■ Football
Sapp gets fined US$50,000
The NFL fined Tampa Bay defensive lineman Warren Sapp US$50,000 on Tuesday for mistreating officials and threatened him with a suspension if his behavior doesn't improve. NFL director of game operations Peter Hadhazy issued the fine after reviewing Sapp's conduct in three games. Hadhazy said any further misconduct will result in a suspension of at least one game. Before last Sunday's game against Washington, Sapp bumped into an official as he entered the field. "There was absolutely no need for you to do so," Hadhazy stated in a letter to Sapp. "To the contrary, it is apparent that you deliberately made contact with the official ... This misconduct occurred even though you had been strongly advised by the Buccaneers' management only days before to refrain from taking actions during the pregame warm-ups that were disruptive to your opponents, disrespectful to the game officials, and in violation of league rules regarding unsportsmanlike conduct." In two earlier games Sapp used excessively abusive language to officials.
■ Boxing
Golota plans comeback
Former heavyweight title contender Andrew Golota, who ended a layoff of nearly three years in August, will make another comeback fight next month at Turning Stone Casino. Golota, 37-4 with 30 knockouts, will fight Terrence Lewis, 31-13 with 21 knockouts, in a scheduled 10-round bout on Nov. 14. In the first fight of his comeback, Golota knocked out Brian Nix in the seventh round. Golota is best known for his two bouts with former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe, who retired after taking a second straight beating in December 1996. Bowe won both fights because Golota hit him with low blows.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two