■ ITALY
Moggi facing more charges
Juventus’ former general manager Luciano Moggi and match officials have been charged in the second part of a probe into the 2006 match-fixing scandal, Italy’s soccer federation (FIGC) said on Wednesday. Moggi had already been banned from soccer for five years after the first part of the probe for leading attempts to secure compliant referees for some teams’ games. He is now accused of giving foreign mobile telephone SIM cards to match officials to create a secret system of communication with them, the FIGC said on its Web site. Moggi is also accused of breaking FIGC rules by carrying out the functions of a club director for Messina, a second division side who were in the top flight when the scandal broke, while he was also a senior executive of Juventus.
■ SPAIN
Gurpegui to play in Madrid
Athletic Bilbao’s Carlos Gurpegui returns to Spanish league action at Real Madrid on Sunday following a two-year suspension for doping. Athletic coach Joaquin Caparros said the 27-year-old midfielder would be in the starting line-up at the Santiago-Bernabeu Stadium. Spanish sporting authorities punished Gurpegui with a two-year ban after he tested positive for the steroid nandrolone at the Basque derby against Real Sociedad in the first league fixture of the 2002-2003 season. However, because of the legal fight put up by the club and the player over his innocence, he continued to play until he was finally suspended in 2006.
■ PERU
Pizarro asked to quit lawsuit
Peru striker Claudio Pizarro, banned by his country for 18 months for indiscipline, has been asked by FIFA to withdraw a lawsuit he has taken out against the Peruvian federation over his suspension. Pizarro’s agent Carlos Delgado said in a radio interview that soccer’s governing body wanted the Chelsea player to keep his case to the sporting tribunals. “We asked the player Pizarro to immediately withdraw his case from the civil courts and use the sporting tribunals,” Delgado quoted from the letter. “We remind all the parties involved that if one of them is not satisfied with the final decision, they have the option of turning to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).” Pizarro was banned along with Jefferson Farfan, Andres Mendoza and Santiago Acasiete for alleged incidents at the team hotel following a World Cup qualifier with Brazil in November.
■ SOUTH KOREA
Coach makes Park promise
South Korea have promised they will not overwork Manchester United’s Park Ji-sung at this year’s Beijing Olympics soccer tournament. The South Koreans plan to call the United midfielder up for the Aug. 8 to Aug. 24 Games, but the player’s progress in China is likely to be closely monitored by the English Premier League club. “Of course, we need to think about the possibilities of overworking Park,” South Korea coach Park Sung-hwa told reporters on yesterday. “But by May the leagues will be over in Europe, so there should not be too much of a problem in him joining the team.”
■ ENGLAND
O’Neill wins libel case
Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill accepted libel damages on Wednesday from a soccer gossip Web site that claimed he made an illegal approach for a player. The 365 Media Group said last April that the former Celtic manager had attempted to induce Poland goalkeeper Artur Boruc from the Scottish club. The site paid an undisclosed amount in damages and published an apology.
Tainan TSG Hawks slugger Steven Moya, who is leading the CPBL in home runs, has withdrawn from this weekend’s All-Star Game after the unexpected death of his wife. Moya’s wife began feeling severely unwell aboard a plane that landed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday evening. She was rushed to a hospital, but passed away, the Hawks said in a statement yesterday. The franchise is assisting Moya with funeral arrangements and hopes fans who were looking forward to seeing him at the All-Star Game can understand his decision to withdraw. According to Landseed Medical Clinic, whose staff attempted to save Moya’s wife,
Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday homered for the fifth consecutive game, tying a Los Angeles Dodgers franchise record. Yankees star Aaron Judge was the last player to homer in five consecutive games, accomplishing that feat last year. Ohtani, who leads the National League with 37 home runs, homered in the first inning off Minnesota Twins starter Chris Paddack. He hit a slow curveball 134m to center. He carried the bat midway down the first-base line and then did a bat flip. He did not hit a home run later in the game with the Dodgers trailing, but his presence was felt. With two outs
Taiwan’s world No. 6 shuttler Chou Tien-chen yesterday defeated India’s H.S. Prannoy to advance to the quarter-finals of the China Open in Changzhou. It was former world No. 2 Chou’s eighth win in 14 matches against Prannoy, who had earlier this week lamented the age divide between him and up-and-comers, although he is only two years younger than 35-year-old Chou. The Taiwanese, who is seeded sixth at the tournament, rebounded from a close 21-18 loss in game 1 on Court 2 at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium. He bounced back to take the next games 21-15, 21-8 and set up a tough quarter-final
The Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday acquired Taiwanese-American outfielder Stuart Fairchild from the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations to fill the roster after All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe was placed back on the injured list. Fairchild was designated for assignment by the Braves on Monday after hitting .216/.273/.333 in 28 games for Atlanta, with most of his work coming as a pinch runner or defensive replacement. He joins Tampa Bay as a versatile fourth outfielder option. To make room for Fairchild on the 40-man roster, the Rays transferred relief pitcher Manuel Rodriguez (forearm strain) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day
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