■ Rugby Union
Toulouse out for revenge
Toulouse get their eagerly-awaited opportunity for revenge over Biarritz today as they aim to wipe out the memory of last season's 40-13 humiliation in the French championship final. Toulouse go into the match with the advantage of being only one of two teams in this year's tournament with an unbeaten record in three games while Biarritz suffered a shock 25-18 loss to Narbonne last week. The champions, chasing a third successive title, are also suffering an injury crisis with international second row forward Jerome Thion out for three weeks with a rib injury picked up in the midweek 54-0 drubbing of Bayonne.
■ Basketball
Player charged, released
Forward Bryant Matthews, a former American collegiate basketball player with Virginia Tech, had his contract terminated by the Sydney Kings after being charged with sexual offenses. The National Basketball League club said yesterday that Matthews, 24, was charged by police with two counts of sexual intercourse without consent following an incident on Aug. 29. No other details were released by the police. The Kings immediately tore up the Matthews' contract. He also played for a short time with the Brisbane Bullets last year. "I am deeply disappointed in the circumstances, but we had no hesitation in taking this course of action," said Kings chief executive Simon Allatson.
■ Boxing
Naseem released, tagged
Former world featherweight champion `Prince' Naseem Hamed learned on Friday that he will be released after serving just 16 weeks of a 15-month prison sentence. Hamed, 32, was jailed at Sheffield Crown Court on May 12 this year after being convicted of dangerous driving following an incident in May last year. But prison sources confirmed he will be released wearing an electronic tag next week under the Home Office's home detention curfew scheme. The boxer had destroyed his Mercedes McLaren car in a high-speed crash in the UK Peak District after driving at around 144kph on the wrong side of the carriageway while approaching a blind dip in the road. Hamed's car smashed into a Volkswagen Golf driven by Anthony Burgin, who suffered fractures to every major bone in his body as a result.
■ Soccer
Bristol City players jailed
Wales defender Dave Partridge was jailed along with two of his Bristol City teammates on Friday for their part in an alcohol-fuelled brawl. Partridge, 27, was sentenced to two months in prison for causing bodily harm during the fight in October 2005, while City colleagues Steve Brooker, 25, and Bradley Orr, 23, were both given 28-day jail sentences. A fourth City player, Scott Brown, 21, was ordered to do 100 hours of community punishment as a result of the clash outside Romeo Browns nightclub in the center of Bristol. Partridge, currently on loan at League One Leyton Orient, was also ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to bystander Andrew Rowley, who he hit during the fracas. The players were said to have been drinking for eight hours when Partridge became involved in a fight with the nightclub's bouncers after they had ejected him for spilling his drink over a female customer.
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
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely