In other words, it can be a crime to be a soccer fan

To put it in soccer terms, this was a marked man.

A 36-year-old Turkish fan wanted for fraud allegations was nabbed by German police after they spotted him in a newspaper picture — in the midst of other Turkish fans at a Munich bar — cheering on his side during a Euro 2008 match.

"He used to only go from home to work so as to keep a low profile," said a police source, as quoted by Ananova.com, "but once the tournament started he said he could not resist going out to watch the games."

Hold the dumbbells

Bulgaria is withdrawing its weightlifting teams from the Beijing Olympics after 11 tested positive for steroids, the Bulgarian Weightlifting Federation announced.

Lab technicians figured something was up when all the A samples melted the specimen jars.

Soccer to 'em

According to a poll of Spanish soccer fans, 72 percent said they'd rather watch a Euro 2008 match than have sex.

In a related story, the Madrid chapter of Planned Parenthood, in cooperation with local broadcasters, announced its most comprehensive abstinence program yet — a 24/7 soccer channel.

Pass the Oscars

Whatever happened to the NBA's supposed crackdown on players overreacting to referees' calls?

"That disappeared in the playoffs, where every foul call triggered Hamlet," wrote Bill Dwyre of the L.A. Times. "If players could play as well as they can act, the basketball would be unbelievable."

He's good on rollouts

"The bad news is quarterback JaMarcus Russell could weigh as much as 300 pounds when he reports next month to the Oakland Raiders' training camp," wrote Cam Hutchinson of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. "The good news is he will be able to block for himself."

Toe jam

Duncan O'Mahony, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' punter, had to sit out Friday's CFL opener because he broke a toe making a late-night trip to the bathroom.

No truth to the rumor he kicked the can.

Pulling the Plug Dept.

Several broadcasters are threatening to sue after a fierce electrical storm in Vienna, Austria, and resulting power outages wiped out their satellite feed during last week's thrilling Euro 2008 soccer match between Germany and Turkey.

God's lawyer could not be reached for comment.

Talko time

• Ian Hamilton of the Regina (Sask.) Leader-Post, on the Astros waiving pitcher Shawn Chacon for pulling a Latrell Sprewell on his boss, Ed Wade: "Career-wise, trying to choke a GM may be a suicide squeeze."

• Headline at SportsPickle.com: "Surgeons tell Chad Johnson that he may never dance again."

• Calgary blogger Derek Wilken, on NFL miscreant Adam Jones saying he wants people to stop calling him Pacman: "He would prefer it if they would use Adam, Mr. Jones or defendant."

• Mark Kriegel of FoxSports.com, after Germany beat Portugal in Euro 2008 on a controversial non-call: "It's just nice to know that there's a place for Tim Donaghy years from now when he gets out of the joint."

Just say neigh

Big Brown trainer Rick Dutrow faces a 15-day suspension in Kentucky because one of his horses, Salute the Count, tested positive for twice the allowable level of Clenbuterol, a fat-burning, muscle-growing drug.

Some snitch reportedly spotted the steed ducking into a stall with Jose Canseco.

Sideline Chatter appears Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in The Seattle Times. Dwight Perry: 206-464-8250 or dperry@seattletimes.com