Tennis - Serbian player banned for match-fixing

Serbian tennis player David Savic was found guilty of match-fixing and had his life ban confirmed by world sport’s highest court yesterday. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said its panel found it proven that Savic “made invitations to another tennis player to fix the outcome” of matches. Savic will be “permanently ineligible to participate in any event organized or sanctioned by any tennis governing body,” the court ruled.

The three-lawyer panel rejected Savic’s appeal against a life ban imposed last year by the sport’s Tennis Integrity Unit. It was created by the International Tennis Federation and men’s and women’s professional tours to prosecute allegations of corruption. Savic, who reached a career-high No. 363 ranking in 2009, claimed he was set up by a “current top player” who told the TIU that Savic asked him to fix a match in exchange for money. The player was not identified. Savic was the second tennis player to receive a lifetime ban for match-fixing. Austrian player Daniel Koellerer was banned in May 2011.

Paralympics - Organizers hail success of London Paralympics

Organizers said the London Paralympics have sold more tickets, brought in more revenue and been broadcast in more countries than any previous games. Paul Deighton, chief executive of the London organizing committee, said around £45 million is expected to be raised in ticket sales at the games, exceeding initial expectations of £35 million. Deighton also said more than 2.7 million tickets have already been sold, surpassing the previous best-attended games in Beijing four years ago by 900,000, while the 2012 Paralympics have been broadcast in more than 100 countries. Xavi Gonzalez, chief executive of the International Paralympic Committee, said yesterday “we have seen the media changing their focus to the athleticism and the competition, and we have seen a lot more athletes being portrayed and becoming more popular.”

Cricket - England recall Anderson for T20 series

James Anderson is in line to make his first Twenty20 international appearance in nearly three years after being called up by England for the three-match series against South Africa. The 30-year-old fast bowler, who is not in England’s squad for the World Twenty20 tournament starting this month, was called up for the South Africa matches on Thursday as a replacement for Steven Finn, who has a stiff back. Anderson’s last T20 international was in November 2009, in a match against the South Africans at Centurion. The first T20 of the series is played tomorrow in Chester-le-Street, before further matches at Old Trafford on Monday and Edgbaston on Wednesday. South Africa won the test series between the teams 2-0, while the ODI series was tied 2-2.

Olympics - Britain’s Reedie to head IOC panel on 2020 bids

British IOC vice president Craig Reedie will head the panel assessing the three bids for the 2020 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee appointed Reedie yesterday to chair the evaluation commission studying the bids from Madrid, Tokyo and Istanbul. Reedie, who helped London secure the 2012 Olympics and served on the board of the local organizing committee, was elevated to an IOC vice president in July on the eve of the games. IOC President Jacques Rogge said Reedie “knows as well as anybody what it takes to host a sustainable, well-organized and ultimately successful Olympic Games.”

Football - Mourinho won’t comment on sad Ronaldo

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho isn’t going to divulge what he thinks of star player Cristiano Ronaldo’s glum demeanor. Ronaldo, the world’s most expensive player, said he is “feeling sad” because of professional reasons the Portugal forward claims the Spanish giant is aware of. Mourinho, speaking in Spanish sports daily AS, said “it’s a theme in which I shouldn’t nor can I comment on. I won’t say anything about it.” The 27-year-old Ronaldo revealed his feelings after being asked why he had not celebrated scoring twice in a Madrid victory. On Tuesday, Ronaldo issued a statement denying it’s because of money while committing himself to the defending Spanish champions.

Football - Ukraine star goalkeeper Shovkovskiy retires

Veteran Ukraine goalkeeper Olexandr Shovkovskiy has announced his retirement from international football, ending an 18-year career. Shovkovskiy had 92 international caps for Ukraine and became the first goalkeeper in World Cup history not to concede a goal during a penalty shootout, saving two spot kicks against Switzerland at the 2006 World Cup. Shovkovskiy, 37, had been sidelined with a shoulder injury since the second half of last season. He missed this year’s European championship that Ukraine co-hosted with Poland. National team coach Oleh Blokhin said earlier this week that Shovkovskiy was retiring because of his injuries but will likely continue playing for his club Dynamo once he recovers.

Football - Austria’s Jantscher joins Dinamo Moscow on loan

Austria midfielder Jakob Jantscher has joined Dinamo Moscow on a one-year loan deal from Red Bull Salzburg with an option to permanently join the Russian club.

Salzburg, the defending Austrian champions, said yesterday that the deal follows “several days of intensive negotiations.” Jantscher was voted the best player in Austria after becoming the league’s leading scorer with 14 goals to help Salzburg win the title. The 23-year-old Jantscher, who was with Sturm Graz before joining Salzburg in 2010, has played 10 internationals for Austria.