■ Basketball
NBA to open London office
The NBA plans to open an office in London this summer in an effort to expand its fan base in Europe. Officials will work with the British Olympic Association and focus on basketball development leading up to the 2012 Olympics, NBA commissioner David Stern announced on Wednesday. Stern met with London Mayor Ken Livingstone at NBA headquarters in New York City. London will host a preseason exhibition game between the Boston Celtics and Minnesota on Oct. 10.
■ Hockey
Pronger banned for attack
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Chris Pronger has been suspended for one game for striking Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Holmstrom in the head, the NHL said on Wednesday. The incident occurred at 11:40 of the second period in game three of the Western Conference finals, won 5-0 by Detroit on Tuesday. Holmstrom was hit along the boards by Pronger and teammate Rob Niedermayer. Niedermayer received a five-minute penalty and game misconduct for the hit while Pronger did not receive a penalty. The league, however, reviewed the play Wednesday and decided to suspend Pronger.
■ Football
NFL tickets sell fast
The first regular season NFL game outside North America is shaping up as a hot ticket. The first 40,000 tickets for the Oct. 28 game between the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants at the new Wembley Stadium sold in 90 minutes on Wednesday. "The speed in which such a large number of tickets were snapped up ... demonstrates the great excitement and appetite for the game in this country," said Alistair Kirkwood, managing director of NFL UK. The first batch of tickets went to fans in Britain and the rest of Europe selected randomly from registered ticket requests. Sales in the US to Giants and Dolphins fans are expected to begin within a week.
■ Horse racing
Street Sense the favorite
Street Sense was made the 7-5 favorite for tomorrow's Preakness Stakes, and a victory by the Kentucky Derby winner would set up an opportunity for a chance at the US thoroughbred Triple Crown three weeks later in the Belmont Stakes. A field of nine three-year-olds was entered on Wednesday, with Street Sense drawing the No. 8 post position for the 1.8km race at Pimlico Race Course. Street Sense is coming off a 2 1/4-length win in the Derby two weeks ago. There won't be as much traffic to navigate this time. Should Street Sense win, a Triple Crown bid might be the perfect remedy for racing a year after Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's ill-fated breakdown in the Preakness.
■ Soccer
Goalkeeper makes pit stop
An Argentine second division match in Buenos Aires was held up for several minutes so a goalkeeper could take a comfort break. The referee agreed to a request from Defensores de Belgrano goalie Maximiliano Kadijevic to leave the field so he could relieve himself during a game against Sarmiento de Junin on Tuesday night. "Something was troubling me, maybe a fruit juice," Kadijevic said after the game. The light relief did not help his side, however, as they lost 2-0.
■ Cricket
Moody wants top job
Tom Moody says he still harbors ambitions to become Australia's national cricket coach even though he pulled out of the running to replace outgoing John Buchanan earlier this year. Moody, who capped a two-year tenure as Sri Lanka's coach by taking the team to last month's World Cup final, is returning to his home town of Perth on July 1 to become coach of Western Australia. "I'd definitely be interested, in time," Moody told Australian Associated Press yesterday from Abu Dhabi, where he is on his final coaching assignment with Sri Lanka in a one-day series against Pakistan. "Having the opportunity to coach Australia would be a huge honor."
■ Rugby Union
ARU may recruit foreigners
The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) is considering changing its rules to allow foreign players to play in the Super 14. Officials are concerned about an apparent lack of depth in Australia's ranks after all four of their Super 14 teams failed to make the playoffs this season. Overseas players are banned from playing on Australia's four Super 14 teams because the ARU only wants players eligible to represent the Wallabies. But the ARU is considering changing the rules next year to allow each team to bring in one foreign player as part of a strategy to improve playing strength. "The issue came up with the Australian Rugby Championship," ARU high performance manager Pat Wilson told the Australian newspaper yesterday.
■ Soccer
China lose to Thailand
Chinese national men's soccer coach Zhu Guanghu came under renewed pressure yesterday after his team lost to Thailand for the first time in 14 years in a friendly tune-up for the Asian Cup. "There is only one conclusion from the match: It would be extremely inappropriate for Zhu Guanghu to remain in his position," said a commentary in the Beijing Morning Post. Thailand edged the visitors 1-0 in Bangkok on a 40th-minute goal from striker Pipat Thonkanya. It was Thailand's first victory against China since the 1993 Emperor's Cup in Thailand, according to state media.
■ Soccer
Adebayor to meet mediator
Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor will meet with a mediator appointed to try and resolve the controversy between players kicked out of the Togolese national side in a row over bonus payments. Winny Dogbatse, who was appointed by league chiefs in Togo to mediate between the Togo Football Federation and the players, said on Wednesday that he would be traveling to Europe to meet with the players. National captain Adebayor had been excluded from the team in March along with striker Kader Cougbadja, who plays for Jazira in the United Arab Emirates, and defender Nibombe Dare of Belgian second division side RAEC Mons.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
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
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping