$18,000 for Holyfield's ear!

NEW YORK: A New York financial broker spent $18,000 to purchase a piece of the ear chunk , Mike Tyson bit off Evander Holyfield in their heavyweight fight last month, a published report said.

The New York Daily News reported, Pete Stevens gave a MGM grand security guard the money for a piece of Holyfield's right ear, which was found by a hotel worker and taken to Holyfield's dressing room after the fight.``I know some people think I'm sick, but everybody collects baseball cards and jerseys,'' Stevens said. An attempt to re-attach the ear chunk after the bout proved impossible.

Ronaldo too plump for national side

SAO PAULO: Brazilian super-striker Ronaldo, FIFA's 1996 footballer of the year, yesterday declined a nomination to the national team for a coming tour of Asia, saying he was out of shape and has not trained in weeks.

Talking to the media in Sao Paulo, Ronaldo, 20, said he had not worked out since the beginning of the month and had gained three kilograms during his Caribbean holiday.

World meet faces financial scare

ATHENS: Vicious divisions among the organisers and a late start in preparations have created a financial nightmare for organisers of the Sixth World Championships opening on August 1st.

The championships were awarded to the Greek capital, after Mexico City turned them down for lack of funds and although the final cost is expected to be around $36 million, projected revenue is only $7.3 million.Added pressure has been placed on the organisers with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voting the host city for the 2004 Games.

Although Gothenburg, the 1995 host city, was given $7 million by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), the Greek federation agreed to undertake the project with no funding.

Northamptonshire approach Warne

NORTHAMPTON: Northamptonshire chief executive Steve Coverdale confirmed yesterday that he had spoken to Australian spin ace Shane Warne about joining the county.

Warne is one of four overseas players Northants are currently in negotiation with for 1998, although Coverdale believes nothing will happen until the end of the season.

Coverdale confirmed talks with one of the other three players had reached a more advanced stage and offered just a hint that man might be Anil Kumble.

Carl Lewis' last hurrah to be in Berlin

NEW YORK: Carl Lewis, winner of nine Olympic gold medals and a record eight World Championship golds, will run his last competitive race on August 26 at Berlin.

The race, a 400-metre relay with his Santa Monica track club team-mates Leroy Burrell, Mike Marsh and Floyd Heard, will be part of an International Amateur Athletic Federation Grand Prix meet.

The 36-year-old Lewis will end his illustrious career on September 13 in an exhibition relay on his home track at Robertson stadium in Houston during pre-game or halftime festivities of the Pittsburgh-Houston game.

``He will do some things (races) for charity next year,'' Tellez said, ``But that's all. He won't compete. He's getting tired of it all." Tellez said that special ceremonies were being planned for the race in September but nothing was finalised.

Two women athletes fail drug tests

BEIRUT: Two female athletes competing in the Arab Games have failed drug tests in the latest doping scandal to rock the event, officials said yesterday.

Syrian triple jumper Maha Mohammed el-Hassan tested positive for banned stimulant Nandrolon, according to Dr Ridah Kazem, the head of the Games' doping committee.

Basketball player Karima Shaniur of Tunisia tested positive for Hiptamynol -- a drug to combat low blood pressure and has been kicked out of the tournament, Kazem said.

Johnson to lead US athletic team

INDIANAPOLIS: Olympic double gold medallist Michael Johnson and six other defending world champions will represent the United States in next month's World Championships, USA Track & Field authorities announced yesterday.

Johnson, winner of the Atlanta Olympics men's 200 and 400 metres, will compete in the men's 400 metres at the August 1-10 World Championships in Athens. He also will be a member of the US men's 4x400 metre relay squad.He was given a wild-card entry into the Championships by the IAAF after he missed the US trials because of injury.

World champions Gail Devers and Gwen Torrence also will compete, thanks to wild cards.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.