■ Tennis
Clijsters wants to be alone
Kim Clijsters has pleaded to be left alone after announcing she was breaking up with her Australian boyfriend Lleyton Hewitt four months from their marriage. "I hope everyone will now show me and my family and friends a little respect and comprehension by keeping their opinions to themselves," the former world No. 1 said on her Web site. She dismissed reports the two prospective mothers-in-law had fallen out. "Complete lies," she said. "Where have we got to that journalists are camped outside my home and follow me." Hewitt, due to play in the Paris Masters tournament next Monday, was reported to be devastated by the public split.
■ Soccer
Fan falls to his death
A 24-year-old Danish football fan died after falling from the top tier of the stands at FC Copenhagen's Parken Stadium during a weekend match against Viborg, news agency Ritzau said. The man, reportedly from Frederiksberg in Copenhagen, received immediate medical attention but died of his injuries on Sunday. Copenhagen chairman Flemming Ostergaard told Ritzau the man had apparently been enraged when the referee sent off the home team's Bo Svensson during the second half. "According to our information, he became angry at the decision and ran down toward the railing and fell over," Ostergaard was quoted as saying. The referee halted Sunday's Superleague match soon after the incident. The Danish football association (DBU) on Monday said the score of 0-0 at the time of the incident would stand as the result.
■ Soccer
Juventus men could get jail
The public prosecutor in the Juventus doping trial has asked for the club's chief executive and medical chief to be given jail sentences. Juventus chief executive Antonio Giraudo and medical chief Riccardo Agricola are accused of administering banned drugs to players between 1994 and 1998. Both have denied the allegations Public prosecutor Raffaele Guariniello asked on Monday for a jail sentence of two years and one month for Giraudo and three years and two months for Agricola. The trial started in January 2002 and in October last year, an Italian pharmacologist told the trial that Juventus had a store containing 281 medicines with at least five prohibited anti-inflammatory drugs. A number of past and present Juventus players have already appeared as witnesses in the case, including Roberto Baggio and French international Zinedine Zidane. The players say they only took legal supplements during their time at the club.
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
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
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