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Former England and Manchester United striker Andy Cole has withdrawn from a Unicef Match for Children at Old Trafford on 14 November because he is suffering from kidney failure.

In a statement released a few minutes ago, Cole said: "In June of this year I suffered kidney failure, caused as a result of contracting an airborne virus and I have been under medical care since.

"During this time I have been unable to work or to carry out my normal day to day activities and I am under close supervision from the renal team at the Manchester Royal Infirmary. I am on a course of medication including some very strong steroids which has led to the change in my appearance.

"However, the good news is that I am feeling better as each day passes and the consultant is hopeful that I will make a full recovery by next spring."

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A statement about the progress of William Fox-Pitt has been issued, which says his recovery is going to 'take time'.

The 46-year-old was placed in an induced coma after the fall in the World Young Horse Championships on 17 October.

A statement released today reads: "William continues to make steady progress, and his recovery is going to take time.  He remains in hospital in France.

"Once again the family are hugely grateful to the team who are looking after him, and also to everyone who has sent messages of support."

Rafael Nadal is through to the third round of the Paris Masters after beating Lukas Rosol, a man who once beat him at Wimbledon, 6-2 6-2. The Spaniard, seeded seventh, needed just an hour to see off the Czech. 

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After months of negotiations, cycling's governing body is close to a final agreement with Olympic organizers on their proposal to move cycling events at the 2020 Tokyo Games to a venue outside the capital to save money.

UCI President Brian Cookson told reporters: "I'm optimistic we will have a solution within the next couple of weeks."

How about this for generosity from the world's number three golfer?

Ruud van Nistelrooy was sold by Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson after he kicked Cristiano Ronaldo out of frustration in  training, Spanish journalist Guillem Balague has revealed.

Van Nistelrooy left Old Trafford after weeks of speculation that he had fallen out with Ferguson, but Balague says in his new book that the Dutchman had a training ground bust-up with Ronaldo before being eventually sold to Real Madrid in 2006.

“‘I can’t play with this guy. He doesn’t even cross the ball,” Van Nistelrooy would often shout in training,’ Balague writes in a Telegraph, external serialisation of his book.

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"Why do "half-and-half" shirts offend so many footy fans?

If there's one subject guaranteed to divide the global public, it's the beautiful game.

But if you look at social media chatter, an emerging trend seems to be uniting thousands of football fans: a shared animosity to the emergence of the "half-and-half" football shirt."

So starts a rather nice feature on the BBC News website that takes a look at this new, curious trend. You can read it here.

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Serena Williams' coach Patrick Mouratoglou has revealed the world number one's premature end to the season is because she risked a career-ending stress fracture if she had played on with her knee injury.

Williams called time on her 2015 campaign five weeks ago, saying she needed to give her body time to recover.

"It's no secret I've played injured most of the year - whether it was my elbow, my knee," the American said.

Mouratoglou has now clarified the issue, saying: "The cartilage is not gone, not all of it, but a big part. She has bone bruises and, if you keep on playing with this for too long, the next step is a stress fracture."

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Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has banished Andros Townsend from the first team after the winger clashed with a club fitness coach.

Townsend was pictured pushing and arguing with Spurs trainer Nathan Gardiner on the pitch at White Hart Lane following the team's 3-1 win over Aston Villa. 

"He did not train with the group. He is not available to be selected tomorrow, he is not in the squad," Pochettino said.

"It's because of Monday. When you behave in the wrong way you always need to pay. It's always my decision when he is available again to be part of the squad."

Navas, who helped City win 3-1 away at Sevilla to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League, spent 10 years at the Spanish club before moving to England in 2013.

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Le Tissier went on to play 456 games for Southampton, scoring 161 goals. Not bad going really.

Burton Albion boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes all Football League games should be cancelled during international breaks.

Their match against Millwall on 14 November has been called off because the London club are likely to have three players on international duty that weekend.

"If the big teams stop, then we should all stop," the Dutchman told BBC Radio Derby. "The Premier League and the Championship are all stopping, so make us part of that as well."

From house-bound to house-hold name?published at 15:14

15:14

Gymnastics

On Saturday Max Whitlock became the first the first British man to win a world gymnastics title when he secured pommel horse gold at the World Championships, ending a nation's 112-year wait for gold.

The 22-year-old has been talking to the BBC about coming back from glandular fever to making history. 

"It was over a three-month period and I went from feeling the fittest I've ever been, making my routines, to slowly deteriorating. I'd struggle to do anything over 30 seconds long," says Whitlock. 

To read more from Britain's most successful male gymnast click here. 

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Haydon Spenceley:, external I'd ban anyone who didn't have the interests of the community their club represents at heart.

Colm:, external Would ban celebrating getting and scoring penalties as so many come from cheating.

Nikhil Jadva:, external Ban Fellaini. Route one is boring.

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Jorge Lorenzo has been told he cannot take part in MotoGP championship leader Valentino Rossi's Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing into a grid penalty imposed for the season's final race.

Rossi, who leads Lorenzo by seven points, was adjudged to have kicked Honda's reigning champion Marc Marquez off his bike in Malaysia last week.

He was demoted to the back of the grid for Sunday's race in Spain.

Lorenzo asked to participate in the appeal but was denied.

Full story here.

While Andy Murray seems to be cruising in the second round of the Paris Masters, his compatriot - British number two Aljaz Bedene has been beaten. 

The qualifier has lost 6-3 7-6 (7-3) to 13th seed John Isner, who came back from a break down in the second to secure victory and progress to the third round. 

You can listen to live coverage of Murray's match with Croatian Borna Coric by clicking the live coverage tab at the top of this page. 

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New Zealand have touched down on home soil after their Rugby World Cup triumph. The All Blacks, the first country to secure back-to-back titles, received a fine reception from fans as they showed off the Webb Ellis trophy. If you're in the mood to party, head to New Zealand. 

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Image source, Getty Images