Rooney ban provides Fabio Capello worry

Capello's worst fears were realized when UEFA handed Wayne Rooney a three match prohibit that will see him miss all of England's Euro 2012 group games.

Rooney's kick at Montenegro's Miodrag Dzudovoic last Friday was judged "an assault" by UEFA's control and disciplinary board, who stuck to the letter of the rule in handing out the punishment in spite of a plea for leniency from the FA.

It means Fabio Capello now has to judge whether to take Rooney as part of his squad to Poland and Ukraine, and trust that he can make an impact if England makes it through to the quarter finals.

The Football Association will wait for the full reasons behind the conclusion before deciding whether to appeal. The ban could even be increased by an appeal panel, but that would be doubtful and it looks odds on that the FA will attempt to have the suspension reduced.

The Manchester United striker is understood to be very disappointed in the result but will follow the FA's recommendation about any appeal.

Former England striker Alan Shearer described the ban as "a vast blow" to England's opportunities in the European Championships, and called the kick "a silly mistake".

Shearer told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's a vast blow. It's not only a enormous blow to the team, to the fans and to football followers but to Wayne himself because he realizes he's made a stupid fault.

"I still think whoever replaces Rooney in the team, England still should have plenty to get through the three games without him."

Phil Neville, Rooney's former team mate for United and England, labeled the decision "a joke".

The Everton midfielder said on Twitter: "Rooney prohibited for three games what a joke but it was a Dutch Italian German Spanish player they wouldn't even get 1 game #fact."

Rooney was shown a straight red by German referee Wolfgang Stark for kicking Dzudovoic England boss Capello confessed it was a "silly error" by the 25-year old, who instantly put himself in danger of receiving the 3 match ban.

UEFA's disciplinary rules state that a player will receive a "suspension for three competition matches or for a particular period for assaulting another player or other person there at the match".

A UEFA report said: "Today's decision was taken in relation to the red card shown to Rooney for assault after 74 minutes of England's final Group G game, the 2-2 draw with Montenegro in Podgorica.

"The striker will at the present be suspended from playing in his country's next three UEFA national competition matches for which he would be entitled."

The FA have three days to make a decision whether to appeal, and they said in a declaration: "Further to UEFA's decision to enforce a three-match suspension on Wayne Rooney following his sending-off against Montenegro, the FA wait for the full reasons from the disciplinary committee, and will give full consideration to the decision internally, before deciding on any response to UEFA or making any further public remark."

The FA had taken some expect from a previous case involving Andrey Arshavin, who was given a two match ban and missed Russia's first two games of Euro 2008 after being sent-off against Andorra. But in that case television proof was less clear cut than in Rooney's.

In 2004, Chelsea's Marcel Desailly was initially gave a three-match ban for elbowing Monaco's Fernando Morientes but that was reduced on plea to two games after UEFA said the act was not purposeful.

World Anti-Doping Agency drops case against FIFA

The World Anti-Doping Agency dropped its dispute to FIFA's decision not to permit five Mexican footballers who tested positive for clenbuterol.

Mexico suspended five players of their Gold Cup squad Edgar Duenas, Christian Bermudez, Francisco Javier Rodriguez, Antonio Naelson and Guillermo Ochoa after they all failed a test at a pre-Gold Cup training camp in May.

An inquiry by the Mexican Football Association's disciplinary committee found the positive outcome were a consequence of eating impure meat and their choice to hand out no further punishments was backed by FIFA.

WADA dispute the decision, lodging a plea to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but withdrew their objection after reviewing proof gathered by FIFA.

A WADA report read: WADA has subsequently received convincing evidence from a FIFA study at the U17 World Cup in Mexico that point a serious health problem in Mexico with regards to meat polluted with clenbuterol.

This is a public health matter that is now being addressed immediately by the Mexican Government.

The government of Mexico which has legislation forbidding the use of steroids with livestock accepts that it has a consequence with infected meat and is actively looking to resolve the problem state by state.

Already several arrests have been made pursuant to these laws and huge amounts of clenbuterol seized. Investigations are to go on.

"WADA acclaim FIFA for the more research it has initiated, while WADA, the Mexican Football Federation and the Mexican Govt have decided to help with the study which will continue as a joint project."

FIFA welcomed WADA's decision in a declaration, which read: "This statement by WADA confirms the initial verdict taken by the Mexican Football Association's disciplinary committee to apparent the players of any wrongdoing, which FIFA entirely agreed with and supported after carefully looking at the case.

FIFA would also like to thank WADA for positively considering the studies and research conducted by FIFA in this issue, including compelling proof from a FIFA study at the U-17 World Cup in Mexico that shows a serious health problem in Mexico with regard to meat contaminated with clenbuterol.

FIFA is pleased that these studies have served not only to solve this case, but also to help the Mexican authorities in their fight to tackle this public health matter, which is now being desperately addressed by the Mexican government.

FIFA will continue to play a foremost role in this issue and will work together with the various authorities, including WADA, the Mexican Football Association and the Mexican government on this study, which in future will be carry on as a joint project.

WADA added that clenbuterol remains on their list of prohibited substances, and that they would judge further positive tests on a case by case source.

Andy Roddick survives frighten in Shanghai

Andy Roddick

Roddick survived a second set wobble against qualifier Yen-Hsun Lu to move ahead to the second round of the Shanghai Masters on Monday.

The American, seeded 10th, lost his way midway through an enjoyable clash but recovered to register a 6-2 3-6 6-2 triumph in one hour and 52 minutes.

"He plays so high risk," said Roddick. "You know, In general I thought it was pretty good, save four games perhaps."

Andy Roddick will meet Grigor Dimitrov next after the Bulgarian saw off Turkish qualifier Marsel Ilhan 2-6 6-1 6-4.

Bernard Tomic move on courtesy of a 7-6 (7/5) 6-7 (4/7) 6-3 win against Kevin Anderson and will now meet fifth seed Mardy Fish.

"I'm happy I won against a player like Anderson since he can beat so many world class players on his day," said Australian Tomic.

"I'm happy I won that third set because his serve was too good the entire game. To enter tournaments like this, play main draws, is a way to make your ranking up even faster. It's actually tough to get there. I'm lucky I did it at a young age.

"I've acquire a long way to go, and a lot of things in front of me."

Spaniard Fernando Verdasco was also strong for Chinese wild card Zhe Li, winning 6-2 6-2, Nalbandian beat Ernests Gulbis 7-5 6-4 and former world no.1 Juan Carlos Ferrero edged out Mikhail Youzhny 7-6 (7/4) 6-2.

“Marsh aim for Lanka's 1st win”

Geoff Marsh

Sri Lanka coach Geoff Marsh is aiming for first Test victory in the post Muralitharan era when they face Pakistan in a Test series next month.

"I am aiming to take Sri Lanka to a new level," Marsh, the former Australian opening batsman, told reporters.

"Evidently, looking for the Test victory against Pakistan is the propose."

Sri Lanka travels to United Arab Emirates, Pakistan's offshore place, in October, to play a three match Test series.

Sri Lanka has gone during a phase of nine Test matches without a win since Muralitharan retired following the first Test against India at Galle in 2010.

Marsh said Tom Moody, the fellow Australian and a former Sri Lanka coach, and Marsh's two sons, Shaun and Mitchell, pressed him to take up the obligation.

"My boys said go along there and take up the job (coaching Sri Lanka)," Marsh, who witnessed Shaun scoring his debut Test century in Sri Lanka early on this month, said.

"Sri Lanka is in just the same position as Australia," Marsh said, adding that both nations are going through transition phase.

He said he was expecting to the challenge of "coming up against my own boys," referring to the view of Shaun and Mitchell Marsh playing for Australia when Sri Lanka tours there next year.

He said that even though his current contract was limited to two years, he would like to coach Sri Lanka to the next World Cup to be played in Australia in 2015.