The Latvian men's volleyball team beat Romania 3 's 0 (26:24, 25:19, 25:17) during their last game in the European Championship's qualification round. Yet, winning only two games out of six, the team placed third overall in Group C, failing to qualify for the next round. Bulgaria took first place in Group C, and Germany, placing second, will go on to compete in the play-offs.
Kieren Fallon, one of horse racing's most successful jockeys, was charged of alleged race-fixing with conspiracy to defraud. Police said the Brit, a six-time champion jockey and three-time winner of the prestigious Epsom Derby, was one of seven people charged in connection with the biggest investigation of its kind ever staged in Britain. "Seven people have been charged with offenses relating to allegations of fixing the outcome of horse races between Dec. 1, 2002, and Sept. 2, 2004, and money laundering..." City of London police said in a statement. Police have probed fixing allegations for more than 80 races over two years, raiding 19 addresses in Britain.
Celebrating 100 years of Latvian soccer, the Latvian Football Federation has decided to produce an hour-long movie covering the Baltic state's football history. In addition, the federation will build a museum in its headquarters' new building. Soccer lovers have been asked to donate sports antiques, clothing and pictures for display. These antiques might also be used in the movie. The documentary will cover all the important turning points and developments of soccer in Latvia.
After cyclist Jan Ullrich was booted from the Tour de France because of a doping scandal, Australia's Michael Rogers could take the leading role in the T-Mobile team. Rogers is currently seventh in the Tour de France after finishing six seconds behind Norway's Thor Hushovd in last week's 7.1-kilometer prologue. He is now looking forward to July 8 when the riders take on a 52-kilometer time trial in Rennes. "We are going to wait until the time trial. Then we will make a decision (on who the leader is)," Rogers said. "I saw the course a couple of months ago. The last part is open and flat. I definitely like the course. I will try my best." Should he become T-Mobile's best chance of a podium in the Tour, Rogers would have to cope with the grueling hills, where his teammate Andreas Kloeden is likely to feel better prepared.
KNAB (Latvia's anti-corruption bureau) chief Aleksejs Loskutovs said that Latvia's First Party Leader Ainars Slesers' appearance on the First Baltic Channel television as a sponsor of the World Cup Football 2006 games amounts to an election campaign. "My colleagues will conduct a probe into Slesers' appearance on TV during the broadcast and the meaning of this appearance," Loskutovs told the Baltic News Service. The channel asked Slesers to support the World Cup Games and the politician agreed, First Party spokesman Edgars Vaikulis added.
