Reuters Sports Schedule at 1400 GMT on Wednesday, March 16
Reuters sports schedule at 1400 GMT on Wednesday: FIFA FIFA files for compensation in U.S. as victim of corruption ZURICH/NEW YORK - Global soccer body FIFA has applied to U.S. authorities for tens of millions of dollars in damages from ex-officials indicted there for graft and recognised for the first time executives had in the past "sold" votes in World Cup hosting contests. (SOCCER-FIFA/COURT (UPDATE 1), moved, by Brian Homewood and David Ingram, 400 words) ATHLETICS Russia hopes athletics federation will be reinstated in May MOSCOW - Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Wednesday he hoped the Russian Athletics Federation would be reinstated by the sport's governing body in May. (SPORT-DOPING/ATHLETICS-MUTKO, moved, by Darya Korsunskaya, 200 words) World Indoor Championship (to 20) Athletics tries to put focus back on the track PORTLAND, Oregon - The world indoor athletics championships begin on Thursday with no Russians, few stars and the sport engulfed in a doping crisis as officials hold their breath hoping to put the spotlight back on the track. (ATHLETICS-WORLD/ (PREVIEW, PIX), expect by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, by Steve Keating and Gene Cherry, 600 words) SOCCER Champions League last-16 second leg Bayern Munich v Juventus (1945) Juve face uphill task at Allianz Arena MUNICH - Bundesliga leaders Bayern hold the upper hand at the Allianz Arena after drawing 2-2 with Juventus in the first leg in Turin last month. (SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-FCB-JUV/ (PIX), expect by 2130 GMT/5:30 PM ET, 400 words) Barcelona v Arsenal (1945) Arsenal need minor miracle at powerhouses Barcelona BARCELONA - World and European champions Barcelona are overwhelming favourites to go through to the quarter-finals after winning the first leg at Arsenal 2-0. (SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-BAR-ARS/, expect by 2130 GMT/5:30 PM ET, 400 words) Asian Champions League AFC moves Saudi-Iran ties to neutral venues Saudi Arabian clubs will play Champions League matches against Iranian teams at neutral venues this year because of the lack of improvement in relations between the two countries, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Wednesday. (SOCCER-ASIA/SAUDI-IRAN (UPDATE 3), by Nick Mulvenney, moved, 400 words) CRICKET World Twenty20, India (to April 3) Pakistan v Bangladesh, Kolkata (0930) Afridi leads from front as Pakistan thump Bangladesh KOLKATA - Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi led by example as his team put a tumultuous build-up behind them to launch their bid for a second World Twenty20 title with a comprehensive 55-run victory against qualifiers Bangladesh on Wednesday. (CRICKET-WORLD/PAKISTAN (UPDATE 2), moved, 400 words) West Indies v England, Mumbai (1400) MUMBAI - A youthful England team will fancy their chances when they take on a West Indies side in a Group One contest between the former champions at the Wankhede Stadium. (CRICKET-WORLD/WINDIES (PIX), expect by 1730 GMT/1:30 PM ET, by Sudipto Ganguly, 400 words) NBA Cavs try to pad lead atop East The Cleveland Cavaliers try to avoid losing two consecutive games for the first time in over two weeks and pad their slim lead atop the Eastern Conference when they host the Dallas Mavericks, (NBA-CAVALIERS/, expect by 0200 GMT/10:00 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) Warriors shoot for 50 straight home wins Reigning league Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry and the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors try to extend their record regular-season home unbeaten run to 50 games when they host Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks. (NBA-WARRIORS/, expect by 0530 GMT/1:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) Bulls visit Wizards; Thunder battle Celtics The Chicago Bulls, in a battle to secure a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, visit the Washington Wizards while the Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Boston Celtics in two of the nine games on the National Basketball Association schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0430 GMT/12:30 AM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 800 words) NHL Ducks battle Rangers; Blackhawks host Flyers The Anaheim Ducks, in a tight battle for top spot in the Pacific Division, host Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers while the reigning Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks host the Philadelphia Flyers in two of the six games on the National Hockey League schedule. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 600 words) NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0001 GMT/8:01 PM ET, 500 words) TENNIS ATP/WTA: BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells (to 20) Men's round of 16 action from the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. (TENNIS-MEN/INDIAN WELLS, expect by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, 400 words) Women's quarter-final action from the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. (TENNIS-WOMEN/INDIAN WELLS, expect by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, 400 words MOTOR RACING Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne (20) Back to work for party animal Hamilton MELBOURNE - Lewis Hamilton's hard-partying off-season saw him criss-cross the globe to mingle with A-list celebrities but the Formula One champion is adamant there will be no hangover when he returns to work at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. (MOTOR RACING-PRIX/ (PREVIEW, PIX, TV), moved, by Ian Ransom, 400 words) We have also moved a stats box for the season-opener and a driver's form sheet along with the preview. MOTORCYCLING MotoGP season preview Rossi and Marquez renew rivalry with Qatar kick-off LONDON - The MotoGP season kicks off in Qatar this weekend with fresh challenges and old rivalries as Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez clash for the first time since last year's toxic finale, while Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo seeks his fourth title in the category. (MOTOR-MOTOGP/, expect by 1500 GMT/11 AM ET, by Alan Baldwin, 400 words) (Europe desk editor: Ken Ferris)
