■SOCCER
Pogba joins Man United
FIFA has cleared French teenager Paul Pogba to join Manchester United after a dispute with Le Havre was resolved in favor of the English champions. FIFA ruled that the 16-year-old midfielder had not been offered financial inducements by United to break a contract with Le Havre because he did not have one. A judge decided Pogba was an amateur because he had received nothing beyond normal expenses to play for the French club. United said Pogba would immediately be registered with the club through the English Football Association.
■ICE HOCKEY
Jonathan Roy admits guilt
The son of NHL great Patrick Roy on Wednesday pleaded guilty to assault for an on-ice beating that sparked a nationwide debate in Quebec about violence in hockey. In addition to the guilty plea, entered Saguenay, Quebec, Jonathan Roy offered a US$5,000 check to charity. The Hall of Famer was coaching behind the bench when his son, a goalie with the Quebec Remparts, skated across the rink during a junior game in March last year to pummel an opposing goalie. Jonathan Roy had been trying to get the case tossed out but was rebuffed by a judge. He argued he was being prosecuted based on new provincial rules that weren’t in place when the attack occurred. Under rules introduced in July 2008, Quebec’s Office of Public Prosecution toughened a 30-year-old regulation that made assault charges possible for a hockey player when the incident resulted in injury.
■FORMULA ONE
Massa ready to return
Brazilian Felipe Massa will be back behind the wheel of a Formula One car next week for tests in the 2007 Ferrari, less than three months after suffering a serious injury at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Italian team said on Wednesday. “Early next week, maybe even on Monday, Felipe will finally get back on the track in a real Formula 1 single-seater, a F2007 with Bridgestone tires used in GP2,” Ferrari said. The team had already indicated that Massa, who is recovering from a life-threatening head injury that he suffered in July when he was hit by bouncing debris during qualifying in Hungary, was close to getting back on the track.
■SOCCER
Grant returns to Portsmouth
Beleaguered Premier League club Portsmouth on Wednesday reappointed Avram Grant as director of soccer, but insisted the former Chelsea and Israel boss was not a threat to the position of manager Paul Hart. Grant has signed a two-year deal with the club following this week’s takeover of the club by Saudi businessman Ali al-Faraj. Grant filled the same role when Harry Redknapp was manager at Portsmouth, before leaving for Chelsea. Hart has endured a nightmare start to the season with the south coast club, losing the first seven games of the season before finally managing a 1-0 win over Wolves last time out. However, Peter Storrie, the club’s chief executive, insisted Hart’s job was safe and that he would retain control of team affairs. “People can construe it how they like — the fact is he [Grant] has been brought in as a director of football and that has been made abundantly clear,” Storrie said. “He will work with Paul and do exactly the same as what he did with Harry. He will be involved in the coaching. Paul selects the team, but he is missing an experienced man alongside him at the moment.” Portsmouth have been without an assistant manager since Brian Kidd’s departure in the close season and no longer intend to fill the position.
RSS