Kluivert out for 8 weeks

Madrid: Valencia striker Patrick Kluivert will be sidelined for at least eight weeks after having surgery on his right knee, the club said on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old Dutch international, who had the operation in his native country, complained of pain in his knee after helping Valencia draw 2-2 with Real Zaragoza at the end of January. Kluivert has been plagued with injuries since joining Valencia from Newcastle United last June.

His move to the Primera Liga club was delayed while he recovered from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and he has since suffered a succession of muscular and joint problems.

Return of Fifa?s best

Singapore: Fifa women?s Player of the Century, Sun Wen, has come out of retirement to help China rebuild ahead of the World Cup in 2007 and the Beijing Olympics the following year.

The 32-year-old Chinese strike legend hung up her boots in 2003 but is back in training, spurred to return by the downward spiral of the Chinese team since she left and the growing strength of European women?s teams.

She has agreed with coach Ma Liangxing to a player-coach role and will help reorganise the squad ahead of next year?s World Cup in China.

Paolo doubtful

Rome: AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini is doubtful for next week?s Champions League match against Bayern Munich after failing to recover from tendonitis in his lower leg.

The 37-year-old defender, who missed the early part of the season with a muscle strain and has not played since Milan?s last Champions League fixture against Schalke 04 at the beginning of December, was expected to return to the team against Reggina on Sunday.

Instead, he failed to make the bench and the club is now refusing to give any idea when he will come back.

Cuper quits as Mallorca coach

Madrid: Hector Cuper has resigned as coach of Real Mallorca after a poor run of results left the club at the bottom of the Primera Liga.

Mallorca said that the 50-year-old Argentine handed in his resignation to club president Vicente Grande on Tuesday and that his decision had been accepted.

Damia Amer and Toni Servera have been put in charge of first-team training until a decision is made on a replacement, the club said on their website. The islanders slipped to the foot of the table on Sunday after a 1-1 draw at home to Getafe extended their winless streak to nine matches.

Cuper took charge of Mallorca for the second time in his career in November 2004 following the sacking of Benito Floro.

Doping hearing

Lausanne: World sport?s top court said on Tuesday that it had postponed a hearing on Greek sprint stars Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou, accused of dodging a doping test at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) said in a statement that its planned February 22-23 session was off because Canadian panel chairman Yves Fortier had quit after the Greeks? legal team alleged that he had a conflict of interest.

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