IBBF chief gets three-year ban

Mumbai: The International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) has slapped a three-year ban on Indian Bodybuilding Federation (IBBF) president Madhav Pujari for alleged misappropriation of funds.

IFBB’s vice-president for Asia and the Asian Bodybuilding Federation’s (ABBF) secretary general, Datuk Paul Chua, alleged in a statement here on Monday that Pujari collected $4000 (around Rs 2 lakh) using Chua’s name.

“You have abused your position and have also tarnished my reputation and integrity. Despite writing three letters to you to explain your stand, you have not bothered to reply to my letters formally…,” the statement said.

The statement also said that Pujari had collected an affiliation fee of $600 (around Rs 30,000) and refused to submit the accounts or receipt of acknowledgement for this amount to the IFBB. It also said he had collected Rs 35,000 from a bodybuilder, S. Ashok Singh, (as part payment for a penalty imposed on him) in 1999 but had refused to give him an official receipt and the same was also not reflected in the IBBF accounts.

Pujari was not available for comment.

Zidane out for two weeks

Madrid: Real Madrid midfielder Zinedine Zidane will be sidelined for two weeks after straining a muscle in his leg during the 1-1 draw against Real Betis at the weekend.

The French international will miss both legs of his side's King's Cup quarterfinal against Valencia as well as the next two league matches.

“Our tests and a scan have revealed that he has a small tear in a muscle in his right leg,” Real Madrid’s chief of medical staff Alfonso del Corral said on Monday. “Luckily the tear is less serious than it could have been and we think he will be out of action for two weeks.”

Argentine midfielder Santiago Solari is likely to replace Zidane in the Real Madrid starting line-up for Wednesday's Cup match against Valencia at the Bernabeu.

United confirm Louis Saha deal

London: Manchester United confirmed on Monday they had agreed in principle to buy Fulham’s French striker Louis Saha for an undisclosed fee. Fulham had announced the deal to sell Saha to the English champions in a statement on their website on Sunday. United said the transfer, which comes after Fulham had rejected earlier approaches by the club, was “subject to a number of conditions”.

“Manchester United expects these conditions to be resolved within the next week and will make a further announcement on completion,” United said in a statement to the stock exchange. British newspapers reported that the deal for the 25-year-old forward was worth around £12 million.

Ahn signs for Yokohama

Tokyo: South Korea striker Ahn Jung-hwan has signed a one-year deal with Yokohama F-Marinos after failing to secure a move to Europe, officials of the J-League club said on Monday. The 27-year-old, who joined J-League side Shimizu S-Pulse after helping South Korea reach the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup, will play for the Japanese champions until January 1 next year.

Player arrested

Harare: A Zimbabwean international footballer was arrested after allegedly assaulting a ball boy before a match in Harare on Sunday, the Herald reported on Monday.

Rowen Nenzou, who won three caps for his country in 2002, was taken away to record a statement after playing for Black Rhinos against champions AmaZulu in a pre-season tournament. Nenzou allegedly slapped a ball boy, who refused to give him a ball to warm up with, the paper reported. His arrest meant he missed his side’s win in the final later in the day.

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