Sporting briefs

Mutko: Russia's sports minister Vitaly Mutko will step down next week from his dual role as president of the country's soccer federation (RFU). Mutko, 50, has been forced out of office following the demand by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev last month that all government officials in-charge of various national sports bodies should be replaced by professional personnel.

Portugal: Portugal defender Bruno Alves and midfielder Deco have recovered from injury and are fit to face Bosnia in the second leg of their World Cup playoff today."I trained (on Tuesday), I felt good and am ready to play if the coach picks me," Alves, who scored the winner in the 1-0 victory in the first leg in Lisbon on Saturday, told reporters. Alves has been nursing a sprained ankle. A spokesman for the Portugal team said playmaker Deco had recovered from a groin injury.

Iraq: Iraq faces being kicked out of world soccer after its football association was disbanded, FIFA said yesterday. "The basis on which such a decision could be taken is incomprehensible to FIFA. This stands in total contradiction with IFA and FIFA statutes," the world governing body said. The leaders of Iraq's Olympic committee and the Iraqi Football Association (IFA) have been embroiled in a power struggle for control of the sport for at least a year. Olympic committee members blame the IFA for a continuing FIFA ban on Iraq hosting international matches due to lingering insecurity.

Basque: Spain's Basque Country could play host to the national soccer team again after an absence of more than 40 years after its parliament voted to ask the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) to stage matches there. Legislators in the autonomous community, where Spain's ruling Socialists won control earlier this year, also voted to ask organisers of the Tour of Spain (La Vuelta) to bring the cycling race back for the first time in 31 years.

Estudiantes: Two Estudiantes de La Plata supporters were shot and wounded in clashes between rival factions of the team's hardcore fans, police sources said. Police said three suspects had been arrested. A 29-year-old man was shot in a foot and a 30-year-old in the stomach. They were taken to a hospital in La Plata. The incident occurred as fans were about to board buses in La Plata to travel the 60 kilometres to Racing Club in the Buenos Aires suburb of Avellaneda for a first division match which Estudiantes lost 1-0.

Rugby Union: South Africa wing Bryan Habana has been cleared of kicking French wing Vincent Clerc and is free to play in Saturday's game against Italy, disciplinary officials said yesterday. Habana was cited after the Springboks' 20-13 defeat in Toulouse on Friday. The International Rugby Board's judicial officer for the match, Lorne Crerar, considered a series of video clips as well as the player's explanation and was unable to determine, upon the balance of probabilities, that Habana had deliberately kicked Clerc.

Doping: A federal judge denied American golfer Doug Barron's request to lift a 12-month ban for a doping violation, saying it would be unfair on other golfers trying to qualify for next year's events. Barron, a 40-year-old journeyman on the US PGA and Nationwide tours, gained unwanted fame when he became the first golfer banned for using performance-enhancing drugs earlier this month. The PGA Tour suspended Barron for a year, but did not name the drug.

Wrestling: Twice Olympic wrestling champion Armen Nazarian announced his retirement yesterday. Nazarian won the Greco-Roman Olympic title in Atlanta in 1996 while competing for Armenia. The following year he took out Bulgarian citizenship and then won the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Games and the bronze four years later in Athens. "Many things have changed in wrestling," the 35-year-old said. "I can't endure five to six bouts in the space of three or four hours anymore and that's why I'm stopping."

Athletics: Japan's former Olympic marathon gold medallist Naoko Takahashi has decided to become a vegetable farmer. The 37-year-old, who won gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, will start her own farm on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. "It's a new challenge for me," Takahashi said. "We are currently discussing what we want to grow. We are studying hard - we want our produce to be really delicious."