Sporting briefs

Diaby: France international midfielder Abou Diaby has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal, the Premier League club confirmed yesterday. "This shows my long-term commitment to Arsenal and I am very happy here, which is why I am so pleased to extend my contract," said Diaby. "It's a great thing for me and hopefully there will be some good years ahead for me here."

Portsmouth: Premier League crisis club Portsmouth said yesterday their players' December salaries would not be paid until January 5. The bottom of the table side had hoped to make the outstanding payments yesterday but the monies will now be cleared after the new year.

Mladenov: Former Bulgaria and CSKA Sofia coach Stoycho Mladenov is set to take over at Egyptian club ENPPI. The 52-year-old's contract will last until the end of the season with an option to extend for a further season. "I'll be the only foreign coach in the league and I accept it as recognition for my recent work," Mladenov, who will be unveiled as coach on Monday, said.

Pantsil: Fulham defender John Pantsil has been forced to withdraw from Ghana's squad for the African Nations Cup finals after picking up an injury, the Ghana FA said. He will miss the tournament in Angola after twisting a knee in his club's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea. Ghana have named Derek Boateng of Getafe as replacement.

Di Santo: Franco di Santo's loan spell at Blackburn from Chelsea has been extended until the end of the season. The 20-year-old Argentinian forward moved to Ewood Park in August and his deal had been due to run out in January. Di Santo has scored one goal in 15 appearances so far for Sam Allardyce's side.

Okaka: Roy Hodgson has revealed that Fulham are exploring the possibility of signing Roma striker Stefano Okaka on loan. Okaka, 20, started both of this season's Europa League matches between the clubs and scored the winner at the Stadio Olimpico in early November. Roma are willing to allow Okaka to depart after completing the loan signing of Luca Toni from Bayern Munich yesterday.

Weightlifting: Bulgaria's weightlifting federation has been stripped of its licence for financial mismanagement and a major doping scandal that saw the country's best athletes banned ahead of the 2008 Beijing Games. In order to save the sport, 23 weightlifting clubs from around the country formed an alternative Bulgarian national federation, adding they would apply for a licence from the sports ministry and the IWF.

Basketball, NBA: LeBron James would not let the Atlanta Hawks spoil his 25th birthday, scoring a season-best 48 points to rally the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 106-101 victory. Anderson Varejao gift-wrapped the win on a tie-breaking three-pointer with 17.2 seconds to play. Varejao's first career three-pointer gave Cleveland the lead for good at 104-101 after they had trailed by 17 early in the third quarter.

Cricket: England off-spinner Graeme Swann climbed eight places to a career-high third in the International Cricket Council's test bowling rankings yesterday. Swann claimed nine wickets as England took a 1-0 lead in the series by beating South Africa by an innings and 98 runs in the second test in Durban which ended on Wednesday. South African fast bowler Dale Steyn tops the rankings.