Its tortuous politics are a different container of worms altogether. The global problem lies in reconciling the interests and aspirations of the 172 countries who go to making it the most popular of games and went into the bowls for last week's World Cup draw, organised by Fifa. "I am sure it is the wish of the board and all West Indians that he will be available for the World Cup."The West Indies are touring Australia and are due to play in the World Cup beginning in February in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.. And it is some loophole - there was no contract, although they presumably knew that in the first place. Andrew Sealey, executive secretary of the West Indies Board of Control, said in a statement after a meeting in Bridgetown, Barbados that dragged on late on Friday: "As no contractural arrangements were in force between Lara and the WIBC for the tour, there was no breach of contract, and subsequently no disciplinary action is relevant."The WIBC also decided it was up to Lara to say when he wanted to return to the international game.The Caribbean news agency CANA quoted the WIBC president, Peter Short, as saying the board had decided the controversy surrounding Lara's withdrawal from the touring team to Australia was now over "From our point of view it certainly is," Short said. In the end, they fell back on a variation of the typical let-out in such tricky matters, the loophole in the contract. The temperamental Argentine's fan cluib is shrinking rapidly.
A radio talk show poll gave him little support over his threat to leave Boca Juniors after the club decided to offer the coaching job to the former Seville and Argentina coach Carlos Bilardo. The poll showed only 13 per cent of Boca fans had a good image of Maradona, and 42 per cent cannot stand him.. IT TOOK them hours of discussion but the West Indies cricket authorities finally decided they had no need to take disciplinary action against Brian Lara for pulling out of the World Series Cup tournament in Australia. Alen Boksic is expected to start alongside Giuseppe Signori and Roberto Rambaudi in attack.Parma appear to have the easiest task of the top sides when they travel south to face bottom-of-the-table Bari, beaten 7-1 by Cremonese last week.
Parma's Bulgarian forward Hristo Stoichkov, dropped for last weekend's 2-1 win against Lazio, may again be kept out of the side by Faustino Asprilla.The Leeds striker Phil Masinga and Mark Williams of Wolvesfaced the former Tottenham striker Jurgen Klinsmann when South Africa played Germany in Johannesburg on Friday night, but all their firepower proved ineffective in a goalless draw. Today they face another difficult match at home to in-form Sampdoria.Lazio will be strengthened by the return of Dutchman Aron Winter, who has been on international duty with Holland in their successful European Championship qualifying play-off against Ireland. After weathering an early onslaught, Germany took control in hot conditions.Masinga and Williamsfailed to convert fine opportunities, while Germany's best chance fell to Klinsmann, who drew a brilliant one-handed save from the home goalkeeper Andre Arendse in the final 15 minutes.If Klinsmann's took a temporary dip, Diego Maradona's is definitely on the wane. Brazil's Roberto Carlos, dropped for the Lazio game, is likely to return against Juventus, with Paul Ince and Argentina's Javier Zanetti making up the foreign-player trio.The Italian Cup elimination by Inter continued a bad run for Lazio, who have lost their last three Serie A games. "I wouldn't like to think that we set off for Milan already beaten." Torino will be without the suspended Paolo Cristallini, but look to the experience of Rizzitelli, the Frenchman Jocelyn Angloma and Ghana's Abedi Pele.Fifth-placed Juventus, seven points off the lead, will be anxious to atone for their 2-0 away defeat by Sampdoria last weekend when they face Inter.
The Turin side will rest the striker Alessandro Del Piero, replacing him with either Michele Padovano or Angelo Di Livio.With the exception of Del Piero and the suspended defender Ciro Ferrara, Juventus will be at full strength, fielding Gianluca Vialli and Fabrizio Ravanelli in attack with Didier Deschamps, Vladimir Jugovic and Paulo Sousa in midfield.Inter, however, will be buoyed by reaching the Italian Cup semi-finals at the expense of Lazio. Torino, meanwhile, travel to the San Siro with fresh enthusiasm following a 4-2 win against Piacenza last Sunday in their first match under their new coach, Francesco Scoglio, appointed last week after the dismissal of Nedo Sonetti.Ruggiero Rizzitelli, the Torino captain, believes his side can take a point from Milan: "I prefer to put on a poor show, play badly and take a point rather than play well, provide entertainment and lose," he said. Milan, two points clear of second-placed Parma, suffered a surprise defeat in midweek when they were eliminated from the Italian Cup by the Serie B side Bologna in a penalty shoot-out. With the striker Marco Simone doubtful through injury, Fabio Capello is likely to field the "dream attack" of Roberto Baggio, Dejan Savicevic and George Weah. MILAN, the Italian league leaders, and the defending champions Juventus are both looking to bounce back from recent defeats today when they face Torino and Internazionale respectively.