JOHANNESBURG: American sprint queen Marion Jones is hoping to challenge compatriot Florence Griffith Joyner's 10-year-old world 100m record at the World Cup in Johannesburg in September.

Jones has run 10.71 seconds this season, making her the second-fastest woman ever over the distance.

Del Piero walks out of news conference

ROME: Italy and Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero, irritated by a reporter's question about doping, walked out of a news conference yesterday.

Del Piero took only three questions after testifying before an anti-doping panel of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), which oversees sport across the country.

When asked if he knew the content of everything he ingested he replied: ``Yes, certainly.'' When a reporter asked, ``Do you feel doped?'' Del Piero winced and walked out of the room.

Stade de France turns tourist spot

PARIS: Over a thousand French fans visit the Stade de France each day to savour the scene of last month's World Cup triumph, a stadium official said yesterday.

``Imagine, it's the 12th of July. It's about 7 p.m. And some 80,000 people have packed the tribunes as the French team drives into the underground car park of the Stade de France,'' a guide says as he begins a tour.

The visits help raise income after the French sports ministry vetoed a bid by second division Red Star to make the 80,000 seat stadium their home.

Aussie cricketers to cough up money

SYDNEY: Leading Australian cricketers like Shane Warne, Steve Waugh and Mark Taylor will have to pay as much as $80,000 Australian each over two years to sports promoter James Erskine as part of a settlement of the long-running pay dispute between the players and the Australian Cricket Board (ACB).

The Australian newspaper today reported that under the deal, to be ratified by at least 75 per cent of Australia's first-class cricketers, James Erskine's Sel company would receive $1.5 million Australian.

More cameras for Commonwealth Games

DURBAN: Cricket authorities are likely to come under pressure to increase the jurisdiction of the third umpire following the planned use of slow motion replays in non-televised matches at next month's Commonwealth Games.

Mike Demaine, a South African television producer who will be in charge of the cricket broadcast from Kuala Lumpur, said from Johannesburg all six venues for the Commonwealth Games limited-overs tournament would be equipped with replay cameras.

The pana-eye system, consisting of four dedicated cameras positioned square of the wicket at each end of the pitch, will be installed at the two grounds from which matches are to be broadcast.

It is believed to be the first time the third umpire will be used in matches not broadcast on television.

World cup bridge

LILLE: The Tenth World Bridge Championships begins at the Grand Palais here tomorrow with the par contest in which the world's top 38 players have been invited to match their skills against computer and the mixed pairs, which is transnational and open to all.

Also in fray will be Norway's Geir Helgemo, 28, who has already represented Norway three times coming second in the 1993 Bermuda Bowl and second in the world junior teams 1993 and considered to be the hottest player in the world today.

Akram retained skipper

DHAKA: Akram Khan was retained today as captain of the Bangladesh cricket team bound for the Commonwealth Games, Kuala Lumpur.

Khan, who led the team to the ICC Trophy win in Malaysia last year, will head the 14-member National squad, according to the Bangladesh Cricket Control Board (BCCB) SAID.

The team: Azam Iqbal, Shahriar Hossain Bidyut, Faruque Ahmed, Akram Khan, Aminul Islam Bulbul, Khaled Mahmud Sujon, Khaled Masud Pilot, Naimur Rahman Durjoy, Hasibur Hossain Shanto, Morshed Ali Khan Sumon, Shafiuddin Ahmed Babu, Mohammed Rafiq, Mashfiqur Rahman Babu and Sabbir Khan.