Plyushchev will head Severstal

Vladimir Plyushchev, who recently worked on the coaching staff of the Russian national hockey team, will coach the Severstal super league team next season. The decision on this was made by the board of founders of the club at its meeting. The management of Sverstal was dissatisfied with the results shown in the last championship - the team took only tenth place and did not make it to the playoffs. True, according to Plyushchev himself, the contract has not yet been officially concluded, although an agreement in principle has already been reached between the parties.

Plyushchev was the head coach of the Super League club for only a short time - in 2003 he headed the Kazan Ak Bars. He achieved the greatest results together with the Russian youth team. Under the leadership of Plyushchev, this team won the world championship gold medals twice. Konstantin IVANOV

The team played a control match with CSKA

Yesterday a test match between the Russian national team and the home team took place at the CSKA Ice Sports Palace. The national team, which continues to prepare for the World Cup, lost to the “red-blues” with a score of 2:3. The first goal of the game was scored by the defender of Lada and the Titov national team, then the army team took the lead thanks to goals scored in the second period by Mozyakin and team captain Pronin. An accurate throw by Dynamo's Ovechkin allowed the country's main team to restore the balance, but a little over three minutes before the end of the match, CSKA defender Denis Kulyash brought his team ahead. Before the start of the World Cup in Austria, the Russian team will have to play two matches as part of the Eurotour finals - on April 22, head coach Vladimir Krikunov's charges will meet the Swedes away, and two days later they will play a return match in Moscow.

These days the World Junior Championships under 18 are taking place in the Czech Republic. The Russian national team has so far won all three matches of the group stage. With the same score of 2:1, our young hockey players beat the teams of Sweden and Denmark, and they defeated the German team with a score of 12:4, and after the first period, Mikhail Slipchenko’s players were leading 7:0. Ilya TRISVIATSKY

Phoenix won the regular season

Basketball. NBA. Regular season. Philadelphia - Milwaukee - 122:106, Orlando - Indiana - 92:88, Memphis - San Antonio - 94:92, New Orleans - - Minnesota - 99:102, Houston - Clippers - 115:90, Phoenix - Denver - 128:114, Golden State - Lakers - 126 :99. Phoenix, having beaten Denver, secured first place in the regular season. Now the Suns will have home court advantage throughout the playoffs. In the first round, Phoenix will meet with Memphis, which has no chance of moving out of eighth place in the Western Conference.

In the East, after Philadelphia made its playoff bid official, the final participant in the elimination games has yet to be determined. New Jersey and Cleveland, each with 40 wins, are vying for the remaining vacancy. Both teams will have to play two matches: the Nets will meet with Washington and Boston, and the Cavaliers will face the same Boston and Toronto. In the event of a tie, New Jersey will be higher in the standings. Andrey VDOVIN

Armstrong quits, Hamilton disqualified

The American Anti-Doping Agency has suspended cyclist Tyler Hamilton for two years. The Athens Olympic individual time trial champion was caught blood doping last September in Spain.

But this “Hamilton case” is not closed. A decision has yet to be made on whether to take away the American's Olympic gold medal. In Athens, Hamilton's first sample also tested positive for doping, but the second sample turned out to be spoiled and unsuitable for analysis. If Hamilton's medal is still taken away, it will go to Russian Vyacheslav Ekimov, who took second place in that race. The International Cycling Union should make a decision on this issue in the near future.

Meanwhile, another American, professional cycling legend Lance Armstrong, announced the imminent end of his career. Amstrong announced at a special press conference that his last race would be the Tour de France. The American is the only cyclist to have already won the Tour six times. “I was lucky to win this race six times. I’m not sure if I’ll succeed this year, but I intend to try,” Armstrong said. Konstantin IVANOV

Blatter runs for a third term

FIFA President Sepp Blatter said he is ready to run for office again. “I will be elected again in 2007,” AP quotes 69-year-old Blatter. “If my health allows and my candidacy is approved, I am ready to continue working at FIFA.”

Sepp Blatter took over as head of the International Football Federation in 1998, replacing Joao Havelange. Since then, Blatter has had to listen to a lot of criticism addressed to him. The president was accused of pursuing incorrect financial policies by FIFA under his leadership, as well as of bribing some officials during re-elections in 2002. In particular, when covering that scandal, foreign media mentioned the name of ex-RFU President Vyacheslav Koloskov. Konstantin IVANOV

Courier returned to the court

American tennis player Jim Courier, who ended his professional career back in March 2000, again took to the court in the ATP tournament with a prize fund of $380 thousand. The veteran played in tandem with another legendary American, Andre Agassi. But there was no triumphant return. Courier and Agassi lost to South American representatives Martin Garcia and Luis Horne in three sets - 2:6, 6:3, 1:6. “I haven’t played for a long time, and at first it was hard for me,” Courier told reporters about his feelings. “But I had a very good partner today.” After the second set I thought we could win.” Konstantin IVANOV