Briefs

Rosetti best: Roberto Rosetti has been named the world's top referee for 2008 by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. The IFFHS announced the findings as Rosetti led the way with 204 points compared to 126 for second-placed Lubos Michel, of Slovakia. Frank De Bleeckere, of Belgium, came in third with just 61 points, followed by Germany's Herbert Fandel on 60. A year ago Rosetti finished fifth on 55 points.

Bolton: Bolton are engaged in transfer negotiations with Premier League rivals West Ham over a move for Calum Davenport, currently out of favour at Upton Park following the arrival of new coach Gianfranco Zola. Bolton are thought to have firmed up their interest in Davenport and are hoping to finalise a deal in the next few days.

Sampdoria: Serie A club Sampdoria completed the signing of Andrea Raggi from Palermo yesterday. The 24-year-old started his career at Empoli before joining Palermo last summer. Right-back Raggi will arrive at Sampdoria on a loan deal with the Blucerchiati being given the option to make the transfer permanent during the summer.

Solano: Peruvian club Universitario, whose players say they are owed nearly three months' wages, have said they can afford to sign international midfielder Nolberto Solano who is set to join the club this week. "Despite the difficult circumstances we have been through, Solano is the most important signing of the year," club director Julio Pacheco told the daily newspaper El Comercio. "The arrival of new sponsors, in addition to the existing ones, has helped solve the problems such as the outstanding wages."

Cricket: England captain Kevin Pietersen resigned and coach Peter Moores was sacked by the England and Wales Cricket Board yesterday. Pietersen issued a statement confirming his resignation, and his intention to continue as a batsman shortly before flying home from a holiday in South Africa. Hugh Morris, managing director of England cricket, confirmed that Pietersen had resigned and that Moores had been sacked in the wake of an "irretrievable breakdown" in the relationship between the two men.

Cycling: Italy's Leonardo Piepoli, who faces a two-year ban, has spoken of the shame he feels after doping during last year's Tour de France. "I feel awful because I doped," he said. "That day, before the Tour, I killed a piece of myself, the best piece. I killed cycling. I touched the bottom in that moment of weakness, now I'm already picking myself up."

Badminton: Olympic silver medallist Gail Emms, who retired after the 2008 Games, has agreed to become the sport's first ambassador for England. Emms, 31, who took silver with Nathan Robertson in the mixed doubles and also won the 2006 worlds, will help develop the sport at grass roots and elite level with an eye on the 2012 London Olympics.

Horse racing: The faltering economy took its toll on the US horse racing industry in 2008, sending pari-mutuel wagering below $14 billion for the first time since 1999. Betting was 20.3 per cent lower in December at $820,358,357 compared to 2007, closing a year in which wagering on US races plunged 7.2 per cent to $13,670,196,938.

Baseball: Minnesota Twins owner Carl Pohlad, a billionaire financier who purchased the American League baseball club in 1984, died in Minnesota this week. He was 93. Pohlad bought the Twins from the team's original owner, Calvin Griffith, for $38 million in 1984 and saw the club claim World Series championships in 1987 and 1991.

Basketball: Turkish basketball fans chanting "Israel, killers" stopped the start of a game against an Israeli team on Tuesday by throwing objects onto the court in protest against Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip. Some players were hit by the objects hurled, sources said. The Israelis were angered when the game was awarded as a technical victory to Telekom Ankara because Bnei Hasharon refused to start the contest an hour-and-a-half later, after police said they had cleared the arena.