■ SOCCER
Hammers invite Obama
US President-elect Barack Obama has been invited to watch a match at English Premiership club West Ham, it was revealed on Thursday. Family members took Obama to watch a match at Upton Park in 2003 and he is now believed to be something of a fan. The club are sending him a message of congratulations and an invitation to renew acquaintances with the Hammers when he visits Britain. A club source said: “We are delighted that Barack Obama has an association with West Ham and are sending him our congratulations and an invitation to attend a match whenever he is in Britain.”
■ BOXING
WBC row distracting star
Philippine icon Manny Pacquiao’s build-up for the biggest fight of his life are being marred by allegations that he owes the World Boxing Council money, his lawyer complained yesterday. The WBC is demanding Pacquiao pay the organization US$130,000 in 15 days or it will pull his lightweight belt just ahead of his Dec. 6 match with Oscar de la Hoya. Pacquiao’s lawyer, Jeng Gacal said they were “surprised” by the charge that Pacquiao still owed the WBC money for his July match against David Diaz, when he won the organization’s lightweight belt. Boxers pay fees to the WBC in exchange for the organization sanctioning their bouts but there is a question mark over whether Pacquiao paid the fees for the Diaz match. Gacal said that she had sent a letter to the WBC asking for an explanation, saying such fees had always been regularly deducted from Pacquiao’s payments. “This is a bit of a distraction,” for Pacquiao who faces De La Hoya in a non-title fight in Las Vegas, Gacal said. Pacquiao is a national hero but his impending fight against the bigger De La Hoya has caused even his fans to worry. In September Philippine legislators called for the fight to be scrapped, saying Pacquiao stood no chance and it would be too damaging to the country’s morale to see him lose.
■ GOLF
Rain washes out play
Heavy rain washed out day two of the US$5 million HSBC Champions yesterday, forcing organizers to consider the possibility of extending the tournament into a fifth day. Sweden’s Henrik Stenson is the leader after the first round. Round two was due to tee off yesterday morning at the Sheshan International Golf Course but overnight rain persisted throughout the day, forcing organizers to declare a complete washout. Officials said they still hoped all 72 holes of the tournament would be played, and scheduled the start of round two to begin early today. If the weather is clear, players would fit in at least 27 holes today and play the end of their third round tomorrow, then immediately start their final round. But organizers left open the possibility of players having to complete the tournament on Monday.
■ FORMULA ONE
Racism no joke: Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton rejected F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone’s assertion on Thursday that racist abuse directed at the driver had probably started as a joke. F1’s first black champion was the target of racist abuse on a Spanish Web site and endured other insults in the buildup to last Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix. “[It was] probably beginning as a joke rather than anything abusive,” Ecclestone said on Thursday in a radio interview, pointing to poor sportsmanship rather than racism by Spanish and Brazilian fans. “I don’t see why people should have been [insulted by it].” Hamilton said he “didn’t see it as a joke ... It’s something that happened but it is in the past you’ve got to look forward.’’
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