Sporting briefs

Security: Authorities in Rome have decided to increase security measures at today's Italian Cup final in the wake of Sunday's Lazio controversy. Inter and Roma are also embroiled in the title race but Inter seemingly had a helping hand at the weekend when they won 2-0 at Lazio. It was decided to increase the number of stewards inside the ground to at least 600.

Scharner: Wigan's Paul Scharner has confirmed he is set to leave the Premier League club at the end of the season. Scharner has been out of favour with Latics boss Roberto Martinez recently and the Austrian appeared to be saying farewell to the fans after coming on as substitute in Monday's 2-2 draw with Hull.

Davies: US striker Charlie Davies, seriously injured in a car crash in Washington last October, will not be fit to compete in this summer's World Cup, medical staff at his French club said. The October 13 accident killed one passenger and left the 23-year-old Sochaux star with a broken leg, multiple facial fractures and a lacerated bladder.

Coleman: Coventry sacked manager Chris Coleman yesterday after a disappointing season. Coleman took charge at Coventry in February 2008 on a three-and-a-half year contract, but he failed to deliver promotion to the Premier League.

Play-Off: Oxford and York will do battle at Wembley for a place in the English Football League following Monday's play-off semi-finals, which were overshadowed by crowd violence. The two teams qualified for the May 16 Conference National play-off final.

Primera Liga: Almeria vs Villarreal 4-2; Barcelona vs Tenerife 4-1; Getafe vs Sporting Gijon 1-1.

In Scotland: Premier League - Celtic vs Rangers 2-1.

Marathon: Austrian runner Eva-Maria Gradwohl has ended her career after refusing a doping test in Croatia where she was holidaying. Gradwohl had qualified for the Euro Championships this summer after winning the Linz marathon. In November, she also won the marathon in Florence. The 37-year-old is the partner of Walter Mayer, the former coach of the Austrian skiing team implicated in the doping scandals at the Winter Games in 2002 and 2006.

Paralympics: London 2012 have appointed supermarket giant Sainsbury's as the first Paralympic-only sponsor. In the largest ever sponsorship of a Paralympics, Sainsbury's becomes a 'tier one' partner of the Paralympic Games. The supermarket will be one of two sponsors to have their branding on athletes' bibs, as well as in and around Paralympic venues.

Golf: Matteo Manassero, the player tipped to be Europe's next golfing great, officially became a professional this week, just days after his 17th birthday and on the eve of the Italian Open. Leading amateur both at The Open last July and The Masters a month ago, Manassero has become a stablemate of world number one Tiger Woods by joining the International Management Group.

Basket, NBA: Vinny Del Negro was fired as coach of the Chicago Bulls, the NBA club announcing the move six days after being eliminated from the opening round of the NBA play-offs by Cleveland. Del Negro guided the Bulls into the play-offs in both his seasons with the team, losing to Boston in seven games in the first round last year.

Rugby Union: England and London Irish star Mike Catt has revealed he will retire after Saturday's Premiership clash against Northampton. Catt, who helped England win the World Cup in 2003, has opted to hang up his boots in order to focus on his coaching career with the Exiles.