Short Soccer, February 24, 2013

Sao Paulo have been confirmed as South American Cup winners two months after the final against Argentine rivals Tigre had to be abandoned following allegations of violence. The Brazilian side were officially declared winners after an investigation into the December 12 final by the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol). Tigre had refused to take to the pitch for the second half with Sao Paulo leading 2-0 after claims Brazilian police had barged into their dressing room. Chilean referee Enrique Osses awarded the match to Sao Paulo, and Conbmebol confirmed the result. Tigre had argued the referee should have suspended the match owing to a "lack of guarantees" for the visitors' security. AFP

Russian Maksim Molokoedov, who was convicted of drug trafficking in Chile, will stay in the South American country to play second division soccer after finishing his three-year prison term on Friday. The 25-year-old Molokoedov will play for Santiago Morning where he had trained since last season under a special permit. Molokoedov, who played for Pskov-747 in the Russian second division, was jailed after being caught by Chilean border guards carrying six kilos of cocaine. Frank Lobos, a former midfielder with Chilean team Colo Colo, discovered Molokoedov while training the prison soccer team. Reuters