■CYCLING
Rebellin to lose medal
Davide Rebellin who tested positive for the new generation of EPO (CERA) at last year’s Olympic Games is to be stripped of his road race silver medal the sport’s governing body the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced on Tuesday. The UCI confirmed that the International Olympic Committee are to disqualify the 37-year-old Italian, who was second behind Spaniard Samuel Sanchez in Beijing. Rebellin’s disqualification means that the silver will go to Switzerland’s Olympic time-trial champion Fabian Cancellara. Rebellin’s failed test came to light at the end of April.
■SOCCER
National team is no more
The Guinea national team was dissolved on Tuesday by the Minister of Sports after failing to qualify for either the 2010 World Cup finals nor the African Nations Cup. According to a reliable source contacted by AFP in Dakar, the minister Fodeba Isto Keira announced “The Guinea national side has been dissolved for insufficient results and ill-discipline.” The decision by Keira comes two days after Guinea — who reached the quarter-finals of the last three African Nations Cup finals — lost 3-0 to the Ivory Coast leaving them bottom of their group. Keira also announced that coaches Mamadi Souare, Fode Laye Camara and Mandjou Diallo had been sacked.
■SOCCER
Player quits after threats
Matias Gimenez of Argentine first division side Tigre, would not play for the club any longer, he said on Tuesday. His announcement came after he was threatened by his own team’s hardcore fans who accused him of not trying hard enough, he said. Gimenez told reporters he was accosted in the street on his way home and threatened with violence, saying the hooligans criticized his “attitude on the pitch ... we argued a bit and then something very nasty happened but I won’t go into detail.” He said he had told his agent and the club’s board of his decision. He would continue to train with Tigre, who are bottom of the division, and seek a move during the next transfer window. “I took the decision for the security of my family, they’re everything to me and I don’t want anything to happen to them ... I have two children who really are worth more than a ball.”
■SOCCER
Police probe French star
Former French international defender Basile Boli was placed under investigation on Tuesday for breach of trust by the French fraud squad. The 42-year-old is president of the “Undertaking to direct Africa” (ERA) organization. Boli, who also had spells at Auxerre, Rangers, Monaco and Urawa Red Diamonds, was informed that he had been placed under investigation on Tuesday morning.
■SOCCER
Police seize offices
Police yesterday seized control of the offices of Iraq’s soccer association after its governing board was dissolved on charges of links to former dictator Saddam Hussein. “We are inside the headquarters to protect the premises and the fittings,” Colonel Abdel Amir Rissan, who heads a police team in charge of security for official buildings, said. “We are here also to prevent the offices from being attacked or robbed ... and our presence aims to protect employees until the provisional administration takes over,” he said. The association’s deputy secretary general, Tareq Ahmad said a decision had been taken to evacuate the premises because staff could not work with the police presence.
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