■ Cricket
Herschelle Gibbs banned
South Africa batsman Herschelle Gibbs was banned for two tests by the ICC on Monday after being found guilty of using a racial slur against Pakistan fans in the first Test. He was heard describing the fans as "a bunch of bloody animals" by a stump microphone on Sunday. The supporters had abused South African spinner Paul Harris while he was fielding near the boundary. Gibbs apologized and unsuccessfully asked match referee Chris Broad to downgrade the charge. "I took into account the mitigating circumstances that the players were provoked by unruly spectators," Broad said.
■ Formula One
BMW-Sauber unveil F1.07
BMW-Sauber's new Formula One car is the first step in a three-year plan that the team hopes will make it a world champion by 2009. "Victories on our own merit are not yet a realistic prospect for 2007. We are aiming for that in 2008," BMW Motorsports director Mario Theissen said. "In 2009 we want to be in contention for the world championship title." Theissen unveiled the new F1.07 yesterday, a race car he called "the first BMW-Sauber." The F1.07 will be carrying less weight and features a shorter, raised nose, a slimmed-down rear and a revised cooling system.
■ Rugby League
Brian Carney retires
Great Britain international winger Brian Carney announced yesterday he is retiring from rugby league, saying he no longer has the desire to play the game. Carney, 30, only arrived on Sunday and started training with his new club Gold Coast Titans on Monday. But the Irish winger told Titans officials that he no longer had the motivation to play and would not see out his two-year deal. Titans managing director Michael Searle said the news was a complete shock. Carney has told Searle and coach John Cartwright that he wants to spend more time with his family and return home to complete his university studies in commercial law. "I have made this decision with a heavy heart and it has been a difficult decision for me to make," Carney said.
■ Soccer
Roma extend coach's tenure
AS Roma announced a contract extension late on Monday for coach Luciano Spalletti. "Details of the agreement between president Franco Sensi and the coach will be announced in a press conference tomorrow," Roma said in a statement. Spalletti is in his second season with Roma. Last season, the Giallorossi finished fifth and were bumped up to second when penalties were handed out in the Italian match-fixing scandal. Roma is in second place after the weekend's 19th-round matches.
■ Soccer
PSG fire Guy Lacombe
Guy Lacombe was fired on Monday by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and replaced by Paul Le Guen as coach. PSG lost to 10-man Valenciennes 2-1 at Parc des Princes on Saturday -- its fifth home defeat of the season -- and is 17th in the 20-team French league, two points above the relegation zone. "There is an emergency situation: we have to stay in the first division," Le Guen said at a news conference. "There is no miracle recipe or wave of a magic wand, but we'll try with something new." Le Guen signed a two-and-a-half year contract with PSG. He left Rangers on Jan. 4 because of his poor 16-8-7 record with the Scottish Premier League club after just seven months of a three-year contract.
■ Basketball
Webber to sign with Pistons
Chris Webber will sign with the Detroit Pistons, returning to the area where he played in college and was tarnished in a supporters scandal. The five-time NBA All-Star was waived by the Philadelphia 76ers last week. He became an unrestricted free agent after clearing waivers yesterday, freeing him to sign a new deal. "Joining the Pistons will allow me the opportunity to play the game I love in my hometown of Detroit surrounded by my family," Webber said in a statement on Monday. The 76ers cut ties on Thursday with Webber by buying out the final one-and-a-half years of his contract.
■ Basketball
Grizzlies deadline passes
The deadline passed on Monday for a potential ownership group led by two former NBA players to purchase control of the Memphis Grizzlies and Michael Heisley, the team's majority owner, said he's open to other offers. The failure of Brian Davis and Christian Laettner to meet the deadline was not a surprise. The group's offer seemed to be in trouble weeks ago. Heisley said in a press conference that he had not talked to Davis, the group's leader, but Heisley was already aware the deal would not be finalized in time. "We had conversations with them in the past week or so, and we understood they would not be able to meet the deadline," Heisley said.
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■ Boxing
Ali's image to sell snacks
Muhammad Ali left the boxing ring for the last time 26 years ago, before most of today's university students were born. These days, Ali is lending his name, image and reputation as the "Greatest Of All Time" to a snack food aimed at college students and young adults. It's the former heavyweight champion's first foray into marketing his image since selling most of the rights to his name and likeness for US$50 million last year. The snack food is produced in conjunction with Mars through a company called G.O.A.T., which stands for Greatest Of All Time. The snacks hit bookstore shelves at five university campuses on Wednesday, coinciding with Ali's 65th birthday.
■ Sailing
`Alinghi' leads regatta
America's Cup champion owner Ernesto Bertarelli sailed Alinghi to second place and first-place finishes and took the lead in the Farr 40 class at this year's Key West Regatta on Monday. "As usual in this sport, the team that makes the fewest mistakes tends to win. Alinghi is awesome in that regard," said John Demourkas, skipper of second-place Farr 40 Groovederci. "Their tacks are crisp, their mark-roundings are sharp and that ultimately grinds you down," Demourkas said.
■ Baseball
Willis re-signs with Marlins
Southpaw pitcher Dontrelle Willis, who helped make Florida a surprise playoff contender last year, signed a one-year Major League Baseball contract on Monday to remain with the Marlins. The deal, worth a reported US$6.45 million allows the Marlins, who spent only US$15 million on salaries last year, to avoid an arbitration fight that could cost them dearly. Willis, 25, won 22 games in 2005 but slid to 12-12 with a 3.87 earned-run average last season. He helped the youngest club in the major leagues fight for a playoff spot into the final weeks of the season before ending 78-84.
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
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
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
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just