Paris: Paris St Germain have been banned from the League Cup next season after some of their fans unfolded an abusive banner during this season’s League Cup final, the French League (LFP) said on Wednesday. PSG, already in the Ligue 1 relegation zone, could have been punished with a points deduction. Instead, they remain on 38 points and 18th in the 20-team top flight.

The banner was briefly unfolded after the interval of the final on March 29, which PSG won 2-1 against northern club Racing Lens. It referred to a film about the life of the Ch’tis, a nickname for the people of northern France, which is breaking box office records in France. It read: “Paedophiles, unemployed, inbred: welcome chez les Ch’tis.”

United valued at $1.8 billion

Chicago: England’s Manchester United is the world’s most valuable soccer club for the fourth consecutive year, with a value of $1.8 billion, topping Spain’s Real Madrid, according to Forbes.

United’s estimated operating income was $111 million, $1 million behind Real Madrid, which was valued at $1.285 billion, according to Forbes, which values the top clubs annually.

By comparison, the most valuable US professional sports team is the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys, which Forbes valued at $1.5 billion last September.

Not surprisingly, the magazine estimated British soccer star David Beckham, who plays for Los Angeles Galaxy, was ranked as the highest earning player at $49 million. He previously played for both United and Real Madrid.

Dennis denial

London: McLaren boss Ron Dennis has denied any involvement in bringing to light a sex scandal that threatens Max Mosley’s position as head of Formula One’s governing body.

“As I have consistently said whenever I have been asked about this, I categorically deny that I have anything to do with the News of the World investigation into Mr Mosley,” Dennis said in a statement on Thursday.

News of the World on Sunday published details and photographs last month of Mosley’s participation in what it said was a Nazi-style sado-masochistic orgy with five prostitutes.

Yousuf for Lancs

Karachi: Pakistan batsman Mohammed Yousuf has accepted a five-week contract with English county Lancashire as his Indian Premier League stint is still doubtful because of legal hassles. The senior batsman, who has been dropped from Pakistan’s Twenty20 squad, cannot play in the IPL despite signing a contract with them as he has been slapped with a damage suit by the rebel Indian Cricket League.

Usha on cheerleaders

Kozhikode: Former sprint queen P.T. Usha joined the debate on the cheerleaders in the IPL, saying the girls should comply with Indian culture. She said the onus was on the BCCI to ensure that the performance by the dancers should not cross limits.

“Ours is a country with diversified culture and centuries-old tradition which have to be preserved at any cost,” Usha said.

SA manager

Durban: South African cricket team doctor Mohammed Moosajee has been appointed the manager. He will take over from Dr Logan Naidoo, vice-president of the CSA, who served as Proteas’ team manager in a caretaker capacity since September last year. Cricket SA CEO, Gerald Majola, said that Dr Moosajee emerged as the leading candidate after interviews held early this week.

Ram Babu no more

New Delhi: Former India Test umpire Ram Babu Gupta, who also served as DDCA president for a year, passed away in London on Thursday. He was 73.

For the last eight years Dr Ram Babu Gupta was treasurer of DDCA.