■GOLF
Monty to defend Omega title
Colin Montgomerie and Ian Poulter will lead the way for Scotland and England at next month’s Omega World Cup, which will see 28 teams compete for the title in southern China. The two-man teams will tee up at the Olazabal Course at Mission Hills in Shenzhen on Nov. 27 for the four-day event. Montgomerie will defend the title that he won for Scotland last year with Marc Warren, but will have a new partner in Alastair Forsyth. Poulter, fresh off a strong performance for Europe at the Ryder Cup, will team up with Ross Fisher for England. The US team will feature Ryder Cup player Ben Curtis and Brandt Snedeker. Both will be making their debuts at the Omega World Cup. Taiwan will be represented by Lin Wen-tang and Lu Wen-teh.
■BASKETBALL
Ex-NBA star to be adviser
Former NBA player Vlade Divac has become an adviser to Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, Belgrade media reported on Thursday. Divac, an ex-player with the Sacramento Kings, will advise Dacic on humanitarian issues and sports. The former player said he is not interested in politics or money and that he had taken the post to help promote humanitarian work in Serbia. “The deputy prime minister called me a month ago and suggested I take the post of advisor for diaspora, sports and humanitarian issues. I’m interested in that and if they [the government] want to do something positive I can advise them,” Divac said. Divac, who played in the US from 1989 to 2005, runs a humanitarian organization.
■BASKETBALL
Amateur surprises Nets star
When a random Englishman asked US star Devin Harris if he fancied a quick game of one-against-one after visiting a refurbished basketball court in south London, the New Jersey Nets player was happy to oblige. Harris assumed he could pass on a few tips while charitably brushing off his challenger. What happened next, however, has become a YouTube sensation, with footage showing how amateur Stuart Tanner left Harris swiping at fresh air with his feints before inflicting the ultimate humiliation — slipping the ball between the NBA star’s legs. Shocked bystanders whooped with delight as Tanner ran the length of the court after scoring two hoops against the bamboozled American. “Man, did you see how fast he was?” puffed Harris. “He tricked me. He hustled me on my own court!” Tanner, a part-time basketball coach, gave up playing five years ago after failing to make the grade in the British league but gained a reputation for clever tricks as a “streetballer.” “It was a bit embarrassing for him as you shouldn’t ever really get beaten like that, but he took it really well and was very nice about it,” Tanner said.
■OLYMPICS
No cricket in 2016: Rogge
International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Jacques Rogge yesterday rejected growing demands from the cricket community to include the Twenty20 format of the sport at the 2016 Summer Games. Leading cricketers like Australian captain Ricky Ponting have called for cricket’s shortest version to be included in the Olympics, Ponting said after the Beijing Olympics that it was only a matter of time before the sport’s newest form was included in the Games, given its popularity in South Asia. “I actually think it’s inevitable Twenty20 cricket will be an Olympic sport,” Ponting said. “You think about the audiences in South Asia, 22 or 23 per cent of the world’s population is based in that area. The IOC could do a lot worse than put cricket into the Olympics.”
■ARGENTINA
Basile resigns after loss
National coach Alfio Basile resigned on Thursday, a day after a historic loss to Chile in World Cup qualifying. “Basile spoke with the president of the AFA, Julio Grondona, and irrevocably announced his resignation for personal reasons,” Argentine Football Association spokesman Ernesto Cherquis Bialo told reporters. “I’m surprised,” Grondona said. Cherquis Bialo said the AFA tried to persuade Basile to change his mind, but “he was very decided, very determined.” Potential replacements include Argentina youth coach Sergio Batista, who led Argentina to Olympic gold in Beijing this summer, River Plate’s Diego Simeone and Miguel Angel Russo of San Lorenzo. The team’s next match is a friendly on Nov. 19 against Scotland. Argentina ended a five-match winless streak in World Cup qualifying with a 2-1 victory against Uruguay on Saturday, but the grumbling of fans and media continued that Basile should have been doing more with a talented squad. That criticism intensified after a 1-0 defeat on Wednesday in Santiago, Argentina’s first ever loss to Chile in any official competition, and their first loss to Chile in 35 years.
■ROMANIA
Piturca briefly detained
National coach Victor Piturca was briefly detained by anti-corruption prosecutors on Thursday as part of an investigation into match-fixing in the domestic league. Piturca was taken by two prosecutors as he landed at Bucharest airport to give testimony at the National Department for Anti-Corruption on suspicion of aiding a criminal. He was later released. Piturca is suspected of giving false testimony to cover up for Steaua Bucharest owner Gigi Becali, who is being investigated in the match-fixing case. Becali is accused of offering US$2.6 million to CFR Cluj in June to fix the last match of the Romanian league and help Steaua win the title. Steaua lost and police arrested several people who were carrying money in a suitcase. Piturca has said that the money was for a real estate deal in Cluj and not for match-fixing.
■ITALY
Catania chief suspended
Catania chief executive Pietro Lo Monaco was suspended for 40 days and fined 15,000 euros (US$20,000) by the Italian federation on Thursday for threatening Inter coach Jose Mourinho. After Inter beat Catania 2-1 on Sept. 13 with an own-goal by Catania defender Christian Terlizzi, Mourinho suggested that Inter could have won 5-1. Lo Monaco replied that Mourinho had insulted all of Catania and should have “his teeth smashed in.” The federation ruled that Lo Monaco’s words were an incitement for violence.
■UNITED STATES
Conway and Parke banned
New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Jon Conway and defender Jeff Parke became the first players in the history of Major League Soccer to be suspended on Thursday for doping. They were banned for 10 league games each. They tested positive for androstatriendione and boldenone metabolites after purchasing and using an over-the-counter nutritional supplement from a vitamin store, the league said. The players cannot play in other competitions during their 10-game ban and each was fined 10 percent of his salary. Conway makes US$115,000 a season and Parke has a base salary of US$57,488. “This is an important statement as to the high standards to which we hold our players,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said.
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