accident that killed one man and seriously injured a woman.

Staviski, 29, was over the alcohol limit when driving his Jeep, which collided with two other vehicles near the Black Sea town of Primorsko in August.

"Maxim Staviski was charged over drunk driving, causing the death of one person and causing severe injury to another," Svetlozar Kostov, a prosecutor on the case, told Reuters.

"The sentence for such a crime could be from three to 10 years in prison," he added, but said the prosecutors would decide later what punishment to seek.

Staviski claimed Bulgaria's first world title in Calgary in 2005 with his partner Albena Denkova before successfully defending the crown in Tokyo last March.

No trial date has yet been set.

Klitschko to face Ibragimov in unification bout

BERLIN: International Boxing Federation (IBF) world heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitschko will fight WBO champion Sultan Ibragimov in a unification bout at Madison Square Garden on February 23 next year.

"After all these intensive negotiations, I really look forward to this unification bout," Klitschko said in a statement released by his own management company. "That's what people all over the world want to see."

The 31-year-old Ukrainian Klitschko was WBO champion from 2000 to 2003. He won the IBF title from Chris Byrd in 2006 and he has staged three successful defenses.

Russia's Ibragimov, 32, won the WBO title against Shannon Briggs in June this year and defended it in October against Evander Holyfield.

Whoever wins in February will still not be able to lay claim to the title of undisputed world champion.

Thuram hints he might stay on after Euro 2008

PARIS: Lilian Thuram, who holds a French record 135 caps, has suggested he might change his mind about retiring from international football after Euro 2008.

"Could I still be playing for France after Euro 2008? I don't know," the defender, who turns 36 in January, told reporters. "I'm still enjoying myself. If I feel competitive, it could be discussed."

A member of France's 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning teams, Thuram is often left on the bench by club Barcelona but dismissed suggestions he might leave the team soon. "It's true that I'm not playing a lot but I don't want to leave the club and there will be no change for me during the winter break."

Adriano denies he will leave Inter

MILAN: Troubled Inter Milan striker Adriano has deflated speculation he will move to a Brazilian or English club in the January transfer window.

"In January I want to return to Italy," the Brazilian told a news conference in Sao Paulo, where he is attending a training camp. The 25-year-old has hardly featured for the last two seasons after battling alcohol and fitness problems.

He had said he would be willing to leave Inter in January and Italian media reports named Premier League clubs Arsenal and Manchester City and Brazilian side Sao Paulo as possible destinations.

(China Daily 11/22/2007 page23)