Ferdinand arrested

LONDON: West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand, the younger brother of England international Rio Ferdinand, has been arrested after an alleged assault outside a nightclub. The 21-year-old, who has also played for the England under-21 team, was formally arrested when he attended an east London police station on Thursday, BBC reported. He was held on suspicion of assault following a disturbance outside a nightclub in Essex early on October 2, police said, adding that the footballer was bailed until next month. — AFP

Bosnia captain quits

SARAJEVO: Sergej Barbarez said his decision to quit as captain of Bosnia and Herzegovina was made because of the “chaotic” situation in the country’s Football Association. “I’m fed up with everything. There has been no progress. Nothing is functioning in the association,” Bayer Leverkusen forward Barbarez said, quoted by the Dnevni Avaz daily newspaper. He told another daily Oslobodjenje of the “chaotic” situation within the association, and accused FA members of behaving like “amateurs”. — AFP

Libya coach axed

TRIPOLI: Libya coach Mohsen Saleh has been sacked following poor results in the two opening qualifying games for the 2008 African Nations Cup. The Egyptian, named as coach in April, will be replaced by Abu Baker Bamy, a Libyan. “I wanted to take Libyan football forward but I couldn’t do anything because here they want quick results,” lamented Saleh. Libya lie last in the African Nations Cup qualifying Group 10 with just two points after a 1-0 defeat to Ethiopia and 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo. — AFP

Constable suspended

CHANDIGARH: Constable Balwinder Singh of the Chandigarh police was suspended for getting too close and forcing pictures with the likes of Muthiah Murlitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya. A police official said on Friday a departmental probe had been initiated into the episode. The constable, who was on duty outside the Taj hotel, where the Sri Lanka and Bangladesh teams were staying for the ICC Champions Trophy, went beyond the call of his duty. When the Sri Lankan team was leaving the hotel, the constable left his position and came up to the top players. — HNS