Teixeira steps down as head of Brazilian football

The 2014 World Cup organizing committee on Monday ended a contentious 23-year stint in charge of Brazilian football. Teixeira took a leave of absence for medical reasons last week, but the Brazilian federation announced he has left permanently to look after his health. The announcement came in a letter of resignation read by new federation and organizing committee president, former Sao Paulo Governor Jose Maria Marin. "I leave the presidency of the CBF (national federation) permanently with the sense of mission accomplished," Teixeira wrote in the letter. "It s not easy to preside passion. Football in our country is associated with two things: talent and disorganization. When we win, talent is praised. When we lose, it s about disorganization. I did what was within my reach, sacrificing my health. I was criticized in the losses and undervalued in the victories." Teixeira s term had been expected to end in 2015. The medical reasons were not officially disclosed, but last year he took leave after being hospitalized becaue of diverticulitis, an inflammation of the inner lining of the intestine. Teixeira has led the CBF since 1989 and revamped the organization after it struggled financially. Under his command, Brazil won the 1994 and 2002 World Cups and the federation became one of the richest in the world. But the success was followed by a lot of controversy, and there had been calls for his resignation amid allegations of irregularities in Brazil and abroad. He has always denied any wrongdoing. The 79-year-old Marin said nothing would immediately change at the federation or World Cup organizing committee with him in command. Earlier this year, television cameras caught Marin putting a winner s medal in his pocket while presenting them to players in an under-18 tournament in Sao Paulo. He later said the medal was given to him. He was not accused of any wrongdoing by organizers. Some local federations were against having Marin as president and wanted to be able to pick a successor for Teixeira through elections or by changing the national federation s statutes. It remained unclear if Teixeira will also leave the FIFA executive committee, which is a position elected through CONMEBOL, the South American football confederation. Teixeira has been an executive member of football s governing body since 1994.

FIFA concludes visit to World Cup host cities

A group of about 40 people from FIFA and the local organizing committee traveled to the northeastern city of Natal on Monday, the last stop in a seven-day trip across Brazil. They also visited Sao Paulo, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Cuiaba and the jungle city of Manaus. The other six host cities had been inspected last year. The inspection group scrutinized local plans for dealing with traffic, security, fan management, commercial partners, marketing, hospitality and media. Ricardo Trade, an executive director at the local organizing committee, said the visits were important to help organizers "evaluate several aspects" and improve planning for the World Cup.

Wozniacki advances to Wells third round

She beat Sofia Arvidsson 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the Indian Wells tennis tournament third round. Denmark s Wozniacki, who won a half dozen titles last year, is still finding her way in 2012 and it showed Monday as she struggled to hold serve against her fellow Scandinavian in a two hour, 35 minute night match. It was an uphill struggle at times for the former world number one as Arvidsson came charging out of the gate, using excellent groundstrokes to seize control in some of the longer rallies in front of about 2,000 people at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. "I have known Sofia since I was 12 or 13," Wozniacki said. "We practised together and we know each other s games so well. She just came from a win in Memphis so I know she was on fire. I am so happy with the win." Arvidsson was the victor in the pair s first encounter six years ago, when Wozniacki was only 15, but the Dane has now won five of their six meetings since then. Wozniacki broke the Swede seven times overall, including three times in the final set. Both players struggled to hold serve in a sloppy opening set. Arvidsson broke Wozniacki in the seventh and ninth games but was broken herself in the eighth. In the final game, Arvidsson took a 40-15 lead then closed out the set on her second set point when Wozniacki dumped a shot into the net. Wozniacki broke Arvidsson in the 11th game of the second set, winning all four points and setting the stage for her to serve for the set. On match point in the third set, Arvidsson hit a backhand drop shot that Wozniacki was able to reach easily to hit a running forehand winner. Wozniacki advances to the fourth round where she will play Ana Ivanovic, who beat Ksenia Pervak 6-7 (8/10), 6-3, 6-2. The 28-year-old Arvidsson has been resurgent this year, winning her second WTA career title after a six-year gap at the Memphis tournament last month, beating Kiwi Marina Erakovic in the final.

Cricket: Wright backs men over fix claims

New Zealand coach John Wright yesterday stood firmly by his players amid the latest match fixing allegations swirling around the game.

Two New Zealand players were allegedly identified by Indian bookmakers to British newspaper the Sunday Times as being involved, dating back to 2010.

However Wright supported his players and slapped the claims as "unsubstantiated rumours".

"I like the guys I work with. I think I've got a pretty good feel for them, particularly the senior players," he said. "They've represented New Zealand with a lot of integrity and I expect their reputations will continue that way."

Wright admitted the fixing allegations could be disruptive, but not in this case.

"It's a fairly unsubstantiated report at this stage and really in the environment a lot of cricketers work these days, particularly our boys in the Indian Premier League, there's always that sort of rumour, those sorts of headlines."

Wright wanted to ensure the scandal didn't get in the way of their job, which required a strong performance against a top-class South African team.

He put it down as one of the issues the team had to deal with in the season.

"It's part and parcel of being with the team, trying to keep things balanced, keeping the players relaxed and concentrating on the job."

New Zealand drew confidence from the drawn first test at Dunedin, Wright said, particularly in view of the punishment they took in the three-game ODI series preceding Dunedin.

The Seddon Park pitch looked green and seam friendly yesterday, but Wright expects that to brown off in the next day. It should help the seamers in the first session tomorrow, but that's simply the sign of a decent test strip.

"This is a good batting track. Traditionally it's not a bad place to bat," former test opener, and Northern Districts batsman, Wright said.

Wright dropped a hint that on initial viewing, it might not be the moment to give a debut to legspinner Tarun Nethula. But it is a good move having him in the group to give the batsmen a chance to prepare for South Africa's exuberant twirler Imran Tahir. He should have been in the Dunedin group for the same reason.

So the choice is likely to boil down to either local seamer Brent Arnel or stocky quick Mark Gillespie, respectively 33 and 32, with allrounder Andrew Ellis the third option.

Ellis would stiffen the batting around No 8; Arnel is steady and his form has been good - 32 Plunket Shield wickets at a strong 22.03 apiece, second only to Neil Wagner's 34 - he knows Seddon Park as well as any player, but his nine wickets from five tests have cost 55 runs apiece.

Gillespie, bugged by injury issues since the last of his three tests, against the West Indies at Dunedin in December 2008, has 30 Plunket Shield wickets at 27.53, swings the ball and is lively.

"Each has his case," Wright, the diplomat, said. "We've really got to concentrate on getting 20 wickets and that looks a real challenge. It'll probably boil down to what the conditions look like and who we think will suit this wicket best."

New Zealand might like a seamer's haven, but they know that won't exactly displease South Africa, who have three quicks inside the world's top 20, including No 1 Dale Steyn.

He was off form in Dunedin, looked short of a gallop, but can be expected to be a handful over the next two tests.

Lionel Messi pays tribute to Barcelona coach Guardiola

On the verge of becoming Barcelona's all-time leading goal scorer, Lionel Messi says the club's recent run of success has more to do with coach Pep Guardiola's arrival than performances like his five-goal game last week.

Messi followed his five-goal outburst in the Champions League on Wednesday with two more strikes in Sunday's 2-0 victory at Racing Santander to move within five goals of matching the all-time club scoring record held by Cesar Rodriguez.

The Argentina forward has scored seven goals in the past week, but believes that none of it would be possible without Guardiola.

"Guardiola is more important to Barca," Messi said Monday when asked whether he or his coach was more important to the team. "His arrival changed everything, for (the players) and for the club. Everything that has been achieved was achieved with him. Guardiola is fundamental to Barcelona's project."

Messi has excelled under Guardiola and his latest scoring outburst took the three-time world player of the year past 50 goals for the second straight season. Since Guardiola took over at the start the 2008-09 season, Barcelona has won 13 of 16 possible trophies.

"Obviously the club and (players) will continue on, but it would be very different without him," Messi said. "It would be very difficult to find another coach who can achieve everything he has and who would make this team play the way he does. This is his team."

Guardiola has yet to announce whether he will continue with the club beyond this season.

Messi's outburst in Wednesday's 7-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen was the first time anyone has scored five times in the Champions League.

Cesar set the Barcelona record of 235 goals during a 16-year career, but the 24-year-old Messi has at least 15 games to break the mark in his seventh full season.

"My goals aren't important, if they come they are welcome, but what I'm happy about is how things are turning out. We always look to the collective and without (my teammates) everything I've managed would not be possible," Messi said. "I'm happy about everything, the five goals and to being so close to matching Cesar's record. That wasn't my objective, to reach Cesar's record this season, but I'm very close and there are a lot of games remaining. But please don't ask me to set a date to do it."

The European and Spanish champion's next match is league game at Sevilla on Saturday.