The Sport Matrix: Saturday 18 October 2014

Damiao faces ban for pulling his own shirt

Former Brazil international Leandro Damiao has been charged with “unsportsmanlike behavior” after he pulled his own shirt in a bid to fool the referee into awarding a penalty.

The Santos striker (left) tugged his own shirt in last Sunday’s 3-0 defeat by Criciuma to make it look like he was being held back. The referee missed the incident but video evidence was used to bring charges.

“Referees are heavily criticised for their supposed mistakes,” the Superior Court of Sporting Justice said. “However the athletes are the first ones not to help them, as in this case.”

Damiao faces a suspension of between one and six games.

F1 plans grand prix on Las Vegas Strip

Formula One executive Bernie Ecclestone is in discussions about hosting a grand prix on the streets of Las Vegas, including The Strip. “Vegas say they are ready to go and it would be on The Strip for sure,” said Ecclestone. F1 last raced in Las Vegas in 1982 on a track in the Caesars Palace car park but it failed to get support from within the industry due to the makeshift nature of the course.

West Indies tour of India called off

West Indies’ tour of India appears to be over following a day of confusion in Dharamsala. India won the fourth ODI by 59 runs to take what looks like a decisive 2-1 series lead after it was revealed that the tourists were calling short their trip due to a dispute over player payments.

Pellegrini: City are back to their best

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini hopes his side can maintain the standards they set in their last league win when they take on Tottenham today. He said: “I was very happy with the last game against Aston Villa and we hope we can continue with that level of performance until the next international break because it was at a very similar level to where we were last season.”

Delph faces two month layoff

Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph is expected to have surgery on a dislocated shoulder next week and could be sidelined for two months. The 24-year-old, who started two of England’s three qualifiers after making his full debut last month, injured his right shoulder in training on Tuesday. Surgery would rule him out of England’s Euro 2016 qualifier with Slovenia as well as their friendly against Scotland.