Pellegrini won’t take Kompany fitness gamble September 16, 2013 MANCHESTER City captain Vincent Kompany could make his return from injury in the Champions League tonight against Viktoria Plzen, but only if he is 100 per cent fit, manager Manuel Pellegrini insists. The imposing central defender has been sidelined with a groin injury since City beat Newcastle 4-0 on the opening weekend of the season. [...]
Giroud doubt gives Wenger striker headache September 16, 2013 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger is facing a striker crisis ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League trip to Marseille. Top-scorer Olivier Giroud suffered a knee injury in Saturday’s 3-1 win at Sunderland to join the list of unfit forwards already unavailable to Wenger. Lukas Podolski, Yaya Sanogo and Nicklas Bendtner will all be absent in France, leaving [...]
Lee faces life ban for fixing September 16, 2013 FORMER snooker world No5 Stephen Lee’s career is in tatters after he was found guilty of seven counts of match-fixing. The Wiltshire player, 38, will learn his punishment later this month and could be handed a lifetime ban. Lee denied the allegations, which relate to four tournaments between 2008 and 2010, but was found guilty [...]
Vuelta champion Horner’s team vow to sue over anti-doping row September 16, 2013 RADIOSHACK team officials threatened to sue Spanish anti-doping chiefs and insisted there had been a mix-up after newly-crowned Vuelta a Espana winner Chris Horner was accused of missing a drug test. The 41-year-old American was yesterday targeted by testers, the morning after he became the oldest man to win one of cycling’s three Grand Tours, [...]
Donald still in cup contention September 16, 2013 FORMER world No1 Luke Donald scraped into the last FedEx Cup event, after carding a final round 66 at the BMW Championship yesterday to finish tied fourth. Only the overall top 30 players will tee off in the TOUR Championship on Thursday and Donald’s 11 under par score for the week moved him from 54th [...]
Cilic hit with nine-month doping suspension September 16, 2013 FORMER world top 10 star Marin Cilic has been handed a nine-month ban for taking a banned stimulant but escaped a longer suspension after tennis chiefs accepted he did not intend to cheat. Cilic, who missed Croatia’s Davis Cup tie against Andy Murray and Great Britain at the weekend because of the pending case, tested [...]
Australia finish summer with series triumph September 16, 2013 AUSTRALIA batsman Shane Watson hit his seventh one-day international hundred to earn the tourists a 49-run win over England in the ODI series decider at the Rose Bowl. Watson, batting at three, scored a magnificent 143 off 107 deliveries before being dismissed by the impressive Ben Stokes (5-61). However, Australia’s total of 298 all-out left [...]
Anti-homophobia laces issued September 16, 2013 FOOTBALL: Footballers are being urged to wear rainbow coloured laces this weekend in support of an anti-homophobia campaign. Gay rights charity Stonewall has sent laces to all 134 league clubs in England and Scotland as part of its Right Behind Gay Footballers drive.
Australia bans steroids for horses September 16, 2013 HORSE RACING: British racing chiefs have welcomed moves by Australia to ban all performance enhancing drugs. The law change comes into effect in May 2014 and removes an inconsistency with UK rules highlighted by the Godolphin doping controversy earlier this year.
Wood cited over stamping storm September 16, 2013 RUGBY UNION: Gloucester prop Nick Wood has been summoned to a disciplinary hearing tomorrow after being cited for an alleged stamp on Saracens flanker Jacques Burger. Wood faces a ban if found guilty in relation to the incident just 73 seconds into Sunday’s Premiership match.