NO SEX PLEASE, WE'RE JAPANESE Frustrated Japanese players are reportedly turning to pornography after a sex ban imposed by coach Takeshi Okada. The weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun claims that younger members of the Japan squad have opened a lending library of dirty mags since being banned from inviting wives and girlfriends to the team's hotel. Okada is said to be aware of the unrest in his camp and has set up a �relaxation room' for players, complete with video recorders and computer games� not quite what they had in mind, perhaps. Ironically, a study of cardiologists in Holland recently claimed that sex does help players desperately seeking their best World Cup form. The Dutch research claims that six weeks of abstinence can cause undue stress. Meanwhile, talk of sex bans led to a rare moment of enjoyment at a Glenn Hoddle press conference. When a Russian journalist asked the unsmiling England coach for his view on players having sex, Hoddle said it was alright but not with each other. CURRENT AFFAIRS Angry Bangladeshis have responded to power cuts which blacked out TV coverage of two World Cup matches by attacking local power stations. On Wednesday, 2000 stormed an electricity provider's offices in the coastal district of Cox's Bazar after missing the second half of Brazil's win against Scotland, and a day later 10 workers were injured in the southern port of Chittagong when power failed during Italy's draw with Chile. Authorities are blaming a broken power plant near the capital, Dhaka, but say that two Russian technicians are on their way to repair it. IRANIANS TEMPTED BY DECADENT WESTERN CUISINE As a Frenchman proud of his country's reputation for good food, Alain Sagnol was a bit miffed when he learned Iran's World Cup squad were bringing their own cook to the hotel where he is head chef. So when the visitors arrived, Sagnol found the freshest salmon in the market, cooked it in his own secret recipe and served it for dinner. The Iranians were hooked. ''We go with French food these days,'' said coach Jalal Talebi, adding that Sagnol's salmon delight was superb. ''Everyone liked it. We eat Iranian food only every three or four days now,'' he said. PRESS GANG UP ON NORWEGIANS Scotland can take heart from some withering attacks on Norway by the Scandinavian press following their 2-2 draw with Group A outsiders on Wednesday. Egil Olsen's team was ''slow and almost fell asleep'' according to Norwegian daily newspaper Dagbladet. VG, Norway's largest paper, piled on the pressure by stating it was now imperative Olsen's men beat Scotland on Tuesday. ''Norway's group is maybe the toughest of all and the fight against the Scots will be a show of muscles,'' VG wrote. 'MY BOYZ ARE MAD FOR BOOZE' SAYS RENE There will be no booze for the Reggae Boyz while they are on World Cup duty - Jamaica coach Rene Simoes has made sure of that. The Brazilian asked for the bar at their hotel in Arc-en-Barrois to be closed and all bottles of wine normally served in the restaurant to be kept under lock and key in the cellar. "I must be strict with them because they're mad," explained Simoes. So that's all right then. However, autograph hunters who succeed in obtaining the Jamaican players' signatures are receiving a religious message as well. "God is with you", "God bless you'' and "Jesus loves you'' are just some of the Christian wishes being written and Simoes said: "It's important the message our team gives to the world - believe in your dreams and God will be with you." BROWNED OFF AT GUIDE The 'Aller and Retour' Gallimard Official Guide to France 98 has struggled badly for accuracy in its brief section devoted to Scotland. As if naming the injured Gary McAllister as star man were not bad enough, the guide then lists Scotland's 'trainer' as none other than Jock Brown, the brother of national coach Craig. To add to the irony, Jock, general manager at Celtic, is currently considering legal action at claims he interferes in team affairs at Parkhead. NIGERIAN LEADER ORDERS MOURNING GLORY Nigeria's new leader, Abdulsalam Abubakar, has ordered his country's World Cup squad to impress at France 98 in order not to make their compatriots even more depressed about the death of his predecessor, General Sani Abacha. Abubakar called on the side who face Spain tomorrow to try and overcome their sadness at the loss of the former junta leader. "The hopes of a nation rest on your shoulders in this difficult time," he told them.

TODAY'S FOOTBALL ON TV AND RADIO   BBC 1 1.10pm World Cup 98 Live Spain and Nigeria meet in Nantes for what looks on paper like the best game of the tournament so far. 7.30pm World Cup 98 Live Second of the BBC's matches features Des Lynam's caddish charm, David Ginola's ongoing murder of the English language and Jimmy Hill's usual nonsense. Oh, and Holland meeting Belgium in the excitingly-named �Battle of Benelux'. BBC 2 1.30pm Stella Artois Championship Tennis Not football, but 365 has always fancied Sue Barker. ITV 12.35pm World Cup 98 Special Jim �Am I Really Not As Good As Bob Wilson?' Rosenthal presents the first of ITV's Saturday lunchtime magazines looking back at the opening days of France 98 and previewing next week's games. 4.15pm World Cup 98 Live Bob �Am I Really Better Than Jim Rosenthal?' Wilson with coverage of the Group E match between South Korea and Mexico from Lyon. Commentary by Clive Tyldesley and run for the hills! - Kevin Keegan. 12.10am World Cup 98 - Encore! Jim Rosenthal is back with highlights of the day's two games that anyone was interested in� i.e. the ones that BBC showed live earlier on. Plus more from that mouthwatering South Korea v Mexico clash. CHANNEL 4 10.50pm Reggae Boyz A look at the football mania surrounding the Jamaican team, which 365 predicts will soon dissipate once people see how rubbish they are. SKY SPORTS 1 10.00pm World Cup Phone-in Sky haven't got any matches, but at least they've got some drunk blokes shouting down the phone about Michael Owen. SKY SPORTS 2 7.00pm Futbol Mundial (repeated at 10.45pm on Sky Sports 1) With surprise! France 98 action. EUROSPORT 6.00am Premiere World Cup news round-up. 7.30am Le Mix More news, plus yesterday's highlights. 9.00am France v South Africa The whole of last night's big �un �as live'. 11.00am Rendezvous France Interviews, analysis and previews. 4.00pm South Korea v Mexico Live from Lyon. 6.30pm Le Match Highlights. 10.00pm Spain v Nigeria Live from Nantes. 12.00am Le Journal The day's events wrapped up in a manageable parcel. RADIO 5 LIVE 1.30pm World Cup Sport on Five Live commentary of the first round group matches between Spain and Nigeria, then South Korea v Mexico. 6.30pm Six-O-Six David Mellor, if you like that sort of thing. 8pm World Cup 98 Live Holland v Belgium. TALK RADIO 1pm Moz Dee's World Cup phone-in A phone-in with Moz Dee. 1.30pm Spain v Nigeria With Andy Gray. 3.30pm More Moz Dee Crazy name, crazy guy. 5.30pm Baker and Kelly United The two-headed beast that is the Dannii continues to gnaw on the bones of other football shows. Will feature �pie' humour.

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