■BASKETBALL
Bush asks Hu for tickets
US President George W. Bush made a request of Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) in Toyako, Japan, yesterday — tickets to the US-China basketball game at the Olympics in Beijing. Bush, who has rejected calls by human rights activists to boycott the opening ceremonies, told Hu that he was looking forward to attending the summer Games with his wife, father, former president George H.W. Bush, and mother. “I’m really looking forward to watching the American Olympic team compete, particularly with the mighty Chinese team,” he said after meeting Hu on the sidelines of the Group of Eight summit in Japan. “I’m hoping to get tickets for the US-Chinese basketball game,” Bush said. “If you can help me get a ticket I’d appreciate it,” he joked.
■SOCCER
Coupet hopes to join France
Atletico Madrid’s new 35-year-old goalkeeper Gregory Coupet said on Tuesday that he hopes to still be part of France’s squad during the 2010 World Cup as he was officially unveiled by the Spanish club. Asked if he intended to be France’s keeper at the tournament in South Africa, he said: “Playing for Atletico and the possibility of playing in the Champions League allow me to continue to think, to dream of the French squad.” Coupet, who had been linked to English League Cup winners Tottenham, said he had come to Spain “to try to show that I have a place in the starting line-up to defend.”
■RUGBY LEAGUE
Thorman cleared of biting
Huddersfield captain Chris Thorman has been found not guilty of biting the finger of an opponent. Bradford full-back Michael Platt made the allegation during the last 10 minutes of his side’s 25-24 engage Super League defeat by the Giants on Sunday. But the case was thrown out when Thorman appeared in front of the disciplinary committee. Referee Steve Ganson sent four players to the sin bin and dismissed Bradford center Paul Sykes after he protested against his decision to blow for time while the teams were preparing to pack down for a scrum.
■BASKETBALL
Knicks ink top pick Gallinari
Italy’s Danilo Gallinari, selected sixth in last month’s NBA Draft, inked a multi-year contract with the New York Knicks on Tuesday, the team announced. Under NBA salary terms for rookies, Gallinari will make almost US$2.4 million in his debut season and more than US$7.7 million over three years. Gallinari, 19, averaged a team-high 17.5 points and 5.7 rebounds last season in the Italian League, then scored 14.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in Euroleague games. “Danilo will be a tough competitor, will play hard and is very intelligent,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said. “This is how you build a team. He is a tremendous talent.”
■Basketball
NBA caps wages at US$58m
NBA clubs will work under a salary cap of US$58.68 million for the 2008-2009 season, the league announced yesterday as the NBA free agency signing period began. The salary limit for each NBA team went into effect as teams were allowed to begin making trades and signing free agents following a moratorium period in which deals could not be finalized so a final cap figure could be calculated. The cap is up US$3.05 million from last season. The tax level for the upcoming season was set at US$71.150 million compared to US$67.865 million last season. Any team whose total salary exceeds US$71.150 million next season will pay a tax on every dollar over the sum.
■BOXING
Probe ended in Pavlik report
Police in Youngstown, Ohio, have closed an investigation without making an arrest into WBC and WBO middleweight boxing champion Kelly Pavlik’s complaint that a former sponsor threatened to shoot his hands so he couldn’t fight again. Pavlik filed a police report on June 30 in Boardman Township, a suburb of Pavlik’s hometown Youngstown. Pavlik told police some associates warned him about the threat. Pavlik told police the person making the threat believes that the boxer owes him money. Boardman detective Steve Riwniak said the case was considered closed but could be reopened if there are any additional leads.
■ICE HOCKEY
Ducks sign center Morrison
The Anaheim Ducks have signed center Brendan Morrison to a one-year deal, the NHL club announced on Tuesday. A second round selection by New Jersey Devils in the 1993 draft, Morrison has been a durable and consistent performer playing in all 82 regular season games in six of the last seven seasons. After playing 542 consecutive games for Vancouver from 2000 to last year, Morrison saw his ironman streak come to an end last season when he appeared in just 39 games due to wrist and knee injuries. In 674 career games with New Jersey and Vancouver, Morrison has 159 goals and 315 assists, scoring 50 points in six consecutive seasons before last year’s injury interrupted campaign.
■SOCCER
S African cup venue axed
Organizers of the 2010 soccer World Cup in South Africa axed Port Elizabeth on Tuesday from the list of venues which will stage next year’s Confederations Cup after delays to stadium construction. The decision was made after a report compiled by a technical team which said the stadium, one of 10 which are due to stage matches in the 2010 tournament, would likely miss a deadline in March next year for health and safety tests. “We acknowledge the progress that has been made on the Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth stadium in recent months,” Irvin Khoza, chairman of the local organising committee, told reporters.
■TENNIS
US Open boosts prize money
The US Open base purse will jump US$1 million this year to US$20.6 million with up to US$2.6 million more in bonus money available, the US Tennis Association announced on Tuesday. US Open men’s and women’s singles champions will each receive US$1.5 million, a record, with the chance at up to US$1 million more in bonus money based upon performance in a series of US Open tuneup events. Swiss world number one Roger Federer claimed the largest payoff in tennis history, US$2.4 million, for taking last year’s US Open crown after winning the most points from tuneup events across North America starting next week.
■FORMULA ONE
Hamilton leads at test
British Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton led the way in the wet again on Tuesday as Formula One teams tested at Germany’s Hockenheim circuit for the first time since 1993. The 23-year-old McLaren driver, who leads a three-way tie with Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen at the top of the standings halfway through the season, lapped the venue for next week’s German Grand Prix in one minute 15.483 seconds. His Mercedes-powered team ran a new aerodynamic dorsal fin, similar to those used by Renault and Red Bull this season, on top of the engine cover of the MP4-23 car.
FRUSTRATION: Alcaraz made several unforced errors over four sets against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, who had never made it past the third round in a major competition Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth round of the French Open after laboring past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the Friday night session. The second-seeded Spaniard had never before played Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who had never been past the third round at any major tournament. “I suffered quite a lot today,” Alcaraz said. “The first two sets was under control, then he started to play more deeply and more aggressively. It was really difficult for me.” Dzumhur hurt his left knee in a fall in the second round, and had treatment on Friday on his right leg during the
‘DREAM’: The 5-0 victory was PSG’s first Champions League title, and the biggest final win by any team in the 70-year history of the top-flight European competition Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time as Luis Enrique’s brilliant young side outclassed Inter on Saturday in the most one-sided final ever with teenager Desire Doue scoring twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory. Doue supplied the pass for Achraf Hakimi to give PSG an early lead and the 19-year-old went from provider to finisher as his deflected shot doubled the advantage in the 20th minute. Doue scored again just after the hour mark, ending any doubt about the outcome before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ran away to get the fourth and substitute Senny Mayulu, another teenager, made it five. Inter were
The Greek basketball league finals between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos were suspended by the government on Monday following on-court scuffles involving rival security teams. The best-of-five series is at 1-1. The third game, scheduled for today, has been postponed. The owners of both clubs were summoned to meet with the country’s sports minister. They “will be asked to provide explicit guarantees that this situation will be brought to an end. If not, this year’s championship will be definitively canceled,” government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said. “There can be no tolerance for such pathological phenomena of violence and delinquency.” In online posts, the owners of Panathinaikos and
Defender Steph Catley says her UEFA Women’s Champions League title win with Arsenal last week will act as motivation to secure continental glory with Australia when the country hosts the Women’s Asian Cup next year. Catley and compatriots Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross were part of the Arsenal squad that defeated Barcelona in Lisbon on Sunday last week, before flying to Melbourne to feature in the Matildas’ 2-0 win over Argentina on Friday. The game was the first in a two-match series against the South Americans as the Australians continue preparations for the continental championship in March next year, when they would
RSS