Sport

On This Day: Dec 20 2011: Luis Suarez banned for eight matches and fined £40,000 for racial abuse

Luis Suarez bites Giorgio Chiellini in the 2014 World Cup
Luis Suarez bites Giorgio Chiellini in the 2014 World Cup Luis Suarez bites Giorgio Chiellini in the 2014 World Cup

ON THIS DAY

1992: AC Milan's Dutch striker Marco van Basten was voted European Footballer of the Year for the third time in five years, equalling the record of his compatriot Johan Cruyff and France's Michel Platini.

1996: Middlesbrough cancelled their Premier League game against Blackburn, with manager Bryan Robson claiming he had 23 players ill or injured. The club were later punished at an inquiry and had three points deducted. Boro were relegated at the end of the season.

2006: Brian Ashton was appointed England head coach in succession to Andy Robinson.

2006: The Premier League asked Lord Stevens to make further investigations into 17 transfers out of 362 that fell under the Quest inquiry's terms of reference. A "small but significant number of agents" refused to co-operate with the inquiry.

2010: Carlos Tevez withdrew his transfer request and expressed his "absolute commitment" to Manchester City following clear-the-air talks, the club confirmed.

2011: Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches and fined £40,000 by the Football Association for racially abusing Patrice Evra.

2012: Scott Johnson was appointed Scotland interim head coach for the 2013 RBS 6 Nations and the summer tour to South Africa.

2014: Eoin Morgan replaced Alastair Cook as England's one-day international captain.

BIRTHDAYS

Freddie Spencer (motorcycling) - first man to win 250 and 500cc titles in same season in 1985, born 1961.

Ed de Goey (soccer) - former Chelsea, Stoke and Holland goalkeeper, born 1966.

Grant Flower (cricket) - former Zimbabwe international and younger brother of former England team director Andy, born 1970.

Geremi (soccer) - former Chelsea, Newcastle and Cameroon midfielder, born 1978.

Ashley Cole (soccer) - LA Galaxy's former Chelsea and England defender, born 1980.

Martin Demichelis (soccer) - Manchester City and Argentina defender, born 1980.

Mohammad Asif (cricket) - Disgraced former Pakistan seamer, one of three players jailed for his part in match-fixing, born 1982.

Darren Sammy (cricket) - West Indies captain, born 1983.

QUICK QUIZ BLITZ

1 Name the stadium and city where the Ireland rugby union team achieved their first ever victory over New Zealand last month?

2 Who were the last Kilkenny father and son to win All-Ireland hurling medals?

3 Who in 1980 captained an England team and also played Third Division football?

4 How many consecutive shots does it take to score a 147 break in snooker?

5 How many Connacht titles did Martin Carney win with Mayo after transferring from Donegal?

(See quiz answers at bottom)

SPORT ON TV 

Today (Tuesday, December 20)

CRICKET: India v England, fifth Test - Sky Sports 2 0600; Big Bash League, Sydney Thunder v Sydney Sixers - BT Sport 2 0830.

DARTS: PDC World Darts Championship - Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports Darts 1900.

SOCCER: FA Cup second-round replay, Peterborough v Notts County - BT Sport 1 1930; Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund v Augsburg - BT Sport 2 1845; Serie A, Atalanta v Empoli - eir Sport 1 1940.

BASKETBALL: NBA, Houston Rockets v San Antonio Spurs - BT Sport 1 0100 (Wed).

ICE HOCKEY: NHL, Florida Panthers v Buffalo Sabres - eir Sport 1 0030 (Wed).

Tomorrow (Wednesday, December 21)

DARTS: PDC World Darts Championship - Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports Darts 1900.

SOCCER: FA Cup second-round replay, Newport v Plymouth - BT Sport 1 1930; Serie A, Inter Milan v Lazio - eir Sport 1 1940, BT Sport/ESPN 1945; Portuguese Liga, Benfica v Rio Ave - BT Sport 2 1800.

CRICKET: Big Bash League, Adelaide Strikers v Brisbane Heat - BT Sport 2 0830.

QUICK QUIZ BLITZ answers: 1 Soldier Field, Chicago; 2 Richie Power and Richie Power jnr; 3 Sir Ian Botham; 4 36; 5 Three

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