Chile enter 2010 race

Chile are to press ahead with a planned bid to host the 2010 World Cup and wrote off a proposed rival candidature from Brazil as "pathetic".

Chile are to press ahead with a planned bid to host the 2010 World Cup and wrote off a proposed rival candidature from Brazil as "pathetic".

A Chilean football official, Jaime Naranjo, also dismissed South African aspirations on Monday, claiming the country had too many social problems to host the event. "The candidatures of South Africa and Brazil don't frighten me because both countries have always had to keep one foot back due to political violence and economic problems," he said.

"Brazil's case is pathetic," he added. "They have been wanting to hold another World Cup since 1950 and the last time they were close (in 1986), it went to Mexico. "And South Africa, I don't think they have the social conditions to stage a World Cup."

Internazionale claimed yesterday they were being victimised over their alleged role in a false passports scandal after learning they will be the first club to be brought before the Italian league.

The Milan-based league announced late on Monday that it would hear evidence against Inter's Uruguayan forward Alvaro Recoba and two club officials on 19 April. It will then deal with charges against Milan's Brazilian goalkeeper Dida the following day.

"We're stunned by the speed with which they've decided to deal with the cases of the two Milan clubs first and by the outrageous procedural weaknesses which have forced them to put off the hearings into the other clubs," Inter's veteran lawyer and vice president, Giuseppe Prisco, said.

The former Marseilles chairman Bernard Tapie will return to the club as a minority shareholder and sports manager.

Tapie, who led Marseilles to the 1993 European Cup before being banned from all sports activities because of a bribery scandal in 1994, will return to the Frnech First Division club on Monday. Marseilles are currently 14th in the 18-team First Division.