SPORTS BRIEFS

Bayern want Dutch to pay

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP):

Bayern Munich's chairman wants the Dutch federation to pay winger Arjen Robben's wages after he returned from the World Cup with an injury and was ruled out for two months.

Robben reported to Bayern's preseason training camp with a torn left hamstring, the same injury he picked up before the World Cup.

Bayern accused the Dutch team's coach and doctor of failing to protect Robben and allowing him to play despite the injury.

The German news agency DPA quoted chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as saying on Wednesday that "our aim is for the Dutch federation to take over (paying) Robben's wages for the injury period."

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk has said Robben was fit at the end of the tournament and other Dutch team officials have denied any wrongdoing.

Trapattoni to undergo surgery

DUBLIN (AP):

Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni was to undergo surgery yesterday after being diagnosed with abdominal problems, the Football Association of Ireland said.

The 71-year-old Trapattoni has been in a Dublin hospital since early Tuesday, having felt unwell since arriving in Ireland on Sunday ahead of a friendly against Argentina.

"It has been decided the abdominal pain is as a result of minor scar tissue from previous surgery," the FAI said in a statement. "To relieve the pain, he will undergo minor surgery."

Initially, Trapattoni believed he was suffering from a bout of nausea caused by shellfish he ate before leaving Italy.

Pakistan not ready

ISLAMABAD (AP):

Former ICC president Ehsan Mani says the Pakistan Cricket Board is not equipped to revive international cricket in Pakistan while Ijaz Butt is in charge.

"There's a possibility of an international XI touring Pakistan within one year, but it's impossible for the present board working under Ijaz Butt to fully revive international cricket in Pakistan," Mani was quoted as saying in the Urdu language daily Jang yesterday.

The PCB is yet to submit a report on last year's militant attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team's bus at Lahore that left six police officials and a van driver dead. The gunmen also injured several Sri Lankan team players and officials.

Bank can rename Soccer City

JOHANNESBURG (AP):

A South African court has ruled in favour of letting a commercial bank keep the naming rights to the football stadium where the opening match and final of the World Cup were played.

First National Bank spokesman Derek Carstens said yesterday the 94,000-seat Soccer City will revert to its pre-World Cup name of First National Bank Stadium, or the FNB stadium.

Carstens says the bank was granted the right to have full naming rights for a period of 10 years till July 2014. In compliance with FIFA requirements, the bank agreed to change the name for the duration of the World Cup.

A legal battle ensued when a company managing the arena named it as the National Stadium after the tournament, but the South Gauteng High Court ruled in FNB's favour yesterday.