Sao Paulo stadium ready for World Cup opener
Sao Paulo: Brazilian officials hailed as a success the final World Cup test event at Sao Paulo’s Itaquerao stadium on Sunday. A crowd of 37,000 — just over half the venue’s capacity — saw Corinthians draw 1-1 with Botafogo in Brazil’s Serie A championship, reported Xinhua. Football’s governing body FIFA had requested the match be played at the stadium as a final trial before it hosts the World Cup opener between Brazil and Croatia on June 12. “Everything is going to get better with more practice,” local organising committee operations manager Thiago Paes said. “The second test was better than the first and for the next match we are all going to be more familiarized.” Media said the fixture was a marked improvement on the first test event on May 18, which was beset by electrical problems and leaks. “There were advances in relations to cleanliness, lighting and finishing work,” Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported. The Itaquerao will host six World Cup matches, including a semi-final on July 9. (IANS)
Legendary volleyball coach Eugenio George dies
Havana: Cuban Eugenio George, chosen by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) as the best coach of the 20th century, died at 81 here due to a “long and painful illness”. Local radio station Radio Reloj on Sunday said that George died Saturday night and his body was to be placed in a funeral home in Havana so people could pay tribute, reports Xinhua. George led the Cuban women’s team to three Olympic gold medals in Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000. He also led the team to win the World championships in Leningrad (1978), Brazil (1994) and Japan (1998)
