■Tennis
Kournikova sidesteps Paris
Russia's Anna Kournikova and Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands have withdrawn from next week's French Open, tournament organisers said on Thursday. Kournikova cited a leg injury, while Krajicek is still suffering from the elbow problem that has plagued his career since he won Wimbledon in 1996, a statement said. They will be replaced in the draw by lucky losers.
■ Soccer
Qaddafi Jr. eyes Italy
Al-Saadi Qaddafi, son of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi and captain of his nation's soccer team, wants to join top-division Italian team Perugia next season, his spokesman said on Thursday. The Libyan's Rome-based spokesman Gianluca Di Carlo said that Perugia president Luciano Gaucci had contacted Al-Saadi Qaddafi regarding the possibility. Perugia officials could not be reached Thursday to confirm this. "The only problem is if he has enough time," Di Carlo said, referring to Al-Saadi Qaddafi's busy schedule.
■ Soccer
British anthem ruled out
Britain's national anthem won't be played before the English soccer league playoff games because a Welsh team is involved, the Football League said on Thursday. The matches, on today, tomorrow and Monday in Cardiff, Wales, have traditionally featured God Save The Queen before kickoff. But league officials are worried the anthem will be booed because Hen Wlad fy Nhadau, Wales' national anthem, isn't being played before Cardiff's division two final against Queens Park Rangers on tomorrow.
■ Football
McNair apologizes for arrest
Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair apologized on Thursday for his arrest hours earlier on charges of drunken driving and illegal possession of a handgun. "This is something I didn't think that would ever happen, but this is something that we've just got to deal with, and I will with the support ... of my teammates, coaches, family and friends," McNair said. "I will get over it." McNair read his short statement while flanked by Titans coach Jeff Fisher, general manager Floyd Reese and president Jeff Diamond. He didn't take any questions and concluded by apologizing to his fans, particularly the children who look up to him. McNair was stopped just after midnight by a police officer who saw his sports utility vehicle weaving on a downtown street. The weapon charge involves a 9mm handgun found in the console between the front seats of his SUV.
■Olympics
Utah receives final check
Olympic organizers handed over the 2002 Winter Games' final payout on Thursday, reimbursing Utah for building the Olympic Village. Organizers wired US$400,000 to the state, the amount remaining from a total of US$31.6 million in Olympic payments that helped pay for construction of living quarters taken over by the University of Utah. The Salt Lake Organizing Committee, which plans to go out of business June 30, paid off its final obligation two years before the money was due. The Winter Olympics left a US$100 million profit plus other benefits for Utah that together come to more than US$250 million.
■ Sumo
Asashoryu on course
Mongolian Asashoryu took a giant step toward his first title as grand champion yesterday when he tripped up Musoyama at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament. With two days remaining in the 15-day tourney at Ryogoku Kokugikan, Asashoryu improved to 12-1 and opened up a two-win lead over ozeki Kaio, who upset Chiyotaikai in an earlier bout to give both wrestlers a record of 10-3. Asashoryu will face Kaio in today's bouts and could wrap up his first Emperor's Cup as yokozuna with a win. Fighting in the day's final bout, Asashoryu used a well-timed leg kick to upend ozeki Musoyama in the center of the ring.
■ Soccer
Vogts picks Scotland squad
Scotland manager Berti Vogts will rest several key players for a friendly match against New Zealand because of club commitments. Thursday, Vogts left out Barry Ferguson, Kenny Miller, Colin Cameron and Neil Alexander from the friendly against New Zealand on Tuesday in Edinburgh. But all four will be available to face Germany in the Euro 2004 qualifier on June 7 at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Ferguson is preparing for the May 31 Scottish Cup final with Rangers, while Miller, Cameron and Alexander are involved in playoff finals in English leagues on tomorrow and Monday.
■ Boxing
Phillips faces ban
Former light-welterweight world champion Vince Phillips could be suspended after testing positive for a banned substance. The British Boxing Board of Control yesterday confirmed that a sample taken from the American fighter on the day of his World Boxing Union title fight against Ricky Hatton in Manchester on April 5 contained the stimulant ephedrine. Ephedrine, also banned by the International Olympic Committee, is sometimes found in cold medications.
Agencies
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was
RALLY: It was only the second time the Taiwanese has partnered with Kudermetova, and the match seemed tight until they won seven points in a row to take the last set 10-2 Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix women’s doubles final in Stuttgart, Germany. The pair defeated Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri and Estonia’s Ingrid Neel 4-6, 6-3, 10-2 in a tightly contested match at the WTA 500 tournament. Chan and Kudermetova fell 4-6 in the first set after having their serve broken three times, although they played increasingly well. They fought back in the second set and managed to break their opponents’ serve in the eighth game to triumph 6-3. In the tiebreaker, Chan and Kudermetova took a 3-0 lead before their opponents clawed back two points, but