■ Soccer
Madrid fields new signings
Real Madrid named three new signings, Fernando Gago, Marcelo and Gonzalo Higuain, in its squad for this weekend's Spanish league match with Deportivo La Coruna. Gago, who joined from Boca Juniors last month for 20 million euros (US$26 million), was initially believed to have been suspended for yesterday's game at La Riazor stadium after accruing five yellow cards in Argentina. However, the 20-year-old midfielder was reprieved when the Spanish soccer federation ruled his ban could only be served in the Argentine league and he was named in Madrid's squad on Saturday. Eighteen-year-old Brazil left-back Marcelo, a 6 million euro arrival from Flamengo, replaces Roberto Carlos. Higuain, a 19-year-old striker who cost Madrid 13 million euros from River Plate, will challenge Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ronaldo for a place in the attack.
■ Cricket
Waqar Younis steps down
Waqar Younis has stepped down as Pakistan bowling coach after a difference of opinion over his role. Former fast bowler Younis told television channel Geo on Saturday that he had informed the Pakistan Cricket Board of his resignation just hours before he was due to leave for South Africa to join the team for a three-match Test series. "I have been told that I will only be with the team for the test series and will return home before the one-day series," said Younis, who was appointed bowling coach until the World Cup in March and April. "I think it is better for everyone that I should step down from this responsibility at this stage."
■ Cricket
Vaughan calls for patience
Newly reappointed captain Michael Vaughan said yesterday it will take time for England to overcome its 5-0 Ashes series loss to Australia. "I do expect that there will be a few mental frailties because of what's happened, but that can soon change once you start winning a few games," Vaughan said. "I inherit a very talented team, but there will be an effect from the 5-0 Ashes whitewash. Anyone who says there won't will be lying." Earlier yesterday, team officials confirmed Vaughan would return as England's captain for the limited-overs triangular series against Australia and New Zealand.
■ Skiing
Kjetil Andre Aamodt retires
Norway's four-time Olympic champion Kjetil Andre Aamodt announced his retirement on Saturday. Aamodt, the most successful men's skier in Olympic history, underwent surgery on his chronically damaged knee over the European summer and had planned a World Cup return this month. "I feel ready both mentally and physically, and that is why I've decided to quit," Aamodt told the Norwegian online daily Nettavisen. "I think it's time to quit now. I'm 35 and have a family." He became a father last January before winning super-G gold at last year's Winter Olympics in Turin.
■ Tennis
Djokovic wins in Adelaide
Serbia's Novak Djokovic tamed the big serve of Australian wildcard Chris Guccione to win the Adelaide International tennis tournament in three sets yesterday. Djokovic took two hours 26 minutes to overcome Guccione 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-4. The world No. 16 had been in outstanding form this week, not dropping a set until the final and winning every match in under an hour.
■ Baseball
Alou returns to Giants
Felipe Alou, who was fired as the manager of the San Francisco Giants 15 weeks ago, has returned to the Major League Baseball club as special assistant to the general manager. In four seasons as Giants manager, Alou posted 342-304 record but was fired on Oct. 2. In 13 years as a major league manager, Alou posted a 1,033-1,021 record and became just the 53rd manager since 1900 to register 1,000 wins. He was named National League Manager of the Year Award in 1994 when he led the Montreal Expos.
■ Football
Payton is coach of the year
Sean Payton might have had the toughest coaching job in US pro football this season, making his selection on Saturday as the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year that much more impressive. Payton, in his first year as a head coach, didn't just lead the New Orleans Saints to a 10-6 record, the NFC South division championship and a first-round playoff bye -- he also helped revitalize a battered city's spirit. With New Orleans ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, the Saints became nomads that season, winding up 3-13 under Jim Haslett.
■ Football
Bearcats beat W Michigan
Kevin Lovell's 33-yard, fourth-quarter field goal lifted Cincinnati over Western Michigan 27-24 in US college football's inaugural International Bowl in Toronto, Canada, on Saturday. Lovell's kick with 8:49 left came after a 7-yard touchdown run by Western Michigan's Brandon West tied it. The Cincinnati Bearcats led 24-0 early in the second quarter and held off the Broncos to win the first bowl game held outside the US since 1937. The Broncos had a chance to force overtime with 1:21 remaining, but Nate Meyers' 51-yard field-goal attempt was wide.
■ Boxing
Simms regains WBA title
Travis Simms of the US seized the World Boxing Association super welterweight title in Miami, Florida, on Saturday, stopping compatriot Jose Antonio Rivera in the ninth round. Simms remained unbeaten, dominating a lopsided fight that was halted by referee Frank Santore at two minutes into the ninth after Rivera was knocked down for the second time. Simms, who improved to 25-0 with 19 wins inside the distance, had been credited with a knockdown in the second round when Rivera fell into the ropes under a Simms barrage. Simms regained the earlier title he won on Dec. 13, 2003 with a fifth-round knockout of Mexico's Alejandro Garcia.
■ Basketball
Brown returns to 76ers
Larry Brown, who served six years as coach and vice-president of the Philadelphia 76ers, is returning to the front office of the NBA club. Brown's return comes just weeks after the Sixers dispatched Allen Iverson to Denver in one of the biggest trades of this season. Iverson and Brown clashed on numerous occasions before Brown left the team in May 2003. Brown will be responsible for assisting general manager Billy King and the 76ers front office and basketball operations staff in personnel decisions as well as other special projects. Brown, 66, posted a 255-205 record with the Sixers and guided them to the playoffs five times, including the 2001 NBA Finals.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
HSIEH MAKES QUARTERS: Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens of Belgium won in the women’s doubles and face Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sofia Kenin of the US Top-ranked Iga Swiatek and US Open champion Coco Gauff were knocked out of the women’s singles at the Miami Open on Monday, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced in the women’s doubles. Swiatek lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-2, hours after third seed Gauff fell in three sets to No. 23 Caroline Garcia 6-3, 1-6, 6-2. Alexandrova beat a top-ranked player for the first time and advanced to face Jessica Pegula, a 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 winner over Emma Navarro, in the quarter-finals. Alexandrova recorded her second win over Swiatek, following a 2021 victory in Melbourne. Swiatek had won their three matches since. “We played quite