Times wires
Friday, May 27, 2011
More soccer: FIFA placed its own president under investigation Friday in a widening bribery scandal just days before Sepp Blatter faces re-election against Mohamed bin Hammam. With both candidates now under investigation, it's unclear how this will affect Wednesday's election. Blatter is accused of ignoring alleged bribes to Caribbean voters. Bin Hammam denies accusations of buying votes.
Pro basketball
Dydek, 7-foot-2 former WNBA star, dies
Margo Dydek, a 7-foot-2 former WNBA player who led the league in blocks nine times, died Friday in Brisbane, Australia after being placed in a medically induced coma following a heart attack a week ago. She was 37 and was coaching the Northside Wizards in the Queensland Basketball League. Mrs. Dydek, early in pregnancy with her third child, collapsed at her home in Brisbane on May 19. The fetus died.
Et cetera
Vick dogfighting update: An animal rights group bought NFL star Michael Vick's former dogfighting compound in Norfolk, Va., and plans to turn it into a rehabilitation center for chained and penned dogs. Dogs Deserve Better of Tipton, Pa., bought the five-bedroom home for about $600,000.
Olympics: Todd Hays was named U.S. women's bobsled coach through at least the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Sailing: American Brad Van Liew won the Velux 5 Oceans solo round-the-world race, sweeping all five legs. Van Liew, 43, of Charleston, S.C., sailed his 60-foot yacht across the finish line off La Rochelle, France. He completed the final sprint of 3,600 nautical miles from Charleston to La Rochelle in 12 days, 23 hours and 52 minutes.
Times wires
Soccer
Interest high for today's uefa final
WEMBLEY, England — When English champion Manchester United and Spanish title-winner Barcelona meet in the UEFA Champions League final today at Wembley Stadium, the event is expected to equal, and perhaps surpass, the Super Bowl in worldwide audience and to provide another glimpse at the continued popularity growth of the sport in the United States.
For the second year in a row, the game will be shown on network television in the United States.
United is a clear underdog despite having reached a third final in four seasons.
"The success both teams have had in the past decade has been enormous," said Man U coach Alex Ferguson. "It really could be the best final of the decade. The attraction of two teams with such history is obvious. Anything could happen in this game."