Sporting briefs

Benzema: Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has an inflamed muscle in his left leg that will sideline the Frenchman for about seven days. Real play at Xerez in La Liga on Saturday and their Champions League last-16 match at Benzema's former club Lyon is next Tuesday.

Abidal: Barcelona left-back Eric Abidal injured an adductor muscle in his left leg in training yesterday and will be out for six to eight weeks. Coach Pep Guardiola is already without suspended defenders Gerard Pique and Rafael Marquez, as well as right-back Daniel Alves and Yaya Toure, who are injured, for Sunday's match at Atletico Madrid.

Gignac: Toulouse have been hit by the news star striker Andre-Pierre Gignac will be sidelined for at least three weeks. Gignac suffered a knee injury during Sunday's goalless draw against Lyon. Gignac, who has scored seven goals this season, will also miss France's friendly against Spain on March 3.

Intense heat: The intense heat in southern Brazil this month has led a judge in the state of Rio Grande do Sul to issuing a ban on football matches when the temperature exceeds 35 degrees Celsius.

Ferdinand: Rio Ferdinand has withdrawn his appeal against a one-match ban handed down after what the FA termed a "frivolous" appeal against a violent conduct charge, Manchester United said yesterday. Ferdinand was charged after a clash with Hull City's Craig Fagan in a Premier League game last month. He appealed against the automatic three-match suspension but was given a further one-game ban for his appeal.

Cicinho: Roma's out-of-favour right-back Cicinho will join former side Sao Paulo on loan for the rest of the season, the Italian club said in a statement yesterday. The Brazilian, who has struggled at Roma since signing from Real Madrid in 2007, faced competition from fellow right backs Marco Cassetti and Marco Motta at the in-form Serie A side.

Coin throwing: A Manchester United fan denied throwing a coin at Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy during last month's derby. Adam Teese, 26, pleaded not guilty to "throwing a missile" on to the pitch during the League Cup semi-final on January 27. Bellamy fell to the ground at Old Trafford after he was struck by a coin in the 50th minute as he went to take a corner.

Basket, NBA: Los Angeles Clippers centre Chris Kaman has been named to the Western Conference All-Star team in place of injured Portland guard Brandon Roy. Roy was originally selected as a reserve but has been sidelined with a hamstring ailment, clearing the way for the 7ft (2.13m) Kaman to play in the Feb. 14 game. Kaman, who is averaging a career-best 20.2 points per contest and nine rebounds while shooting 49.7 per cent from the field, will make his first All-Star appearance.

Rugby Union: Errant lock Alun-Wyn Jones has kept his place in the Wales team to face Scotland in the Six Nations on Saturday as coach Warren Gatland made few changes from the side beaten 30-17 by England last week. Jones was sin-binned for tripping in the first half of the Twickenham game, during which time England scored 17 unanswered points.

Winter Games: Ice hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky is Canada's most popular choice to light the cauldron to mark the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics on Friday. A poll carried out by the Globe and Mail newspaper found 25 per cent of people wanted Gretzky to be given the honour. Paraplegic athlete Rick Hansen, a leading activist for people with spinal injuries, was next on the list at 17 per cent.

Golf: The 2010 China Open golf championship will be played in Suzhou in April with an increased prize fund of $2.5 million. The 16th version of the tournament will be the richest event on the 10-stop OneAsia Tour and again be co-sanctioned by the European Tour. A Gary Player-designed course at the Jinji Lake International club course, some 60 miles from Shanghai, will host the event for the first time on April 15-18.