Barca coach Tito Vilanova warned that archrivals Real Madrid will be dangerous in Wednesday's Spanish Super Cup final clash after a three-game famine with no wins.

Barcelona won 3-2 in the first leg at the Camp Nou, despite a blunder by goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who tried to dribble the ball out of his own penalty area and let Angel di Maria score into an empty net.

North Korea, long accused of shunting its disabled residents off to isolated detention camps, will take part for the first time this year in the Paralympics, which open Wednesday in London.

The country's sole competitor is a 16-year-old swimmer whose training only began in April. Yet his participation offers inspiration to others involved in North Korea's nascent disabled sports programs, says Li Pun Hui, a former table tennis star who has become her country's leading advocate for disabled athletes.

Lance Armstrong, branded a drug cheat and banned from cycling by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, can still count on support from the cancer community, the head of the Union for International Cancer Control said Monday.

U.S. cycling icon and cancer survivor Armstrong is set to be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after he gave up the right to fight serious doping claims by the U.S. agency at an independent hearing.

Maria Sharapova reached the U.S. Open second round on Monday before jokingly admitting that the subject of pregnancy came up during recent tests into a mystery stomach problem.

The Russian superstar eased to a 6-2, 6-2 win over Hungary's Melinda Czink in her first match since finishing with a silver medal at the Olympics.

World No. 1 Roger Federer launched his quest for an 18th career Grand Slam title by defeating American Donald Young 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the second round of the U.S. Open.

The 31-year-old Swiss star, seeking a record sixth title on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts, showed the form he used to win last month at Wimbledon and two weeks ago in Cincinnati by advancing in only 94 minutes.

A sports official in Germany has died after being struck in the throat by a javelin, police said Monday.

The 74-year-old man was adjudicating at a youth athletics event in the western city of Duesseldorf when the incident happened late Sunday, said police spokesman Andre Hartwig.

Real Madrid have signed on Tottenham Hotspur's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric for the next five seasons, the Spanish club announced Monday.

"Real Madrid C.F. and Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement for the transfer of player Luka Modric, who will be with the club for the next five seasons," the team said in a statement.

Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal will find a way to replace Robin van Persie despite being held to a second straight goalless draw, by Stoke, at the start of the Premier League season.

Star striker van Persie scored 37 goals in all competitions last term but left to join top-flight rivals Manchester United in a reported £24 million move.

Tennis Australia said Monday it was confident players would not boycott the Australian Open over a prize money disagreement, but it was taking the threat seriously.

The Sunday Times of London reported players on the ATP Tour, which runs the men's game, were considering a boycott of January's tournament in a bid to gain a higher percentage of Grand Slam event revenues for themselves.

La Liga champions Real Madrid crashed to a shock 2-1 defeat at derby rivals Getafe on Sunday to leave them five points behind fierce rivals Barcelona after only two games of the new season.

Madrid's sluggish start has seen them held 1-1 at home to Valencia in the league followed by a 3-2 defeat by Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup first leg, before this latest slip-up.