Newslines: Word from the camps

Colombia: The unpredictable fire that lurks within Faustino Asprilla has roared once more, resulting in the striker's expulsion from Colombia's World Cup squad.

Asprilla was booted out by coach Hernan Dario Gomez over an outspoken radio interview. But so great is the controversy provoked by the decision that last night Colombia's president, Ernesto Samper, was attempting to mediate between the player and officials of the Colombian football federation.

Asprilla, upset at being replaced five minutes from the end of Monday's 1-0 defeat by Romania, gave the interview to a Spanish radio journalist on Tuesday in Paris during a squad visit to the French capital. He further blotted his copybook by arriving back at the team's base in La Tour du Pin, 30 miles east of Lyon, one hour after the midnight curfew.

The news that Asprilla would take no further part in the World Cup was greeted with relief by England, who play Colombia in Lens tomorrow week.

Scotland: Defender Colin Calderwood could miss the rest of the World Cup after breaking a bone in his hand during Tuesday's 1-1 Group A draw with Norway.

The 33-year-old Tottenham centre-back has returned to London from Scotland's training camp in Avignon and will now undergo an operation.

Team doctor Professor Stewart Hillis said: "He has sustained two broken bones in his right, one of them misplaced, and he is unlikely to play in the rest of the tournament."

The news comes as a major blow to manager Craig Brown and his side's hopes of reaching the second round of a World Cup for the first time in the nation's history.

The Scots take on Morocco in Saint-Etienne next Tuesday knowing victory and anything other than a Norway win over Brazil in the other Group A game in Marseille will see them achieve their aim.

Brown said: "This is a setback. Craig has been a major part of our defence for the last three or four seasons."

Holland: Striker Patrick Kluivert, who was banned for two matches for elbowing Lorenzo Staelens, said he lost control when the Belgian defender called him a rapist.

Kluivert, cleared of rape charges two months ago, was dismissed after elbowing Staelens 10 minutes before the end of Saturday's 0-0 draw between Holland and Belgium.

"Staelens called me a rapist," the striker claimed, breaking silence over the incident. Kluivert, who has Surinam origins, said that while he could cope with racist abuse - "I am used to that on the football field" - this was a different matter: "When I heard that, I just couldn't keep it in."

Meanwhile, Georges Leekens, the Belgium coach, has injury worries over his captain Franky van der Elst and the midfielder Marc Wilmots. Van der Elst pulled out of practice yesterday with a groin problem. Leekens yesterday pledged his future to the national side until after Euro 2000.

Referees: FIFA's new president, Sepp Blatter moved yesterday to protect Brazilian star Ronaldo from the World Cup hatchet men.

Blatter has warned the tournament's 34 referees that they had better get out the red cards - or face the consequences. He revealed his new crackdown was prompted by an outrageous tackle on Ronaldo by Morocco's Said Chiba in Tuesday's Group A match.

Chiba, who misses his side's clash with Scotland next Tuesday having already received two yellow cards, clearly raked his studs down Ronaldo's thigh - an injury which required treatment, but produced no punishment for the Moroccan midfielder.

"Players have to be protected," said Blatter, not naming, but clearly referring to Ronaldo.

Blatter also confirmed that the hooligans who brought mayhem to Marseille last weekend will not jeopardise England's chances of hosting the World Cup in 2006.