(Reuters) - The South Korean soccer player banned from collecting his bronze medal at the London Olympics for waving a placard with a political message deserves to receive his medal, coach Hong Myung-bo said on Wednesday.

Hong slammed the handling of the row, which erupted after Park Jong-woo held up a sign referring to a territorial dispute between South Korea and Japan.

TOKYO (Reuters) - South Korean soccer officials have sought to defuse a potential political row with Japanese counterparts after a Korean player displayed a political message at the London Olympics.

Park Jong-woo held up a sign referring to a territorial dispute between the countries after South Korea had beaten Japan 2-0 in last Friday's bronze medal match.

DAKAR (Reuters) - A Congolese judo competitor and three other members of the central African country's Olympic delegation have gone missing in London since the weekend, local media reported on Monday, adding to a list of seven other African athletes who vanished during the Games.

Democratic Republic of Congo's Cedric Mandembo, who lost his only judo match in 49 seconds to Russian Alexander Mikhaylin in the 100 kg category, disappeared shortly after Sunday's closing ceremony and was not answering his mobile phone, U.N.-sponsored Radio Okapi reported, citing the Congolese Olympic Committee.

MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish athletics needs to take a long, hard look at itself after failing to win a single medal at the Olympic Games, secretary of state for sport Miguel Cardenal said on Monday.

Cardenal said he was generally satisfied with Spain's tally of 17 medals in London - three gold, 10 silver and four bronze - which was one less than in Beijing four years ago.

By Andrew Downie

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A day after Brazil lost the Olympic soccer final to Mexico, the country's footballing authorities took the unusual step of singling out full back Rafael for his part in the defeat.

By Keith Weir

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is counting its medals rather than adding up the bill after an acclaimed Olympic Games silenced a debate - for now at least - about whether it was worth nine billion pounds of public money.

By Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) - If London 2012 proved one thing it is that the debate about whether soccer should be part of the Olympic Games is over for good.

By Martyn Herman

LONDON (Reuters) - Brazil's women produced a dazzling comeback to win Olympic volleyball gold on Saturday, prompting a sneak preview of what life might be like in Rio de Janeiro in four years time.

By Carlos Calvo

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexicans poured into public plazas around the country to celebrate their first major international football success after a 2-1 upset in the 2012 Olympic final over hot favourites Brazil, Latin America's football powerhouse.

By Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) - Attendance for the men's and women's football tournaments at the London Games set an Olympic record on Saturday after 86,162 fans saw Mexico beat Brazil in the men's final at Wembley Stadium.

By Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) - The contrast could not have been greater as Mexico's jubilant coach Luis Fernando Tena greeted the media punching the air in delight as beaten opponent Mano Menezes was left looking like he could punch someone's head.

By Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) - Mexico left Brazil's long-cherished Olympic dream in tatters when they scored a stunning 2-1 upset win thanks to two goals from Oribe Peralta to clinch the men's soccer title for the first time on Saturday.

By Avril Ormsby and Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) - A South Korean soccer player, who was photographed apparently carrying a political message about a territorial dispute with Japan after their Olympic bronze play off, adhered to official advice on Saturday and stayed away from the medal ceremony.

By Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) - Mexico left Brazil's long-cherished Olympic dream in tatters again when they scored a stunning 2-1 upset win to clinch the men's football title for the first time at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

By Avril Ormsby

LONDON (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee has asked South Korea to bar a football player from Saturday's medal ceremony after he was photographed apparently holding a political message about a territorial dispute with Japan following their bronze play off.

LONDON (Reuters) - The men's football final between Brazil and Mexico attracted a crowd of 86,162 at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, the highest for any single event at the London Olympics.

The total accumulative attendance for the men and women's football competitions totalled 2,186,930 spectators.

LONDON (Reuters) - A South Korean football player should not attend Saturday's presentation ceremony at which he was due to receive a bronze medal after he was photographed holding aloft a political message about a long-running territorial dispute after the game, the IOC said.

The player held up a sign after his team's victory over Asian rivals Japan on Friday.

CARDIFF (Reuters) - South Korea took their first Olympic football medal with goals from Park Chu-young and skipper Koo Ja-cheol that secured the bronze when they beat Asian rivals Japan 2-0 on Friday.

The football tournament has been marked by massive crowds and more than 56,000 watched a fiercely fought battle at the Millennium Stadium between the two beaten semi-finalists, settled by goals on either side of halftime.

By Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) - Mexico's key playmaker Giovani dos Santos is out of Saturday's Olympic football final against Brazil at Wembley with a knee injury, coach Luis Fernando Tena confirmed on Friday.

ROME (Reuters) - Italy coach Cesare Prandelli, deprived of Juventus and Napoli players due to club commitments, has included 11 uncapped players in his squad for next week's friendly against England.

AC Milan forward Stephan El Shaarawy was among those given the chance of winning a first cap in the match in the Swiss capital Berne on August 15.