Soccer-Playmaker Sahin to return to Borussia Dortmund - media reports

BERLIN, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Playmaker Nuri Sahin will return to Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund after unsuccessful spells at Real Madrid and Liverpool, several German media said on Friday.The 24-year-old Turkey international, who left for Real in 2011 after helping Dortmund to the Bundesliga title, failed to win a starting spot in Spain before joining Liverpool in August 2012 on a loan deal.Dortmund...

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UPDATE 1-Soccer-I feel fine, Terry says after comeback from injury

LONDON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Chelsea's former England captain John Terry said his knee felt "totally fine" after making his comeback for the club's under-21 team following two months on the sidelines.The 32-year-old central defender played for 45 minutes on Thursday night, featuring as an over-age player in a 2-0 victory over neighbours Fulham.Chelsea's interim manager Rafa Benitez confirmed the centre...

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Soccer-City's Arsenal curse brings memories of the dark days

LONDON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - When Manchester City face Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday, the Premier League champions will be looking to end a 37-year hoodoo and perhaps remove the last symbolic reminder of a period of tumultuous decline and fall.The last time the blue half of Manchester's current Premier League duopoly tasted league victory in the red half of north London was on Oct. 4, 1975.It would...

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Report: Armstrong weighs doping admission

AUSTIN, Texas - The New York Times reported Friday that Lance Armstrong, who has strongly denied the doping charges that led to him being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles, has told associates he is considering admitting to the use of performance-enhancing drugs.The report cited anonymous sources and said Armstrong was considering a confession to help restore his athletic career in triathlons...

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If Lance Armstrong is coming clean, he owes hundreds of apologies to those he bullied

So now, according to the New York Times, Lance Armstrong is considering coming clean and admitting the entire thing was a lie; that he did indeed use performance-enhancing drugs and blood transfusions to win all those Tour de France titles. And this would be news to … um, anyone? Certainly not the anti-doping officials and cycling administrators who the Times reports Armstrong...

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Report: Lance Armstrong weighs doping admission

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The New York Times reported Friday that Lance Armstrong, who has strongly denied the doping charges that led to him being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles, has told associates he is considering admitting to the use of performance-enhancing drugs.The report cited anonymous sources and said Armstrong was considering a confession to help restore his athletic career in...

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The 2012 sporting year in quotes

These were happy and glorious Games," - IOC president Jacques Rogge at the closing ceremony."I did everything I wanted to. I finished my career the way I wanted to," - American swimmer Michael Phelps after retiring with 18 gold medals."I hope that this medal inspires the kids at home to put down guns and knives and pick up a pair of trainers instead," - Erick Barrondo, winner of Guatemala's first-ever...

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Timeline: The 2012 sporting year

 Here are the key moments from the world of sports in 2012.January 28 - Victoria Azarenka becomes the first Belarusian to win a grand slam singles title in tennis by claiming the Australian Open.January 29 - Novak Djokovic won his third Australian Open, beating Rafa Nadal 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7 7-5 in a five hour 53 minute slugfest, the longest tennis grand slam final played.February 5 - The New York...

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Tears and smiles by the billion at London Games

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain spent nearly nine billion pounds ($14.42 billion) to create a magical and ambitious wonderland of venues for the 2012 Olympic Games, where fans were thrilled across a capital whose grime and grandeur alike got a makeover of global glamour.The Games proved a timely shot in the arm, spiritually if not financially, for a bruised nation struggling with economic recession. The...

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