NAIROBI, Kenya, August 4- Sam Nyamweya, ‘Uncle Sam’ to some, it’s time for you to leave Kenyan football in the hands of a leader who will not make football the enduring cause of national shame.

Before this is construed as another malicious attack on your ability to manage the most popular sport in the country, there comes a time for everyone to leave the stage.

Lest we forget, it was under your stewardship as the Secretary General of the defunct Kenya Football Federation (KFF) that Kenya drew with Nigeria Super Eagles 1-1 in Kasarani at the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, a period that many remember fondly.

That was over a decade and a half ago and in the intervening period, you have fought to wrest back control of the country’s football at a time when KFF and rivals Football Kenya Limited fought to manage the game.

When the normalisation process of football was finally completed in 2011, you were elected into office on a platform of change and even though many had reservations about your leadership, all accepted the results and moved on, expecting a better day.

Soon after taking the helm, you returned to the copy book you used in the first spell in charge and promptly fired Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno as Stars head coach and put in place the popular Francis Kimanzi in charge.

When this move backfired, out went Kimanzi and in came the experienced Frenchman, Henri Michel, who after a brief stint, left in a huff and slapped us with a law suit, all this happening within the first year of your second coming.

Kenya briefly enjoyed a purple patch when homeboy James Nandwa led a largely second string side to the 2012 Cecafa finals and once again, you played the popular card and put him in charge of the senior side that fell to Burundi in the CHAN qualifiers at the turn of 2013.

In February of that year, you went out and brought their former head coach, Adel Amrouche, a Belgian national and under his watch, Kenya made some positive steps at the 2014 World Cup qualifiers before the team won the Cecafa title in December.

Nine months later, Stars are staring at two years outside the international loop after tiny Lesotho, a nation many would struggle to pin point on the global map, held on to complete a 1-0 aggregate win in the second round of the Afcon qualifiers.

Sam, we have sunk so low in the African football pecking order that we have to start qualification at the preliminary stages, yet this was a team that made the 16 finalists only ten years ago for starters.

Once again, you have pressed the ‘sack the coach’ button, absolving yourself from blame by crowing about how much support Football Kenya Federation (FKF) gave Amrouche and the team and they failed.

On the surface, that looks like a bold move, informed by the need to sweep mediocrity clean but have you looked at yourself in the mirror ‘Uncle Sam’?

The buck of Kenyan football stops with you and so does the biggest responsibility for failure. As a keen follower of football, you should be aware that world champions, Germany, have had only ten coaches since 1926 and you are about to go through your sixth since 2011!

Under your watch either side of your tenures, Stars and indeed Kenyan football at large have never known consistency, structure and planning, the three ingredients exemplified by Germany and other football giants.

Shooting from the hip and playing to the gallery will never work in football but you can still redeem yourself by making the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of Kenyan football- quit.

Your place in the modern history of Kenyan football is already assured; don’t soil your legacy by presiding over another disaster by hanging on as the captain of an already sunken ship.

This is not the first neither the last plea yours truly is making to you to step aside but like the first a year ago, it is singing to the birds but history will judge you harshly dear Sam if you continue at the helm

-Views expressed in this article are the authors’ not Capital FM

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 4 – Former Harambee Stars captain, Musa Otieno, has slammed Football Kenya Federation (FKF) boss for arbitrary firing head coach Adel Amrouche, the technical bench and entire squad saying the move will not cure the problem devilling the team after its early exit from 2015 Afcon.

Otieno spoke as a nation continues to digest another low for the national side that was sent packing by tiny Lesotho 1-0 on aggregate after being forced to a barren draw at home on Sunday in the second round qualifying return leg.

“It’s a big blow and Kenyans are disappointed but it was our fault because we had poor preparation all along since we started the qualifiers.

“Sacking the entire technical bench doesn’t solve the problem, we should have continuity to enable us formulate formidable youth structures, so for the next two years we should put our house in order because Nyamweya cannot run the federation alone,” Otieno who was part of the 2004 Afcon squad in Tunisia told Capital Sport on Monday.

Otieno who played for Stars for 16 years added the elimination was a wakeup call for FKF to start rebuilding from scratch, a youthful team that will stay together for a long time before the next qualifiers in two years time.

He added Kenya’s elimination by Lesotho a nation ranked 36 places below them by FIFA, was hurting but at the same pointed out Stars did not play as a team despite fielding six professional players.

“Losing to a team like Lesotho especially at home was hurting. Our players did not combine well, it was just like watching a local league because looking like most of our foreign based players some of them arrived a day to the match which took them time to adapt considering its an eight hours flight from Europe.

“I can’t blame players because they fought their best to make the nation proud but unfortunately they didn’t get it right so we should put more emphasis on a young squad so that by the time we reach the next qualifiers, they would have gelled, for example the Under 20 team that reached Cosafa finals in 2013, we have never had about them since then,” the former defender who spent better part of his club career at South African outfit Santos explained.

Former Gor Mahia captain and Stars defender Austin Oduor echoed Otieno’s sentiments saying FKF should identify young players averaged 20 years and mould them before the next qualifiers since it’s their collective responsibility.

“I blame the loss to poor management because they failed to prepare the team adequately. Football is a team sport and everyone has a role to play from the officials to the players whose mandate is just to play.

“I disagree with Nyamweya’s move to disband the team and sacking the entire technical bench because he has not solved the problem, it’s obvious the team could have disband as usual since they didn’t qualify, we have never had a constant squad like what we used to have in our days,” Oduor the father of Norway based keeper Arnold and uncle to Liverpool forward Divock Origi underscored.

Oduor who featured in three Afcons (1972, 88 and 90) blamed the technical bench for poor fielding and selection of players that he underlined some were unfit especially foreign based players.

“It’s the responsibility of the technical bench to field a strong squad but on Sunday they totally failed, for example the issue of bringing foreign based players a day to the match was a mistake.

“We gambled in formation where Dennis Oliech was getting the support very late since he was the lone striker, some players should not have started like Macdonald Mariga who has not regained his fitness and Edwin Lavatsa also, they could have started with Paul Were and Allan Wanga who increased the pace of the game but it was too late,” Oduor continued.

He added, “From how our boys played, we were defending and yet we were a goal down, in football fitness has to be high but since we are already out, FKF have to go back to the drawing board and find where we went wrong.”

This is the first time Kenya was bundled out in the pre-qualifiers something that did not go well with the fans who thronged Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium as some accosted the players in anger after the game, requiring police intervention for them to leave the pitch.

Lesotho who had a good preparation have stayed together for a long period since most of the players ply their trade in the domestic league unlike Kenya’s star studded side that saw the Crocodiles coach Seephephe Matete identify their weakness and punish them.

“Kenyan have a good team but the problem is they play as individual, everyone is a star and they don’t hustle for the ball since they wanted to get that stars status. They played well but not as a team and that was their downfall but if they can change, it’s a good team that can go far.

“Lesotho played more as a team and as the coach said in Maseru he identified weakness of Stars where he realized it’s a very good team but they don’t play as a team so the game plan was to win the midfield and to make sure the they don’t get that chance to shine,” Moses Kiamba a Radio journalist who was part of their contingent told Capital Sport.

MIAMI, August 5- Manchester United ended their US pre-season tour on a high note on Monday, rallying for a 3-1 triumph over English Premier League rivals Liverpool.

In the final of the International Champions Cup friendly tournament, Louis van Gaal’s men overturned an early Steven Gerrard penalty — the third spot-kick United have conceded on tour — to claim victory through second-half goals from Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard.

Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool, at the end of their own pre-season tour of the United States, provided easily the biggest test of United’s pre-season so far as the old foes clashed before 51,104 fans at Sun Life Stadium, home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.

United were perhaps less sharp than in their previous matches on the tour, but improved in the second half and head home with five victories from five matches under new manager van Gaal.

Van Gaal, tapped more than two months ago to replace the sacked David Moyes at Manchester United, took the reins only after guiding the Netherlands to a third-place finish at the World Cup.

Although the gruff Dutchman was pleased with Monday’s victory, he was already focused firmly on August 16 and Swansea’s visit to Old Trafford in their Premier League opener.

“It’s nice for the fans in the USA and also at home that we beat Liverpool,” he said. “I think we gave a lot of pleasure to the fans and that’s very important.

“Of course, it’s better to win than to lose in pre-season, but the most important game is against Swansea City. That’s the one we have to win.”

Rooney captained Manchester United for the first time on the tour.

And after Gerrard beat David De Gea from the penalty spot in the 14th minute– after Raheem Sterling drew a challenge from Phil Jones, it was Rooney who grabbed the equalizer in the 55th.

Javier Hernandez flew down the right and sent in a cross that Rooney fired past Simon Mignolet.

Two minutes later, Luke Shaw’s pass found Mata, who beat Mignolet with a low shot to put United up 2-1.

Rooney was also involved in a brief controversy that flared in the 65th minute.

A long range shot from United’s Ashley Young bounced back into play off the goal frame and Rooney poked the ball home, only for officials to belatedly disallow the goal when they realized the ball had been out of play on the net behind the goal.

Lingard completed the scoring in the 88th, blasting Young’s pass past Mignolet.

- A deserved win -

“It’s obviously great to win the game and win the tournament,” Rooney said. “We’ve worked hard in the pre-season. Today in the first half Liverpool were the better team. We were poor, we didn’t move the ball quick enough. We knew we had to put that right. The second half we came out and played very well and deserved the win.”

While Liverpool were unable to put a final gloss to their campaign in the International Champions Cup, which featured eight top European clubs preparing for their domestic campaigns, Rodgers was pleased overall with his side’s North American tour.

“I thought it was an excellent run-out for us,” he said. “Obviously we’re disappointed to lose the game, but it’s been a great trip for us.

“We did have a spell where we gave away two quick goals, but up until that point I thought we were very good.

“Overall, it’s been an excellent tour for us in our quest to get fit.”

LONDON, August 5- Arsenal have confirmed the appointment of World Cup winning fitness coach Shad Forsythe as they take significant steps towards preventing last season’s injury woes.

Forsythe, who was part of Germany’s triumphant Brazil 2014 campaign, joined up with the Gunners squad during their recent tour of New York before travelling with the team to Austria for a pre-season training camp.

A series of injury problems last term raised question marks over the Gunners’ training methods at their London Colney HQ.

Manager Arsene Wenger revealed last year how the club had started a review of their procedures following an accumulation of injuries that disrupted their Premier League title challenge.

Forsythe, who will take the match-day warm-ups, will work in tandem with the club’s current fitness specialist Tony Colbert.

The American already has a close working relationship with the club’s German trio Per Mertesacker, Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski following his role with the German FA.

-By Daily Mail

LONDON,August 5- New Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal could grant Wayne Rooney his wish by revealing he prefers an “English style” captain.

Rooney, who is third in the club’s all-time scoring list with 216 goals, expressed his desire to wear the United armband permanently following the appointment of Van Gaal at the helm.

Robin van Persie was mooted as the likely successor to former Red Devils skipper Nemanja Vidic, having led the Netherlands during Van Gaal’s tenure, which ended after the World Cup.

However, the Dutch tactician is considering all his options, and after seeing Darren Fletcher, Tom Cleverley and Rooney all perform the role on their pre-season tour to the United States, he would favour a homegrown leader.

Speaking after his side’s 3-1 win over Liverpool in the International Champions Cup final on Monday, where Rooney scored as captain, Van Gaal said: “I’m always looking for opportunities to give players the captain’s armband.

“Today, Rooney played 90 minutes for the first time. Fletcher has already done it twice and therefore he was the captain. Cleverley also played 90 minutes.

“I think you have to choose, when it is possible, the English style. That is when it is possible.”

Vidic and Eric Cantona are the only two foreigners have ever had the privilege of be named United captain in the club’s history.

MADRID, August 5- Spain midfielder Xavi Hernandez announced Tuesday the end of a dazzling international football career crowned by La Roja’s 2010 World Cup triumph and two European Championships.

“I have decided to leave the national team. I think my time there has finished,” the 34-year-old Barcelona player told a news conference.

“It has been a wonderful, fantastic period for me. It has been an honour,” said Xavi, who played a decisive role in Spain’s triumphs at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, at Euro 2008 and at Euro 2012.

“We have managed to achieve many successes in the past six or eight years and now I am just another fan of the Spain team,” he said.

Xavi said he would stay with Barcelona, however, after being persuaded to ditch plans to leave the club.

The player revealed that he had planned to leave the national side after Spain’s Euro 2012 triumph in Ukraine, but coach Vicente del Bosque convinced him to stay.

“He insisted I stay for Brazil and Brazil was disappointing for everyone collectively and for me also individually,” he said.

“The fact that I did not take part in the decisive game against Chile was a personal disappointment,” said Xavi of the match that Spain lost 2-0 in Rio de Janeiro in June, ensuring their exit from the World Cup in the group stage.

- Planned to leave club -

Xavi only played in the first game of Spain’s World Cup campaign in Brazil, a humiliating 5-1 loss to the Netherlands, an unfortunate end to his 133rd game for his country.

Spain’s coaching staff agreed that his time with the national side “has finished”, he said.

Xavi said he had considered leaving Barcelona, too, after a disappointing 2013-14 season in which the club won no major titles.

“I ended the season a bit disappointed. I had two major collective and personal disappointments, perhaps the worst of my career on a personal level,” he said.

“I found myself on the bench for the last game of the league season, which had not happened to me in recent years in the national team either, and I decided to tell the club that the best thing would be to say that it is over now,” Xavi said.

But Barcelona’s new coach Luis Enrique and sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta, “convinced me I can still be competitive and useful to the club,” he added.

“I will give everything to carry on being important and useful to Barcelona. I hope people understand my decision.

“I had major personal disappointments and I thought my time with the club was over,” said the player, who had been the subject of end-of-season Spanish press reports speculating that he could go to the United States or Qatar.

“I don’t know what the next season will bring but I have a good feeling,” Xavi said, noting that he has two years still to go on his Barcelona contract.

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 5 – It is 29 years since Gor Mahia last reigned over the region and having broken their league drought last season, K’Ogalo are out to return to the apex of the Cecafa Club Championships in Rwanda.

The team departed for the regional rumble of domestic champions Wednesday without former Harambee Stars forward Patrick Oboya who missed the trip through injury but the rank and file of the club believes their time to rule since 1985.

Head coach Bobby Williamson noted it will be a big blow to miss the winger who picked a knock last week during training while dismissing reports George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo will not be in the travelling party.

K’Ogalo to travel with 20 players as per the rules of the tournament and the Scotsman who has just been appointed Harambee Stars boss, was upbeat his charges will give their best to win the regional title they last lifted in Sudan with a 2-0 victory over archrivals AFC Leopards in the final.

“It’s disappointing to hear people saying Odhiambo has been dropped, he will travel with us, we will only miss Oboya who pulled out of training yesterday after having a recurring injury that saw his miss practice the whole of last week.

“Unfortunately we will have an outfield squad 17 since I have included three goalkeepers in the squad in case one gets injured or suspended. Everybody is training hard to fight making it in the team and it’s getting very competitive that makes me worry of injuries,” Williamson told Capital Sport after conducting their last training at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium.

Ugandan foreign based players, defender Godfrey Walusimbi, midfielder Geoffrey Kizito and forward Dan Sserunkuma who were on international duty with Cranes, have already linked up with the team.

Williamson told their first target is to win the opener against Ugandan champions Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).

“It doesn’t matter whom we are going to face its always going to be tough because the players will be playing a lot of matches in a short period but I’m focused on the first game since we don’t want to lose it and if we do, it will be difficult to progress to quarter-finals. Hopefully we will win and build on it.

“I have been involved with Cecafa when I was managing Cranes and there is no big difference, my experience will help us prepare the team well and keep players fit although it’s always a challenge because we will be representing Kenya as well.

“We need to go out there and demonstrate a good show and ensure we don’t disappoint our fans, we know it’s a tall order but we will give our best,” the coach explained.

However, Williamson said the regional showpiece will affect their plans of defending the KPL title because they will have to catch up with their challengers when they return.

“As I said earlier, the timing of the tournament is wrong for us that will see us probably come back and find Tusker, Sofapaka and other top five teams have displaced us at the top so it’s going to be very demanding for our players to try and catch up.”

K’Ogalo open their campaign against KCCA on Friday before facing Burundi’s Flambeau de l’Est, hosts APR and Telecom of Djibouti to round their five-team tricky Pool B assignment.

Gor will be seeking revenge against the Rwandese who hit them 6-1 on aggregate at the 2009 CAF Confederations Cup in a group where three will qualify for the quarters.

The winner will receive Sh2.6m (USD30, 000) while runners up and third will walk away with Sh1.75m (USD 20,000) and Sh876, 000 (USD10, 000.

LONDON, April 6-Napoli manager Rafael Benitez insists any potential move for Marouane Fellaini is totally dependant on Manchester United.

The Belgium international has been linked with an off-season exit from Old Trafford after a disappointing debut season with the English giants.

Fellaini has yet to feature for United during pre-season after being granted extra time off following his World Cup exertions.

New Red Devils boss Louis van Gaal revealed after his side’s US tour that he would be speaking to his players individually about whether they featured in his plans for the upcoming campaign.

Partenopei president Aurelio de Laurentiis confirmed last week that the 26-year-old midfielder was a target for Benitez, who is hoping to trash out a deal if their Premier League counterparts are open to a transfer.

Benitez told the Italian media: “It’s hard not to talk about the transfer market – names keep cropping up constantly. For Fellaini, it’s all down to United, not us.

“In midfield, we’re looking for a player with the right winning mentality. If Fellaini arrives immediately then there won’t be any problem getting him used to our system.

“I have to draw up my list of players for the Champions League so we don’t have much time. He’s not been playing for United so we’ve just got to wait and be respectful.”

LONDON, August 6- Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has told CNN that Luis Suarez’s contract does not contain a “no biting” clause.

The 27-year-old Uruguay striker joined Barca from Liverpool for a reported 94 million euros (75 million pounds) last month but will not play for the Catalan club until October as he is the subject of a four-month ban from football.

The punishment was handed to Suarez after he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during a World Cup match, and could yet be reduced subject to an appeal lodged with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

As things stand, he cannot train with his new Barca teammates and could not be formally unveiled as he is banned from entering the Camp Nou until his suspension is over.

Bartomeu revealed the Primera Division club had approached Liverpool about Suarez before the World Cup finals and stressed Barca were not dissuaded from completing the deal once the FIFA ban had been implemented.

But asked if the player had a ‘no biting’ clause in his contract, Bartomeu said: “No, there is no clause. If the clause did exist we wouldn’t say it, but it doesn’t exist.”

“We didn’t rethink the decision [to sign him] and we told Luis after the bite. He knows he did wrong. He apologised. That’s very important for us.

“That means he knows that he did not do things properly — and of course, coming to our city, coming to our club, there’s going to be a way of managing Luis Suarez, because at Liverpool he was a perfect player. Liverpool fans can tell it, supporters can tell it.”

Bartomeu refused to talk hypothetically about what course of action Barca would take if Suarez did bite a fourth opponent. The forward has already bitten Otman Bakkal, Branislav Ivanovic and Chiellini during matches.

“This is now a question,” Bartomeu added. “This is a question that a lot of people now ask us.

“We cannot talk about something that could happen or not. We don’t know. What we know is that we accept this responsibility and we also wants this responsibility of bringing Luis Suarez to the family of football.”

The Barca president feels Suarez is at the “perfect” stage in his career — following three free-scoring seasons at Anfield — to make a big impression in Catalonia.

“When we approached Suarez, it was before the World Cup,” Bartomeu added. “We told him that he had the right age. He had the experience. Playing at Liverpool give him incredible performance also. And it was the right time for him to come to our club, to Barcelona.

“We knew from a lot of years ago that Luis Suarez likes our club, likes our city. And we have the advantage. His agent is Pep Guardiola’s brother (Pere Guardiola).

“He’s from Barca in his heart, also, so everything was perfect and created the perfect atmosphere that Luis Suarez accepted.

“And we know that he had better offers than our offer but he came to Barcelona.”

-By ESPN FC

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 7- Ismail Dunga, Kevin Kimani and substitute Jesse Were shared the goals as Tusker FC toppled absent champions Gor Mahia at the summit of the Kenyan Premier League in a 3-0 win over basement side Top Fry Nakuru All Stars in a pulsating encounter at Nairobi’s Ruaraka Grounds.

K’Ogalo’s two weeks absence in the league due to involvement in Cecafa Club Championships saw the Brewers press the advantage and return at the top of the log on goal difference with Dunga opening the scoring from the spot in the 42nd minute.

Kimani doubled the lead in the second half from Khalid Aucho’s assist before Were sealed the win after placing the ball past keeper Shaban Odoji in the far left corner.

“We knew the game would be tough considering we were playing a side that is struggling but we told players to stay focused and we are happy they did that.

“It’s a good feeling to return at the top but we will not be carried away by it. We will fight to make sure we stay on top and win the big prize,” Tusker FC assistant coach Leonard Odipo said after the win.

His opposite number, Peter Okidi conceded defeat and blamed his charges for failing to utilize chances that could have seen them take an early lead only for Erastus Mwaniki to miss a penalty.

“We will blame ourselves for the defeat, we were awarded a penalty but we failed to convert, they got theirs and scored. We also failed make good use of our chances compared to them who utilized.

“The match could have ended in a barren draw but miscommunication cost us and my strikers had a bad day in office but we will work on that in our next match at home against Mathare United and hopefully pick maximum points.”

The Brewers were the first to get off the blocks as Odoji rescued the visitors after stopping Andrew Tololwa’s cheeky back heel from creeping in.

All Stars failed to punish the hosts as a poor clearance saw Brian Osumba handle Aucho’s effort in the box obliging referee Nasur Doka to point at the spot, but Mwaniki could not break the deadlock after seeing his strike hit the side post and out.

Okidi’s charges paid the price after Dunga showed how it is done from 12 yards after Tusker won a penalty through left-back Aboud Omar who was hacked down by Kapilima Kanamuli in the box at the stroke of half-time.

Dunga was pulled off on resumption for Were who made an immediate impact as the Brewers stretched their advantage when Kimani found the back of the net after looping the ball past the stranded Odoji who had come off his line.

Former Gor forward, Tonny Nyangor, had two open chances but his efforts went wide in front of goal but on the other end, Tuesker were clinical and got their third when Were raced to a ball before beating Odoji with a low left foot shot that nestled in the far post.

In Machakos, Sofapaka fell to visiting Thika United 2-0 with Michael Luvutsi finding the back of the net in the 74th before Moses Odhiambo scored his first goal since joining the club nine minutes later to complete the upset.

The early kick-off in Ruaraka saw Mathare United gran the points at the death with a last minute goal from the spot to beat visiting Bandari FC 1-0.

Harambee Stars keeper Wilson Obungu will blame himself for the loss after needlessly pulled down defender Edgar ‘Fighter’ Ochieng’ in the box for referee Davies Omweno to award the penalty that was dispatched with minimum of fuss despite the pressure by Noah Abich.

Gor left the country Wednesday for Rwanda, where they are hoping to be crowned regional club champions for the first time since 1985 and must play catch-up when they return for their domestic forays in a fortnight should they sail through to the finals.

GENEVA, August 7- A man arrested this week suspected of involvement in the theft and leaking of a medical file on injured ex-Formula One champion Michael Schumacher was found hanged in his cell Wednesday, prosecutors said.

The man, whose identity was not disclosed, worked as an executive at a Swiss helicopter air rescue company, Rega, which organised the German sportsman’s transport from a French hospital to Switzerland in June, the Zurich prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

The man, arrested Tuesday and interrogated by police, had denied any wrongdoing. He was being detained in a Zurich police holding cell, the statement said.

He was found hanged when officers came to bring him breakfast before a scheduled hearing before a judge.

According to an initial investigation, no one else was involved in his hanging, the prosecutor’s office said.

Zurich police told AFP they had spotted no signs the man was mentally unstable or suicidal.

“Out of respect for human dignity, detained people keep their clothing in the cells. There are also sheets in the cells, so there’s always a risk that we cannot eliminate,” police spokesman Werner Schaub said, without revealing what the man had used to hang himself.

- Family ‘deeply shocked’ -

“We are at a loss for words and deeply shocked,” Sabine Kehm, spokeswoman for Schumacher’s family, told AFP in an email.

Schumacher sustained serious head injuries in a skiing accident at Meribel on December 29 and spent more than five months in hospital in the French city of Grenoble before being transferred to Switzerland in June 16.

The former champion driver, long a resident of the wealthy Alpine nation, was brought by ambulance amid the utmost secrecy to a cutting-edge unit in the CHUV hospital in Lausanne.

But word soon got out that some of his medical records had been stolen and that the thief was attempting to sell them to different media for 50,000 euros ($67,000).

French prosecutors last month tracked down the IP address of the computer used in the theft of the medical records to Zurich-based Rega, which is the main operator of air ambulances in Switzerland.

The company confirmed that it had received a medical file to enable it to provide a medical opinion on the merits of the transfer operation, but denied any wrongdoing.

The firm followed in the footsteps of Schumacher’s family and lodged a legal complaint against “persons unknown” in the case.

French police opened a criminal investigation and requested assistance from Switzerland, which had opened its own probe.

Rega chief Ernst Kohler expressed sadness at Wednesday’s news.

“We are deeply affected to learn … that a Rega employee, taken into custody yesterday upon suspicion of violating professional secrecy, committed suicide in his cell,” he said in a statement.

“This tragic event leaves us saddened and speechless. Our thoughts and sincere condolences go to the deceased’s family and loved ones,” he added.

The Zurich prosecutor’s office refused to reveal the man’s age, nationality or other identifying factors.

But spokeswoman Corinne Bouvard told AFP the prosecution was fairly confident the man was the one who stole Schumacher’s medical records and tried to sell them to journalists.

- No suspected accomplices -

“There is very compelling evidence (that) it was he who tried to sell copies of Schumacher’s medical records to different media,” she said, adding that there was no indication he had any accomplices and that “the case should be closed.”

In its statement, the prosecution authority stressed however that the man should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

According to Swiss media reports, the data thief had exercised little caution.

He used the pseudonym “Kagemusha”, or “Shadow Warrior”, inspired by a Japanese historical film, the Tages Anzeiger daily reported in its online edition.

But he sent his offers to sell the medical documents, along with extracts of the records, via unencrypted emails from computers at Rega’s offices, making it easy for police to track the IP address to the company, it added.

No media have ever published details from the stolen documents.

Schumacher remains in the Lausanne clinic, but little information has emerged about his condition since it was announced he had exited a six-month coma in June.

PRETORIA, August 7- South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius returned to the dock on Thursday to hear concluding arguments in his murder trial, with the star sprinter facing life in prison if found guilty.

Prosecution lawyer Gerrie Nel opened proceedings, setting out the state’s case that Pistorius deliberately murdered his 29-year-old girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013.

Pistorius, who denies the charge, appeared at the Pretoria High Court wearing glasses and a dark suit, clenching his jaw as he sat in the dock.

Thursday saw Barry Steenkamp, Reeva’s father, and Henke Pistorius, Oscar’s father, make their first appearances in court as the five-month long and emotion-filled trial reaches its finale.

The court fell silent as Barry entered and Henke hugged his daughter Aimee before taking a seat in the first row of the public gallery behind his son.

Pistorius’s murder trial began in March and his handpicked team of lawyers have claimed he shot Reeva Steenkamp by accident, believing her to be an intruder.

PORTLAND, August 7- Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola claims he didn’t shake the hand of MLS All-Star squad manager Caleb Porter after his side’s 2-1 loss in Portland because he didn’t see his counterpart.

Guardiola became incensed with referees and the MLS All-Stars’ bench during the second half, seemingly due to rough play by the US league’s substitutes who came on at half-time.

But the Bayern boss was dismissive of the situation in his post-game interviews, even though he seemed to wag a finger at Porter at full-time.

“I didn’t see him,” Guardiola told USA Today after the match. “We tried to respect the rules of the game. I appreciate the effort of my players.”

MLS All-Stars Osvaldo Alonso and Will Johnson both received yellow cards in the second half for hard tackles that clearly upset the Bayern Munich players and their coach on the bench. But Guardiola did not comment at length.

“It’s not my job to be concerned with their tackles,” he said. “That is another person’s job.”

Landon Donovan scored the MLS All-Stars’ game winner and walked away with the game’s MVP honors as well.

The incident was a blemish on an otherwise engaging match that saw the German champions take an early 1-0 lead via a goal from Robert Lewandowski.

But second-half substitutes Bradley Wright-Phillips and Landon Donovan put the MLS All-Stars, respectively scoring the hosts’ equaliser and winner.

“Some of the stuff at the end is unfortunate it gets blown out of proportion like that,” Donovan told ESPN FC TV. “But the guys are playing hard and they are proud of this league and they want to win the game.”

For his part, Porter, who manages the hometown Portland Timbers, said the way the game ended wouldn’t take anything away from how proud he was of the team and the result.

“That was such a small part of tonight,” Porter said. “There’s really no reason for me to talk about it. Coaches get heated. Like I said, there was so much good to talk about that there’s no reason to make that a story.”

-By ESPN FC

LONDON, August 7- Howard Webb jokes flooded the Internet mostly linked to his perceived favouritism of Manchester United after he announced retirement from refereeing to take up a role as a technical director of Professional Game Match Officials Limited.

The highly regarded Webb, 43, who became the first whistler to referee the Champions League and World Cup final in the same year, will also be remembered for his perceived fondness of United, appearing to consistently award Sir Alex Ferguson’s side penalty decisions and additional time at the end of the game.

“It has been gotten from a reliable source that Man United is planning to organise a testimonial for Howard Webb who has retired from refereeing.

“The new Man United boss Louis Van Gaal said that Webb played a critical role in recent united success story and thus deserve the honour,” one such post read.

It added: “Former Man United coach Ferguson was full of praise for Webb labelling him the best man he has ever worked with and a United Legend.

“Former United players and staff have being paying tribute to the great Webb, Rio Ferdinand went as far as saying that the retirement of Webb is Man United’s biggest ever loss. The Venue for the testimonial is Old Trafford but the date has not yet been fixed.”

Twitter was flooded with Webb jokes such as “Howard Webb retires. He made 764 appearances for Man Utd,” from @Manhattandoc, “Would’ve been great to get one more year out of Webb, been a great asset to the squad in the last few years. #ThankYouWebb,”@ManUtdFF.

“BREAKING: Howard Webb retires as a referee. Unconfirmed reports: Statue to be built outside Old Trafford,” @Eurosport.com_EN, “BREAKING NEWS: Howard Webb is to retire from refereeing after 25 years. Reports suggest that he’ll be taking a position as Fergie’s butler,” @TheSunFootball were some of the thousands of Tweets on the subject.

“9 – Howard Webb awarded nine penalties to Man Utd in the Premier League, more than any other club (Liverpool 6, Bolton 5). Retired,” stats gurus, Opta Joe posted while betting firm Paddy Power wrote, “Another high profile departure from Old Trafford announced as Howard Webb retires from refereeing..”

LONDON, August 7- West Ham United midfielder Ravel Morrison threatened to throw acid in his ex-girlfriend’s face and have her killed, a court in Manchester heard on Thursday.

The 21-year-old former Manchester United player is also accused of threatening to blow up the house of Reah Mansoor, his former partner, during a campaign of harassment that lasted four years.

Morrison was initially arrested and charged with two counts of common assault for allegedly attacking Mansoor, 19, and her 39-year-old mother, Parveen Mansoor, after a night out in Manchester on July 26.

Morrison spoke only to confirm his personal details during a brief hearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court, when an allegation of harassment was added to the charges he faces.

His lawyer, David Fish QC, indicated that the England Under-21 international would plead not guilty to all the charges. Morrison was bailed to appear before Manchester Crown Court on August 28.

The court was told that between January 1, 2010 and July 20 this year, Morrison made repeated threats to Reah Mansoor, including that he would throw acid in her face, blow up her house, or have her killed.

Morrison, who hails from Manchester, was remanded in custody last week before being released on bail.

His bail conditions include a proviso that he is not allowed to visit Greater Manchester except for a court appearance, to see his lawyers, or if West Ham have a game in the area.

Morrison was tipped for stardom after progressing through Manchester United’s youth ranks, but disciplinary issues prompted former manager Alex Ferguson to sell him to West Ham for £650,000 ($1.1 million, 820,000 euros) in January 2012.

After spending the 2012-13 campaign on loan at second-tier Birmingham City, Morrison made a bright start to last season for West Ham, notably scoring a fine solo goal in a 3-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur.

But after a groin injury and a loss of form in mid-season, he was loaned to Queens Park Rangers, who he helped secure promotion from the Championship.

PARIS, August 7- Paris Saint-Germain have pulled out of talks with Real Madrid over the transfer of Angel Di Maria because the Argentine midfielder is too expensive, club president Nasser al-Khelaifi said Thursday.

“We spoke with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, but Di Maria was too expensive and we stopped talks,” Khelaifi said during the unveiling of Brazil defender David Luiz.

PSG have to bow this season to Financial Fair Play restrictions imposed by European football’s governing body, UEFA.

The Qatari-bankrolled capital club, along with Premier League champions Manchester City, were in May slapped with a fine of 60 million euros ($82 million, £49 million) for breaching FFP regulations, namely accruing losses in excess of the 45-million-euro limit over the course of the past two seasons.

The French champions, in addition, agreed not to increase the club’s wage bill for the next two campaigns and to “significantly limit spending” in the transfer market while curbing losses to no more than 30 million euros next year.

With PSG having already forked out around 50 million euros to secure Luiz’s services from Chelsea, Real’s valuation of Di Maria at nearly 60 million forced them to back away from transfer talks.

Khelaifi added that he didn’t think Luiz had been expensive.

“He’s a great player. It’s the price. There were lots of big clubs who wanted to buy him and I’m very glad he came here,” he said.

LONDON, August 7- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hinted on Thursday that Premier League rivals Manchester United are one of several clubs pursuing the signature of Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen.

Vermaelen, 28, is Arsenal’s club captain, but he lost his place in the first XI last season and has been linked with clubs including United and Barcelona.

Wenger confirmed at a press conference that Arsenal had received bids for the left-footed centre-back and when asked which clubs had made them, he replied: “I can’t tell you that, but you will know very soon.”

Pressed as to whether United were one of the clubs to have expressed an interest, he said: “I think they could be in the group.”

While Wenger would not comment on press reports that Arsenal are asking for a fee of up to £15 million ($25.3 million, 18.9 million euros) for Vermaelen, he conceded that he was considering letting him leave.

“It could happen,” said the Frenchman, whose side face Manchester City in the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday.

“I’ve said since the start of pre-season that it could happen that Thomas leaves us because he needs to play now.

“He had an outstanding attitude and behaviour, but he’s in a position where it’s difficult to stand in his way if he finds an interesting opportunity.”

Wenger confirmed that there were foreign teams among the clubs to have made enquiries about Vermaelen.

When he was asked if he would prefer to sell him to an overseas club, he replied: “Ideally, yes.”

LONDON, August 7- Arsenal winger Theo Walcott could make his return from a serious knee injury by the end of the month, manager Arsene Wenger revealed on Thursday.

Walcott, 25, has not played since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup third round in January.

He subsequently had to undergo surgery, forcing him to miss both Arsenal’s FA Cup triumph over Hull City and England’s World Cup campaign, but Wenger says that he is now close to a return.

“Theo Walcott is planned to come back into my group on August 31. The beginning of September at the latest,” the Frenchman told a press conference at the Emirates Stadium.

“He’s doing well, but he’s not completely ready.”

Asked when Walcott will be available to play, Wenger replied: “I would say end of August.”

England have a friendly game at home to Norway on September 3, but Wenger thinks that the game will come too soon for Walcott.

“To play an international match, that could be a bit early,” he said.

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 7 – “Winning the league was a morale booster. Heading to Kagame Cup, it would feel so nice winning two major trophies in a row,” Gor Mahia Captain Jerim Onyango declared before the contingent of 25 departed for Rwanda on Wednesday night.

Onyango, who was only a year old when K’Ogalo last lifted the regional title in Sudan 29 years ago, believes winning the league last season for the first time in 18 years will inspire them to history once more as they return to the two weeks-long tournament since 1996.

“It’s a big challenge knowing we just won the league last season and we are aware it’s not going to be easy but we will work hard to at least revive Gor’s glory in the region.

“Morale in camp is high and it’s been long since Gor won the trophy so most of the players are looking forward for the challenge,” the Harambee Stars keeper added.

K’Ogalo will begin their quest with a tricky fixture against Ugandan Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) in Group B’s opener on Friday at 3pm local time.

The two sides last met at the 1984 edition in Nairobi where Gor had to come a goal down to salvage a 1-1 draw making the encounter a must watch game since both teams will be out to prove their supremacy.

But Onyango was confident the current squad will triumph despite admitting they are in a tough Pool that also include hosts APR, Burundi’s Atletico, and Djibouti’s Telcom where three teams will sail to the quarter-finals.

“Some of the teams we have faced them in friendly and this time round we have a very experienced team. We are going there as champions and we are geared up to do our best.

“As Kenyan champions we are prepared to face big teams in the tournament and I’m sure they are also afraid of us but 90 minutes will count. If we embrace concentration and team work then at the end of the day we are going to make it,” the 30 year-old popularly known by the Green Army as ‘Jagol’ told Capital Sport.

KCCA head coach George Nseimbe declared he is confident of overcoming Gor since he already know how they play.

“Our group is tough but Gor is not a problem to me. I have been following the Kenyan league on TV and I know how to confront them. APR might give us challenge because they are consistent but I’m not scared of the Kenyans,” Nsimbe told a local daily in Uganda.

Gor will be banking on their three Ugandans, defender Godfrey Walusimbi, midfielder Geoffrey Kizito and talisman Dan Sserunkuma to floor their country club that has won the Ugandan National League nine times.

Unlike Gor who were eliminated in the first round of African Champions League by Tunisian giants Esperance, KCCA who are boosted by the return of Cranes players Brian Majwega, Brian Umony and Hassan Wasswa reached the second round after bundling out Sudanese side Al Merreikh.

The next match for K’Ogalo will be against Atletico who replaced Flambeau de l’est on Monday next week.

Tanzania giants Young Africans also pulled out with Azam FC replacing them in Group A.

LONDON, August 8 – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that his club have lost the vulnerability that once made their players easy prey for Sunday’s Community Shield opponents Manchester City.

Bacary Sagna became the third player to join City from Arsenal in recent seasons when he swapped the Emirates Stadium for the Etihad Stadium in June, but Wenger’s side are now operating on something approaching an equal footing in the transfer market.

Having signed Mesut Ozil in a club-record deal a year ago, Arsenal bought Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona in a move reportedly worth around £30 million ($50.5 million, 37.8 million euros) last month, and Wenger feels they can no longer be considered the poor relations among the Premier League’s leading sides.

“It looks like we are a bit closer,” he told journalists at the Emirates on Thursday.

“We are less vulnerable, that’s for sure. Because in the last two years we bought Ozil and Sanchez. Five years ago we would have lost Ozil and Sanchez!”

Wenger saw Sagna’s fellow France internationals Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy leave Arsenal for City in 2011, while Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie also made high-profile exits around the same time.

While Wenger admitted that it was painful to see his best players leave, he said that the identity of the buying club made no difference.

“What is tiring is to lose the players. To Manchester City or to somebody else, for me it is the same,” he said.

But Wenger did admit that he was disappointed by Sagna’s decision to leave the club after seven years in north London.

Asked why the 31-year-old former Auxerre player had elected to seek pastures new, Wenger replied: “You should ask him that question. I made him a proposal to stay for three years, and he chose City.

“Had he chosen that a long time ago? Maybe. Has he made an early decision? Maybe. It looks to me like he has signed (for City) a long time before, or agreed, because he couldn’t sign.”

- ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ -

Wenger rejected suggestions, however, that City had ‘bullied’ Arsenal into acquiring their best players.

“What you call ‘bullying’, I don’t call that bullying,” he said.

“You pay the price. Usually the transfer is an agreement between three parties and for years we were not in a position where we could say ‘no’. Like Southampton this season.

“At the end of the day, the players finish at the richest clubs. Man United did that as well for years. But they just had superior financial power. They still have.”

Arsenal crashed to a 6-3 defeat at City last season and also fell to heavy losses at Liverpool (5-1) and Chelsea (6-0).

Wenger said that there mitigating factors behind the loss at the Etihad — such as fatigue after a mid-week trip to Naples in the Champions League — but he admitted that his side’s record against their fellow title contenders was a worry.

Asked if he was shocked by Arsenal’s record against the other heavyweights in the Premier League, Wenger replied: “Concerned. Shocked by the number of goals we conceded.

“Because we had Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde defensively. We had 18 clean sheets, but when we didn’t have a clean sheet, we really let them score.

“I think it was a loss of confidence. Overall we looked quite sound defensively. We have a good opportunity to improve that.”