Sporting briefs

Death threats: Barcelona president Joan Laporta has received a number of death threats in recent weeks and has reported them to the police. "I will report every one of these threats to the police, who are the ones responsible for investigating them," he said. Laporta took a strong stance against the club's hooligan elements after he was elected in 2003 and has received threats in the past as a result.

Ronaldo: Cristiano Ronaldo has not recovered from a sprained ankle and will miss Real Madrid's La Liga match at Sevilla today. The Portuguese forward was injured when Marseille defender Souleymane Diawara fouled him and conceded a penalty in the second half of Real's 3-0 Champions League win on Wednesday.

Hertha: Hertha Berlin have appointed Friedhelm Funkel as their new coach less than a week after Lucien Favre was dismissed. The former Eintracht Frankfurt boss, who stepped down from the Hessen club in the summer, began work immediately on the eve of Hertha's next Bundesliga clash with title contenders Hamburg today.

Di Maria: Argentina international Angel Di Maria has extended his contract with Benfica until 2015. The 21-year-old winger, who joined the club in 2007, extended his deal by three years with a new get-out clause of €40 million.

Juan: Roma defender Juan has withdrawn from Brazil's squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Venezuela this month due to a thigh injury. Brazil coach Dunga would not call up a replacement, the Brazilian Football Confederation said.

Ismailov: Uzbekistan defender Anzur Ismailov has been banned for three months after failing a doping test following his team's 2010 World Cup qualifier against Bahrain in June. FIFA said the ban would apply at both national and international level. Bahrain won the match 1-0.

Strike over: Bolivia's players lifted a strike that had put their participation in this month's World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Peru in doubt. The players' union Fabol announced on Sept. 15 that Bolivia's internationals were boycotting the national team indefinitely to demand reforms in the domestic game.

Rugby Union: Treviso could enter the Celtic League next year after the Italian Rugby Federation said it was unhappy with economic guarantees offered by the Praetorians franchise. Italy is being allowed to field two teams in the Irish, Scottish and Welsh domestic league in a bid to boost the national side's strength.

Tennis: Gilles Simon reached his first final of the season after a 6-4 7-6 win over Austrian Juergen Melzer at the $608,500 Thailand Open yesterday. The Frenchman coped well with Melzer's powerful, topspin-loaded returns in a one hour, 48-minute encounter played mostly from the baseline. Simon will play Viktor Troicki in the final.

Basket, NBA: The NBA will expand its use of instant replays this season. Referees will be permitted to use replays at any point during a game to determine whether a 24-second shot clock violation occurred prior to the release of a successful field goal attempt or prior to a foul being committed. It will also be used to determine during the last two minutes of regulation play which player last touched the ball prior to it going out-of-bounds.

Winter Games: Freestyle aerials Olympic bronze medallist Deidra Dionne was forced to end her bid to compete at 2010 Vancouver Winter Games after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. "My heart is broken," Dionne said. "I still have an incredible desire to be a part of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver but the risk I would be taking might jeopardise my chance at a successful life following sport."

Motorcycling: Jorge Lorenzo will start first on the grid for today's Portuguese Grand Prix after grabbing his fifth pole position of the season to keep the pressure on championship leader Valentino Rossi. Lorenzo capped two strong practice sessions by completing the 4.2-km course with a qualifying time of 1:36:214 seconds. Yamaha team-mate Rossi, who holds a 30-point lead over second-placed Lorenzo, clocked the second fastest time. Casey Stoner marked his return to MotoGP by securing a place on the front row with the third fastest lap.