Digest

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Saints want Winston as backup for Brees

Jameis Winston

The New Orleans Saints and quarterback Jameis Winston are working on a contract proposal to make the former Buccaneers starter a backup to Drew Brees, a source familiar with the situation told Associated Press.

Winston and the Saints are in "advanced" talks, the source said on condition of anonymity on Sunday because negotiations were ongoing. The person declined to say whether there was any agreement on either the length of the contract or financial terms.

Winston is coming off a season in which he led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards and ranked second with 33 touchdown passes, but he also led the NFL in interceptions with 30. That made Winston the first QB in NFL history to have at least 30 TDs and 30 interceptions. Tampa Bay allowed Winston, whom it drafted first overall out of Florida State in 2015, to enter free agency and replaced him with former Patriots QB Tom Brady.

Seahawks part ways with Britt and Fluker

The Seattle Seahawks revamped their offensive line on Sunday, parting ways with center Justin Britt and guard DJ Fluker.

Fluker posted a letter revealing his release to Seattle fans on Twitter. Britt's release was reported by multiple entities and he posted a photo of himself in a Seahawks uniform simply saying "Thank You" on his Instagram account.

Britt spent six years with the Seahawks and started 86 of 87 games played after being a second-round pick out of Missouri in 2014. He played the first eight games of last season before suffering a season-ending ACL tear in his left knee on Oct 27 against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Seahawks will save $8.5 million under the salary cap by releasing Britt prior to June 1, according to spotrac. Seattle clears $3.68 million of cap space by cutting Fluker, according to the same entity.

Fluker spent the past two seasons with Seattle and started 23 of 24 games played.

SOCCER

Doctor issues warning to Spain over restart

Balls and pitches will need to be sterilized frequently when La Liga returns in order to minimize the chance of players getting infected by the coronavirus, a leading Spanish doctor has said.

Spanish soccer has been on hold since March 10 due to the pandemic and stakeholders have been drawing up plans to complete the current season in a bid to avoid catastrophic financial losses, although a date for a return is yet to be set.

Rafa Ramos, president of the association of Spanish soccer club doctors, has outlined what conditions will be like when matches, which are set to be played in closed stadiums with no spectators, return.

"All the material, even the pitches, will have to be sterilized before a match, at halftime and afterwards," Ramos told newspaper El Pais on Sunday. "It's possible to be infected by an unknown ball but when you are struck by a sterilized ball on a sterilized surface it's very hard to get infected."

Spanish health minister Salvador Illa said on Sunday the league is unlikely to return in May.

Ex-United ace Rafael wants Botafogo move

Rafael da Silva

Lyon right-back Rafael da Silva has expressed a desire to end his career alongside twin brother Fabio at Botafogo, the team they supported as children.

Rafael, who is contracted to Lyon until June 2021, said Botafogo would be his favored destination, should the French club choose not to renew his contract.

"I want to end my career at Botafogo but first I need to receive a proposal from them," the 29-year-old former Manchester United defender told Canal do TV.

"It's not enough just for me to want it. If had the option of joining Botafogo or another club in Brazil I would definitely choose Botafogo."

Rafael has made 129 appearances for Lyon since joining the club from United in 2015.

Fabio, who also spent time at United before signing with Cardiff City in 2014, is now at Lyon's Ligue 1 rival, Nantes.

Iran unable to receive FIFA financial support

The Iranian Football Federation said that it is unable to receive financial assistance from FIFA due to sanctions against the country's banking system, the Tehran Times newspaper reported on Sunday.

According to the report, FIFA will release all operational funding for 2019 and 2020 in the coming days in the first step of a relief plan to assist the soccer community impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This measure will mean that a total of around $150 million will be distributed among the 211 national governing bodies around the world.

However, the Iranian Football Federation has serious problems with regard to receiving financial assistance from FIFA because broad US restrictions on Iran's banking system are still in force.

Ali Soleimani, the treasurer of the Iranian Football Federation, said the sanctions are hindering efforts by FIFA to make payments to Iran.

"FIFA has not yet found a safe solution to pay the revenues of Iranian football," he said.

"Many efforts have been made in this regard, but we have not reached a suitable solution."

CRICKET

Archer finds missing World Cup medal

Jofra Archer

England's Jofra Archer has finally found his World Cup winner's medal after "going mad" looking for the prized possession following a house move.

The 25-year-old Sussex fast bowler on Sunday posted a photograph of the medal on social media with the caption: "Randomly searching the guest bedroom and boom."

When asked about the whereabouts of his medal by BBC Radio on Saturday, Archer said: "I had it hanging off a portrait someone did for me and sent to me, I had my medal hanging on that.

"I moved flat and the picture is on the new wall but there's no medal. I turned the house upside down for about a week but I still haven't managed to find it.

"I know it should be in the house so I will keep eyes out for it but I've gone mad looking for it already."

Xinhua - Agencies