Liverpool: Two senior officials of New England Sports Ventures have been appointed as members of the Liverpool FC board. David Ginsberg, one of NESV’s two vice-chairmen, and investor Michael Gordon have been appointed as club directors.
Hyypia: Bayer Leverkusen will be without veteran defender Sami Hyypia for several weeks after he damaged ankle ligaments. Although an operation is not needed, he will be out for long after a scan revealed the injury is worse than first thought.
Rausch: Juve’s scouts are currently monitoring Hanover left-back Konstantin Rausch, a German U-21 international who was born in Russia. Reports said Juventus have had Rausch watched on several occasions this season and value him at around €3m.
Sahin: Borussia Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin, 22, has quashed speculation linking him with a move to Bayern Munich. The Turk has played a starring role in Dortmund’s rise to the top of the Bundesliga and there had been rumours of contact between him and the Bavarian club.
Jussie: Bordeaux’s Brazilian midfielder Jussie is to follow compatriot and team-mate Wendel in taking up dual nationality. Jussie, who arrived in Ligue 1 with Lens in January 2005 before joining Bordeaux two years later, will qualify for French nationality in the new year. “When I am naturalised, it will be good for the club if they wish to sign a non-European player,” he said.
Stampede: Seven Kenyan football fans were killed yesterday when crowds jostled to enter a stadium in the capital Nairobi where rival teams Gor Mahia and Leopards clashed in a league match. Crowds were pushing their way to get into National Stadium where two separate gates were open for the rival supporters on a rainy evening, trampling on the victims. In 2005, at least one person was trampled to death during a World Cup qualifier at the same venue.
Olympics: Sochi, the Russian resort hosting the 2014 Winter Games, requires another 22,000 hotel beds, International Ski Federation chairman Gianfranco Kasper said. “We still need 22,000 hotel rooms, but knowing the potential of the country I am relatively optimistic,” said Kasper following a recent visit to the Black Sea resort.
Tennis: Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro said he was ending his season early after missing all but three events of 2010 with wrist trouble. The problem has dogged Del Potro right back to the Australian Open. He has meanwhile seen his ranking slide from 4 to 36.
Rugby League: New Zealand captain Benji Marshall inspired his side to a comprehensive 24-10 win over England in the opening clash of the Four Nations tournament in Wellington yesterday. The home side outscored England four tries to two to set alight the series which also features Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Basketball: Slick court conditions forced the cancellation of a pre-season game between Miami Heat and Orlando Magic. Arena officials said the final pre-season game had to be called off because workers mistakenly applied an oil-based cleaning solution to the floor. The cancellation announcement was made an hour before the scheduled opening tip-off. Some Florida fans reacted angrily, and one Heat player was almost hit by an object thrown from an upper deck of the arena.
Golf: Australian golfer Wayne Perske was arrested yesterday in Japan on suspicion of cocaine possession, police said. The 36-year-old professional, in Japan for the Bridgestone Open, is suspected of possessing 1.25 grams of cocaine at a bar in Chiba.
Baseball: Texas Rangers advanced to their first World Series in franchise history with a dominating 6-1 win in game six on Friday over defending champions New York Yankees. Rangers now open the World Series at San Francisco or Philadelphia on Wednesday.