World soccer's most powerful man once again proved he also is one of its most ignorant with an extraordinary outburst in which he claimed racism is not an issue that impacts the sport.

Despite a series of recent controversies involving racism, FIFA president Sepp Blatter issued his latest outrageous, politically incorrect absurdity in an interview with CNN World Sport.

Soccer authorities in many countries are still fighting to rid soccer of the scourge of racist antics, yet Blatter insisted that any such problems could be resolved with a handshake.

Asked if he believed that racist acts took place on the field of play, Blatter said: "I would deny it. There is no racism. There is maybe one of the players towards another – he has a word or a gesture which is not the correct one. But also the one who is affected by that, he should say that this is a game.

"We are in a game, and at the end of the game we shake hands, and this can happen because we have worked so hard against racism and

It took nearly four months in real time and more than nine hours of action, but finally the Jurgen Klinsmann that United States fans have been waiting for stood up to be counted.

The coach's first six games in charge of Team USA were a far cry from the adventurous, aggressive approach he favored with the national team of his German homeland, and concerns began to grow as a barren spell of scoring turned into a full-fledged drought.

However, a 3-2 friendly victory over Slovenia on Tuesday could represent a significant turning point for Klinsmann and his new era, coming, as it did, courtesy of a far more positive game plan.

Playing two strikers in Jozy Altodore and Edson Buddle, the American attack had some real teeth for the first time since former coach Bob Bradley's departure following the ill-fated CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign earlier this year.

Buddle got things rolling early with the first goal, with Altidore and Clint Dempsey also chipping in to complete the victory.

"We were

CARSON, Calif. – Oscar De La Hoya has promised to help the Houston Dynamo deliver the knockout blow to the heavily favored Los Angeles Galaxy in Sunday's MLS Cup final.

De La Hoya, the boxing legend turned promoter, owns a minority stake in the Texas club. He plans to visit the Dynamo locker room in the buildup to the clash at the Home Depot Center in an attempt to motivate his players to spring a major upset.

"I will definitely be going in there to give the guys a motivational speech," De La Hoya said in a telephone conversation with Yahoo! Sports. "The Galaxy has great players but I believe in our team and what they are capable of.

"They have the hunger and belief to win the trophy and I think that a few words from my own experiences as an Olympian and a world champion can help them a little bit."

The Dynamo suffered a huge blow when influential midfielder Brad Davis was declared out with a quad injury. The Galaxy, meanwhile, are expected to have their star trio of David Beckham –

LAS VEGAS – Manny Pacquiao will seek medical advice in an attempt to explain the mystery cramps he suffered in his controversial win over Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday.

Pacquiao began to experience painful cramping in the arches of his feet in the fourth round and claimed the discomfort did not subside until after the fight.

"That was when it started," Pacquiao said. "I felt so bad that my balance was gone. Every time I threw a punch I could feel it."

[Related: Pacquiao beats Marquez by controversial decision]

Pacquiao's cramps puzzled head trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning coach Alex Ariza. Roach said Pacquiao will be tested in the coming weeks in an attempt to identify the cause of the problem.

"It was difficult for Manny," Roach said. "His in-and-out motion was affected and he was coming in flatfooted. The pain started in his arches and then spread up to his calf. It is something that we really have to figure out and we will get advice on it.

"This has happened in his last

LAS VEGAS – Juan Manuel Marquez furiously insisted his controversial defeat to Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night was a “robbery” and accused two members of the judging panel of conspiring against him.

A dejected Marquez, 38, said it might have been his last fight.

“Maybe I will retire,” he said. “It is difficult after this. I also don’t want to throw away everything we have worked for but I just don’t know.”

Pacquiao’s victory keeps alive the prospect of a superfight against Floyd Mayweather, possibly as soon as May 5, 2012. Yet there will also be calls for another rematch with Marquez, and the controversial decision would ensure that Pacquiao-Marquez IV would attract huge attention.

“I think there is now a viable possibility that they should do it again,” said Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum. “It was so close, there were so many close rounds and it was a great fight.”

[Related: Pacquiao beats Marquez by controversial decision]

In their third meeting Saturday, Marquez lost a majority

LAS VEGAS – Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather have “never been closer” to setting up the monumental superfight that boxing craves so desperately, according to Mayweather’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya.

De La Hoya insisted in a telephone interview with Yahoo! Sports on Friday that his confidence in the two pound-for-pound kings finally squaring off was at an all-time high, following more than two years of wrangling and bitterness.

“I am very optimistic now,” De La Hoya said, as Pacquiao finalized his preparations for his Saturday night clash with Juan Manuel Marquez. “In the past there has always been something in the way.

“I believe if he gets past Marquez, Mayweather already has his date set for May 5 and he gave orders for the biggest fight out there. It is no secret that fight is Manny Pacquiao.

“Now we can say Floyd Mayweather wants to fight Manny Pacquiao, there is no doubt about it. And Pacquiao has given in and agreed to the drug testing so it is looking good.”

Initial talks

Jurgen Klinsmann faces his toughest test since taking over as United States head coach when his side travels to Paris to take on a revitalized France team in a friendly Friday.

Klinsmann has just one win in five games since replacing Bob Bradley and has already attracted criticism, despite insisting he needs time to turn around the squad's fortunes.

The France friendly was the lead topic on this week's Martin Rogers Yahoo! Soccer Podcast, in conjunction with World Football Daily. USA midfielder Maurice Edu called in from France and spoke to Rogers, discussing the need for the Americans to get quick results to ease the pressure on Klinsmann.

Edu broke down the France game and spoke about the importance of the USA to take on big-name opponents in order for them to be properly prepared for major tournaments in the future.

French journalist Julien Laurens revealed that France is using the game to evaluate some fresh talent, with head coach Laurent Blanc planning to make changes to his

The remarkable images that emerged from the revolution in Libya last month, as despotic leader Moammar Gadhafi was hunted down and executed, appeared to have nothing whatsoever to do with sports.

Yet as Gadhafi’s long and brutal regime came crashing down and his life was brought to a violent end, a former professional soccer player in one of the world’s top leagues suddenly became one of the most wanted men on the planet.

The man in question is Gadhafi’s third son, Al-Saadi, who used his father’s political influence to gain contracts at three teams in Italy’s Serie A – Perugia, Udinese and Sampdoria – while also training with Lazio and Juventus.

Gadhafi was a decent soccer player who played 18 times for the Libyan national team, but his abilities were nowhere near good enough to be considered for Serie A in normal circumstances. However, for nearly eight years he lived the life of a pro, traveling with the teams, seeing reserve action and very brief first-team involvement.

“He wasn’t