Briefs-Tabua steps down as Pacific Islanders rugby coach

Sept 23 (Reuters) - Sports news in brief from around the world.

Rugby - Fiji's Ilivasi Tabua has stepped down as coach of the combined Pacific Islanders rugby team and been replaced by Tonga coach Quudus Fielea for their November tour of Europe.

The Fiji Times website (www.fijitimes.com) quoted Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance chairman Keni Dakuidreketi as saying the Fiji coach and former Australia loose forward had resigned for personal reasons.

"The tour demanded significant time on the part of the head coach and his back-up staff and in the end, Ili decided he was not able to give it his full and total commitment," Dakuidreketi said. The team, made up of players from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga are to play tests against England on Nov. 8, France on Nov. 15 and Italy on Nov. 22.

NFL - Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook did not suffer a tear or serious ligament injury when he injured his knee in the 15-6 win at Pittsburgh on Sunday, the NFL club said on Monday.

Westbrook hurt his right ankle while jumping over a team mate on a two-yard run and left the game in the second quarter not to return.

Head coach Andy Reid said he was unsure if Westbrook would make Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears.

Soccer - Prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into a senior official with the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU), accusing him of "abuse of power".

Ivan Lekov, who is also vice-chairman of Bulgaria's state agency for youth and sport, was arrested on Monday at the agency's headquarters.

"Yes, I can confirm that it was Ivan Lekov and he was arrested in connection with a bribery case concerning a referee," Sofia prosecutor Nikolay Kokinov told Reuters. (Editing by John O'Brien)