■ Soccer
Basile to coach Argentina
Alfio Basile has been appointed coach of Argentina for the second time, he told reporters on Monday. "Obviously, I'm very proud to coach the Argentina national team again, like any Argentine would be," he said at a media conference held by his club Boca Juniors. "I'm looking forward to it greatly, especially seeing the quantity of great players we have," he said. Basile will replace Jose Pekerman, who resigned after taking Argentina to the World Cup quarter-finals where they lost on penalties to hosts Germany. The 62-year-old former defender, regarded as an exponent of attacking soccer, was also at the helm from 1991 to 1994. He won the Copa America twice -- in 1991 and 1993 -- and led Argentina to the second round of the 1994 World Cup. Basile will take up his post on Sept. 15 after an agreement between Boca and the Argentina Football Association. He declined to discuss his plans for the job.
■ Cricket
McGrath names `bunnies'
Australian paceman Glenn McGrath tempted fate yesterday when he named England's stand-in captain Andrew Strauss and batsman Alastair Cook as his batting "bunnies" for the upcoming Ashes series. McGrath's bold claim comes after he predicted a 5-0 whitewash to Australia in the last Ashes series, only for England to win 2-1 and claim the trophy for the first time in 18 years. He also nominated the then England captain Michael Vaughan as his bunny ahead of the last Ashes series -- only for McGrath to miss most of the campaign through injury and Vaughan to play a major role in his side's success. Undeterred, McGrath again backed his abilities as a fortune teller yesterday when asked which batsman he would dominate this time around. "There's the young fellow Cook who's done well so far, he's one of many," McGrath told commercial radio in Sydney. "There's no use naming one, these days you name two or three. They've captained Strauss at the moment, you always name the captain," he said.
■ Soccer
Carrick joins Red Devils
England midfielder Michael Carrick joined Manchester United on Monday in an £18.6 million (US$34.7 million) transfer from Tottenham. The 25-year-old Carrick completed the move after passing his medical at Old Trafford. He was United's first new signing of the summer break. United was able to meet Tottenham's asking price after it sold striker Ruud van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid for a reported £10 million. The Red Devils are also close to signing Villarreal midfielder Marcos Senna for a fee of about 10 million euros (US$12.75 million) after the Brazilian-born Spaniard agreed to personal terms with the club. Carrick was the fifth most expensive signing in United history, behind Van Nistelrooy, Rio Ferdinand, Juan Sebastien Veron and Wayne Rooney.
■ Soccer
Ricksen out of rehab
Defender Fernando Ricksen will return to training with Rangers after being released from a clinic dealing with addiction on Monday. The former Dutch international checked himself into the Sporting Chance Clinic in London after he was sent home from Rangers' preseason tour of South Africa after drinking on a team flight and arguing with an airline attendant. "I'm glad to be back and I don't want to say too much," Ricksen said about remaining with Rangers.
■ Sumo
Wrestlers to visit Taiwan
A team of 45 Japanese sumo wrestlers will arrive in the country for a two-day performance on Aug. 19 to Aug. 20 under the invitation of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁). Lo Koon-tsan (羅坤燦), executive director of the foreign ministry's Committee on Japanese Affairs, yesterday said that the idea to invite the sumo wrestlers was brought up a year ago by the president, who has had exchanges with the sportsmen during his term as Taipei mayor. It would be the first time for a Japanese sumo team to visit Taiwan since the end of Japanese occupation in 1945. The two-day sumo competition will be held in the Taipei Arena, and will feature top-notch wrestlers such as Asashoryu and Hakuho.
■ Golf
Balding dies of cancer
Al Balding, the first Canadian to win a PGA Tour event, died of cancer at the age of 82 on Sunday. Balding's breakthrough victory at the 1955 Mayfair Open in Sanford, Florida was the first by a Canadian in the US. He followed that success with three PGA Tour wins in 1957 -- the Miami Beach Open, West Palm Beach Open and Havana International -- to finish sixth on the money list. Balding also teamed up with George Knudson to win the 1968 World Cup, where he carded the lowest individual score.
■ Athletics
Two stolen medals found
Police have recovered two of Tatiana Grigorieva's stolen Olympic and Commonwealth Games medals. The Russian-born Australian pole vaulter won the Olympic silver medal at Sydney 2000 and the gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games at Manchester, England. Those and medals from the world championships and other memorabilia were stored in a safe that was stolen from a Brisbane office on July 18. Queensland state police said yesterday the Olympic medal and the 2002 Manchester medal were recovered when officers executed a search warrant in the eastern outskirts of the city.
■ Shooting
Fokeev wins shootoff
Vitaly Fokeev of Russia won a shootoff to reach the final at the world shooting championships in Zagreb, where he hit all 50 clay discs for his first men's double trap world title on Monday. Fokeev beat two-time world champion Daniele di Spigno of Italy 4-3 in a shootoff for the sixth and last qualifying berth in the final, and then his perfect score elevated him to the gold medal, edging Hu Binyuan of China by one point. The Russian scored a 190 total, and Binyuan 189 after making 47 in the final. The bronze went to Roland Gerebics of Hungary.
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
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