Zarco snatches Japan MotoGP pole
Yamaha's Johann Zarco produced a sizzling lap on Saturday to claim a surprise pole for the Japanese Grand Prix with MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez qualifying in third. With only a minute remaining in a wet Motegi session, the Frenchman Zarco clocked a quickest time of one minute, 53.469 seconds for his second career pole in the MotoGP class, pipping Ducati's Danilo Petrucci and championship leader Marquez. Meanwhile, seven-time champion Rossi qualified 12th on the grid for Yamaha as he continues his return to fitness after a double leg fracture.
‘No impact’ on PSG from Khelaifi probe
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is unaffected by the World Cup corruption investigation launched against chairman Nasser al Khelaifi, a source close to the club said on Saturday. Swiss prosecutors revealed this week they are probing Khelaifi, who heads the Qatari-owned beIN Media group, and disgraced former FIFA executive Jerome Valcke over the sale of media rights for World Cups from 20182030. A villa on Sardinia that Italian police says Khelaifi used as "a means of corruption" has been seized and searched. An aide close to Khelaifi said he denies all the accusations and has done nothing wrong. The probe has cast a shadow over an exciting start to the season at the Parc des Princes following the signing of Brazilian superstar Neymar in a world record US$262.5mn deal and the arrival of French sensation Kylian Mbappe.
Arena resigns as US team coach
US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said on Friday that he will not resign and might even seek re-election despite the Americans' failing to qualify for next year's World Cup in Russia. Just minutes after US coach Bruce Arena resigned in the wake of Tuesday's 2-1 loss at Trinidad and Tobago, which saw the US fail to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986, Gulati took the blame for the humiliating failure. "It's a shock to the system. We fully expected to qualify," he said. "It's a big disappointment... I certainly take responsibility for us not getting to Russia." "I don't plan to resign," Gulati said. "We've got a lot of things on our agenda, including a World Cup bid that's due in March,” said the 58 year old India-born American.
Nadal sues ex-French minister for $118,000
Rafael Nadal is seeking US$118,000 in damages from former French sports minister Roselyne Bachelot after she accused the Spanish tennis legend of a dope test cover-up. Nadal is suing Bachelot, who served as sports minister between 2007 and 2010, over remarks in March 2016 on French television. She alleged that Nadal faked an injury in 2012, when he missed the final six months of the season due to knee problems, in order to hide a positive drug test. Neither Nadal nor Bachelot were at the court hearing in Paris on Friday. The 16-time Grand Slam winner has never failed a drugs test and vehemently denies ever using a banned substance. A verdict is expected on November 16.