City defender Richards stranded with swine flu

The England footballer Micah Richards has been stranded on holiday after being diagnosed with swine flu. The Manchester City defender, 21, said he had been struck down with the bug during a break in Cyprus. Richards told The Sun newspaper in the UK that he has been confined to his hotel room after being told he cannot fly back to the UK until he has fully recovered. "At first I thought it was a really bad chest infection. "I felt so weak that I couldn't move or eat. My friends had to bring me drinks in bed. "When I was told I had swine flu all sorts of things started going through my mind. You see on the news people dying of it." The 21-year-old went on the holiday after helping England reach the final of the Under 21 Championships in Sweden. He added: "My club have been very understanding. I'll get some stick from the lads when I do return - they will probably all turn up to training in surgical masks."

* PA Sport