Zimbabwe's football federation said it has suspended its chief executive over allegations of match-fixing involving Asian betting syndicates during a football tournament in Malaysia. The federation said it is investigating betting and bribery charges against Henrietta Rushwaya relating to the national team's tour of Malaysia in December. Zimbabwe lost 6-0 to Syria and 3-0 to Thailand. Rushwaya yesterday denied any wrongdoing and said she will cooperate with the federation's investigators. The federation said it has reported the case to Fifa, the world governing body.
Stuttgart's managing director said Sami Khedira, the Germany midfielder, wants to move to Real Madrid. Fredi Bobic told Bild: "Khedira has told us that he wants to go to Real." Speculation that Khedira might move from the Bundesliga side to Real has swirled since the 23-year-old midfielder's strong World Cup displays. Ronaldinho could be set for a month on the sidelines after limping out of training with a muscle injury.
The AC Milan playmaker, who has just committed his immediate future to the Rossoneri, pulled up in training on Wednesday afternoon. Diego Maradona has accused Julio Grondona, the Argentina Football Association president, and Carlos Bilardo, the director of national teams, of forcing him out of his job . The former coach was told at a meeting the board were only prepared to keep him in if he changed most of his backroom team, something Maradona was unprepared to do. And the World Cup winner claims they knew full well it was a stipulation he would never agree to - and tantamount to sacking him.
Maradona read out a statement to reporters saying: "Grondona lied to me. Bilardo betrayed me. He knows that it would be impossible for me to continue if my assistants didn't continue too. I defend all of them." * Agencies
