Berbatov leaves the pitch during the defeat in Serbia. Photograph: Marko Djurica/Reuters
The Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has become the centre of controversy in his native Bulgaria after his angry agent suggested the player could retire from international football because of criticism of his performances.
Last month several players, including Berbatov, were lambasted by the Bulgarian [...]

Habib Beye is sent of by Rob Styles. Photograph: Getty Images
Newcastle defender Habib Beye will be free to play in Saturday’s Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland after the club’s appeal against his red card in Monday’s match with Manchester City was upheld.
The Senegal international was dismissed by referee Rob Styles for a professional foul on City [...]

Seve Ballesteros is in a stable condition and has been transferred to intensive care. Photograph: Glenn Campbell/AFP/Getty Images
Five-time major winner Seve Ballesteros has undergone surgery as part of treatment for a brain tumour. Madrid’s La Paz hospital today released a statement confirming that the operation took place on Tuesday, was without any complications and that [...]

Bernhard Kohl will be dropped by his team after his positive doping test. Photograph: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images
The Austrian cyclist Bernhard Kohl is to be dropped by the Silence-Lotto team after he tested positive for the blood-boosting substance CERA.
Kohl, who came third in this year’s Tour de France, had signed a contract with Silence-Lotto of Belgium [...]

Sir Allen Stanford meets the press at Lord’s on June 11. Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images
The Texan billionaire Sir Allen Stanford yesterday assured England’s cricketers that their potential payday in Antigua would not be jeopardised after a high court ruling in favour of the telecommunications company Digicel forced the West Indies Cricket Board to withdraw its [...]

Tom Isaacs of Newport Gwent Dragons breaks a tackle during his side’s victory over Newcastle Falcons in the EDF Energy Cup. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images
Jonny Wilkinson may have successfully undergone surgery on his injured left knee yesterday but Newcastle remain in urgent need of treatment for travel sickness. They have yet to taste success on [...]

Sarah Stevenson’s questioning of the judges decisions during her quarter-final defeat turned out to be well founded. Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters
Britain’s Sarah Stevenson was at the centre of an extraordinary controversy in the taekwondo competition when officials reversed the result of her second round heavyweight bout against the double Olympic champion from China, Chen Zhong, and [...]

Kelly Sotherton was only able to finish fourth in the re-run 100 metres hurdles. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/Getty Images
Kelly Sotherton was seething last night at what should have been the first part of a glorious Olympic send-off for one of Britain’s leading hopes for gold in Beijing.
An hour after she had won the long jump with [...]

Fans cheer Copa Libertadores winners LDU on their return to Quito. Photograph: Rodrigo Buendia/AFP/Getty Images
Legend has it that at the start of the 20th century Fluminense signed a black player named Carlos Alberto who, feeling uneasy in a club traditionally supported by wealthy whites, rubbed rice powder on his face and body in an attempt [...]

Josef Hickersberger, who has quit as coach of Austria. Photograph: Andreas Rentz/Bongarts/Getty Images
Josef Hickersberger has resigned from his position as the coach of Austria just a day before the Austrian Football Federation was set to decide on his future. Hickersberger, who has led the team since January 2006, informed Federation president Friedrich Stickler of [...]