2002 FIFA World Cup

[Lilly]

Ananova:

Suspects escape while police watch World Cup on TV

A pair of alleged thieves in Thailand escaped from police custody as officers watched the World Cup.

The men aged 18 and 23 were arrested and charged with stealing four motorbikes.

They were handcuffed together and left in an interview room while all Pattaya station's officers watched France v Senegal.

The Kom Chad Luek newspaper says the officers didn't realise they'd escaped until the end of the game.

They broke free of the handcuffs which held them together and split up. One of the men has been recaptured.

The paper says officers were "shocked" when they discovered the men and quickly got on their motorbikes in a bid to track them down.

Story filed: 11:35 Saturday 1st June 2002

[Lilly]

Ananova:

'Argentina will win' says World Cup computer

A new type of computer programme predicts Argentina will lift the World Cup.

It uses bookmakers' odds, statistical analysis, computer simulation and even a measure of each team's unpredictability.

The same system gives England a 6.9% chance of winning the tournament just ahead of Italy at 6.7%.

Argentina were given a 13.2% chance.

The technique was developed by Henry Stott who is a mathematician at the University of Warwick.

He developed an earlier version to enter his office sweepstake for the 1998 World Cup.

He told New Scientist: "I did a much cruder analysis and did quite well. Then I started to realise that it's quite an interesting synthesis of human and computer thinking."

Brazil were placed at 9.3% and France 8.7%.

A similar method is used by bankers to assess financial risks.

Story filed: 14:43 Friday 31st May 2002

[Lilly]

Ananova:

17 England fans turned away

A total of 17 England fans have so far been turned away from Japan and Korea ahead of the World Cup.

In Japan Assistant Chief Constable Ron Hogg, the leading British police officer assisting local authorities, said around 1,000 England fans had so far arrived in Japan - in all 8,000 are expected.

"I would expect there to be some small disorder, but I don't expect serious disorder at all," he said.

The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) in London said 16 potential troublemakers had been turned away from Japan and one from Korea.

The news emerged as England captain David Beckham disclosed that he and the team had received a good-luck message from the Queen.

Bookmakers also reported a surge of bets on England following news that Beckham will be fit enough to lead the side against Sweden on Sunday in Saitama, just outside Tokyo.

The game coincides with a weekend of Golden Jubilee celebrations at home and the 27-year-old skipper hopes he and manager Sven-Goran Eriksson can make their own contribution to the party.

Beckham said: "There's been a lot of hype around it, and a lot of well-wishers - from family members up to the Queen, which was nice.

"It will be a great weekend, it will start on Friday and carry on through and there will be a few parties.

"Hopefully there will be a party on Sunday night."

Story filed: 18:23 Thursday 30th May 2002

[Lilly]

Ananova:

Fifa admits 100,000 World Cup tickets delayed

Fifa admits up to 100,000 fans will have to pick up their World Cup tickets on match day.

The world football body says it is working with officials from South Korea and Japan to deal with any problems, but it is not worried by the situation.

The delivery difficulties are largely due to delays in receiving information from soccer federations on ticket sales.

Japanese organisers are worried disgruntled spectators who can't get into any games may riot.

"It's all under control, there are just bits and pieces still to sort out," FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said, claiming that handing out tickets to about 2,000 people per game at the stadium should not be a problem.

Japan's Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Atsuko Toyama sent a letter to FIFA expressing concern about the "critical levels" of delay in handing out the tickets.

"If you look at the number of matches, then the capacity of the stadiums and the number of people who actually still have to collect their tickets, you can consider the operation as logistically feasible." Mr Herren said.

In South Korea, there are similar problems at the opening match between France and Senegal. FIFA confirm about 1,600 people had not yet received their tickets for the game.

Story filed: 11:53 Friday 31st May 2002

[Deni]

Russia - Tunisia 2:0!
there was an interesting second time

[Ulysses]

How far will Canada go in the WC?

Originally posted by Canadian_Wolf

hey, maybe USA will go far. Joke.

[andrewblow]

(Quote) " How far will Canada go in the WC" ?

I guess just as far as the pan - and then back outta the door.

hehehe

Andrew