■FOOTBALL
Faulk suspended for pot
New England Patriots running back Kevin Faulk was suspended for one game by the National Football League on Saturday after being charges with possession of marijuana earlier this year. Faulk will miss New England’s Sept. 7 opener against Kansas City and will be fined an additional game check after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge last month and receiving one year on probation. Faulk, 32, was found with hand-rolled cigars containing marijuana while attending a rap music concert in Lafayette, Louisiana, on Feb. 22.
■RALLYING
Loeb takes third straight
World champion Sebastien Loeb won the Rally of New Zealand yesterday to extend his lead in the world rally championship drivers’ standings. The Frenchman finished 17.5 seconds ahead of Citroen teammate Dani Sordo, with Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen in third, 41.5 seconds off the lead. Hirvonen held the lead at one point on the final day but a spin on the penultimate stage put him out of contention. The win was Loeb’s third in a row following victories in Finland and Germany.
■ATHLETICS
Sahaku wins debut marathon
Yukari Sahaku won her debut marathon for a Japanese double victory with Masaru Takamizawa taking the men’s event at the Hokkaido marathon yesterday. The 19-year-old Sahaku overtook front-running teammate Hitomi Niiya at the 28.7km point and never looked back, crossing the finishing line in two hours 31 minutes 50 seconds to win the women’s race. Niiya, who won the Tokyo marathon last year, came in second in 2:32:19, followed by fellow Japanese Kaori Yoshida third in 2:33:37. Takamizawa, the runner-up here last year, broke away from a front group at the 20km mark before making a long solo run to clock his personal best time of 2:12:10.
■CYCLING
Italians lead in Spain
Italian team Liquigas won the first stage of the Tour of Spain on Saturday, a time trial of 7.7km in the southwestern city of Granada, that saw Filippo Pozzato take the first golden jersey of the race for the overall leader. The Italian side came ahead of two Spanish teams: Euskaltel by eight seconds and Caisse d’Epargne by nine seconds. “It was a nice victory for the whole team, particularly since I am leaving at the end of the season. They were nice enough to let me have it,” said Pozzato, who is heading to a new outfit, Russia’s Katusha, next year. Astana, the team belonging to race favorite and last year’s Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, finished in eighth place, 14 seconds behind Liquigas. The 3,133km Tour of Spain finishes in Madrid on Sept. 21.
■FORMULA ONE
Toro Rosso place ‘open’
Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso have told Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais he cannot take his place on the Formula One team for granted beyond the end of the season. Bourdais, France’s only current grand prix driver, joined the Red Bull-backed team this year after winning four ChampCar titles in a row in the US. However, has been overshadowed by teammate Sebastian Vettel. The 21-year-old German has scored nine points from 12 races to two for Bourdais. Asked whether Bourdais was a fixture at Toro Rosso next season, team co-owner Gerhard Berger said: “No, it’s open.” Berger said the team’s young driver program would be looked at first in the search for a replacement for Vettel and Red Bull would have the final say on next year’s lineup.
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