■ SOCCER
Maradona, Third World hero
Diego Maradona hit the big screen in Cannes on Tuesday in an exuberant documentary by Serbian director Emir Kusturica depicting him as a rebel fighting Western imperialism first through soccer, now through friendship with Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. Maradona is perhaps best known for his role in knocking England out of the 1986 World Cup in a 2-1 victory. For Kusturica, that victory was a triumph by the Third World over the West, which he said imposes its rule on countries like Argentina and Serbia using weapons such as the IMF and NATO bombs.
■ OLYMPICS
Facilities damaged in China
No athletes were injured, but sports facilities were seriously damaged by China’s devastating earthquake in Sichuan Province, state media reported yesterday. Twenty athletes expected to take part in the Beijing Olympics in August were training in the province when the quake struck, but all were safe, Sichuan sports officials told Xinhua news agency. A new gymnasium, a swimming pool and a stadium in Wenchuan, the epicenter of last Monday’s quake, were all wiped out. A 3,000-seat gymnasium in Jiangyou City was also destroyed by the quake. All of the provincial-level athletes were away from the worst-hit areas and they made a quick escape from the buildings when the disaster happened, officials said.
■ GOLF
Faldo wants Montgomerie
European Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo thinks he’ll have a spot for Colin Montgomerie on this year’s team if the player can pull out of a recent slump. Montgomerie has an unbeaten singles record in his eight Ryder Cup appearances, but has struggled this year, failing to qualify for the Masters last month while falling to 90th on the world rankings. “I firmly believe Monty will turn it around. I certainly haven’t counted that out,” Faldo said on Tuesday ahead of the BMW PGA Championship which begins at Wentworth, England, today. “He has a great way of producing the goods when really needed. A player of his ability has enough time to make it happen,” Faldo said.
■ SOCCER
Kirin Cup opens today
Japan take on Ivory Coast and Paraguay in the annual Kirin Cup soccer tournament, hoping to set up a platform for their crunch World Cup qualifiers next month. Japan will play Ivory Coast on Saturday in Toyota and Paraguay on Tuesday in Saitama, while the visitors face each other in today’s opener in Yokohama. Japan coach Takeshi Okada, who took charge of the side after Ivica Osim’s life-threatening stroke in November, sees the games as a useful work-out ahead of the qualifiers against Oman, Thailand and Bahrain.
■ SOCCER
Swiss neutrality tested
Switzerland is staying true to its tradition of neutrality during the Euro 2008 championships with the organizers taking pains to avoid mixing sport and politics. The tournament kicks off just one week after a controversial referendum on how Switzerland grants naturalization status to foreigners. The far-right Swiss People’s Party (SVP) has plastered the country’s railway stations and other public spaces with a poster showing dark-skinned hands grasping for a pile of Swiss passports under the single word “No!” But when asked whether they feared the campaign portrayed a negative image of Switzerland just when thousands of foreign fans are set to descend on the country, tourism nor soccer authorities refused to comment.
■ OLYMPICS
HK creates '6-star' facilities
Hong Kong has spared no expense in providing state-of-the-art facilities for this summer’s Olympic equestrian events, and organizers insist they have taken every step to counter the sweltering heat. From the “six-star” newly built stables to a pleasure park, the Hong Kong Jockey Club has spent more than HK$1.2 billion (US$150 million) making sure the 200 visiting horses are provided with every comfort. The event was switched from Beijing to the southern city because of fears of disease, and has given the horse racing-mad city a chance to show that it can embrace a different form of equine competition.
■ SOCCER
Van Persie ready for Euro
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie boosted Dutch hopes of landing their second European title on Tuesday when he said he believed he would be fully fit by the time Euro 2008 starts on June 7. However, there are many who think that, should he not convince coach Marco van Basten by May 28 of his fitness, then he will be one of the three players who will be cut as there are presently 26 in the squad, and the limit is 23. The 24-year-old was bedevilled with injuries during the Premiership campaign but insisted that he could get back to top form as the Netherlands attempt to add the 2008 trophy to the one that their 1988 predecessors won.
■ FOOTBALL
Super Bowl going to Indiana
Indianapolis was awarded the 2012 Super Bowl on Tuesday, the fourth time a cold-weather city will host the football championship game. The city was a runner-up last year to Dallas, but Tuesday beat out Houston and Phoenix for the game, which will be played on Feb. 5, 2012, for the championship of the 2011 season. Part of the bid includes a pledge by the city to build a practice facility downtown that will be left in place for local residents to use. The next two Super Bowls are in Tampa, Florida, and Miami. Of the 42 Super Bowls, the three played indoors in cold-weather cities were in 1982 and 2006 in Detroit and in 1992 in Minneapolis.
■ FOOTBALL
Falcons sign QB Ryan
Matt Ryan signed a US$72 million, six-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday, ending concerns that prolonged negotiations could threaten his chance to become the National Football League club’s starting quarterback as a rookie. Ryan, the No. 3 overall pick in last month’s NFL draft out of Boston College, is guaranteed US$34.75 million. His guaranteed money is US$4.75 million more than that given to Jake Long, the No. 1 overall choice who is also represented by agent Tom Condon.
■ SKI JUMPING
Women sue Olympic body
A group of women ski jumpers are set to file a lawsuit against the Vancouver Olympic Games Organizing Committee in an attempt to include their sport in the 2010 Winter Olympics. A statement of claim will be filed in British Columbia Supreme Court yesterday, Deedee Corradini of Women’s Ski Jumping USA told the Canadian Press. The group bringing the suit includes American and European athletes. They are frustrated the International Olympic Committee (IOC) did not include women’s ski jumping on the program for the 2010 Games. Earlier this year, IOC president Jacques Rogge said including the event in the games would dilute the medals being handed out to other athletes because there are so few women ski jumpers in the world.
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
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
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely