Summary

  • Fifa taskforce recommends November start for 2022 World Cup

  • Recommendation to be ratified by Fifa executive committee next month

  • Manchester City v Barcelona in Champions League (19:45 GMT)

  • West Indies' Chris Gayle hits first World Cup double century

  • England women's cricket team beat New Zealand by five wickets

  • Get involved: Great sporting entertainers #bbcsportsday

  1. Postpublished at 16:47 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    So then, not too long to go now until tonight's big Champions League game - Manuel Pellegrini's Man City against the mighty Barcelona.

    Barcelona are looking to reach an eighth-straight Champions League quarter-final as they bid for a repeat of last season's last-16 win over City.

    Pellegrini's team lost both legs at the same stage last time round - defeated 4-1 on aggregate - and are yet to progress to the last eight of the competition.

    BarcelonaImage source, Getty Images

    "It is one of the games of the year, the most important until now," said Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique.

    It is going to be a cracker. Kick off is 19:45 GMT - and don't forget, there is commentary on BBC Radio 5 live and live text on the BBC Sport website

    Full match preview here.

  2. Duo's two-year ban for dopingpublished at 16:40 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Featherstone's Shaun Pick and South Wales' Ashley Bateman have been banned for two years for doping offences.

    Pick, 21, and Bateman, 25, were caught with anabolic steroids in their systems during out-of-competition tests.

    Both players have been suspended from all sport until December 2016.

    "The players perhaps thought they had a better chance of getting away with it as it was pre-season," UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) head of science and medicine Nick Wojek told BBC Sport.

  3. Sky Blues job attracts plenty of interestpublished at 16:31 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Coventry City have received more than 70 inquiries about the manager's job since Monday's sacking of Steven Pressley.

    Bobby gouldImage source, AFP

    One was from Bobby Gould, who previously managed his home town club from 1983-84 and 1992-93 and won the FA Cup when in charge of Wimbledon in 1988.

    "Despite the precarious position we're in, in the footballing world, Coventry are still a big club in people's eyes," chief executive Steve Waggott told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire.

    "We will not rush a permanent appointment. It's a decision that requires a fulsome process to avoid this situation in another two years."

  4. Get involvedpublished at 16:18 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Some more of your suggestions for great sporting entertainers.

    Alex HigginsImage source, Getty Images

    Tim Shapland: Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins the George Best of snooker. Or was George the Alex of football?

    Peerpresha: The Ghanaian team celebrating a goal, especially Gyan.

    GhanaImage source, Getty Images
  5. Postpublished at 16:16 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Opta Joe on Twitter:, external Barcelona are the only away team to keep a clean sheet at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League. Pedigree.

  6. Figo is happypublished at 16:15 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Portugal legend Luis Figo, who is standing in Fifa presidential elections later this year, backs Fifa's likely decision to move the Qatar World Cup to the winter of that year.

    "The FIFA Task Force recommendation is the right decision for the World Cup.

    "It has to be played in the best possible conditions for the fans and players who will enjoy a great World Cup atmosphere, and for Qatar who deserve to be put in the position to organise a great event. With good will and a sense of solidarity it is always possible to find the right solutions."

  7. Pakistan troubles worsenpublished at 16:14 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Pakistan's increasingly troubled World Cup campaign took another turn for the worse when chief selector Moin Khan was ordered home to explain the circumstances of his visit to a Christchurch casino.

    Former Test wicketkeeper Moin told his employers he had gone to the casino to have lunch with friends.

    Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan said: "Moin admitted he went to a casino in Christchurch. We have told him he should return home until we further probe the matter."

    Manager Naved Cheema will now chair the tour selection committee, with captain Misbah-ul-Haq and head coach Waqar Younis.

  8. Dyche questions Mourinho commentspublished at 16:04 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Burnley boss Sean Dyche has defended forward Ashley Barnes following his challenge on Nemanja Matic in Saturday's draw at Chelsea.

    Matic was sent off after reacting angrily to being struck on the shin by Barnes, with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho describing the tackle as "criminal".

    ChelseaImage source, Getty Images

    Barnes was not punished during the match and faces no FA action.

    Dyche said he found Mourinho's view "hard to believe", adding: "Please everyone look at the reaction from a bunch of expert footballers on the Chelsea side, like John Terry - a real warrior - and Kurt Zouma, big strong boys, and Branislav Ivanovic. They are right on top of it and no-one reacts, apart from Matic."

  9. Neville worried about impact on FA Cuppublished at 16:00 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    We brought you some quotes from ex-England international Phil Neville earlier. Here is some more quotes that he has told the BBC. And a winter World Cup in 2022 could be bad news for the FA Cup.

    FA CupImage source, Getty Images

    "The FA Cup worries me a little bit because you'll get to the point where something will have to give in the fixture schedule," says Neville.

    "The Premier League won't give, but maybe FA Cup replays will have to be sacrificed which would be a shame because it's a fantastic competition.

    "It's up to the Premier League and the FA to work out the best plan so that nobody suffers, so that everybody is getting everything they want in terms of the correct amount of fixtures, correct amount of time with their players and amount of time afterwards so players can recover."

  10. Get involvedpublished at 15:49 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Some more of your suggestions for great sporting entertainers, after Chris Gayle blasted 215 for West Indies today, an innings that included 16 sixes.

    Naseem HamedImage source, Getty Images

    Ross Phillips: Chris Eubank, Prince Naseem Hamed, John McEnroe, Usain Bolt, Frankie Dettori, Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona.

    Andy Wood: Derek Randall of Nottinghamshire certainly added value to any cricket match he played in. Great guy, great game.

    Louis Parry: One main entertainer out there and thats gayle never fails to bring entertainment on a cricket field

    Anyone who vaults into the boxing ring, as Prince Naseem Hamed used to do, is definitely a worthy addition in our list of sporting entertainers.

    We want more of your suggestions. #bbcsportsday.

  11. Graves gets ECB top jobpublished at 15:49 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Colin Graves has been confirmed as the England and Wales Cricket Board chairman for the next five years.

    The 67-year-old Yorkshire chairman, who is currently ECB deputy chairman, succeeds Giles Clarke in the role. He will officially take up the role at the ECB annual general meeting in May.

  12. 2022 World Cup to be reduced in numbers?published at 15:47 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Some more reaction to the news that the Qatar 2022 World Cup is likely to be staged in November and December of that year.

    Here is the reaction of Andreas Rettig, who is the managing director of the German Football League.

    He says: "The task force's proposal now provides clarity. It was obvious that it wouldn't be possible for the World Cup to be held in the summer. The health of the players and fans is of paramount importance.

    "The decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar in November and December places both an organisational and a financial burden on the European leagues. However, it is not sufficient merely to fix the dates.

    "Fifa must now specifically state what it plans to do to address all concerns. It's also necessary to consider the strain on the top players. A shorter match schedule cannot mean that the same number of matches must be played in a briefer period of time."

    GermanyImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Will Germany have less matches to play in the 2022 World Cup?

  13. Young included in US Davis Cup teampublished at 15:41 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Russell Fuller
    BBC tennis correspondent

    "Donald Young will join John Isner and the world's number one doubles team Bob and Mike Bryan in the US team to face Great Britain in the Davis Cup tie in Glasgow next week.

    "Young's only previous Davis Cup experience came in the defeat to Great Britain in San Diego last year, but he is in form having reached the final of the ATP event in Delray Beach last weekend."

  14. Postpublished at 15:36 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Manchester city v RomaImage source, BBC Sport
  15. BBC pundits preview Man City v Barcelonapublished at 15:36 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Dan Walker is joined by Martin Keown and James Beattie to preview the first leg of Manchester City's Champions League last-16 tie against Barcelona.

    Manchester City v Barcelona

    The Catalan side visit the Etihad Stadium tonight, with City midfielder Yaya Toure unable to face his former side because of a suspension.

    "I'm not sure Barcelona feel they can win it," says Keown. "It's now time for Manchester City to stand up and be counted," adds Beattie.

    Manchester City travel to the Nou Camp for the return leg of the tie on March 18.

  16. Cardiff board boycott Wigan gamepublished at 15:29 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    There may be some ill-feeling behind-the-scenes at tonight's Championship match between Wigan and Cardiff, with the Welsh club's board boycotting the game.

    Cardiff chairman Vincent TanImage source, Getty Images

    At least two members of the board were planning to travel but owner Vincent Tan - who alleges that Wigan is a club owned and managed by racists - has instructed them not to and they are said to support his position.

    Wigan owner Dave Whelan was fined £50,000 for making racist comments about Jewish and Chinese people and served a six-week ban from football.

  17. No punishment over Rangers chantspublished at 15:23 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Rangers will escape punishment for fans' sectarian chants, the Scottish Professional Football League's chief executive Neil Doncaster has hinted.

    The chants, heard during the match against Raith Rovers on Friday, made up part of the match delegate's report.

    RangersImage source, Getty Images

    Doncaster said that if clubs can prove they did everything possible to prevent such singing, no action will be taken.

    But he expressed his frustration at the "distasteful, shameful and selfish actions of a mindless minority".

  18. Get involvedpublished at 15:13 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    We're asking for your favourite sporting entertainers. Here's what you're telling us....

    Sir: Who better to name than Ronaldinho? Everything you want in a footballer, he has it; both feet, samba dances, emotional celebration.

    RonaldinhoImage source, Getty Images

    Sakriya: Mario Balotelli. Never ceases to entertain us be it with his football, training ground incidents or anything else.

    Poochi: Build-up for Floyd Mayweather v Ricky Hatton was amazing, UK fans going nuts in USA for Hatton. Hatton is my biggest idol.

    Keep them coming to #bbcsportsday and remember to include your reasoning.

  19. Artificial pitch vote fails againpublished at 15:10 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Football League clubs have today voted not to reintroduce artificial pitches.

    QPR Loftus RoadImage source, Getty Images

    A vote on the issue in November 2014 ended in a tie but clubs were balloted again last week and decided against the use of plastic playing surfaces.

    A Football League spokesman said the "majority" of clubs "prefer to play their matches on grass pitches".

    The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) also welcomed the decision, which it said was in line with players' wishes.

  20. Gloucester sign Crusaders scrum-halfpublished at 15:07 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2015

    Crusaders scrum-half Willi Heinz will join Premiership side Gloucester for the 2015-16 season.

    The 28-year-old has played 57 Super Rugby games for the Crusaders and captained Canterbury in the provincial ITM Cup in his native New Zealand.

    He is currently out of action after breaking his leg in January.