PARIS: France has honoured a policeman beaten almost to death by German hooligans during the soccer World Cup by awarding him the military medal, its third-highest award, according to official journal.

A German suspect in the case, Markus Warnecke, has admitted hitting the policeman with a wooden plank outside the stadium in the Northern French town of Lens where Germany and Yugoslavia played on June 21.

But Warnecke, now in a French jail, has denied that he dealt the near-fatal blows to Nivel who, his lawyer said, was injured by one of the four other suspects held in Germany.

Foster, Stones in hall of fame

INDIANAPOLIS: High jumper Dwight Stones and hurdler Greg Foster were among four athletes elected to the US National track and field Hall of Fame.

Stones and Foster will be inducted along with distance runner Francie Larrieu-Smith and Discus champ Jay Silvester on December 3 at USA track and field's annual meeting in Orlando,Florida.

The 44-year-old Stones, a 11-time national champion who competed for both Long Beach and Ucla, won bronze medals at the 1972 and 1976 Olympics and is a former world-record holder in the high jump.

Foster, 40, is a 10-time US National champion and three-time world champion. He was a national collegiate champion at Ucla in both the high hurdles and 200 metres and was a silver medalist in the 100-metre hurdles at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The 61-year-old Silvester is a seven-time world-record holder and was a member of 16 US National teams. He competed in four Olympics and took a silver medal in 1972 at Munich.

During an international career that spanned from 1969 to 1992, Larrieu-Smith was on 28 national teams and won 21 titles.

Two Ians to renew Test feud in Australia

SYDNEY: Cricket fans tuning into coverage of the Ashes tour by one Australian television network might be in for fireworks.

Channel Nine have hired England's Ian Botham to share the commentary box with hisarch-rival and former Australian captain Ian Chappell.

Chappell said today he would have no problems working with his old sparring partner.

``That's all right as long as they don't expect me to socialise with him because I certainly won't be doing that,'' he said.

The two former greats have been sworn enemies since a much-publicised bar-room clash in the Melbourne Hilton in 1977.

The Chappell-Botham feud was reignited two years ago when Chappell wrote an article about Botham's chances of becoming an England Test selector.

Gascoigne out of rehab, promises no more drinking

MIDDLESBROUGH: Troubled midfielder Paul Gascoigne has rejoined Middlesbrough on Monday, just 16 days after checking into a clinic for treatment of stress, depression and alcohol problems.

Appearing at a news conference alongside manager Bryan Robson, the former England star said he would stop drinking and try to cope better with the off-the-field pressures that have burdened him throughout his career.

The 31-year-oldGazza, one of the most scrutinised personalities in Britain, was admitted to the rehabilitation clinic after a series of drunken incidents that were widely-reported in British newspapers.

``It wasn't just the drinking,'' he said yesterday. ``it was everything. Depressed. Stress. I thought it would be in the best interest that I get away. I went to the hospital where I could sort everything out. I feel better for it.''

Asked whether the treatment included admitting he was an alcoholic, Gascoigne said, ``I'm not going to go into that.''

Blatter repeats in England he favours 2006 World Cup in Africa

LONDON: England's quest to host the 2006 World Cup took a hit when the head of Fifa the governing body of world soccer told prime minister Tony Blair that Africa was the logical choice for soccer's showcase.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter met for 45 minutes at number ten Downing Street with Blair and English soccer officials pushing the England bid.

Bidding opens next month and England, South Africaand Germany are regarded as the main contenders. Blatter said he also expects bids from Brazil, Morocco, Nigeria and Egypt.

The winner will be announced in March 2000 after a vote by a 24-member Fifa committee.

While campaigning in June for the Fifa presidency, Blatter said Africa was the logical choice following the 1994 World Cup in the United States, the 1998 tournament in France, and the 2002 World Cup to be shared between South Korea and Japan.