■ BASEBALL
Japan trounce the Aussies
Japan defeated Australia 6-0 on Thursday in a tune-up for next month's Asian qualifiers for the baseball tournament at the Beijing Olympics. Takahiro Arai drove in a run in the first inning and Atsunori Ibata made it 2-0 in the fourth inning at Fukuoka Dome with a single to left. Japan scored four more runs in the eighth. One team will qualify for the Olympics in the Dec. 1 to Dec. 3 qualifiers to be held in Taiwan. Two more teams will advance from Asia in a tournament to be held next March, also in Taiwan.
■ CYCLING
Leukemans fails dope test
Belgian cyclist Bjorn Leukemans has been suspended by the Predictor-Lotto team after an out-of-competition test came back positive for testosterone. "If the B sample was to be positive, the rider would be immediately sacked," the team said on its Web site late on Wednesday. "This isolated case has no influence on the normal operations of the team." Leukemans, 30, finished fourth in the Paris-Roubaix classic in April and won the fourth stage of the Tour of Austria in July. Leukemans denied any wrongdoing in a statement on his Web site. "I will clear my name," he said.
■ SAILING
America's Cup postponed
The 2009 America's Cup was postponed on Thursday because of a protracted legal dispute. Organizers said the 33rd edition of the sailing classic will be staged at a later date because of Golden Gate Yacht Club's dispute with two-time defending champion Alinghi's Societe Nautique de Geneve over the rules for the next race. "The ongoing uncertainty around the conclusion of the New York court case brought by BMW Oracle Racing leaves the organizers no choice but to delay the event, as many indicators demonstrate a lack of viability to stage the event in 2009 to the same standards as the 32nd America's Cup," America's Cup Management said in a statement.
■ CRICKET
Fernando fit to play Tests
Sri Lanka's fast bowler Dilhara Fernando will play in the upcoming Test series against England despite a recurring ankle injury, his captain Mahela Jayawardene said yesterday. Fernando, 28, is a key member of Sri Lanka's pace attack along with Lasith Malinga and 99-match veteran Chaminda Vaas for the three back-to-back Tests starting in Kandy on Dec. 1. His availability is crucial for the hosts in the absence of seamer Farveez Maharoof, who will miss the entire series after suffering a stress fracture during the recent Test tour of Australia. Jayawardene said Fernando, who is due for surgery next April, took injections in Australia to make himself fit for the England series.
■ ATHLETICS
Liu feeling the pressure
Reigning Olympic and World champion 110m hurdler Liu Xiang has been told he will be a failure if he does not pick up gold at next year's Beijing Games, it was reported yesterday. Liu, who also holds the world record in the event, has consistently complained of the enormous pressure he is under in the lead-up to next year's Olympics, and his coach Sun Haiping gave a glimpse of one reason why. "Officials from the State General Administration of Sports once told us if Liu could not win a gold in Beijing, all of his previous achievements would become meaningless," Sun said, according to the China Daily newspaper. "So we have to take everything possible into consideration to keep him in top form.
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