French Cuppa — Quicksips

Sex and soccer share stageSoccermania has hit Paris' legendary cabarets, with leggy dancers at clubs such as the Lido, the Moulin Rouge and ...

Sex and soccer share stage

Soccermania has hit Paris’ legendary cabarets, with leggy dancers at clubs such as the Lido, the Moulin Rouge and the Crazy Horse sharing the stage with the World Cup. At the Crazy Horse, home to one of the city’s most extravagant troupes, dancers are strutting onto stage with the flags of the 32 teams that made it to the event a nd the shows have been rescheduled around the timing of the games. The Moulin Rouge, home to the French Can-Can, has put up a big screen and built a football village in the cabaret at the foot of Montmartre.

Border’s gesture

Australian cricket great Allan Border is sending an autographed cricket bat to star Italian World Cup striker Christian Vieri. After learning that he was a hero to the World Cup’s leading goalscorer, Border decided on the gesture.

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"I hear that he was a handy little cricketer and with him also being a lefthander, he would undoubtedly have been a great batsman as well. "I wish him all the very best of success."According to Vieri’s best friend in Sydney, Attilio Labbozzetta, it may not be long before the two elite sportsmen meet in Sydney when the Italian players are allowed a 25-day rest period after the tournament.

Sporting gene `ace’

Brazillian football star Ronaldo’s breathtaking dribbles and down-the-middle runs can be due to the `fitness gene’ that scientists have recently identified. In a recent report published in the journal Nature, British scientists claim to have discovered the gene `ace’ (acronym for ‘Angiotensin Converting Enzyme’ gene) that is responsible for elite sporting performances in humans.

Platini apologises

World Cup organising committee chairman Michel Platini has apologised to Italian fans for a stadium announcement urging them "not to behave like hooligans" during a second round match. "The word `hooligan’ in this announcement was certainly not the right one to use," Platini said.

Batistuta wants goal for baby boy

Gabriel Batistuta’s wife Irina gave birthto his third son on Monday, the eve of Argentina’s World Cup second round clash with old rivals England. The Argentina striker, who already has two sons, Thiago and Lucas, declared he wanted to celebrate with the winning goal in the match in St. Etienne. "The best thing that could happen now would be to offer Joaquin the deciding goal against England," said Batistuta, who has scored four goals in the tournament so far.