Losses: Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas dismissed the club’s losses as “an accident” explained by the lull in the transfer market. OL Group, the company that runs Lyon, on Tuesday announced net losses of €35.6m in the period leading up to June 30, having enjoyed profits of €5.3m the previous year. “This loss-making exercise is an accident after an extremely profitable six years,” said Aulas. “All clubs can have unprofitable results.”
Flamengo: Former Real Madrid and Brazil boss Vanderlei Luxemburgo has been appointed coach of Brazilian club Flamengo. The 59-year-old, who was sacked by Brazilian outfit Atletico Mineiro last month, took charge of his first training session with the club on Tuesday. He returns to Flamengo 15 years after his last coaching stint in 1995.
Gay: Real Zaragoza president Agapito Iglesias dismissed speculation that the Spanish club were set to fire their coach Jose Aurelio Gay. “There is no problem with Gay. We are aware of his good work and he is going to stay for the entire season,” he said. Earlier Marca reported that Iglesias had decided to replace Gay in a bid to lift the club out of the relegation zone.
Turan: Turkey will be without playmaker Arda Turan for tomorrow’s key Euro 2012 qualifier against Germany after the Galatasaray star picked up a groin injury in training. The 23-year-old left winger pulled up with the injury training with the Guus Hiddink-coached Turks in Potsdam, near Berlin, and is expected to be out for up to eight weeks.
Serie B: Varese vs Novara 3-1.
Cycling: There will be no professional cycling team based in Germany for the 2011 season after Milram announced they had failed to find a new main sponsor. Having competed on the professional circuit since 2006, Team Milram’s employees are under contract until December 31, 2010 and the team’s last race will be the Tour of Lombardy on October 16.
Athletics: Reigning women’s world and Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser, of Jamaica, has been banned for six months for failing a doping test. Fraser tested positive for the non-performance enhancing drug oxycodone at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting on May 23 and will be eligible to compete again on January 7.
Federation Cup: Australia’s return to the Fed Cup’s elite World Group will be held in the southern city of Hobart when the hosts take on Italy early next year. The first-round tie, likely to feature Samantha Stosur and Francesca Schiavone, will be held at the Tasmanian city’s Domain Tennis Centre on February 5-6.
Basket, NBA: LeBron James scored 18 points in a pre-season debut for Miami Heat but guard Dwyane Wade suffered a hamstring strain in a 105-89 home victory over Detroit. All eyes have been on the Heat since James joined the club in July, making what is expected to be a formidable NBA force alongside Wade when the season begins on October 26 against Boston.
Figure Skating: Olympic champion Kim Yu-Na has selected Peter Oppegard, the brother-in-law of US skating legend Michelle Kwan, as her new coach. The news comes only two months after breaking up with her previous coach, Canadian Brian Orser, and a month after Kim said she was switching her training base from Toronto to southern California.