■ Soccer
Atletico Madrid gets fined
Atletico Madrid was fined an undisclosed amount by the Spanish soccer federation on Tuesday for its supporters' racist taunting of Valencia's Malian midfielder Mohamed Sissoko. The fine also included punishment for crowd disorder at Sunday's game, in which fireworks and bottles were launched onto the field at Vicente Calderon Stadium. Atletico won 1-0. The federation didn't disclose the amount of the fine, although it deemed the offenses minor, leading local media to assume it was 600 euros (US$800), the penalty issued to several other clubs for racist conduct this season. Sissoko was targeted with monkey noises in the 19th minute, and again when he was substituted, referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez said in his match report. The fine is the second Atletico has received this season for racism.
■ Rugby
Justin Harrison apologizes
New South Wales lock Justin Harrison apologized yesterday for making racially offensive remarks to a South African player during last weekend's Super 12 rugby match against the Cats. Center Nathan Grey had initially been named as the Waratahs player who made the racial slur, but denied the allegations through his management company. Harrison said he made the remark to Cats winger Chumani Booi, who is black, after Grey said in his statement that he'd heard them on the field during a ruck. The match at Johannesburg was won 40-19 by New South Wales. "I'm extremely disappointed for any grief and hurt that I have caused Chumani Booi over a comment I made during the match," Harrison said in a statement. "I offer a public apology to Chumani, the Cats, Nathan Grey, my teammates and the community for what I said."
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
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