Sporting briefs

Alonso: Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso will be out of action for up to 10 days with a muscle injury in his right leg. The Spain international had to be substituted during their 5-2 Champions League victory away to FC Zurich on Tuesday. He will miss La Liga games at home to Xerez and away to Villarreal.

Georgia: Nodar Akhalkatsi announced his resignation as president of the Georgian federation (GSF) following a dismal World Cup qualifying campaign. "In light of such bad results by the national team I have no moral grounds to stay in the job," the 33-year-old said.

West Ham: West Ham have signed Mexico striker Guillermo Franco. No contract details were given but the 32-year-old Franco, who had been without a club, was delighted to get the opportunity of first-team football in the lead-up to the 2010 World Cup. "This is a very important stage in my career and I hope to score lots of goals for the club this season and then play at the World Cup," the former Villarreal player said.

Mandanda: Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda has signed a one-year extension to his contract, keeping him at the Stade Velodrome until 2014. The France no.1, 24, moved from Le Havre in 2007 and swiftly established himself as first-choice goalkeeper.

MFA Division II/III KO: Kalkara vs Xgħajra Tornadoes 4-0; Kirkop United vs Għaxaq1-3.

Basketball, NBA: Menk Bateer, the first Chinese to start an NBA game, has urged his injured countryman Yao Ming not to rush back into action. "He is heavier than most of the NBA players and has more duties during the off-season. It's better for him to take a rest next season," Bateer said. Yao underwent surgery in July after suffering a fracture in his left foot. Houston Rockets said last month that Yao was improving and that his career was no longer at risk.

Rallying: Bulgaria will host a round of the World Rally Championship next year. Rally Bulgaria will take place in the second week of July 2010. This year's race in Bulgaria was halted after the seventh stage following the death of Italian navigator Flavio Gugelmini.

Tennis: Russian Nadia Petrova, stung by teenager Melanie Oudin in the fourth round of the US Open, continued her rebound yesterday by reaching the quarter-finals of the WTA Bell Challenge. Petrova, beat top seed Madison Brengle 6-3 6-2 in 69 minutes. It was the second quick win in as many days for Petrova, who steamrolled Carly Gullickson 6-2, 6-0 in the first round.

Sailing: Defending America's Cup champions Alinghi shipped their catamaran from Italy to the UAE where their multihull duel against US rival Oracle is due to be staged next February. After just over a month of training the Alinghi 5 was loaded onto a cargo ship which will take it to Ras al-Khaimah where it is due early next month, a source said.

Doping: Baltimore Orioles minor league catcher Freuny Parra was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance. The 21-year-old right-hander, a native of the Dominican Republic, violated Major League Baseball's drug prevention and treatment programme, the baseball commissioner's office said.

Athletics: National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) president Myles Brand, one of the most powerful figures in US college sport, died on Wednesday aged 67. Brand had served as NCAA president since January 2003 and was a champion of academic reform, fiscal responsibility and the improved well-being for student-athletes. A legendary figure in college basketball, Knight was Indiana's coach for 29 years.