Sporting briefs

Maradona: Diego Maradona has accepted an invitation from Roma captain Francesco Totti and Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti to play in a charity football match at Rome's Stadio Olimpico on May 12, media reported. Maradona will play for a side of celebrities against a selection of Italian singers, La Gazzetta dello Sport said.

Canizares: Valencia and former Spain goalkeeper Santiago Canizares has said he will leave the Primera Liga club at the end of the season, despite returning to the starting line-up last weekend after four months on the sidelines. "I have reached an agreement with the club to rescind my contract. The decision to carry on playing is something I have to think about, but I am not considering retirement," the 38-year-old told radio stations Onda Cero and Radio Marca.

FIFA lifts ban: FIFA has lifted a ban it imposed on the Albanian football association last month, world soccer's governing body said in a statement yesterday. FIFA, which imposed the suspension because of government interference in association affairs, said it had lifted the ban after Albania's sports minister Ylli Pango signed the FA's new statutes and dropped legal action he had started.

Torino: The one-match ban Torino defender Marco Pisano would have received for his yellow card in Sunday's 4-1 Serie A defeat at Roma has been transferred to team-mate Pablo Dellafiore after the referee admitted booking the wrong player, the Italian League said. Dellafiore had already been booked and would have been sent off if he had received the yellow card Pisano was shown.

Real Betis: Real Betis had an initial two-match stadium ban for a bottle-throwing incident reduced to one game by Spain's Sporting Discipline Committee after an appeal. Betis received the punishment after Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Armando was cut on the face when a fan threw a bottle of water at him during a league match at their Manuel Ruiz de Lopera stadium in March. Fans behind the goal helped identify the aggressor to stadium security after the incident and he was later arrested by the police.

La Volpe: Former Mexico coach Ricardo La Volpe, one of the few coaches who still smokes on the touchline, will have to curb his habit next season. The Mexican FA has announced a smoking ban on and around the pitch and "technical areas" in stadiums which will take effect from the 2008/09 season.