Platini will lodge appeal tomorrow

••PARIS • Uefa president Michel Platini will appeal against his eight-year ban from football tomorrow, according to his lawyer.

Fifa's ethics tribunal, which extended Thai football chief Worawi Makudi's 90-day suspension for 45 more days, earlier said it had provided Sepp Blatter and Platini with the reasons for its decision to ban them from football for eight years, clearing the way for them to appeal against the decision.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Australia Green secure Hopman Cup

PERTH• • Australians Nick Kyrgios and Daria Gavrilova beat the Ukraine's Elina Svitolina and Alexandr Dolgopolov to win tennis' Hopman Cup mixed teams tournament yesterday.

For the first time, the host nation fielded two teams in the tournament, and Kyrgios and Gavrilova went through the week unbeaten as Australia Green, culminating in their 2-0 win over Ukraine to give Australia their second Hopman Cup title.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Stalman admits to doping after 32 years

THE HAGUE• • Dutch 1984 Olympic discus gold medallist Ria Stalman has admitted to taking anabolic steroids to enhance her performance.

The 64-year-old told the Friday night television programme Andere Tijden Sport that her decision to dope was sparked after a pre-Olympic visit to the former East Germany, where she saw signs that many women athletes there were using steroids.

"I wanted to beat them badly," said Stalman. "I then thought, 'The only way was that if you can't beat them, join them.'"

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Haas F1 car passes final FIA crash test

LONDON• • The new United States-owned Haas Formula One team are looking forward to running their car for the first time in Spain next month after they passed a final mandatory International Automobile Federation crash test on Friday.

The team plan to unveil their Ferrari-powered car the day before the first pre-season test starts at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya on Feb 22.

REUTERS