IN BRIEF (Page 24)

NFL

Detroit Lions sack GM

DETROIT: Detroit Lions general manager Matt Millen was sacked by the team owner William Clay Ford on Wednesday, ending a turbulent seven-year period for one of the NFL's perennial losers.

"I have relieved Matt Millen of his duties effective immediately," Ford said in a statement. "I believe that this decision is in the best interest of this organization."

Millen's dismissal came two days after Ford's son, William Clay Ford Jr., broke his silence about the team's management, saying he thought Millen should leave after the Lions posted a 0-3 start to the season.

The Lions had a dismal 31-84 record during Millen's term as president and chief executive.

Ford, who has owned the Lions since the 1960s, faced widespread fan protests when he granted Millen a five-year contract extension in 2005.

Soccer

Ligue 1 quartet suffer exit

PARIS: Ligue 1 clubs Olympique Marseille, Lille, Lorient and Saint Etienne suffered surprise French League Cup exits in the round of 32 on Wednesday.

Marseille bowed out 1-0 at Sochaux, who are bottom of the first division and are without a win this season. Sochaux's winning goal was scored by 21-year-old Turkish striker Mevlut Erding in the 75th minute.

Saint-Etienne lost 4-1 at Ligue 2 bottom club En Avant Guingamp while Lille were beaten 4-2 on penalties at Ligue 2 Montpellier who twice came from behind to draw 2-2 after extra time.

Lorient suffered a 3-0 defeat at home against Racing Lens, the League Cup runners-up who were relegated to Ligue 2 at the end of last season.

On Tuesday, Nantes became the first top flight casualty when they lost 1-0 at third division Creteil.

Vasco to fine flabby players

RIO DE JANEIRO: Vasco da Gama's fifth coach of the year Renato Portaluppi has announced a crackdown on overweight players, who will be fined if they do not shed excess kilos by the end of the week.

"A footballer only learns in two ways: when he loses his place in the team or when he is fined," said Renato, who cultivated a playboy image during his own playing career which was plagued by disciplinary problems.

"Players eat a lot of junk," he said.

"Everyone needs to be down to their ideal weight by Friday," said Renato, adding that players who remained overweight would be fined 300 reais ($164) per excess kilo.

The daily newspaper O Globo said six players were overweight.

Platini switches target

BORDEAUX, France: UEFA president Michel Platini is expected to take a break from criticizing Arsene Wenger and switch to Poland's and Ukraine's lack of progress in preparing to host Euro 2012 at a meeting starting on Thursday.

Platini, who made headlines by saying in a newspaper interview this week that Arsenal manager Wenger cared more about business than soccer, is likely to make clear, however, that both countries will keep the right to co-host the tournament.

The executive committee of soccer's governing body should also endorse an expansion of the European Championship finals to 24 teams from 16 at its two-day meeting.

The head of UEFA may also get another chance to speak out against the introduction of video replays to help referees, a move asked for by many coaches including Wenger.

(China Daily 09/26/2008 page24)