Sporting briefs

Italy complaint: Italian soccer federation chief Giancarlo Abete telephoned UEFA president Michel Platini yesterday to complain about Bayern Munich's second goal in a 2-1 Champions League win over Fiorentina. Replays showed Miroslav Klose was two metres offside in Wednesday's first knockout round first leg in Germany but Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo gave the goal.

Abbondanzieri: Argentina's 2006 World Cup goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri has left Boca Juniors and agreed to join Internacional of Brazil as a free agent, the player said. The 37-year-old will travel to Porto Alegre in southern Brazil today to sign for his new club until the end of the year, with Boca receiving compensation of $200,000.

Balotelli: Inter's Mario Balotelli has no intention of playing for Ghana, the Italy-born forward has said. The 19-year-old grew up in Italy but is of Ghanaian descent and would be eligible for a call-up because he has never played for the Azzurri at full international level. "I have never thought of playing for Ghana. If I go with a national team it will be Italy," Balotelli told a youth seminar.

Arrests: Turkish police have arrested 73 people, including seven footballers, after breaking up an illegal internet betting network, judicial sources said yesterday. The arrests took place in several provinces and also involved players from the Gaziantepspor and Gaziantep Buyuksehir Belediyespor clubs, which play in first and second divisions respectively.

Portsmouth: Debt-ravaged Portsmouth confirmed yesterday they have asked if they can be allowed to sell players outside the transfer window. The request to the Premier League has been passed to both the English FA and FIFA who will have the final say on whether to waive the rules in a move that could help Portsmouth survive. FIFA will need to make a decision quickly if the proposed sales are to help Portsmouth who urgently need to raise funds so they can pay off some of their bills and creditors.

Guardiola: Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has agreed to become an ambassador for Qatar's bid to host the World Cup finals in 2022. "I have lived there, they were very persistent, and because of the way they looked after me I decided to accept," Guardiola, who led Barca to a six-trophy haul in 2009, told reporters yesterday.

Basket, NBA: The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired forward Antawn Jamison in a three-team trade, the Cavs announced yesterday on their website. The Cavaliers recruited the Washington Wizards scorer and also snapped up guard Sebastian Telfair from the Los Angeles Clippers while sending Zydrunas Ilgauskas, a first-round pick in the 2010 draft and the rights to 2009 pick Emir Preldzic to the Wizards. The Wizards also captured forward Al Thornton while the Clippers got Drew Gooden.

Golf: Top seed Steve Stricker was a surprise loser in the first round at the $8.5 million Accenture Match Play Championship on Wednesday when Britain's Ross McGowan made a 25-foot par putt on the 19th hole. It is only the second time the top seed has been eliminated on the first day of the World Golf Championships event, with Tiger Woods also losing in 2002.

Rugby Union: Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery has been banned for the rest of the Six Nations championship after pleading guilty to kicking France winger Alexis Palisson during last Saturday's game in Paris. Flannery, who apologised for the thigh injury suffered by Palisson, was banned until March 28, ruling him out of Ireland's remaining fixtures against England, Wales and Scotland.

Athletics: Former world champion Luke Kibet will run the Vienna City Marathon on April 18 - the event which first brought him to international prominence three years ago. Kibet followed up his victory in the Austrian capital by claiming World Championship gold by the biggest ever winning margin in Osaka in 2007. The Kenyan's performances in big city marathons have suffered as a result of injury, but he returned to form last December to retain his Singapore Marathon crown in hot, humid conditions.