Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel will serve a three-match ban after an independent FA disciplinary panel rejected his appeal against a violent conduct charge. The Slovakia international stood on Manchester United keeper David de Gea in the last seconds of Liverpool’s 2-1 home defeat at Anfield on Sunday. The incident was missed at the time by referee Martin Atkinson.

Sprinter Justin Gatlin has been given a new sponsorship deal by US sportswear giant Nike. The 33-year-old American dominated the 100m and 200m in 2014, and is many experts’ favourite to win a golden double at August’s world championships. “But Gatlin has served two doping bans, including a four-year suspension between 2006-2010. He was sponsored by Nike prior to his second ban but has been wearing Chinese firm Xtep’s kit since 2012.

Olympic champion and world record holder Usain Bolt will make his first appearance in the United States in five years when he competes in the Adidas Grand Prix Diamond League meeting in New York on 13 June. The Jamaican sprinter set his first 100 metres world record at the meeting in 2008 when he clocked 9.72 seconds. His only other appearance in the U.S. since then was to anchor a Jamaican 4×100 metres team at the 2010 Penn Relays.

Former Manchester United skipper Nemanja Vidic will not leave Inter Milan at the end of the season, claims his agent. The Serb, 33, has been strongly linked with a return to England after joining the Nerazzurri as a free agent last summer. Asked if Vidic would stay at Inter, his agent Silvano Martina told Gazzetta dello Sport: “I think he should, yes, because he has another two years left on his contract. “In fact, I want to reveal something. Last year he made a specific choice to come to Milan, even though Manchester United wanted to keep him and kept calling up to December.” Vidic was dropped by the Nerazzurri earlier in the season, but has since re-established himself under Roberto Mancini.

Injured West Brom striker Brown Ideye is hopeful of returning for next week’s Premier League home match against QPR. The Nigeria international, 26, missed the 3-0 defeat at Manchester City with a knee problem, which also forced him out of his nation’s friendly against Uganda. “I thought I could be fit for Nigeria. I thought I could even be fit for the game at Manchester City,” the Baggies’ record signing tells the club’s official website. “But I couldn’t run and I have had to stay back instead of risking it by going to internationals. “I just have to rest. The pain is still there but the doctors and physios have been doing their best to make sure I’m fit for the QPR game.”

Few Premier League fans could quite believe that Brazil superstar Robinho was leaving Real Madrid in 2008 for…Manchester City. City, of course, were then simply just a mid-table top-flight side. Almost seven years on, Robinho admits he was quite surprised by the £32.5m move too. “I knew I was going to play in England but I didn’t know for which club!” says the 31-year-old, who was also linked to Chelsea before going to City. Now back at Santos, Robinho discusses his brief, but sometimes brilliant, time at Eastlands on City’s official website.

Here’s Vinicius, the mascot of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, atop a Sugar Loaf mountain cable train car in Rio de Janeiro. Today marked the start of the 500-day countdown to next year’s Games.

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel denies a charge of violent conduct over an alleged stamp on Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea. The incident happened in injury-time during the Reds’ 2-1 Premier League defeat at Anfield on Sunday. The Slovakian, 30, was charged on Monday and faces a three-match suspension. But he claims the incident was accidental and not intentional.

Diego Simeone extends his deal as manager of reigning Spanish champions Atletico Madrid until 2020. The ex-Argentina midfielder guided Los Rojiblancos to their first Liga since 1996, as well as last season’s Champons League final where they were beaten by neighbours Real Madrid. Simeone once played for Atletico Madrid when Fernando Torres was captain. Today they are coach and player respectively for the club and they are good friends.

Radamel Falcao wants to leave Manchester United in the summer even if he is offered a permanent deal, reports the Manchester Evening News. According to the newspaper, the Colombian striker is understood to have indicated his intention to leave Old Trafford – after being largely being frozen out this season. Liverpool and Chelsea are rumored to be interested in Falcao.

Michel Platini was re-elected by acclamation as UEFA president for a third term at the European confederation’s 39th Congress on Tuesday (today). The 59-year-old former France international, who has been president since 2007, was handed another four-year term by delegates of UEFA’s 54-member nations after standing unopposed.

Liverpool’s Mario Balotelli had to be restrained by the Liverpool fans from clashing with Chris Smalling after taking offence to a tackle. The fiery Italian reacted to being forced into the advertising boards and was quick in his attempts to grab the Manchester United defender before being held back by proactive fans. This was after Steven Gerrard had been sent off for stamping Hererra. Why always Mario?

Ugochukwu “Ugo” Chiedozie Monye has announced his retirement from the game at the end of the season. The 31-year-old won 14 caps for England and played two Tests for the Lions in 2009, scoring a crucial try in the third Test victory against South Africa at Ellis Park. Monye has played over 200 times for his club Harlequins, winning the Premiership title in 2012. The 31-year-old, who was born in Islington, London to Nigerian parents.

Fenerbahce striker Emmanuel Emenike asked to be substituted in the 1-0 victory over Besiktas after he received abuse from his own fans. The Nigeria international reacted angrily to jeers after losing the ball and took his shirt off, storming off the pitch, only be to be talked back on by his coaching staff. He was replaced at half-time.

English FA chairman Greg Dyke has warned Premier League football is in danger of “having nothing to do with English people” as new proposals to limit the number of non-EU players are outlined by English football’s governing body, BBC reports.

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Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel is charged by the Football Association with violent conduct. Skrtel appeared to stand on De Gea’s leg in the final seconds of Sunday’s game with Manchester United, which the Red Devils won 2-1. In explaining Martin Skrtel’s charge, the FA said in a statement: “In Premier League matches, if an incident has not been seen by the match officials, a three-man panel of former elite officials will be asked by The FA to review the footage independently of each other.”They will then advise what, if any action, they believe the match referee should have taken had it been witnessed at the time.”For an FA charge to follow, all three panel members must agree it is a sending-off offence. In this instance, the decision by the panel was unanimous.”

Former Arsenal midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst has been confirmed as Feyenoord’s new manager, starting in the summer. The 40-year-old is currently assistant to Fred Rutten, who will leave the Dutch club at the end of the season. He will sign a two-year contract as Feyenoord manager.