Doping: A French court handed Italian cyclist Riccardo Ricco a two-month suspended jail term and a €3,000 fine for doping during the 2008 Tour de France. Ricco was kicked off the Tour that year after testing positive following the fourth stage time-trial for the banned blood-booster EPO. He was sacked by his team Saunier-Duval and also banned from racing for 20 months. Ricco, 26, who did not attend the court hearing, was also ordered to pay €3,000 in damages to the French cycling federation.
Basket, NBA: Yao Ming says he feels healthy enough to return to the NBA this season and the Houston Rockets couldn't be happier. The Rockets will welcome the 7ft 6in centre back with open arms and hopefully that will translate into a long run through the post-season. "He's the centerpiece of the Rockets," said general manager Daryl Morey. "We're looking forward to great things from him next season." Yao sat out last season after undergoing major foot surgery.
Cricket: Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard's bid to become vice-president of the International Cricket Council is over after the governing body's executive board rejected his nomination at a meeting in Singapore. Howard was put up as the candidate of Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket, whose turn it is to fill the position, but there has been widespread opposition to his appointment and the ICC acknowledged he "did not have sufficient support" from the wider board.
Cycling: Thomas Frei has been banned for two years for a doping offence with the banned drug EPO. Switzerland's Olympic committee have confirmed the Swiss cyclist was caught in an out-of-competition test in March and admitted doping on two other occasions. The 25-year-old, who left the US-backed BMC Racing team when his doping was exposed, has been suspended until April 21, 2012. Frei was also ordered to pay €3,500 in fines and costs by the Swiss authority.
100-dollar fine: A football fan who told England's misfiring World Cup team they were a disgrace to the nation has paid a 100-dollar fine for entering their locker room without authorisation, a court heard yesterday. Pavlos Joseph, from London, had insisted he was only looking for the toilet when he stumbled into the room at Cape Town's Green Point stadium on June 18.
Bonilla: U-20 Colombia keeper Cristian Bonilla claims he is set to sign for Manchester City. The big-spending Blues are reported to be ready to bolster their keeping ranks with the highly-rated 17-year-old. A deal is said to have been agreed with Colombian club Boyaca Chico, which will see Bonilla spend time on loan in Spain to help adapt to European football.
Mancienne: Wolves boss Mick McCarthy may abandon his attempt to sign Chelsea utility player Michael Mancienne. McCarthy wants to make the 22-year-old his sixth signing of the summer after he spent last season on loan at Molineux. But Chelsea are keeping Wolves waiting over whether they are prepared to let Mancienne go.
Aguirre: Javier Aguirre resigned as Mexico coach following the team's defeat to Argentina in the last 16 of the World Cup. The 50-year-old replaced ex-England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson in February this year, but Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Argentina in Johannesburg was the fifth time the country had failed at the second round stage.
McManus: Middlesbrough man-ager Gordon Strachan is adamant that he will sign Stephen McManus on a permanent deal from Celtic. McManus enjoyed a successful loan spell with the Championship side last season. "Stephen wants to be here and we want him to be here," Strachan said. "We will make it happen one way or another. But I can't say when it will happen."
Prandelli: New Italy coach Cesare Prandelli signed a four-year deal with the FIGC yesterday to replace Marcello Lippi. Prandelli, 52, attended a meeting at the federation's headquarters in Rome before signing the contract that ensures the new coach will have the same technical staff as at former club Fiorentina. Prandelli has a training camp scheduled for August 9 before a friendly match two days later at Fulham's Craven Cottage. The opponents are still unknown. Prandelli will be unveiled to the media today.
Bougherra: Madjid Bougherra is happy at Rangers but would relish the chance of another spell in the English Premier League. The 27-year-old Algeria centre-half has spent the past two seasons with Rangers. However, the former Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton defender admits a move south of the border is appealing. "I heard that Hamburg and Arsenal are interested through the papers, but there is nothing official as yet," he said.