Australian pace bowler Mitchell Starc will have surgery later this week on an ankle injury as he races the clock to be fit for the Ashes series against England.

World number ones Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams head the fields at the Miami Masters hardcourt event that begins on Tuesday, although several big names will be missing.

Philadelphia 76ers center Andrew Bynum will undergo surgery on both knees on Tuesday, meaning he will miss the entire NBA season due to injury.

Tiger Woods, the 14-time major golf champion whose infamous sex scandal with multiple mistresses led to a 2010 divorce, is dating ski star Lindsey Vonn, the two US sports icons announced.

Ghassan Hitto, who was elected on Monday to serve as the first prime minister of Syria's opposition, is a business executive with Islamist leanings who has lived in the United States for decades.

Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka was told by the Cleveland Indians on Monday that he will not be on the roster for the team's Major League Baseball season opener on April 2 at Toronto.

Rolf Soerensen, one of Denmark's most successful professional cyclists, admitted Monday to using blood-boosting EPO and cortisone in the 1990s, ending more than a year of denials.

Injuries and a lack of playing time have sidelined key United States players, but coach Jurgen Klinsmann said Monday he is confident a less experienced squad can advance to the 2014 World Cup.

Irish rugby great Brian O'Driscoll was on Monday cited for stamping on Simone Favaro in Ireland's 22-15 Six Nations defeat by Italy, the tournament organisers announced.

Madrid mayor Ana Botella hailed the first day of the International Olympic Committee's Evaluation Commission's four-day inspection of the city's candidacy for the 2020 Olympic Games a success.

Rafael Nadal appears poised to reign again on the clay courts of Europe, now that his balky knee has stood the test of the world's best on the punishing hard courts of Indian Wells.

Any athlete suspected of getting a concussion during sports should stop play, leave the game and not return until cleared by a licensed healthcare professional, according to new US guidelines out Monday.

David Beckham is out in front as the highest-paid player in world football, according to a report that appears in Tuesday's edition of France Football magazine.

France coach Didier Deschamps on Monday admitted that he could be persuaded to rest players for Friday's World Cup qualifier against Georgia with the following game against Spain in mind.

The 2022 World Cup host Qatar will provide technical and professional assistance to Pakistan to help develop football in the country, an official said Monday.

Ross McCormack, James Forrest and Danny Fox have all withdrawn from Scotland's squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Serbia, the Scottish Football Association announced on Monday.

Newcastle right-back Mathieu Debuchy will miss France's upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Spain on March 22 and 26 with a left thigh injury, the French Football Federation said Monday, with Rod Fanni deputising.

West Bromwich Albion revealed on Monday that they will deal internally with Nigeria striker Peter Odemwingie's most recent attacks on the club via Twitter.

UEFA on Monday said it had launched a disciplinary procedure against Inter Milan after racist chants by fans during their Europa League match against Tottenham, with the hearing scheduled on April 19.

Two men were arrested over alleged racially aggravated public order offences at Chelsea's Premier League match with West Ham United on Sunday, police have announced.