Mido: The English FA is investigating claims of racist chanting directed at Middlesbrough's Egyptian striker Mido by Newcastle fans during Saturday's Premier League match. "We'll work with the clubs and potentially the police to identify those responsible. We would call for individuals found guilty to be banned," an FA spokesman said.
Giovinco: Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri has distanced the club from media speculation that 21-year-old playmaker Sebastian Giovinco may be heading to West Ham or Arsenal on loan. "We want him to gain experience with us," Ranieri, who has kept Giovinco on the bench recently, said. "We believe in Giovinco hugely but we mustn't overload him with too much responsibility. At Juventus you must demonstrate your worth day after day."
Ligue 1: A Ligue 1 game between Girondins Bordeaux and Valenciennes has been brought forward from Saturday to Friday to give Bordeaux more time to prepare for their Champions league's group stage last game at Roma, the French league said. Bordeaux, Roma and Chelsea, who host Romania's Cluj, vie for the two qualifying spots in their group A today week.
Yuran: Former Russia international striker Sergei Yuran has been sacked as coach of Russian premier league side Khimki. Ukraine-born Yuran, 39, becomes the second premier league coach to lose his job in the last few days after Oleg Blokhin was axed by FK Moscow last Thursday. Yuran also earns the dubious distinction of being the first premier league coach to be fired twice in one season after he was also dismissed by fellow strugglers Shinnik Yaroslavl in April.
Mueller record: Gerd Mueller believes his record of 40 goals in a Bundesliga season could be under threat from Hoffenheim's Bosnian striker Vedad Ibisevic, who already has 17 to his name with 19 matches, over half the season, still to play. "Anything is possible," Mueller said. "If he carries on like this he'll break the 40-mark and I'll be lining up to congratulate him." Mueller set the Bundesliga record for Bayern Munich during the 1971-72 season.
In Italy: Serie B - Triestina vs Treviso 0-0. Serie C1 (A) - Ravenna vs Pro Patria 1-0.
Cycling: Italian rider Emanuele Sella has been given a one-year doping ban, the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) said yesterday. The 27-year-old, who won three stages of this year's Giro d'Italia, confessed to doping in August after testing positive for a new version of blood-booster EPO in an out-of-competition control. CONI's anti-doping prosecutor said last month that a one-year ban would be more appropriate than the usual two-year suspension because Sella had confessed and collaborated with the authorities.
Swimming: Tests on Olympic swimming champion Federica Pellegrini have shown no significant problem after breathing problems forced her to withdraw from a race at the Italian winter championships last week, Italy's Olympic Committee said. She will undergo further checks in the next few days to try to discover what caused Friday's breathing difficulties.
Motor racing: Nicolas Prost, the son of former world Formula One champion Alain Prost, won the Euro F3000 title in Italy on Sunday and his famous father is now hoping he can make the step up to the premier class of the sport. "Now I would like him to do a test in Formula One," Prost senior, a four-time world champion, told Gazzetta dello Sport. "I have good relationships with Ferrari so I hope a little bit (that they'll give him a test)."