Motor Racing: The Lotus Formula One team blamed a banking technicality for a delay in Pirelli releasing tyres to them ahead of first Hungarian Grand Prix practice yesterday. The team received their tyres less than an hour before the cars went out on track at the Hungaroring. Lotus deputy team principal Federico Gastaldi told Reuters there had been “a problem with the money” but blamed complications in the bank transfer system. Pirelli said the situation had been resolved and would not comment on the details.

Tennis: Russian five-times grand slam champion Maria Sharapova, 28, has split with Bulgarian boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov after a nearly three-year relationship. “Our paths split,” 24-year-old Dimitrov, currently number 16 in the ATP rankings, said. “We experienced wonderful moments together. I wish her much happiness and success in life and in tennis. Now I’m concentrated entirely on the game and I’m sure the results will soon be seen.” Dimitrov, who climbed to number eight in the world last year after reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals, has had a lean year and is still to reach a final.

Golf: Australian Robert Allenby had a day to forget as he fired his caddie mid-round then shot a nine-over 81 at the Canadian Open. The 44-year-old felt the need to remove his caddie, Mick Meddlemo, after a disagreement over club selection and carried his own bag out for the first hole after the turn before accepting the offer of help from a spectator. Allenby, who later said he would withdraw, told reporters that arguments with his caddie had become commonplace. “I said to him, ‘You know this happens every week. We keep making bad mistakes and you’re not helping me in these circumstances’,” he said.

Rugby League: Danny Sculthorpe has been awarded a five-figure compensation fee for a training injury which led to Bradford cancelling a three-year contract without him ever pulling on their shirt. Sculthorpe, 35, says he contemplated suicide after seeing his career ended prematurely but is now hoping his case will prompt clubs to take better care of their players. The claim was lodged against the club’s former holding company, Bradford Bulls Holdings Ltd. “This case was never about the money for me, it was about Bradford admitting their mistakes,” said Sculthorpe. He now works for the State of Mind charity, which established a partnership with the game after the death of Wigan hooker Terry Newton in 2010.

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