THE president of Colombia's Football Federation has denied accusations that his association is behind a huge World Cup ticket scam. Alvaro Fina, who may face charges of illegal seat distribution along with Cameroon counterpart Vincent Onana, called the reports absolutely false . FIFA official believe that thousands of tickets destined for ordinary fans in both countries have instead made their way to touts. A spokesman promised: We are taking this matter very seriously indeed. The appropriate action will be taken and the penalties, if proved, will be harsh. The accusations are the latest embarrassment for FIFA. Earlier this week Japanese travel agencies complained they were missing thousands of tickets promised to Japanese fans, some of whom have already left for France. Thousands of Scottish fans missed out on the World Cup opener between Scotland and Brazil on Wednesday when they discovered their pre-paid tickets did not exist. In London a travel agency was forced out of business after it failed to supply 40,000 tickets sold to English and Scottish fans. To add to FIFA's embarrassment, a consultant for their marketing partner, ISL, has been implicated in the controversy. FIFA and ISL Worldwide will now meet to consider possible legal action against the consultant, who works for the French branch of ISL. ''Apparently the consultant took an illegal initiative to sell tickets, making promises he could not honour while fraudulently using the name of ISL France to enter into a contract with potential customers,'' ISL said. Many are now blaming the French World Cup organising committee (CFO) for their plight, but CFO chief Jacques Lambert warned that the committee are prepared to go to court to protect their reputation. ''The CFO are ready to cooperate with French investigators and take any legal action necessary,'' he said. Lambert insisted as well that the CFO had done nothing wrong. ''All tickets legally bought have been distributed. The problem is the promise of non-existent tickets,'' he said. ''The CFO are not ready to be accused unjustly for things they are in no way responsible for. We did all we could to tell people to be vigilant. ''They want to pass the buck to FIFA and the CFO, and make us bear the responsibility for their disgraceful behaviour. We won't accept that - we're on the victims' side." STADIUM staff and reporters were evacuated from Montpellier's Stade de la Mosson today following a bomb hoax hours before the Group D match between Bulgaria and Paraguay. ''An anonymous telephone call said there was a bomb in the stadium, but it turned out to be a hoax," said a security official. There were no fans in the ground at the time.

WORLD CUP NEWS ROUND-UP   LEBOEUF FURY AT FRENCH BOSS CHELSEA'S Frank Leboeuf yesterday launched an astonishing attack on French coach Aime Jacquet and his country's national press after being told we would start the hosts' World Cup opener on the bench. The cultured Stamford Bridge defender exploded with rage when told that his new Stamford Bridge team-mate Marcel Desailly would join Laurent Blanc as Jacquet's first-choice back partnership. He said: ''I don't feel like I am playing like a substitute or replacement but that is what I've been. I know I have to accept it and I don't want to cause a fuss. But deep down I feel an injustice has been done to me. "When I look at the French team, I see we don't have a Michel Platini or an Alain Giresse. We just don't have anybody like that. Leboeuf also turned his fire on the French press, after he was severely criticised for gifting Morocco their second goal in the 2-2 draw in Casablanca last month. The Chelsea man has not forgiven the influential magazine 'France Football' for a previous attack on him and said: ''Nobody wants to let me off the hook for that goal. That's one thing, but Laurent Blanc admitted in the dressing room at half-time that he had been responsible for the first goal. So who is talking about that? Nobody! It's not right.'' ONE IN FOUR BRITS SAW SCOTS' OPENER An astonishing one in four of the population of Britain watched Scotland's brave attempt to start the World Cup with a shock win over Brazil. The BBC television audience for the first game of France 98 peaked at around 14million, according to unofficial figures. That massive audience came despite the game in the Stade de France beginning at 4.30pm on Wednesday, when most people were still at work. By the time Tom Boyd's desperate misfortune broke Scottish hearts to give the world champions their 2-1 win, the viewing figures were smashing all previous records for the first game of an overseas tournament. And World Cup fever was still very much in evidence on Wednesday evening, with a peak figure of 10million watching ITV's coverage of Norway's 2-2 draw with Morocco. If the pattern set by the opening two games is followed throughout the biggest-ever World Cup, all-time television records look set to be smashed. WELSHMAN REACHES FINALS SHOCK Wales have a representative at the World Cup finals after goalkeeper Paul Evans was called up for South Africa. The 24-year-old, who was released by Leeds last year, has replaced Andre Arendse in the Bafana Bafana squad after the Fulham keeper dropped out through injury this week. And Evans, who now plays in the country where he was born three months after his parents emigrated from Wales, even has a Welsh dragon tattoo to prove his credentials. My father, Peter, is from Morriston in Swansea and my mother Geraldine is from Merthyr,'' he said. ''My sister, Sharon, now lives near Bridgend, and to say I have strong Welsh connections is an understatement. In fact, I'm the only member of my family to be born in South Africa and that was just three months after we emigrated.'' The giant keeper's call-up means he has cancelled plans to watch the Welsh rugby team, who are currently on tour in South Africa, play the Springboks at the end of the month.

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