■ BASKETBALL
Williams inks new deal
Deron Williams will head to the Beijing Olympics with a new deal with his National Basketball Association team, the Utah Jazz, in his pocket. On Friday, the Jazz said the star point guard had inked a multi-year contract extension. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but according to the Salt Lake Tribune, Williams agreed to a three-year contract with an option for a fourth season. While the precise value of the contract will not be known until the NBA sets its salary cap next July, the Tribune reported that Williams will make nearly US$50 million in the first three years of the contract and as much as US$70 million if he exercises the option year. The 24-year-old would not be eligible for free agency until 2012 at the earliest.
■ BASEBALL
Matsui’s return uncertain
New York Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui, nursing a knee injury, admitted after meeting with doctors on Friday that he wasn’t sure if he would be able to return this season. Matsui has been on the disabled list with a left knee injury since June 23. “As of right now, I’ve been putting aside whether I can or cannot come back this season,” Matsui said through an interpreter during Friday’s game against the Oakland Athletics. “My desire is I want to come back this year.” However, Matsui said, if he needs surgery on the knee, a return may not be possible. “I think the topic [surgery] is out there,” Matsui said. “The swelling kept coming back. So, right now, I was told by doctors, ‘Avoid activities and stay quiet.’”
■ ICE HOCKEY
Therrien’s contract renewed
The Pittsburgh Penguins inked coach Michel Therrien to a new contract on Friday that will keep him with the National Hockey League club through the 2010-2011 season. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the Penguins did say that Therrien would receive a pay rise next season. “I’m excited to have a new three-year contract with the Penguins and am looking forward to continued success here in Pittsburgh,” said Therrien, who had one year left on his previous contract. “It is a great hockey city with an outstanding fan base.”
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of “massive theft.” The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-time interpreter and close friend, after Ohtani’s representatives alleged that the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California. “Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,” MLB