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■ GOLF

Goosen pulls out of Masters

Defending champion Retief Goosen has withdrawn from the Qatar Masters because of eye problems. The South African golfer underwent corrective laser surgery 10 days ago and said his vision in one eye began to blur during practice on Tuesday. He traveled to Dubai for further treatment, but returned to Doha on Wednesday saying he had to pull out of the European Tour event. "I am obviously very sad that I am unable to defend my title," Goosen said. "I came all this way to play but unfortunately the eye is causing a problem." Goosen has been replaced in the field by Sweden's Henrik Nystrom.



■ SKIING

Karbon breaks her thumb

Giant slalom star Denise Karbon broke her thumb in training on Wednesday but the Italian Skiing Federation said it would not stop her from competing. Karbon has been in fine form this season, winning the first four World Cup giant slalom events. But she slipped on the snow during her warm-up routine on the Pozza di Fassa slopes at Trentin in northeast Italy and fractured a bone in the thumb of her left hand. Her doctor, Herbert Schoenhuber, told Ansa news agency that the injury should not stop her from competing in the sixth giant slalom of the season at Ofterschwang in Germany tomorrow.



■ BOXING

Calzaghe to fight in Vegas

Undisputed super-middle weight champion Joe Calzaghe of Wales will fight American Bernard Hopkins in a non-title light-heavyweight bout in Las Vegas on April 19. A win would propel the WBC, WBA and WBO super-middleweight title holder, who turns 36 in March and has admitted he is close to retiring, into a possible career finale against Roy Jones Jr or Jermain Taylor. Calzaghe has already intimated that he would love his swansong to take place at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York where his Italian heritage would secure a rapturous reception.



■ OLYMPICS

Beijing protesters detained

Chinese police detained more than 20 people after "scores" of protesters blocked a major Beijing road in a rally against a power station being built for the Olympic Games, state press said yesterday. The protest took place late on Wednesday on the city's fourth ring road, near the site of the August Games, the Beijing News said. Law enforcement officials were immediately dispatched to the scene, with 24 police vehicles surrounding the protesters and police detaining more than 20 demonstrators, who were placed under investigation, the paper said.



■ BASEBALL

MLB to play games in China

Major League Baseball games are visiting China for the first time, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres to play exhibition games on March 15 and March 16 at the baseball venue for the 2008 Olympic Games. Baseball is eager to crack the huge potential market in China. Unlike soccer and basketball, baseball and football are invisible on playgrounds in China and absent from TV coverage. "Hopefully we can help you develop a love for the game as we love it in the United States," San Diego Padres vice president Dave Winfield said at yesterday's announcement in central Beijing which was also attended by new Dodgers manager Joe Torre.
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