■ ENGLAND
Adebayor required to train
Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger said on Saturday he expected to see striker Emmanuel Adebayor, subject of transfer speculation over the summer break, report for training today. The Togo striker has been the subject of persistent rumors of a move to AC Milan, but the Serie A giants have baulked at a 28 million euro (US$44.3 million) fee when the Italians are not in the lucrative Champions League in the coming season. Adebayor was top scorer for the Gunners last season with 30 goals, but wants an improved wage deal. But Wenger told Sky Sports News: “Adebayor is under contract and we expect him to turn up on Monday and practice with us.”
■ SPAIN
Eto’o allowed to leave Barca
Unsettled Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o has been given the green light to negotiate his exit from the club, Spanish media reported on Saturday. Cameroon international Eto’o, deemed surplus along with Ronaldinho and Deco last month by new coach Pep Guardiola, underwent medical tests on his first day back at Barcelona after his vacation, the club said in a statement. Spanish media reported that Eto’o, a three-times African Player of the Year, had a meeting with Barcelona officials on Saturday where he was authorized to negotiate with other teams.
■ FRANCE
Quarter-finalists decided
Portugal, Italy and Uruguay won on Saturday to reach the quarter-finals of the Beach World Cup. In Group B, Portugal routed the Solomon Islands 13-4, with five goals from Madjer, four from Alan, two from Belchior and own-goals from Eddie Ngaitin and Omo. Paolo Palmacci scored twice in the second period to lead Italy to a 4-1 victory over El Salvador. Roberto Pasquali opened the scoring for Italy. Simone Feudi converted a free-kick to put the result beyond doubt in the third period. In Group A, Uruguay edged Senegal 8-7 in extra time, despite four goals from Pape Koukpaki for the African side. Ricar and Martin scored twice for Uruguay. Parrillo, Miguel, Matias and Pampero added the other goals. France beat Iran 2-1 in a penalty shootout as both teams were still tied 6-6 after extra time.
■ GERMANY
Bundesliga faces cash crisis
The chairman of the Bundesliga is worried that a battle with German antitrust authorities could cause financial difficulties for the league. Christian Seifert told the Bild newspaper a six-year, 3 billion euro (US$4.7 billion) deal with pay-TV channel Premiere for the Bundesliga broadcasting rights — which starts next year — could be canceled if antitrust investigators conclude it is stifling competition. “Then we will be forced to find new ways of doing things. Some decision-makers in Germany apparently believe a healthy and functioning Bundesliga is the natural state of things,” Seifert said on Saturday. “I can only warn, we are well on the way to massively damaging professional football in the country.”
■ ITALY
Lippi asks for ‘Rooney’ style
Italy coach Marcello Lippi says he wants his players to copy the selfless style of Manchester United’s England forward Wayne Rooney. “What counts more than the formation is the philosophy, the desire of great players to put themselves at the service of the team when the opposition have the ball. Like Rooney does at Manchester,” Lippi told yesterday’s Gazzetta dello Sport. The 2006 World Cup-winning coach said self-belief will be crucial if his side are to triumph again in South Africa.
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