TV cash-split talks reach stalemate
LONDON • Premier League club executives have failed to reach a decision on the redistribution of their multi-billion pound international television rights deal.
Representatives from each of the 20 English football clubs yesterday "unanimously agreed to adjourn the meeting to allow further discussion", reported the Daily Mail.
Bayern form will not affect Germany
BELFAST • Bayern Munich's poor form that led to the sacking of coach Carlo Ancelotti will not spill over to the German national football team, defender Mats Hummels said ahead of today's crucial World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland.
Hummels is one of six Bayern players, including Thomas Muller, Jerome Boateng and Joshua Kimmich, who are part of the squad to face Northern Ireland as they look to seal their World Cup qualification.
REUTERS
France lose Kurzawa for crucial qualifiers
PARIS • Having already lost Bernard Mendy and Laurent Koscielny, France saw another defender pull out of their crucial football World Cup qualifiers after Paris Saint-Germain's in-form Layvin Kurzawa cut his knee in training.
The left-back was likely to have started for France as they take on Bulgaria on Saturday and Belarus three days later, knowing they may still need all six points to book a direct berth for next year's World Cup.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Allardyce sues FA over sacking: report
LONDON • Former England manager Sam Allardyce has sent a "5,000-word letter" to the Football Association (FA) seeking damages for the way it handled his sacking, according to a report in the Daily Mail newspaper.
He left his role with the national side by mutual consent after just one game following a newspaper investigation by Britain's Daily Telegraph which featured a video of him offering advice to undercover reporters on how to "get around" FA rules on player transfers.
REUTERS
Tokyo 2020 water venue polluted
TOKYO • Tokyo 2020 Olympic organisers said yesterday that tests showed levels of E. coli up to 20 times above the accepted limit and faecal coliform bacteria seven times higher than agreed at the planned venue for marathon swimming and triathlon.
Organisers have vowed to improve the water quality to ensure the safety of athletes, including through installing underwater screens at Odaiba Marine Park to limit the amount of faecal coliform bacteria flowing from offshore during rainy periods.
REUTERS
Giant tents may end rain delays: report
LONDON • English cricket chiefs are exploring deploying "giant tents" to ensure rain no longer stops play.
Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper said research is being carried out into placing mesh netting over grounds after a US company approached the England and Wales Cricket Board.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
