FIFA president Sepp Blatter released a statement yesterday stating that the World Cup final would go ahead on Sunday as planned. Blatter said he had acted to deny "rumours", although he did not state what the speculation was or where it had stemmed from.
"Rumours currently circulating force me to repeat clearly that the World Cup final Korea/Japan will definitely take place in Yokohama on June 30th as set out in the match calendar," said the statement.
Blatter also rubbished claims of a conspiracy designed to help World Cup co-hosts South Korea to reach the final.
"Any supposition of a conspiracy in favour of the Korean team is untrue."
Criticism of the refereeing at the World Cup has gathered pace after Spain's quarter-final defeat to South Korea last week.
Some press reports and fans have made unsubstantiated allegations that certain games may have been fixed.
FIFA have admitted that major refereeing errors have taken place and Blatter told a meeting of the World Cup referees committee to appoint the best officials for this week's semi-finals rather than select them on a regional basis.
As a result, all six officials come from Europe, with Urs Meier of Switzerland taking charge of Germany's clash with South Korea today, while Denmark's Kim Milton Nielsen will referee Brazil's semi-final with Turkey tomorrow. Italy's Pierluigi Collina, regarded as the best referee in the world, is favourite to run the World Cup final on Sunday.
Argentina World Cup star Ariel Ortega has ended speculation surrounding his future by completing a £5 million move to Turkish giants Fenerbahce from River Plate.
The 28-year-old playmaker, who had been linked with a move to Newcastle United, was met by 4,000 fans at Ataturk Airport on Sunday night and put pen to paper yesterday.
Russia's players and their families are under police protection after their World Cup failure, according to a media report.
The wife of Russia goalkeeper Ruslan Nigmatullin told the Sovietsky Sport newspaper that their Moscow apartment had been put under surveillance by plain-clothed police.
Denmark and Bolton Wanderers midfielder Stig Tofting has been arrested and charged with violence following an incident at a restaurant in central Copenhagen.
The 32-year-old Tofting met his Danish team-mates for a post-World Cup reunion on Saturday. The charge carries the threat of a fine or even a jail sentence.
North Korea's rigidly controlled population has been given its biggest taste of the World Cup fever in the rival South with the showing of South Korea's stunning victory over Italy.
In a radical change of the state's strict anti-South media policy, the match was shown unannounced late Sunday, giving North Koreans a rare glimpse of events in the South.
Spain midfielder Luis Enrique has followed skipper Fernando Hierro into international retirement. French striker Christophe Dugarry also announced his international retirement.
Senegal midfielder Salif Diao will join Liverpool on a five-year contract after his French first division club Sedan finally agreed terms on a deal yesterday.
