The bribes were paid by several international companies, including Errostaal of Germany and India's Tata as part of Abacha's 'system of systematic corruption, according to the Swiss sentencing order, a copy of which FT claims to have obtained.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday.
Sebastian Coe, the head of World athletics and twice Olympic champion over the distance, described the women's World 1,500 metres final won by Kenyan Faith Kipyegon on Monday as one of the best races he has ever seen.
It will mark the first Grand Slam final to be contested by two teenagers since Serena Williams and Martina Hingis met in the 1999 US Open title clash.
"The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," Buckingham Palace announced in a statement on Thursday.
Verstappen goes into the Formula One record books as the pole setter for the weekend, however, regardless of where he starts on Sunday.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will be staying in Formula One for the next two years at least after he and Mercedes announced a contract extension on Saturday.
Ugo Humbert had 90 minutes to fill before his delayed Wimbledon match against Casper Ruud on Wednesday but it still wasn't enough to pack properly as he turned up at Number Two Court missing a vital piece of equipment - a tennis racket.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc claimed pole position at the end of Qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Former world number one Andy Murray's quest for a first ATP title in over two years ended in defeat at the hands of top seed Aslan Karatsev at the Sydney Tennis Classic on Saturday, with the Russian easing his way to a 6-3, 6-3 win.
Newly-appointed British Prime Minster Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday that he has been elected to fix some of the "mistakes" made by his predecessor as he promised to place "economic stability and confidence" at the heart of his government's agenda.
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar claimed a second successive Tour de France title after Sunday's 21st and final stage, which was won by Belgian Wout van Aert on the Champs Elysees.
'Lewis tested negative for COVID-19 on Wednesday prior to completion of his self-isolation period in Bahrain'
China's Su Bingtian became the first Asian man to reach the Olympic 100 metres final for 89 years on Sunday, scorching to an Asian record of 9.83 in his semi-final, but pre-race favourite Trayvon Bromell failed to make it.
Sebastian Vettel clocked a best lap in one minute and 40.464 seconds to outpace nearest rival and championship leader Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes by 0.272s.
Saudi Arabia said this month it had executed 81 men, including seven Yemenis and one Syrian.
'I don't feel like I'm at the end. The next eight months or so I'll find out whether I'm ready to stop or not, I don't think I will personally, but you never know.'
Lewis Hamilton became the first Formula One driver to win 100 races with a victory in Russia that sent him back on top of the championship.
Max Verstappen took full advantage of an engine failure for Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to win the Azerbaijan Formula One Grand Prix.
The Mercedes driver, with a record 94 wins, is the most successful Formula One driver of all time. The following details his progression to the 2020 title.
A private funeral service was held for Warne's closest friends and family in Melbourne last week but all were invited to Wednesday's televised memorial where his father Keith mourned the loss of "a loving and caring son" and his former team mates remembered a fierce and mischievous competitor.
Six-time World champion M C Mary Kom (51kg) powered into the Olympics' pre-quarterfinals after a superb tactical victory over Dominican Republic's Miguelina Hernandez Garcia.
An angry Leclerc dropped to fourth after Ferrari called him in again for slicks and then told him, too late, to stay out after Sainz also pitted and went directly from wets to the dry tyres.
India thus finished a fantastic badminton campaign with three gold, one silver and two bronze.
Images from Day 6 of the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
Hamilton said he only realised the significance of what he had done when he came into the pitlane after taking the chequered flag.
'The time for platitudes and token gestures is over'
The Uttar Pradesh administration has decided to disallow them from paying a visit to the ruins of the Residency where nearly 3000 British soldiers and their families had perished 150 years ago and a cemetery with about 200 graves stands in testimony.
McLaren's Australian Daniel Ricciardo will join the Dutch 23-year-old on the front row for the first time since the pair were team mates at Red Bull in 2018.
Hubert Hurkacz battled back from a set and a break down to beat Casper Ruud 5-7 6-3 6-2 on Saturday and reach the Canadian Masters final.
Images from Day 4 of the 2023 Australian Open, at Melbourne Park.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the Wimbledon Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on Friday.
Seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton will race in Sunday's inaugural Miami Grand Prix after Formula One swerved a showdown with the Mercedes driver over their ban on piercings and jewellery.
Djokovic first played Monfils at the US Open in 2005 but Tuesday's match was only their second encounter on clay and he needed only one break point to clinch the first set.
Chelsea have topped the spending list with Manchester United not far behind, but West Ham United's business epitomises the TV riches which give all Premier League clubs spending power that only the elite teams in Spain or Germany can dream of.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 2022 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Wednesday.
India's boxers Nitu Ghanghas won the women's 48kg Commonwealth Games title before Amit Panghal stormed to the gold medal in the men's 51kg, in Birmingham, on Sunday.
Six times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton and MotoGP great Valentino Rossi are preparing for a ride swap in Spain on Monday, with the Briton "super excited" at the prospect.
'Rishi is brought up with Indian values -- Indian qualities like respect our parents, respect our uncles -- but he is more British.'
Hafthor Bjornsson broke the record previously held by Briton Eddie Hall who in 2016 became the first man to lift 500 kg. Bjornsson, who is six feet and nine inches tall, won the World's Strongest Man competition in 2018.
