Int'l Biathlon Union VP Gottlieb Taschler said that the IBU "wants to launch a third int'l competition series." The intention of the plan is to "provide the leading biathlon nations with better conditions in the World Cup and also strengthen the IBU-Cup." The "third series" is supposed to provide weaker biathlon nations with "an opportunity to compete successfully at int'l events." In addition, young athletes will receive a stage to showcase their talents (DPA, 10/17). ... Two former Italian football referees, Paolo Bergamo and Pierluigi Pairetto, in addition to several other referees "have been sentenced to pay €4M ($5.2M) in damages to the Italian Football Federation (FIGC)." The Italian Court of Auditors sentenced the referees for damaging the image of the FIGC for their involvement in the '06 match-fixing scandal. Bergamo "alone will have to pay €1M ($1.3M) in fines, while Pairetto was handed a fine of €800,000 ($1M)" (SID, 10/17). ... FIFA "is seeking additional information" in its investigation of a Korean player's celebration after a football match at the London Olympics. The Korea Football Association said that FIFA's legal affairs division has given the Korean governing body an Oct. 27 deadline "to submit any additional information in the case of Park Jong-woo" (YONHAP, 10/18).
