SPORTS BRIEFS

Businessman makes Blackburn offer

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP):

The head of a Bahrain and Switzerland-based investment firm has made a formal offer to buy Premier League club Blackburn.

Company spokeswoman Julia Thiem told The Associated Press yesterday that Indian businessman Ahasan Ali Syed, who heads Western Gulf Advisory, made the offer last month.

Thiem said the company could not discuss the proposal made to the club's financial adviser, investment bank Rothschild, because of a non-disclosure agreement.

Blackburn chairman John Williams says a number of parties have expressed interest in buying the club.

Syed, a 36-year-old lawyer who trained at the London School of Economics, will reportedly pay off the club's 20 million pounds ($31.85 million) of debt and invest 300 million pounds ($478).

Muñoz escapes ban

MADRID (AP) :

The Spanish swimming federation said yesterday that FINA had acquitted 50-metre butterfly record holder Rafael Muñoz of a ban despite the Spanish swimmer missing three out-of-competition doping tests.

Muñoz met with swimming's world governing body in Budapest, Hungary, after missing the tests, which is grounds for a ban of two months to two years.

FINA ruled out one of the missed tests, with Europa Press agency reporting that it accepted his plea of a "personal situation" that occurred after the world championships in Rome last year where Muñoz won the 50-metre and 100-metre butterfly bronze medals.

"I'm very satisfied and feel free after having such a weight lifted from me," Muñoz was quoted as saying by Europa Press. "I was sincere and defended my innocence in the case."

Muñoz can now compete in the European championships, which began in Budapest yesterday.