Pan Pacific Open:

TOKYO: Top-ranked Lindsay Davenport of the United States booked a place in her seventh Pan Pacific Open final with 6-1, 7-6 win over Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia. In other semi-final, Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova of Russia beat Japan’s Shinobu Asagoe 6-1, 7-6. The final is on Sunday. — AP

Interaction on football:

Pokhara: An interaction programme was organised by the Sahara Club on Friday on the role of former football players for the development of the sport in Nepal. National and international players outlined the need of discipline and responsibility on the part of the players for the development of football. Senior football coaches Krishna Thapa, Khem Gurung, and Shiva Shankar Ranjit expressed their views. President of the Sahara Club Basanta Thakali said that the outcome of the programme would be forwarded to the Sports Development Committee, ANFA and other concerned organisations. — HNS

Pakistan’s Razzaq cleared:

SYDNEY: Pakistan allrounder Abdul Razzaq has been found not guilty of dissent during Australia’s 18-run victory in the opening match of the Tri-series cricket finals in Melbourne on Friday. Razzaq faced the charge under the ICC code of conduct “for showing dissent towards an umpire’s decision” after a wide was called off one of his deliveries. But the ICC said a panel of match referee Chris Broad, umpires Steve Davis and Billy Bowden and third umpire Bob Parry had decided the charge should not be upheld. — AFP

Marseille to get green light:

PARIS: French first division outfit Marseille are set to get the green light for the transfer of Japan international Koji Nakata and French striker Karim Dahou after their contracts hit a snag. The southern outfit had been facing uncertainty about their new signings after the French Professional Football League refused to validate the contracts because they were dated the day after the transfer window closed. Nakata signed until the end of the 2005/06 season on January 29 and Dahou returns to Marseille after being loaned to Lorient since last September. — AFP

40 players confirmed:

ZURICH: Forty European-based soccer players, including Thierry Henry, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Paolo Maldini and Patrick Vieira, were confirmed to play in a charity soccer match to raise money for the tsunami victims. All proceeds from the February 15 “Football for Hope” match will go to the Tsunami Solidarity Fund set up by FIFA and AFC. Ronaldinho and Andriy Shevch-enko, will captain the two sides. Ronaldo, Adriano, Roberto Baggio, Francesco Totti and Pavel Nedved have withdrawn. — AP

Call for life ban:

BERLIN: Franz Beckenbauer, head of the 2006 World Cup organising committee, called that referees found guilty of match-fixing should be barred for life. Beckenbauer was speaking after the German Football Federation confirmed that 25 people are accused of fixing matches in German league games including four referees. A total of 14 players are also suspected of taking financial bonuses while two Croatian brothers from Berlin have already been arrested. — AFP