■Hockey
Wickenheiser steps up
Hayley Wickenheiser, the Canadian woman playing hockey in Finland, made her debut Thursday in the Nordic country's second highest level of hockey, but spent the game on the bench. Wickenheiser's team Salamat (Lightnings) took an overtime win against Ahmat, 3-2, playing at home in Kirkkonumii, coming from two goals back. Though she didn't play, Wickenheiser said she had the best seat in the house to see the game. She also said that her contract didn't guarantee playing time in every match. After being promoted last spring, Salamat plays just below the top 13 teams in the country, a level much more demanding than last season, when Wickenheiser had two goals and nine assists in 23 games, averaged about 11 minutes.
■ Soccer
UEFA targets racism
Europe's governing soccer body UEFA is stepping up its campaign to eliminate racism from the game. UEFA spokesman Mike Lee said the body is determined to keep campaigning for as long as it takes to remove racism from European football. "We also agreed to instruct match delegates and referees to be on full alert and fully able to recognize any form of expression of racism,'' he said at a meeting of the body's Executive Committee. Racism on the pitch was an issue in several recent international matches, and UEFA is currently investigating claims of racist chanting during the Macedonia v England Euro 2004 qualifier earlier this month.
■ Cricket
Sussex clinch crown
Zimbabwe batsman Murray Goodwin hit the highest individual score in Sussex's history on Thursday as the club celebrated their first ever English county championship title after a wait of 113 years. Goodwin had already smashed the decisive runs to carry his team over the finishing line when they reached 300 in their first innings to notch their third batting point against relegated Leicestershire. In front of a capacity 3,000 crowd, captain Chris Adams also hit a hundred while Goodwin reached an unbeaten 335 -- beating the previous best of 333 by KS Duleepsinhji in 1930. The title was secured after 23 balls of the afternoon session when Goodwin struck the crucial boundary by pulling former England all-rounder Phil DeFreitas to the ropes.
■ Tennis
Becker in court again
Boris Becker appeared before a court in Germany Thursday claiming he was unaware when he signed a document in a bar in Washington one evening that it might obligate him to pay out US$1.5 million one day. Incredulous judges in Munich asked the thrice Wimbledon champ to explain his interpretation of the agreement with Sportgate, an ill-starred Internet portal in which he was the main investor. Insolvency administrator Hartwig Albers says Becker signed a July 2000 document guaranteeing to cover losses up to the sum claimed. Becker told the court he had signed the document following a meeting in a Washington bar with former Pixelpark CEO Paulus Neef under the impression that it was not binding for more than just a brief period of time. "And Neef told me he was planning to invest 10 million euros in Sportgate, so I never dreamt I was letting myself in for any kind of risk," Becker told the court. Judges must now determine whether the document -- written in stilted English and addressed "to whom it may concern" -- represents a legally binding agreement under German law.
■Tennis
Taiwan beats Hong Kong
Taiwan rolled over Hong Kong in Davis Cup singles play yesterday to take a 2-0 lead in the third round of the Asia-Oceania Zone Group II. Wang Yeu-tzuoo defeated Hong Kong's Yu Hiu-tung 6-0, 6-4, 6-1 at the Yang-Ming Tennis Center in Kaohsiung. Lu Yen-hsun followed by defeating Wayne Wong of Hong Kong 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.
■ Sumo
Asashoryu loses again
Yokozuna Asashoryu was handed his second straight loss yesterday when he was overpowered by ozeki Tochiazuma on the 13th day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament. Asashoryu, who was thrown out by sekiwake Wakanosato for his first loss on Thursday, was unable to take control when Tochiazuma got a hold of the grand champion's belt shortly after the face off in the day's final bout. Tochiazuma forced his opponent to the edge and calmly lifted him out to improve 9-4. Asashoryu dropped to 11-2 but maintained a one-win lead over Chiyotaikai, who lost to Kaio, and lower-ranked wrestler Kotomitsuki. Asashoryu is bidding for his fourth Emperor's Cup and will face Chiyotaikai today.
■ Golf
Langer bows to criticism
Bernhard Langer reaffirmed he will drop his captaincy of the European team and play the 2004 Ryder Cup if he qualifies, following criticism by Nick Faldo. Faldo faulted Langer's willingness on Wednesday to step aside as captain, wondering how the job would be filled in the last months before the event. He criticized the selection process which allowed the step. "If the captain should qualify, then he has the right to play. It's always been that way," Langer said at the Linde German Masters on Thursday. "Don't we need the best guys to beat the Americans?"
Agencies
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and