■ Cricket
ICC suspends US federation
The US cricket federation has been suspended by the sport's world governing body for failing to set up a proper administration. In addition to the ban, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has relegated the US team from the World Cricket League division three series of games which take place in Darwin, Australia, in May. The ICC said the ban has been enacted on the basis of USA Cricket's failure to meet the agreed and subsequently extended deadlines for the adoption of its new constitution and the holding of elections.
■ Soccer
Visa snags hit Sydney FC
Sydney FC's preparations for next week's Asian Champions League opener against Shanghai Shenhua have been disrupted by visa problems for two of their players, reports said yesterday. Utility player Mark Milligan and defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley, who played in Australia's 0-0 Olympic qualifier against Iran in Tehran on Wednesday, were originally due to travel straight to China from Dubai. But difficulties in arranging visas in Dubai mean both will have to make a big detour via Australia before joining their team-mates on Tuesday, the day before the match. "There was no guarantee Mark and Nik were going to be able to obtain visas in time to make it from Dubai for the game," coach Branko Culina said.
■ Tennis
Mirza ruled out for a month
India's top female tennis player Sania Mirza will be unable to play for at least four weeks after tearing a ligament in her right knee, a doctor said yesterday. Mirza, 20, suffered the injury during her first match in the Qatar Open earlier this week. She pulled out of the tournament after her victory over Italy's Romina Oprandi. "We have suggested an intense physiotherapy and rehabilitation program for her, and it will be reviewed after four weeks," said a senior orthopedic surgeon at the Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad.
■ Soccer
Hijab ban stirs passions
A young girl's expulsion from a Quebec soccer tournament this week for wearing a head scarf has split lawmakers, according to reports on Friday. Asmahan Mansour, 11, was ousted from a tournament on Sunday in Montreal after refusing to take off her hijab, a head scarf some Muslim women wear. Brigitte Frot, executive director of the Quebec Soccer Federation, said she was not allowed on the field for safety reasons, not religious objections. "You can't hide a bomb under a hijab," protested Conservative MP Wajid Khan, an advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen. "I think an 11-year-old girl, all she wants to do is play soccer. Let her play the game," he told the Ottawa Citizen. Earlier, Quebec Premier Jean Charest expressed support for the referee's decision, indicating that as a child playing soccer he was once asked to "tuck in his shirt."
■ Soccer
Lille mull CAS appeal
Lille have said they will wait to hear UEFA's reasons for rejecting their appeal to have their Champions League last 16 first leg match against Manchester United replayed, before deciding whether or not to take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). UEFA on Friday threw out Lille's appeal against the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body's veto of the French club's original claim there was a technical refereeing error in the match which led to United's goal in a 1-0 win.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two