SportsWorld: Derby County set for Abu Dhabi takeover

LONDON • Derby County yesterday said that a deal had been agreed "in principle" for the sale of the English Championship football club to a company owned by a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family.

Sheikh Khaled Zayed Al Nehayan, a cousin of Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour, has passed the English Football League's (EFL's) owners' and directors' test.

The fee for the club is said to be around £60 million (S$106.17 million).

Derby are second-last in the Championship after 10 games of the season.

REUTERS

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Decision on Russia's ban by year end

LAUSANNE • A decision over whether to overturn Russia's four-year ban from international sport due to state-sanctioned doping will be known "by the end of this year", the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Thursday.

A four-day arbitration hearing between the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (Rusada) wrapped up after four days of closed-door talks at a secret location.

If the ban is upheld, Russia will miss the postponed Tokyo Olympics next July as well as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2022 Winter Games in China.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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Maradona to have treatment after op

BUENOS AIRES • Football great Diego Maradona, 60, will remain in hospital for several more days to undergo treatment following surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain, his doctor said on Thursday.

Dr Leopoldo Luque told media the Argentinian was suffering from "episodes of confusion", adding that therapists had linked the behaviour to "abstinence". Maradona has a history of drug and alcohol addiction.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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Nadal's uncle could be on Barca's board

BARCELONA • Toni Nadal, uncle and former coach of 20-time Grand Slam tennis champion Rafa, could be in line for a place on the board of Spanish football giants Barcelona after announcing he would be joining the team of presidential candidate Victor Font yesterday.

Font is the favourite to win the upcoming election, due by next March. If he does, Nadal will be in charge of institutional relations and will lead a new department created to promote good behaviour among youth players.

REUTERS