Ribery: Bayern Munich's French star Franck Ribery is likely to be unavailable for the first match of the Bundesliga season on August 8 against Hoffenheim. The 26-year-old midfielder has had a succession of medical problems since he resumed training at the beginning of this month, including blistered feet and a knee injury, preventing him from joining in full training since July 12.
Mallorca: A bid to takeover Real Mallorca by Madrid businessman Carlos Gonzalez has fallen through, the Primera Liga club said. Gonzalez, the owner of technology consultancy Grupo Ecco, had been trying to buy the 93 per cent shareholding held by club president Mateu Alemany. Spanish media reported the deal had been worth around €5 million ($7 million). Alemany was brought in earlier this year to help overhaul the club's finances.
Swine flu: An African player in the world's biggest youth soccer tournament, the Norway Cup, has come down with H1N1 flu, and four other participants are also suspected of carrying the virus. Organisers had taken numerous measures to limit the chances of an H1N1 outbreak including a ban on handshakes. The tournament has attracted 30,000 players, aged 10 to 19, from 50 nations.
Kim quits: South Korea midfielder Kim Do-Heon has left West Bromwich Albion to join Suwon Bluewings in a £360,000 transfer. Kim completed his switch to the K-League club after being granted international clearance, the Championship team confirmed yesterday. The 27-year-old arrived at The Hawthorns in December 2008 on loan from Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma after impressing during a training spell.
Europa League: Third qualifying round, first leg - Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv vs Pacos Ferreira 1-0.
Peace Cup: Juventus vs Seongnam Ilhwa 3-0.
Tennis: Maria Sharapova shook off the rust to beat Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-4 6-7 6-1 in the first round of the Stanford Classic on Monday night. On the comeback trail after shoulder surgery last year, three-times grand slam champion Sharapova conceded she needed more matches to get her form back. "I had so many chances to close out the match and I didn't," the 62nd ranked Sharapova said. "I couldn't raise my level when had to. But in the third set I didn't do anything wrong, I was steady and kept doing the right things."
Rugby Union: England will host the 2015 Rugby World Cup and Japan will stage the event in Asia for the first time four years later, the International Rugby Board (IRB) Council said. Japan, who lost out to New Zealand in the bidding for the 2011 edition, and England, hosts of the 1991 tournament, were awarded the rights ahead of bids from South Africa and Italy.
Athletics: Dwain Chambers and Christine Ohuruogu have been included in Great Britain's squad for next month's World Championships in Berlin. Controversial sprinter Chambers, who served a two-year suspension for taking a ban ned steriod, joins Simeon Williamson and Tyrone Edgar in the 100m and will race alongside Marlon Devonish and Toby Sandeman in the 200m. Ohuruogu has been handed a berth in the 400m despite concerns over her fitness, and she is joined by Nicola Sanders who followed her home in Osaka two years ago.
Motor racing: Poland's Robert Kubica revealed yesterday that he is considering trying his hand as a rally driver after his disastrous Formula One season with BMW Sauber. "I'm a big fan of rallying," Kubica said."I really enjoy watching it and I would like to do some rallying just for fun. As for the future, whether I'll have the opportunity to do some rallying really depends on which stage of my career I'm at."