The British Horseracing Authority has charged a jockey and eight others, including three footballers, with race fixing. The charges follow an investigation into suspicious betting, focusing on wagers that horses would lose between November 2010 and March 2011. Jockey Andrew Heffernan, who is now licensed to ride in Australia, has been charged with five corruption offences, including offering to receive or receiving a bribe and "intentionally failing to ensure that a horse ridden by him was run on its merits". Among the eight other people charged is Ipswich striker Michael Chopra, who is accused of offering a bribe to Heffernan and conspiring to "commit a corrupt or fraudulent practice by placing bets". Nottingham Forest midfielder James Coppinger and former Manchester United player Mark Wilson were also charged. AP

Irish referee Alain Rolland erred in not allowing Australia to make a late substitution against South Africa in a Rugby Championship match last Saturday, the International Rugby Board said. The Wallabies were forced to play the closing stages at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria a man short, although it did not affect the result as the Springboks had all but sewn up a 31-8 victory. A board statement said Australia reserve hooker Saia Fainga'a should have been permitted to replace injured hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau. Loftus touchline microphones picked up Rolland - an experienced referee who refereed the 2007 World Cup final - telling the Australians that they could not make any more substitutions as they had already used the usual maximum of seven. AFP