Sports News Roundup: Du Toit expects France to match Boks in physical battle; AC Milan CEO Gazidis to leave role and more

"The market is still open and (fans) have enough time to decide and to book," said Omar Al-Jaber, executive director of accommodations for the Supreme Committee of Delivery and Legacy (SC), organisers of the tournament that begins on Nov. 20. Rugby-Du Toit expects France to match Boks in physical battle South Africa flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit is bracing for a bruising forward battle when his side take on France in their autumn international clash in Marseille on Saturday as he admits the Springboks have to be smarter with their rolling maul.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Soccer-AC Milan CEO Gazidis to leave role

AC Milan CEO Ivan Gazidis will leave his position on Dec. 5, the Italian Serie A club said on Wednesday. The 58-year-old took over at the San Siro club in December 2018, having previously been chief executive at Arsenal, where he served for nearly a decade.

Cricket-New Zealand's Williamson rues poor performance rather than result

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson was frustrated by his team's sub-par performance as their Twenty20 World Cup dream ended with defeat to Pakistan in Wednesday's semi-final. The loss means Black Caps will return home without a trophy from a fifth straight white-ball World Cup, despite reaching at least the semi-finals in all of them.

Factbox-Soccer-World Cup 2022 squads: full list of 26-man teams playing in FIFA tournament

Following is a list of players who have been called up by their respective teams for the Nov. 20-Dec. 18 World Cup in Qatar. AUSTRALIA

Soccer-Fans book 90,000 nightly rooms in group stage of Qatar World Cup, more available - organiser

Fans have booked accommodation in more than 90,000 rooms, tents, apartments, villas and portacabins on each of the peak days of the World Cup in Qatar, organisers said Wednesday, adding that at least 25,000 rooms are still available. "The market is still open and (fans) have enough time to decide and to book," said Omar Al-Jaber, executive director of accommodations for the Supreme Committee of Delivery and Legacy (SC), organisers of the tournament that begins on Nov. 20.

Rugby-Du Toit expects France to match Boks in physical battle

South Africa flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit is bracing for a bruising forward battle when his side take on France in their autumn international clash in Marseille on Saturday as he admits the Springboks have to be smarter with their rolling maul. The Boks' game-plan is based around grinding down opponents with their forwards and laying the platform to unleash their backs, but Du Toit believes the in-form French will pose a unique challenge.

Soccer-Senegal sweating on Mane's fitness forward suffers leg injury

Senegal forward Sadio Mane has sustained an injury to his right fibula and will miss Bayern Munich's last league game before the World Cup, his club said on Wednesday, leaving his participation at the tournament in doubt. Mane had to leave the pitch 20 minutes into Bayern's crushing 6-1 win over Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Tuesday and has been ruled out of Saturday's trip to Schalke 04.

Soccer-South Korea's Son confirms he is fit for World Cup

South Korea and Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min confirmed on Wednesday he be available for selection for the World Cup in Qatar after undergoing surgery earlier this month to stabilise a fracture around his left eye. Son, 30, sustained the injury in Tottenham's 2-1 Champions League tie at Olympique de Marseille last week following an aerial clash and required lengthy treatment on the pitch before being substituted and walking unsteadily down the tunnel.

'Qatar is a mistake,' says former FIFA President Sepp Blatter

Sepp Blatter, the former president of FIFA when Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup hosting rights in 2010, told Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger "Qatar is a mistake," adding that "the choice was bad." The Qatar decision has been marred by controversy, including allegations of corruption and human rights violations, since it was first announced.

U.S. protests basketball star Griner's move to Russian penal colony

Russian authorities last week transferred U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner from a detention centre outside Moscow and she is now on her way to an undisclosed penal colony, her legal team and Washington's top diplomat said on Wednesday.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist was arrested on Feb. 17 - a week before Russia invaded Ukraine - at a Moscow airport, where she was found to have vape cartridges containing cannabis oil, which is banned in Russia, in her luggage.

Rugby-Springbok prop Kitshoff to move to Ulster next season

South African test front rower Steven Kitshoff will join Ulster next season after signing a three-season deal, the province announced on Wednesday. The prop will join the team after next year's World Cup in France where he is expected to be a Springbok regular after helping South Africa to win the last World Cup in Japan in 2019.