Pogrebnyak: Pavel Pogrebnyak's move to Stuttgart got off on the wrong foot after he missed his flight and lost his luggage yesterday. The Russia striker, who joined the Bundesliga club on a three-year contract from Zenit St Petersburg last week, was late for his presentation in Stuttgart after missing a connecting flight in Frankfurt. "The Frankfurt airport is so big I simply got lost there and missed my flight to Stuttgart," the 25-year-old was quoted as saying.
Ref ban: Japan's soccer chief wants a J-League official banned for missing a violent challenge that left national captain Yuji Nakazawa nursing a broken eye socket. Controversial referee Masaaki Iemoto took no action after Nakazawa was floored by an elbow to the face. "It's a total mystery how he missed that elbow," Japan FA chief Motoaki Inukai said. "I asked (the referees' panel) to announce he would not be blowing a whistle next week. Players get suspended so a referee should too."
Ribery: Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery was declared fit to resume training yesterday after a summer spent battling tendonitis in his knee. The ex-Marseille player sat out the pre-season Audi Cup tournament involving Manchester United, Milan and Boca Juniors and is not likely to make Saturday's opening Bundesliga home match against Hoffenheim.
Casillas: Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas expressed relief at the transfer of Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o to Inter, saying the Cameroonian striker had been a "nightmare" to play against. "Tell you the truth, I'm happy that Eto'o has left for Inter because he was a nightmare for me," he said. "I wish him the best because he is a great professional," added the Spain captain.
Europa League: Third qualifying round, second leg - Omonia vs Vaslui 1-1 (agg: 1-3).
Friendly: Birkirkara vs Dingli 1-1.
Rugby Union: Former Bath players Michael Lipman, Alex Crockett and Andrew Higgins were found guilty by the RFU of missing drugs tests this week. The RFU said its disciplinary officer Jeff Blackett would consider what sanctions to impose on the trio who quit Bath in June shortly before they were due to attend a club internal disciplinary hearing. Last month their former Bath colleague Justin Harrison was suspended for eight months after admitting taking cocaine.
Tennis: Rafael Nadal will return to action at next week's Montreal Masters event after a two-month lay-off with injury, his coach and uncle Toni Nadal said. The Spaniard has been suffering from tendinitis and has not played a competitive match since being knocked out in the fourth round of the French Open by Robin Soderling on May 31.
London 2012: The man in charge of British Transport Police during the 2005 bombings of the London transport network has been appointed security director for the 2012 Olympics. Ian Johnston will be responsible for security planning at Olympic venues for the London Organising Committee (LOCOG), the body responsible for staging the Games. During the Games, he will oversee security at venues, villages and transport. Johnston has had a 44-year career with the police.
Formula One: Race organisers confirmed this week there will be an Australian GP next March after the finalisation of a new Concorde Agreement between the FIA and the 12 teams. Only last month Australian F1 race chief Ron Walker said the race was likely to be scrapped if leading teams formed a breakaway series. The organisers said tickets for the 2010 Australian GP would go on sale on August 11.
Cycling: Spaniard Mikel Astarloza, who came 11th in the Tour de France, denied that he had taken any illegal substances after testing positive for the banned blood booster EPO. The International Cycling Union (UCI) provisionally suspended the Euskaltel Euskadi rider on Friday following a positive out-of-competition test on a urine sample taken on June 26. "I haven't taken anything illegal," Astarloza told a news conference.