Sporting briefs

Ognenovski: Australia’s Sasa Ognenovski was crowned Asian player of the year, while his South Korean side Seongnam Ilhwa won club of the year yesterday. In a big night for Australia at the Asian Football Confederation annual awards, Kathryn Gill was also named women’s player of the year and Australia claimed the women’s national team award.

Bologna: Bologna owner Sergio Porcedda has officially put Bologna up for sale after failing to cover unpaid wages. Bologna are on the brink of bankruptcy and risk a three-point penalty after Porcedda missed the deadline to cover unpaid wages stretching back to May and June.

Bednar: Leicester have signed West Brom striker Roman Bednar on loan until January. The Czech Republic international, 27, is Sven-Goran Eriksson’s fifth signing since taking over at the Walkers Stadium. Bednar is well down the pecking order at West Brom and Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo is happy to loan him out to get some action under his belt.

Eto’o: Samuel Eto’o apologised to his Inter team-mates after receiving a three-match ban for head-butting Bostjan Cesar, of Chievo, last week. The Cameroon striker is now unavailable in Serie A until the New Year. “My apologies are directed at all the protagonists of that game and to the match officials who were not able to see the foul,” Eto’o said.

Redknapp: Harry Redknapp is hoping charges of tax evasion that have hung over him since the start of the year will be dismissed at a court hearing in London today. Lawyers for Tottenham boss Redknapp will appear at Southwark Crown Court alongside with the representatives of respective former Portsmouth chairman and chief executive Milan Mandaric and Peter Storrie in a bid to prevent their April trial going ahead.

Kirkland: Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland looks set to join Leicester on loan after losing his place to Ali Al Habsi. The move was first proposed last weekend but delayed when Kirkland picked up a virus. Manager Roberto Martinez said: “Now he is over the bug, we will look into what we can do to help him enjoy his football.”

Coppa Italia: Fourth round – Udinese vs Lecce 2-1 (aet); Genoa vs Vicenza 3-1 (aet).

Asian Games: China made the Guangzhou Asian Games its most successful ever in terms of total medals yesterday when it claimed its 343rd of the event. Li Caixia’s gold and Li Ning’s silver in the women’s pole vault were the 343 and 344th for the hosts, surpassing the previous record of 342 that China won in Beijing in 1990. The Games still have three days of competition left. China is also on course to beat its best ever haul of gold medals, which stands at 183 in the Beijing Asiad. Until yesterday, China had 173 golds.

Basketball: Workers began demolishing the Spectrum Arena this week, des-troying a 43-year-old arena that was home to NBA and National Hockey League champions plus movie boxer Rocky Balboa’s heroics. The arena, which opened in 1967 with the Philadelphia 76ers as reigning NBA champions, will be replaced by shops, restaurants and entertainment stores. In 1996, the 76ers and Flyers moved to a larger arena on the other end of its parking lot.

Tennis: Tomas Berdych remained in the hunt for a place in the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals after a7-5, 6-3 win over Andy Roddick yesterday. Berdych admitted he had been paralysed by nerves on his Tour Finals debut on Monday when Novak Djokovic brushed aside the Czech in straight sets. But, after over-powering Roddick, the 25-year-old will go into his final Group A match against Rafael Nadal tomorrow knowing a win would likely secure him a spot in the last four.

Golf: The biggest first prize in golf might not be enough to attract Rory McIlroy next year. The 21-year-old Northern Irishman revealed he is not certain to compete in the Players Championship in May. Having already decided not to continue as a member of the US PGA Tour, the world number nine would set more alarm bells ringing if he skips their flagship event. “Not sure,” was McIlroy’s answer on being asked whether he would be chasing the winner’s cheque of more than £1m at Sawgrass in Florida.