GlobalSport

It will also recommend that players and managers contracts include anti-racism pledges punishable by “severe sanctions” of fines and dismissal, calls on the Government to make racist abuse by the spectators at matches a criminal offence and proposes confidential freephone hotlines be set up through which supporters could report incidents of racist abuse to club officials.

Football violence claims one life

LONDON: A young man was killed during a fight between soccer fans in the south eastern English town of Gillingham yesterday, police said. Police originally said the 24-year-old had beenstabbed in a fight after the match but later rowed back, saying they could not say how he had died until a post-mortem was carried out today.

Eyewitnesses said fans had fought a series of battles inside and outside the stadium after Gillingham had beaten Fulham 2-0. The dead man was a Fulham supporter.

United, Arsenal on course for title

LONDON: Manchester United kept their noses in front in the race for the English premiership title with a 2-0 win over Wimbledon while Arsenal maintained their push for the top with a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday yesterday.

United’s win preserves their six-point lead over second-placed Arsenal, who have three games in hand over the reigning champions.

Injury-hit United dominated from the start at Old Trafford but they needed two late goals (Ronny Johnson, 83rd min and Paul Scholes 90th min) to finally see off a typically resilient Wimbledon side.

Dennis Bergkamp, meanwhile, showed how much he will be missed by double-chasing Arsenal when he beginsa three-match suspension with the only goal of the game against Wednesday at Highbury.

Symcox fined for abusing fan

DURBAN: South African off-spinner Pat Symcox has been fined 500 rand ($100) for using foul language in dismissing a fan seeking his autograph.The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) said in a statement yesterday that Symcox was “guilty as charged” but was not guilty of any racist remarks as had been implied at the time.

Symcox was accused by a young fan of an abusive behaviour while fielding as a substitute during the second Test against Pakistan in Durban three weeks ago. The disciplinary hearing was delayed until Friday because he wanted legal counsel present.

Seam bowler Fanie de Villiers, who retired from the first-class cricket after the series against Pakistan, and team fitness trainer Paddy Upton also faced the disciplinary hearing and were both cleared of making racist comments during the Durban Test. But Upton was fined 1,000 rand ($200) for“threatening behaviour” towards Asian supporters who were chanting racist comments at the team.