Injured Koeman replaced

Ronald Koemah will miss southampton's match with Newcastle due to a hamstring injury.
Erwin said: “We lost games last year
against Sunderland, Leicester, and
they played with more intensity than
us. We have to improve ourselves
because the expectations are higher
than last year.”

Sunday Express.

Arsene Wenger is looking for his Arsenal squad to score more goals this season rather than a new striker.

Wenger describes himself as
a natural optimist. Arsenal’s
manager is the romantic who
always believes in a better tomorrow
and when he was asked whether his
squad is strong enough to win the title
for the first time since 2004, his succinct
answer was heavy with trademark
conviction. “Yes, I believe that,” Wenger
said, his tone firm.
Thierry Henry is less sure. He believes
that his old club still need to sign a top
striker if they are to topple Chelsea.
Henry is adamant that signing Real
Madrid’s Karim Benzema would swing
the balance of power towards Arsenal.

Naturally Wenger disagreed. “I respect
Thierry Henry a lot for his football
knowledge but it is not as mathematical
as that,” he said.

Or is it? Every team who has won the
Premier League since 2009 had a player
who scored 20 goals or more. Chelsea’s
killers were Didier Drogba in 2010 and
Diego Costa last season, Manchester City
had Sergio Agüero in 2012 and Yaya
Touré in 2014, while for Manchester
United it was Dimitar Berbatov in 2011
and Robin van Persie in 2013.
Alexis Sánchez was Arsenal’s top scorer
with 16 league goals last season and
Olivier Giroud, who missed three
months with a broken foot, scored 14.
Wenger, who did not comment about
the links with Benzema, argued that
Giroud would have scored more if he
had been fit for the entire season.
Yet Giroud’s finishing nightmare
against Monaco in February furthered
the argument that he is a commendable
but unreliable striker at the highest
level and for all his classy link-up play,
Arsenal looked more fluid when Theo
Walcott was used in a central role when
they beat Aston Villa 4-0 in the FA Cup
final in May. Walcott, who scored the
opening goal against Villa, started
instead of Giroud in last Sunday’s win
over Chelsea in the Community Shield
and Wenger could stick with him for the
visit of West Ham on Sunday.
For Wenger, however, it is less about
the individual and more about the
collective. Giroud and Walcott will
contribute in different ways and
Sánchez is superb, but Wenger wants
more from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
and Mesut Özil.
“We look like we can score goals when
we go forward,” he said. “Even when
we were dominated in the second half
by Chelsea, every time we crossed
halfway it looked like something can
happen there.
“I think that we have to develop our
collective game. I think we have to
depend less on one guy who can come
in and score all the goals, but develop
the players and the collective aspect.
“I don’t see why a guy like Chamberlain
should not have an ambition to score 10
goals. Sánchez can score goals. I think
Özil has to fix himself a target of at
least 10 for a guy who plays behind the
striker. You want more from him in
goalscoring. We can share that, more
than when Thierry played. You knew
before the game he would get you a
goal.”
The general consensus is that Arsenal
must sign a striker. But who is there
aside from Benzema? The lack of top-
class strikers in Europe means Wenger’s
thinking has changed.
“One of the basic reasons that we
produce fewer centre-forwards is that
we produce few centre-backs,” he said.
“Because before the teams practised in
the park in winter, when you had to lift
the ball, to go behind. Today the pitches
are all perfect. We develop only
midfielders now.
“The education is about passing on the
ground on perfect pitches. Before you
had to kick the ball from the back to get
behind, to fight with the centre-back to
win the ball and have a chance. This is
not the case anymore. The conditions
have changed. We have not adapted in
our education. It is evolution. Look
across Europe now, many centre-
forwards are South American.
“Maybe we have to create specific
schools for centre-forwards. In Europe
we produce plenty of good technical
midfielders.
“When I arrived in England, in every
single club there was a guy who before
the game you’d say: ‘Be careful, he’s
good in the air. Be careful, because he’s
aggressive’. Every club.”
But, of course, Wenger thinks that the
European striker can thrive again. “You
can coach everything,” he said.


The Guardian

Newcastles's £11m bid for Diego Polan turned down.

 

Bordeaux turned down Newcastle £11m bid for Diego Polan.Head Coach Steve Mc Claren,who has already been backed in the transfer market is still hoping to sign the 22 year old Uruguay star.


Mc Claren is also looking at Barnsley's right back Mason Jolgate, amidst interest from Aston Villa and Everton.

Photo Credit- Getty Images

Augsburg rejects Chelsea's £25m bid for Baba Rahman

Augsbrug have rejected Chelsea's £25m bid for the Ghana left-back Baba Rahman with the German side holding out for £30m.

He has been confirmed as the player Jose Mourinho wants to replace with Luis Filipe,who was sold back to Atletico Madrid after a season at Stamford Brigde.

Augsburg have insisted that Chelsea must meet their valuation of the player Rahman who has already agreed personal terms with Chelsea.

Man City expect Kelvin De Bruyne to complete his move from Wolfsburg this week.

Manchester City are positive the deal will go through,thus booking his medical which means he could make his debut in a week against Chelsea.

Chelsea's Jose Mourinho claimed recently that he sold De Bruyne because he couldn't handle the premier league but his performances for Wolfsburg in Bundesliga proved otherwise and that seemed to have convinced Man City.

Benzema could win Arsenal the title.

According to Sky Sports,Henry believes Arsenal
would be serious title contenders if
they signed Karim Benzema from
Real Madrid.
The Sky Sports pundit, who said earlier
this year that the Gunners needed to
bring in a big-name striker, was left
in no doubt that Arsene Wenger's
side would win the Premier League if
they lured the France international
to the Emirates.
"Yes, Arsenal would win the league,"

he said when asked what impact
Benzema would have at the club.
"I think if you get Benzema, not only
will you challenge for the league,
but you also challenge for the
Champions League.
"They need that type of striker who
can be different to Olivier Giroud.
Him alone as a striker all season, he
is very good at what he does but you
need to have that type of striker who
can stretch a defence, a guy that
can go in behind."
Arsenal started the Community
Shield victory over Chelsea with
Theo Walcott up front ahead of
Giroud, and the England forward set
up Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for the
only goal of the game.

Sky Sports

Arsene Wenger welcomes tougher action on feigning injury.

Arsene Wenger,who has previously called for the Football Association to take actions on players who feigns injury,praised the Football Association for taking a tougher stance on players who feign injury in order to implicate an opponent.

"I am a big fan of the new rule,with all the camera angles, it will be easier to punish players diving". -Wenger.

Christian Benteke challenges Tim Sherwood over his suitability for playing at Liverpool

The 24-year-old Belgian has also
dismissed suggestions his
goalscoring end to last season was
due to Sherwood’s influence. Benteke
says it was simply "good timing" the
Villa manager took the job as the
striker returned to full fitness.
In trying to convince Benteke to stay
at Villa Park, Sherwood argued he was
building a side to get the most out of
the Belgian - suggesting that will not
be the case on Merseyside.

“There’s no point going to a club
where they don’t cross the ball,”
Sherwood said before Benteke's
transfer. “We cross more balls into
the box than any other club in the
league and Christian has said that he
feeds off crosses.”
• How Liverpool could line up this
season
That has prompted a response from
Benteke.
“I don’t believe that and I told him,”
said Benteke. “I spoke with him and I
explained to him the situation. I said
football has changed and the football
now is modern and I can adapt. It is
not just about crossing.
"I can score normal goals, too. I told
him I am not afraid about it. If
Liverpool bought me, then they know
how to use me. That is why I came
here - to show I can play with my feet,
too.”

Benteke is frustrated his form at the
end of last season, when he scored
eight goals in six games to steer Villa
from relegation, has been credited to
Sherwood’s man-management rather
than his contribution.
“People don’t understand. It was a bit
frustrating. It was like I had never
been injured,” said Benteke.
“He (Sherwood) came in at a good
time, at a time when I was getting fit
and getting better, so it was like a
good time for both of us. It was the
right time for him and for me. Ok, he
helped me a lot but I had been injured
for a long time and I was getting back
to what I could do.
"It was just a question of time. With
Paul Lambert it was hard because I
had just come back and had to help
the team. We were struggling, and
when Tim came I was feeling better
than before.”

Liverpool’s lack of firepower was
debilitating last season, and Benteke
will be under immediate pressure to
solve the most obvious problem in
Rodgers’ line-up .
“I knew if I joined a big club I would
have some pressure, so I am ready for
this challenge,” said Benteke.
“The pressure will bring the best out
of me. The money is high, but even if
it was less when you join a big club
there is pressure so I just have to deal
with it.
“It is an honour to get this number
(the number nine), but because I am a
striker it is also normal to get it.
'I've proved that I'm not a bad player'
“I don’t want to be arrogant but since
I came to England I proved I wasn’t a
bad player. Now it is a different
situation, a different pressure. It is
the pressure to be at the top and with
Villa it was the pressure of not to go
down. I believe whatever level I play I
will score. I believe I can produce the
goals.”


The Telegraph

Everton Schemes loan move for Intermilan Star Xherdan Shaqiri.

Everton plans loan move for Intermilan star Xherdan Shaqiri.

interMilan are willing to allow w Xherdan leave on loan which gives Everton the chance to strike a deal.

Stoke were closing in on a £12m deal for Shaqiri earlier this summer but the move failed.

Photo Credit- Getty Images.

Manchester City must pay £45m to sign Wolfsburg's Kelvin De Bruyne.

In order to sign the 24 year old attacking Mid Fielder Kelvin De Bruyne, Manchester will have to pay wolfsbrug's asking price of £45m.

Kelvin De Bruyne who was voted as the Bundeshga's best player last season,helping his side finish as runners up behinde Bayern Munich,joined Wolfsburg last January for £18m has already pointed out that he would prefer to return to premier's League.

"It is a question for Wolfsburg but we are expecting some progress in the coming days" His agent Patrick De Koster told guardian sport.

Photo Credit- Getty Images.

Westbrom to sign Arsenal's Serge Gnabry.

Westbrom are set to sign Arsenal's Serge Gnabry.

Due to his Knee Injury, he has been absent from all of last season's matches and hasn't played for Arsenal since 2014.

Gnabry will become Albion's fourth summer signing after Rickie Lambert,James McClean and James Chester.

Arsenal are still confident of signing Karim Benzema.

Arsenal are still working on a deal to land Real Madrid star  Karim Benzema.

Daily Star- "Despite Arsene Wenger rubbishing
Arsenal's interest, StarSport can reveal
the Gunners are confident of striking a
deal for the £35m-rated Frenchman.
With Gareth Bale being handed a new
attacking role next season, Benzema
could find opportunities limited under
new boss Rafa Benitez.
And the Spanish giants have now let it
be known they are now ready to talk
about selling Benzema.
Wenger's claim he in not chasing
Benzema's signature is believed to be
out of respect to Real.
Meanwhile, Jack Wilshere's injury-
jinx has struck again and he will be
sidelined for at least six weeks with a
fractured ankle.
The England midfielder's latest blow
is a hairline crack of his left fibula
sustained in training".

Photo Credit- Getty Images

David De Gea to sit out Tottenham's Match.

Manchester United's David De Gea will not play in opposition to Tottenham on Saturday due to his connection to a move to Real Madrid.

Madrid born David De Gea has wanted a move to Real Madrid all summer.

" I think about the human being more than the player and I don't think he can handle that" -Van Gaal.

Signing Sergio Romero is liable to start the premier league season opener.

The Golden Eaglets begins World Cup defense against USA.

Golden Eaglet of Nigeria will start their title defence against USA on Saturday,October 17.

Representing Africa is Nigeria,Mali,SouthAfrica and Guinea.

The Golden Eaglets are in the same Group A with Chile and Croatia.

Mali will play against Belgium, Hondura and Ecuador in Group D.

South Africa against Russia,Korea DPR and Costarica in Group E.


While Guinea are up against Korea Republic,England and Brazil in Group B.

Australia Germany Argentina and Mexico are in Group C,while Paraguay, Syria, New Zealand and France are in Group F.

Westham increases offer for Mexican.

Westham is set to return to Manchester United with a better offer of £12m for Javier Hernandez.

Prior to Enner Valencia's injury,the club was already on the search for a new striker and his injury has made the search more urgent.


Westham have agreed to a one season loan for Raul Jimenez Atletico Madrid striker.

Westbrom to bid for Arsenal's target Dennis Pr

Westbrom have made an approach to sign Arsenal's target Dennis Praet,they joined in the pursuit of the 21 year old midfielder,who according to Talk Sport is one of Belgium's brrightest prospects.


According to reports,Anderlecht are willing to sell Praet this summer but would command at least £11m for the player.

Chelsea and Juventus talks over Ghanian Midfielder transfer.

Having rejected a £4.2m bid for Godfred Donsah,Cagliari president confirms the club has discussed a transfer with Chelsea this summer. He also revealed juventus are eager to get the 19 year old midfielder and offer Alberto Cerri ex-pafma striker as part of the deal.

David De Gea or Sergio Romero-Van Gaal.

Van Gaal wasn't impressed with with the 2-0 defeat and De Gea in the final game of United's pre season tour of the united states against Paris St Germain.

Van Gaal will spend some time accessing the goalkeeper,De Gea in training.The outcome will determine whether to stick with De Gea or sign and n Romero at Old Trafford.

Manchester United drops in the latest UEFA coefficient ranking.

Manchester United has fallen behind their City rivals in ranking.

Having failed to qualify for the Champions League last season,they fall behind Manchester City in the latest coefficient ranking.Unable to compete in Europe last season,the red devils were unable to amass points and have fallen to 20th place.

Manchester United expected to be placed in Pot Two as uefa takes the past five season's into account.

Mourinho predicts a tough season

Chelsea ended the season with eight point ahead  of Manchester City.

Chelsea's boss Jose mourinho predicts a tough and more competitive season.Jose mourinho says Gradel could play for Chelsea. He has also been impressed by Yohan Cabaye's £10m move,Georginio Wijnaldum £14.25m move and Gradel's arrival for £7m.

"There will be more times when the non title contender win matches against title contenders.Its also difficult because they have players (cabaye wynaldum gradel) who could play in our teams".-Mourinho.

Adnan Januzay Loan Move

Sunderland in talks with Manchester United over 20 year old winger Adnan January Loan move.

They are on the verge of sealing deals for midfield Pair Leroy Fer and Yann M'vila,and are hoping to secure a loan for Januzay.

Christian Benteke handed famous number nine shirt.

Christian Benteke who was signed two weeks ago from Aston villa for 32.5million has been handed Liverpool's famous number nine shirt, which has been worn by some of the club's greatest players including the like of Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler.

Southampton has made a £7m bid for the dutch defender Virgil Van Dijk

Southampton made £7m bid for Arsenal and Manchester United target,the 24 year old central defender Virgil Van Dijk.

Alex Oxlade Chamberlain fires back at Roy Keane's accusation

According to The Independent,

"Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has struck
back at Roy Keane’s accusation that the
current Arsenal squad are “more
interested in selfies and six-packs”,
claiming they are just as determined to
win trophies as any other club.
The England international scored the
goal in Arsenal’s 1-0 Community Shield
win over Chelsea on 2 August, following
another season that was interrupted by
injury. The victory followed a
comprehensive savaging from Keane,
who had accused Arsenal players of not
focusing “on winning Premier League
titles” but said instead: “It’s all about
how their bodies look, how their hair is.
“They’ve got good players, really good
players,” he said in an interview last
week. “It’s just one or two of their
players are more interested in selfies
and six-packs.”
Asked about the rise of dressing-room
selfie pictures, coincidentally banned by
Sir Alex Ferguson in his final years at
Old Trafford, Oxlade-Chamberlain said it
was not a reflection of the hunger of the
Arsenal players to be successful.
“It’s a new era, isn’t it? Some people do
it, some don’t,” he said. “We’re serious
about winning trophies. Personally, and
I can speak for the rest of the squad,
we’ve been serious every single year I’ve
been at the club about winning trophies.
You can see that on the pitch when we’re
playing, through the season. A lot of
people don’t see when we lose and go
through tough times how upset and
disappointed we are. We’ve always
wanted to win trophies and in the last
years we’ve won a few. This season we
want to go that one better.”
Oxlade-Chamberlain said he had never
known confidence among the Arsenal
players to be as high as it is now, in his
four years at the club. “We’ve all been
together a good number of years, we’ve
shared two consecutive successes in the
FA Cup and we’ve had the highs from
that. As a team we’ve suffered some
upsets as well and we’ve learnt from
that.
“The addition of Petr Cech will help us.
He’s a quality player; an individual and
a character who has won things. He has
the winning mentality and can only help
us.
“Ever since I’ve been at Arsenal we’ve
had quality players. It just seemed that
in the big games we came up short and
you wonder why. The mentality was a
big thing. We’ve got better at that,
especially last year. A [win] against
Chelsea is always important for us. It
helps the confidence going into that next
fixture against them. But it is a long
season and it is early. We can’t get too
carried away.”

Thiago Silva believes Angel Di Maria's move from united is a step up.

Paris Saint Germain defender Thiago Silva says Angel Di Maria's £44m move is a step up from Manchester United.

Silva said: "I think

that people now need to respect PSG as a
club, and our position as one of the big
clubs in Europe.
"Real Madrid and Barcelona are
probably on another level, but after that
if you are joining PSG it means you are
probably taking a step up,we went further than any English clubs
in Europe last year - even beating the
English champions," the PSG captain
continued.
"Every season we keep our best players
despite much interest, and always add
the best players in Europe. How many
clubs can say that? The vision our
owners have for this club is very clear,
and that is for PSG to be the best."

Manchester United bids for Gareth bale this summer.

Manchester united boss Louis Van Gaal has made two £100m bid for Gareth Bale this summer.

The sun-"Real Madrid claim Old Trafford boss
Louis van Gaal was so desperate to
land Bale he attempted to smash the
£86m mark set when the Spaniards
landed the 26-year-old from Spurs in
2013".

Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea

1-0 Chelsea

FA Cup holders Arsenal won the

Community Shield for a second

season in a row as they beat Premier

League champions Chelsea at

Wembley.

Arsene Wenger now has a reason to celebrate against Jose Mourinho having failed to win in any of his previous 13 attempts.

Oxlade Chamberlain's stunning strike was Arsenal's first goal against Chelsea and was the only goal of today's match.

Nacho Monreal set to sign a new deal with Arsenal

Nacho Montreal has agreed to a new deal worth £75,000 a week,according to report.

The 29 year old revealed last month that he wanted to stay in North London.

Monreal has made 61 Premier league appearances for Arsenal.

Wenger is determined to secure a deal for the Real Madrid striker-Benzema

According to the Telegraph, Arsenal are closing on the transfer of Benzema and would make the striker their top earner.

Arsenal are reportedly set to launch a £40m bid for the 27 year old striker.
Benzema would be the highest paid at the club,his pay surpassing that of Mesut Ozil,Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott.

Photo Credit-Getty Images

United GoalKeeper David Di Gea's move to Real Madrid closing in

According to As.com

" Louis Van Gaal is tired of playing
‘hard-ball’ and has requested that the
Old Trafford club close the deal with
Real Madrid as soon as possible. The
Dutch coach publicly hint

ed at these
intentions last Wednesday (“We have
a situation on our hands that is not
good for the player, not good for us
and not good for the club where the
player wants to move to” he stated)
and from information that AS has
been made aware of, Van Gaal has
privately asked that the United
sporting director’s to 'unlock' the
negotiations for the players move to
the Spanish capital.
De Gea’s errors against PSG have
convinced Van Gaal that it makes little
sense to retain De Gea in Manchester
against the players will. The Spanish
goalkeeper is clearly overwhelmed by
the situation and even a day after
returning from the US tour, De Gea’s
was still clearly affected by
circumstances regarding his
frustrated move to Real Madrid.
Van Gaal’s change of heart is a step
forward in the possibility of the
matter being renegotiated but it is by
no means definitive. There are those
at the club determined to retain their
goalkeeper. Club executive, vice-
president, Ed Woodward, wants
Manchester United to regain its status
as one of Europe’s biggest football
clubs and feels that selling the club’s
best player to a direct rival is not the
best way forward. The club saw how
selling Cristiano and Beckham in the
past aided Real Madrid to grow in a
sporting capacity".

Manchester United will not give up on their world record pursuit of Real Madrid Star-Gareth Bale

With £59.7 million Angel Di Maria
heading for Paris Saint-Germain Old
Trafford boss Louis van Gaal’s desire
to make a ‘galactico’ signing has
grown even stronger.
United would like Barcelona’s Pedro,
whose release clause is £22 million,
to help bolster the squad for a
concerted Premier League title
challenge but that won’t dampen the
urge to bring in former Tottenham
flyer Bale.
The club’s new kit suppliers Adidas
who are pumping in a staggering £750
million over the next 10 years are also
pushing for Wales international Bale
to join United.
He is one of the company’s A listers
and they believe that Bale and United
is the perfect fit in terms of
marketing.
The fact that Real Madrid would want
all of the £86 million - and more - to
part with the 26-year-old, is not
putting off the Old Trafford hierarchy
led by executive vice-chairman Ed
Woodward.
They are prepared to smash the Bale
world record fee to snatch a player
they feel could help them win the
Premier League.
United will push for Bale right up
until the transfer window closes
hoping that the Spaniards will relent,
especially if the Bernabeu fans once
again turn on him. Also in the
knowledge they are desperate to sign
keeper David de Gea.

-Sunday Express
Photo Credit- Getty Image

Leaked IAAF Doping Files

t data.
The Sunday Times and German
broadcaster ARD/WRD have obtained
access to the results of 12,000 blood
tests from 5,000 athletes.
According to the newspaper, the
evidence - which has been seen by the
BBC - reveals the "extraordinary
extent of cheating" by athletes at the
world's biggest events.
Wada's independent commission will
investigate the claims in the ARD/WRD
documentary Doping - Top Secret: The
Shadowy World of Athletics.
Wada president Sir Craig Reedie said
his organisation was "very disturbed
by these new allegations... which will,
once again, shake the foundation of
clean athletes worldwide".
The files belong to world governing
body the International Association of
Athletics Federations (IAAF), but have
been leaked by a whistle-blower.
The Sunday Times and ARD/WRD used
two of the world's "foremost anti-
doping experts", scientists Robin
Parisotto and Michael Ashenden, to
review the data.
According to the experts, the
database reveals:
A third of medals (146, including 55
golds) in endurance events at the
Olympics and World
Championships between 2001 and
2012 were won by athletes who
have recorded suspicious tests. It
is claimed none of these athletes
have been stripped of their
medals.
More than 800 athletes - one in
seven of those named in the files -
have recorded blood tests
described by one of the experts as
"highly suggestive of doping or at
the very least abnormal".
A top UK athlete is among seven
Britons with suspicious blood
scores.
British athletes - including
Olympic champion heptathlete
Jessica Ennis-Hill - have lost out
in major events to competitors
who were under suspicion.
Ten medals at London 2012 were
won by athletes who have dubious
test results.
In some finals, every athlete in the
three medal positions had
recorded a suspicious blood test.
Russia emerges as "the blood
testing epicentre of the world"
with more than 80% of the
country's medals won by
suspicious athletes, while Kenya
had 18 medals won by suspicious
athletes.
Stars such as Britain's Mo Farah
and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt
recorded no abnormal results.
Athletes are increasingly using
blood transfusions and EPO micro-
doses to boost the red cell count.
More on alleged doping in athletics
Athletics faces
'crisis' admits
IAAF chief Diack
Ukad confirms
Salazar doping
investigation
Doping claims a
new 'wounding
blow'
Meadows says
Russia claims
could 'kill'
athletics
Parisotto said: "Never have I seen
such an alarmingly abnormal set of
blood values. So many athletes
appear to have doped with impunity,
and it is damning that the IAAF
appears to have idly sat by and let
this happen."
According to Ashenden, the files show
that athletics is now in the same
"diabolical position" as cycling
during the Lance Armstrong era. He
said it was "a shameful betrayal of
[the IAAF's] primary duty to police
their sport and to protect clean
athletes".
The evidence is not proof of doping -
but the revelations will raise more
serious questions over whether the
sport is doing enough to combat
cheating ahead of the World Athletics
Championships in Beijing later this
month.
The IAAF is due to elect a new
president in just over two weeks, with
Britain's Lord Coe the favourite to win
the election against Sergey Bubka. Coe
has made independent testing a key
part of his manifesto.
Former Olympic pole vault champion
Bubka, now IAAF vice-president, told
the BBC: "We will not stop the fight.
We know that in the 21st century
doping is the biggest danger and
there will be zero tolerance. If we
need to strengthen our rules and
regulations we will do it."
Athletics' world governing body,
which has not disputed the
authenticity of the database, told the
Sunday Times: "The IAAF has always
been at the forefront in combating
anti-doping, searching and
implementing new analytical
techniques and methodologies."
The IAAF said that before the
introduction in 2009 of the biological
passport - which monitors
longitudinal blood values - its testers
had "systematically pursued" all
results that were deemed "atypical"
with immediate urine tests for EPO
and then target-tested those athletes
in and out of competition.
Since the introduction of the
passport, the IAAF says it has
"pursued more cases under the
passport system than all other anti-
doping organisations together", and
is spending $2m a year on combating
cheating. "As a percentage of overall
annual budget this is the highest of
any sport," it added.
There can be various reasons for
abnormal blood samples other than
performance-enhancing drugs.
Illness, altitude training and
pregnancy can all influence values.
The latest claims come after a
turbulent few months for athletics.
In December, ARD/WRD alleged
systematic doping in Russian
athletics and implicated the IAAF in
covering up the problem. The Russian
Athletics Federation called the
allegations lies, and IAAF president
Lamine Diack denied any collusion,
although he did admit to the BBC that
his sport was "in crisis". Both the IAAF
and Wada are investigating the
allegations.
The German documentary-makers also
claimed an unnamed member of the
IAAF medical commission had a list of
150 suspicious blood samples from
2001 to 2008 that were not
investigated. Diack described this as
"ridiculous".
The IAAF insisted that the whistle-
blower would not have known if
follow-up tests had been conducted
and pointed out that its athlete
biological passport scheme was only
launched in 2009 and samples before
that date did "not have the same level
of reliability and strength as the
post-2009 values which were
collected under strict and stringent
conditions".
In June, the BBC's Panorama
programme alleged that Mo Farah's
coach Alberto Salazar violated
various anti-doping rules with other
athletes. He denies the allegations,
and there is no suggestion that
double Olympic champion Farah was
guilty of any wrongdoing. UK Anti-
Doping and the US Anti-Doping Agency
are investigating the claims.
Although it was one of the first sports
to introduce the biological passport,
athletics has a chequered history of
drug scandals, from East Germany's
years of state-sponsored doping
through to the Balco affair in 2002.
These latest claims could lead to
renewed calls for countries to be
banned from international
competition, and there will be more
scrutiny of powerhouse athletics
nations like Russia and Kenya. In
January, marathon champion Rita
Jeptoo became the 45th Kenyan to fail
a doping test, while 25 Russian
walkers have been suspended for
doping offences in the past six years.
London 2012's reputation as the
cleanest Games in 50 years will also
be questioned, as the sport struggles
to assert its credibility and
reputation.


BBC SPORT

Bidding War- Manchester United interested in John Stone.

With a second bid for £26m turned down on Wednesday, Chelsea's effort to sign the Everton Defender John Stones has been futile.

Everton hopes Manchester United will join in the race for John Stone. Manchester United's interest in John Stones could drive up price to £34m for the defender.

Angel Di Maria leaves Manchester United

Angel Di Maria is finally on his way to Paris St German for £44m.
His move to French Champions is expected to be completed when he arrives in Paris for a medical and to sign his contract in the next 48 hours.

Pedro to stay until Tblisi

United started off negotiations with 25m euros bid knowing Barcelona will sell for 30m euros including addons.

All that is missing is a timeline, his transfer fee has been more or less agreed.

Dzeko agrees to Roma's terms

Manchester City Striker Edin Dzeko has agreed terms with Roma, after he was limited to 11 league starts for Manchester City.

Both clubs are yet to settle on a fee for the Striker, who has won two premier league titles in four season with the city.

West Brom signs striker Rickie Lambert from Liverpool.

The 33, year old striker who signed from Liverpool on a two year deal,marked his moves with effort against Bristol Rovel his ex club.

"Rickie is a good story,solid player who is a great character, good in the dressing room and good on the pitch" Tony Pulis.