Liverpool goalkeeper LORIS KARIUS was referred to medical experts in Boston after contacting the club while on vacation in the U.S. The 24-year-old visited Massachusetts General Hospital and was diagnosed with a concussion five days after the Champions League final loss to Real Madrid. Karius "made errors for the first and third goals his side conceded." Shortly before his mistake for Real's opening goal, Karius collided with SERGIO RAMOS. Doctors "did not say if that incident was the cause of the concussion" (BBC, 6/5). ... Scottish superbike rider ADAM LYON was killed in a crash during the Supersport 1 competition at the Isle of Man TT races. The 26-year-old was making his debut in the race and crashed after the 28th mile of the course on the third lap (REUTERS, 6/4). ... DAVID BECKHAM threw his support behind the United 2026 World Cup bid. The former England captain said, "A competition like the World Cup deserves to be in great places and if the U.S., Canada and Mexico get that it will be very special" (SPORTING NEWS, 6/5). ... Three-time MotoGP runner-up DANI PEDROSA will "leave Honda by mutual consent at the end of the year" after 13 seasons. The 32-year-old Spaniard has won 31 races for Honda but has not finished on the podium in six races this season (BBC, 6/5).
AFRICAN CURSE: YAYA TOURÉ's agent "joined his client's attack" on Man City Manager PEP GUARDIOLA, insisting he "will never win the Champions League again because he has turned all of Africa against him." Having witnessed Touré "launch a verbal assault on his former manager," declaring he wanted to "bust the Guardiola myth," while suggesting the Spaniard "had a problem with African players," his adviser DIMITRY SELUK joined in. Seluk: "He turned all Africa against himself, many African fans turned away from Manchester City. And I'm sure that many African shamans in the future will not allow Guardiola to win the Champions League. This will be for Guardiola an African curse" (London TELEGRAPH, 6/5).
