IN BRIEF (Page 22)

Soccer

Schalke sign Brazilian striker Edu

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany: Brazilian striker Edu signed for his third German club on Saturday as he joined high-flying Schalke 04 from Korean outfit Suwon Blue Wings.

The 28-year-old signed a 3 1/2 year contract with Schalke, who are second in the championship, a point behind Bayer Leverkusen.

Edu previously played for Bochum and Mainz, scoring five goals in 44 appearances.

The German league resumes in mid-January after traditional winter break.

Ice Hockey

Winter Classic a hit

BOSTON: The NHL soaked up rave reviews on Saturday after another successful Winter Classic as commissioner Gary Bettman expressed delight at the event's appeal.

The Boston Bruins beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 before a packed Fenway Park on Friday in the outdoor contest that has caught the imagination of the public and sponsors.

More than 300,000 fans entered a lottery for the 39,000 tickets on offer while television ratings have skyrocketed.

"If there is any indication to the traction this is getting from sponsors and advertisers - business partner investment has increased at about 66 percent a year so the message is taking hold," Bettman said. "The business community has realized and recognized that this is a great way to reach customers, to reach sports fans, to reach our fans."

The NHL.com website said Bettman confirmed the league was in the process of choosing a venue for the 2011 Classic but when questioned he declined to be drawn on the future.

Blues fire Murray

ST LOUIS: The St Louis Blues have fired coach Andy Murray and named minor leaguer Davis Payne as his successor on an interim basis, the team said on Saturday.

The Blues, beaten in their past four games, have the worst home record in the NHL (6-13-3) and began the day in fourth place in the five-team Central Division with a 17-17-6 record.

Their latest home loss came on Thursday when they were beaten by the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 after leading 3-0 in the second period.

Murray compiled a 118-102-38 record after taking over in December 2006. Last season he led the Blues to their first playoff berth in five years.

"He was an intergral part in turning the St Louis Blues around," president John Davidson said in a statement on the team's website (http://blues/nhl.com).

Boxing

Tight security in Pakistan

KARACHI: Pakistan laid on heavy security on Saturday for a boxing tournament, the country's first international sporting event since militants attacked the Sri Lanka cricket team's bus last March.

Spectators were barred from the Benazir Bhutto international boxing tournament and about 3,000 police and paramilitary personnel guarded the venue in the congested Kharadar area of Karachi.

The tournament began a day after a suicide bomber killed at least 89 people at a local volleyball match in northwest Pakistan, in a village opposed to al Qaeda-linked Taliban insurgents.

"We are taking extra precautions because this is our first international sporting event for a long time," said Akram Khan, the secretary of the Pakistan Amateur Boxing Federation.

Snowboarding

Pearce critical but stable

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah: Snowboarder Kevin Pearce remained in critical but stable condition in hospital on Saturday, two days after suffering a serious head injury in training.

Pearce, 22, struck his head on the side of the halfpipe while attempting a cab double cork - a difficult twisting double back flip.

"Kevin sustained a severe traumatic brain injury," doctor Holly Ledyard said. "He is in intensive care and in critical condition but stable and has not needed to undergo surgery at this time. He is intubated and being kept sedated. The focus over the next week will be watching for any swelling in his brain and keeping his brain pressure normal. Kevin has a long recovery ahead of him."

Pearce was training at Park City, Utah, for Olympic qualifying events in Mammoth Mountain, California, next week.

(China Daily 01/04/2010 page22)