■ Croatia
Players pay for night out
Three players were fined 40,000 Swiss francs (US$32,000) each for a night on the town before their Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia this month, the country's soccer federation announced on Thursday. Strikers Bosko Balaban, Ivica Olic and midfielder Darijo Srna sneaked out of their team hotel to go to a Zagreb nightclub, four days before the Group E game, played on Sept. 6 in Moscow. Coach Slaven Bilic immediately ruled them out of the tie which ended 0-0. The errant trio apologized to their teammates and to Bilic, who was named coach in July. The federation's disciplinary commission had already fined them 4,000 euros each.
■ Italy
Vieira gets three-game ban
Inter Milan midfielder Patrick Vieira was handed a three-match ban by the Italian soccer league's disciplinary council on Thursday for the red card he received in the Serie A match against Roma. The France captain was sent off on Wednesday night for picking up two yellow cards in his side's 1-0 win at the Olympic stadium, an offense which would normally result in a lighter penalty. But Vieira was hit harder for allegedly using foul and abusive language towards the referee. Inter director Marco Branca said the club would be appealing against the punishment.
■ France
Platini outlines UEFA plans
Michel Platini vowed to implement a soccer evolution rather than revolution in a manifesto-style letter sent to the 52 presidents of UEFA-affiliated soccer associations. Platini will contest the European soccer governing body hot-seat with current incumbent Lennart Johansson in elections in February. Platini promised to unify the soccer family, return power to UEFA's members and to improve solidarity among members. And he also vowed to stamp out racism and xenophobia, sporting fraud, illegal betting, doping, embezzlement and corrupt agents. "I am all for clean football," added Platini. "Cheating in football is a crime against the spirit of the game."
■ Brazil
Romario mulling Oz move
Legend Romario is mulling over a move to Australian team Adelaide United, the 1994 World Cup winner said on Thursday. "We have had a first telephone conversation with Adelaide United and we will have another next week," said the former world player of the year in an interview with TV Globo. The 40-year-old striker was speaking after returning to Rio on vacation after a spell with Miami FC in the US second division. "I don't know what I'm going to do this year, nor in 2007," added Romario. "For the moment I will return to the US in October to play in some friendly matches." According to the player, he needs to score 18 more goals to reach the 1,000 mark for his career, although official figures on his professional goals put him at the 507 mark -- still a phenomenal total.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two