Sporting briefs

Baggio: Former Italy striker Roberto Baggio will start his coaching badges at Coverciano in September. Renzo Ulivieri, Baggio's former coach at Bologna who is now the president of the Italian Footballers Association, has sounded him out about a technical role. Baggio retired from football in 2004.

Thomson: Rangers yesterday confirmed midfielder Kevin Thomson has completed a £2 million move to Middlesbrough. The 25-year-old had less than 12 months to run on his deal at Ibrox and the Scottish champions have opted to cash in. The 25-year-old becomes Boro's fourth signing in less than two weeks.

Adriano: Barcelona yesterday agreed a 9.5million-euro deal with Sevilla to sign utility player Adriano. The 25-year-old, who can play at full-back or as a wide midfielder, will cost an initial fee of €9.5m and a conditional four million extra depending on his performances. The deal depends on Adriano passing a medical today at the club's Camp Nou stadium. Adriano has been at Sevilla since 2004, twice tasting success in both the King's Cup (2007, 2010) and the UEFA Cup (2006, 2007).

Sonko: Portsmouth have agreed a deal to sign Stoke defender Ibrahima Sonko on a season-long loan. The south coast club, who are operating under a transfer embargo, are waiting for the deal to be approved by the Football League.

Athletics: Sweden's Carolina Kluft failed to reach the minimum qualification requirement for next month's long jump competition at the European Championships. The former Olympic heptathlon champion was roared on by a home crowd in Karlstad, but the 27-year-old's best jump of 6.34 metres was short of the 6.55m mark required to compete at the July 27-August 1 event. Kluft's only hope of competing is if she is selected by Swedish coach Stefan Olsson.

Biathlon: A junior Russian biathlete aged just 15 died in hospital after being shot by his team-mate at a training camp. Reports said the incident happened at the Izhevsk sports base in the region of Udmurtia, where the students of former star biathlete Albina Akhatova's school set up their summer camp. Alexei Zakolyukin, director of the training base, said police had launched an investigation. Biathlon is one of Russia's most successful winter sports.

Cycling: Chris Hoy has withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games with the full support of British Cycling. Hoy, who won Commonwealth gold medals for Scotland in 2002 and 2006, announced he will not be travelling to Delhi in October, due to a need to prioritise the Euro Championships. British Cycling anticipate the European Championships to take place in November, meaning it is not possible to also compete in India.

Horse racing: A racehorse owner is putting up a £15,000 reward for the return of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, police said. The solid gold trophy was one of several cups taken from the home of multi-millionaire Raymond Mould in Wormington, Gloucestershire. He is offering the reward for anyone who can secure the return of all items taken during the burglary on Wednesday. A spokesman said: "Mr Mould is putting up a personal amount of money, £15,000, for information that leads to a successful arrest and the recovery of the items."