Sporting briefs

Eto'o: Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o will not join the Cameroon soccer squad for the Beijing Olympics, official daily Cameroon Tribune reported. Coach Ndtougou Mpile had hoped to name three-times African Player of the Year Eto'o, as well as France-based midfielders Modeste Mbami and Jean Makoun, as over-age players allowed in the squad, but none of the trio will be available.

Kalou: Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou has been included in the Ivory Coast's 18-man squad to compete at the Beijing Olympics next month, the Ivorian Football Federation confirmed. Gerard Gili's team face Argentina, Australia and Serbia in Group A in their first appearance at the Olympic tournament.

Baptista: Real Madrid forward Julio Baptista has told Roma full back Cicinho and goalkeeper Doni that he is interested in joining his Brazilian compatriots in Rome. "He has told us that he is willing to come to Roma," Cicinho told reporters.

Carvalho: CSKA Moscow have loaned Brazil playmaker Daniel Carvalho to his former club Internacional for the rest of the year, the Russian Premier League side said. "I'm going back to Brazil but I'm not saying 'Goodbye to Russia.' I'm hoping to be back at CSKA next year," the 25-year-old said.

Bristol City: Bristol City have made a bid for a European-based striker to partner Michael Mifsud, who was due to complete his move to Ashton Gate last night. "He's (Mifsud) happy with the football and the terms and he'll be the player we've been missing," manager Gary Johnson told BBC Radio Bristol. "There's another striker we''ve made an offer for that I'm very excited about - I think people will really like him."

Placente: Argentina defender Diego Placente is joining Bordeaux from Argentine club San Lorenzo, the Ligue 1 club said. Left back Placente, 31, played for Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 Champions League final.

Swimming: Suit manufacturer Arena and the Italian swimming federation (FIN) ended a sponsorship deal yesterday following a row over new high performance swimwear. Italy's 100 metres freestyle world champion Filippo Magnini split with Arena last week because of doubts about whether they could provide him with a competitive suit for the Beijing Olympics, which open on August 8. A raft of world records have tumbled this year after Speedo introduced the LZR costume.

Gymnastics: China's gymnastics team chief has denied that the country had falsified the ages of two of its squad members to allow them to compete at next month's Beijing Olympics. A report in the New York Times said that He Kexin and Jiang Yuyuan were not yet 16 as registered. International Gymnastics Federation rules forbid athletes younger than 16 years old from competing at major championships and the Olympic Games.

Doping: A mountain biker in Denmark's Olympic team has tested positive for the banned blood-boosting drug EPO. Peter Riis Andersen, 28, tested positive for erythropoietin at a test administered by Anti-Doping Denmark on June 25.