WORLD OF SPORT

▷▷▷ Moto2 rider gets ban for grabbing rival’s brake

Moto2 rider Romano Fenati has been banned for two races for grabbing Italian rival Stefano Manzi’s brake during the San Marino motorcycling Grand Prix yesterday. Both were competing at high speed around the Misano track when 22-year-old Kalex rider Fenati leaned over and pressed Manzi’s brake lever. Manzi briefly lost his balance before regaining control of his Suter bike. Fenati’s actions followed Manzi’s attempt to overtake his compatriot a few laps earlier. The pair had made contact as Manzi overtook on the inside, with both riders running off the track, losing several positions and dropping out of the points. Fenati – a Moto2 rookie this year aboard a Marinelli Snipers-run Kalex bike – was black-flagged and disqualified after 23 laps for “irresponsible riding”. The FIM MotoGP stewards panel later announced that Fenati would miss the next two races in Aragon, Spain on September 23 and Thailand on October 7 for having “deliberately attempted to cause danger to another rider”.

▷▷▷ Uefa: finances of Europe clubs healthier than ever

Europe’s leading clubs are in ruder financial health than ever before, according to a study published yesterday by Uefa, which indicates that top-division football on the continent has become profitable for the first time on record. In 2017, European clubs reported a combined total of €600 million (Dh2.5 billion) in profits after transfers were taken into account, said the study into the impact of financial fair play (FFP) rules. The figure compares to losses of €1.7bn in 2011, the year in which European football’s governing body introduced FFP. Even in 2016, European clubs lost a combined €300m. The figures are taken from a compilation of the financial results of 718 top-division clubs across 54 leagues in Europe.

▷▷▷ Break from training not really a bolt from the blue

Former sprinter Usain Bolt’s football training has been put on hold after he flew out of Australia for a “previously planned commitment”, his A-League club have said. The Jamaican superstar is pursuing his dream of playing professional football and arrived in Gosford, near Sydney, last month for training with the Central Coast Mariners. He has been with the A-League side for three weeks and in late August made a 20-minute cameo for the club in a pre-season game. “Usain Bolt will be abroad from Sunday, 9 September to Sunday, 16 September for a previously planned commitment,” the Mariners said. “This commitment was agreed before his training period commenced.”