FIFA expert says match fixing is as bad as doping

HAMBURG - A betting expert of football’s controlling body FIFA, Wolfgang Feldner, has described match fixing as dangerous as doping.

Bremen go top as Hanover and Bundesliga remember Enke

HAMBURG - German goalkeeper Robert Enke was remembered Saturday as his club Hanover 96 returned to Bundesliga action against Schalke 04 while Werder Bremen continued their winning ways with a 6-0 demolition of SC Freiburg to go top of the table.

Poland back to winning ways, Serbia end South Korea’s run

HAMBURG - Poland coach Franciszek Smuda got his first victory against Canada Wednesday while South Korea’s 27-match unbeaten run in international football came to an end with a 1-0 defeat to Serbia in a friendly match played in London.

Ramzi stripped of Olympic gold for doping

HAMBURG - Olympic 1,500-metre champion Rashid Ramzi has been stripped of his gold medal by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after testing positive for the banned blood-booster CERA.

Button “agrees deal with McLaren”; Glock joins Manor

LONDON/HAMBURG - Formula One world champion Jenson Button has agreed terms to join McLaren in a “dream team” with the 2008 title-holder Lewis Hamilton, it was reported Tuesday.

Glock reaches deal with new Manor F1 team

HAMBURG - Germany’s Timo Glock has signed for the new Manor team which makes its Formula One debut next year, the team said Tuesday.

Brazil edge past England as pressure builds on Burley

HAMBURG - A goal from Villarreal winger Nilmar was enough to secure a 1-0 win for Brazil over England in a friendly international played in Doha Saturday while Scotland crashed to defeat against Wales to pile the pressure on under-fire coach Craig Burley.

Enke is latest in long list of athletes who committed suicide

HAMBURG - Police Tuesday said that first investigations into the death of German international Robert Enke seemed to indicate that the popular Hanover 96 goalkeeper committed suicide.

Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke commits suicide

HAMBURG - Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke has died, the president of his Bundesliga club Hanover 96 announced Tuesday.

Serena Williams tops season-ending rankings

HAMBURG - Serena Williams takes the women’s world number one rankings into 2010 as she topped this year’s final list issued by the WTA Monday.

Federer stays top in ATP list, Djokovic closes in on second place

HAMBURG - Roger Federer enjoyed another week atop the men’s tennis rankings issued on Monday by the ATP, while the man who beat him in the Basle final, Novak Djokovic, closed in on second place.

Bremen, Hamburg held, Hertha slip to another defeat

HAMBURG - Werder Bremen and SV Hamburg were held to draws, leaving Bayer Leverkusen three points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Loew calls up Hunt and Mueller for friendlies

HAMBURG - Aaron Hunt and Thomas Mueller were called up for the first time by Germany coach Joachim Loew Friday for friendly internationals against Chile and Ivory Coast later this month.

Red Cards dominate Europa League action

HAMBURG - Red cards dominated Thursday’s action in the Europa League as several clubs ended their matches with just nine players after having two men sent off.

Barca, Real seek Champions League revenge

HAMBURG - Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid are on revenge missions in the European Champions League this week when they play Rubin Kazan and AC Milan again.

Munich, Bremen, Schalke move into German Cup quarters

HAMBURG - Miroslav Klose struck twice as visiting Bayern Munich crushed Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0 in the third round of the German Cup.

Matthaeus rejects Racing Club coaching job, says report

HAMBURG - Former Germany captain Lothar Matthaeus has turned down an offer to coach Argentina’s Racing Club, it was reported Wednesday.

Stuttgart, Dortmund crash out of German Cup

HAMBURG - Pressure continues to build on under-fire VfB Stuttgart coach Markus Babbel after his Bundesliga side suffered a shock 0-1 defeat to second-division Greuther Fuerth in the third round of the German Cup.

Speculation about Schumacher role in F1 after Todt becomes FIA boss

HAMBURG - Jean Todt’s election as world motorsport supremo was followed Saturday by speculation that Michael Schumacher could be his man for Formula One racing.

Benfica overwhelm Everton as Shakhtar and Hamburg impress

HAMBURG - Benfica trounced English Premier League side Everton 5-0 in Europa League group football action while Shakhtar Donetsk put four past hapless Toulouse and SV Hamburg edged Celtic.

Milan stun Real Madrid, United and Chelsea in control

HAMBURG - A late goal from Alexandre Pato saw AC Milan come from behind to stun Real Madrid 3-2 in the Champions League football Wednesday while Manchester United remained on track for the knockout stages after a late Luis Valencia goal secured a 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow.

Sevilla and Lyon close in on next round, Barcelona stunned

HAMBURG - Sevilla and Olympique Lyon closed in on the knock-out stage of the Champions League football by winning their third group game in a row in the lucrative competition, while Barcelona were stunned at home by rookies Rubin Kazan.

Williams leads WTA top 10

HAMBURG - Serena Williams of the United States leads a nearly unchanged women’s tennis rankings top 10 issued Monday by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

Federer top; Djokovic and Davydenko climb ATP ranking

HAMBURG - Roger Federer retained the top spot in the men’s tennis rankings Monday while Novak Djokovic returned to third and Nikolay Davydenko climbed to the sixth place.

The teams that will play the next World Cup football finals

HAMBURG - After Wednesday’s qualifying rounds, following are 23 teams that have qualified for the 2010 World Cup football finals in South Africa:

Williams end engine deal with Toyota

HAMBURG - The Williams Formula One team will end its contract with engine supplier Toyota after the season and will have a different engine in 2010.

Germany have what it takes for World Cup win, says coach Loew

HAMBURG - Germany coach Joachim Loew believes his side is capable of winning the World Cup next year in South Africa but he was not making any predictions.