■ Hockey
Ballard injures hand
The Phoenix Coyotes will be without defenseman Keith Ballard for at least four weeks due to a fractured right hand, Canadian sports channel TSN reported on Tuesday. Ballard, who suffered the injury in Monday's 5-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, flew back to Phoenix on Tuesday to be examined by club doctors. The 11th overall pick in 2002, Ballard recorded eight goals and 31 assists while playing all 82 games as a rookie with the Coyotes in 2005-06. He had two assists in three games this season.
■ Soccer
Barton fined for mooning
Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton was fined ?2,000 (US$3,700) and given a warning on Tuesday for dropping his shorts in front of rival fans after a Premier League game. Barton had admitted a Football Association charge of improper conduct. Barton, who has a history of disciplinary problems, exposed his backside to Everton's fans after the 1-1 draw on Sept. 30 at Goodison Park. "I have had a fair hearing and would like to thank the FA for that," Barton told Manchester City's Web site.
■ Rugby Union
Cordingley out of tour
Sam Cordingley has withdrawn from next month's Australian rugby union tour to Europe, leaving the Wallabies without their first and second-choice scrumhalves for four test matches. Regular skipper George Gregan has elected not to tour so that he can focus his preparations on next year's World Cup in France. Cordingley, 30, has struggled with a foot injury most of the year and was ruled out of the tour during the preparation camp this week at Coffs Harbor. "It's progressed slowly ... I don't think I could get through the training load, let alone the four tests." Cordingley said in a statement yesterday.
■ Basketball
Pacer hit-and-run man held
Indianapolis police arrested a man on Tuesday who they claim drove a car into Stephen Jackson of the Indiana Pacers during a scuffle outside a strip club, the Indianapolis Star reported. Deon Willford was arrested on charges of criminal recklessness, leaving the scene of an accident and driving without a license, police told the newspaper. Willford, 23, was being held at the Marion County Jail. Jackson and three Pacers teammates were departing Club Rio early on Friday morning when police say Jackson fired five gunshots from a 9mm handgun after being punched in the face and being struck by a car. Police said Jackson was apparently acting in self-defense, but it will be the decision of prosecutors whether or not Jackson and his teammates.
■ Soccer
FA to file racism complaint
England's Football Association are to contact UEFA after two Under-21 players suffered alleged racist abuse by Germany players in a playoff game, the FA said yesterday. Defender Anton Ferdinand and forward Micah Richards were allegedly abused in Tuesday's European championship playoff in Leverkusen which England won 2-0, British media reported. "Two of our players reported that they received racial abuse from German players," a FA spokesman said. "It's a matter we raised with the UEFA delegate after the game and we will be formally communicating with UEFA in the next couple of days." Underlining the FA's commitment to tackling racism, he added: "If any of our players are subject to racist abuse it's our duty to take that up with the relevant authorities -- and we will do that."
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