Racism cloud on Copenhagen

* Hamburg SV sacked coach Thorsten Fink on Tuesday after their 6-2 demolition by Borussia Dortmund compounded a bad start to the season. Reserve team coaches Rodolfo Cardoso and Otto Addo had been put in temporary charge. “I had very good relations with Thorsten Fink and I hope this will stay that way but given the situation we are in we decided last night to go our separate ways,” sports director Oliver Kreuzer said. The 45-year-old Fink,who angered club bosses after leaving the team following the loss to join his family in Munich,had taken over in 2011. Hamburg are in 15th on four points from five games,having conceded 15 goals for the Bundesliga’s worst defence.

Bilbao win opener at new home

* Athletic Bilbao celebrated the inauguration of their new stadium with a 3-2 comeback victory over Celta Vigo. Bilbao demolished their century-old San Mames arena,popularly known as “the cathedral”,at the end of last season and played their first match in the new stadium nearby even though one end is still to be completed. “Let’s see if it’s a good omen for us,” Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde said. “The stadium is incredible and it will be even better when it’s finished.” Bilbao are fifth on nine points from four matches.

Cilic to appeal ban

* Former world number nine Marin Cilic has said he will appeal a nine-month doping ban imposed on him after he tested positive for the banned stimulant nikethamide. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced on Monday that they had imposed the ban on the 24-year-old despite accepting his explanation that he had ingested the substance in glucose tablets and not intended to enhance his performance. “I will be appealing that decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport very shortly,” Cilic said. “I wish to emphasise that I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any banned substance in my life and that I am opposed to any use of performance-enhancing substances in sport.”

Inter told to partly shut stadium

* Inter Milan have been ordered by the Italian league to play their next home match with one end of San Siro closed as punishment for fan racism. A 1-1 draw between Inter and Juventus on Saturday was marred by Inter fans targeting two Juventus players with racist chants. It’s the third time this Serie A season that a squad will play with part of their stadium closed due to racism. Lazio and Roma have already been penalised in the first and second rounds of this season,respectively. Inter were also fined 15,000 euros ($20,000). Inter’s next home match is against Fiorentina on Sept. 26.