■SOCCER
Materazzi wins libel payout
Italy defender Marco Materazzi has won a hefty libel payout from British newspaper the Sun over claims that he called France’s Zinedine Zidane “the son of a terrorist whore,” his lawyer said on Thursday. Britain’s biggest-selling daily, which published an apology in May, has agreed an out-of-court damages settlement, the Inter defender’s lawyer Steven Heffer said. Materazzi has accepted an undisclosed six-figure sum over claims that he used vile, racist abuse during the 2006 World Cup final at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. The 35-year-old brought High Court libel proceedings over a series of British tabloid articles over the incident in soccer’s biggest showpiece final. After a verbal altercation in extra-time, midfielder Zidane headbutted fellow goalscorer Materazzi and was sent off.
■CYCLING
Frederiek Nolf found dead
Belgian cyclist Frederiek Nolf, competing in the Tour of Qatar, was found dead in his bedroom on Thursday morning prior to stage five, one of the race chiefs, Eddy Merckx, said. Nolf, a member of the Topsport Vlaanderen team, was found dead by teammate Kristof Goddaert in their 14th floor shared room at the Ritz-Carlton. Organizers of the race, Amaury Sports Organization, confirmed the death of Nolf and the day’s stage — from the Camel Race Track to the Doha Foundation — was preceded by a minute’s silence in his memory. “Out of respect for Frederiek Nolf, the riders will form a cortege throughout the stage,” Merckx said. Nolf’s teammates, in shock at the news, did not start the stage. The Belgian rider, who turned professional last year, would have celebrated his 22nd birthday on Tuesday.
■SOCCER
PSV thrash ADO, go fourth
Balazs Dzsudzsak scored three and Nordin Amrabat added two more to engineer PSV Eindhoven’s 6-0 hammering of ADO The Hague in the Dutch league on Thursday. PSV’s new striker Ola Toivonen also scored his second successive league goal for the defending champions, converting Carlos Salcido’s long-range pass in the 47th minute. Thursday’s win helped PSV move to fourth in the standings with 38 points, just two weeks after Dwight Lodeweges replaced Huub Stevens as head coach.
■MOTOGP
Rossi still recovering
World champion Valentino Rossi has not yet fully recovered from a “scary” domestic accident in which he cut his hand and foot. While he was closing the curtains at his home in Italy, the Italian rider fell onto a glass table and cut his left hand and the sole of his foot. “It was very scary because there was a lot of blood everywhere, you know, and I go to [doctor Claudio] Costa and he puts some stitches,” Rossi told Dorna Sports on Thursday. “In 10 days I will be OK,” Rossi said, waving two bandaged fingers.
■SOCCER
Nacional draw and advance
Nacional drew with Ecuador’s El Nacional 3-3 and advanced 8-3 overall into the Copa Libertadores second round on Thursday. Playing with the freedom of a five-goal cushion from the first leg of the preliminary round, Nacional raced ahead 3-0 only for El Nacional to salvage some pride with a plucky comeback in a six-goal first half. Nacional will be in Group 3 with Argentina’s River Plate, Uruguay’s Nacional and Peru’s Universidad San Martin. The match was switched to La Olla Stadium in Asuncion after part of a stand collapsed at the Defensores del Chaco Stadium on Sunday, killing two policemen.
■BASEBALL
Tigers beat Tigers
Venezuela’s Aragua Tigers relied on effective relief pitching to defeat the Dominican Republic’s Licey Tigers 3-2 on Thursday and remain unbeaten in the Caribbean Series in Mexicali, Mexico. Aragua eliminated Licey, the defending champions. The result also knocked out Puerto Rico’s winless Ponce Lions, who lost 5-1 to Mexico’s Mazatlan Venados in 12 innings. That left Aragua and Mazatlan as the only teams who can still win the title. The two teams were to face each other in the decider yesterday. Licey’s losing pitcher Nerio Rodriguez allowed eight hits in five innings. Christian Quinteros drove in the winning run in the 12th, while Freddy Sandoval had two RBI’s and Edgar Gonzalez one for Mazatlan.
■FOOTBALL
Prosecutors ask for leniency
Federal prosecutors urged a judge to sentence former NFL player Dana Stubblefield to probation on Thursday for lying to sports doping investigators about his drug use. They said the lenient sentence was warranted because he provided names of players, trainers and others associated with the NFL who he says used and distributed performance-enhancing drugs. Prosecutors said NFL officials have interviewed Stubblefield and were investigating his claims. Stubblefield played on the defensive line for the San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders from 1993 to 2003. He was the NFL defensive player of the year in 1997 while with the 49ers. Stubblefield was scheduled to be sentenced in San Francisco federal court yesterday.
■BASKETBALL
Allen to take Nelson’s place
Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen will replace injured Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson next week in the NBA All-Star game. Allen was added to the Eastern Conference team on Thursday by commissioner David Stern after Nelson was forced to pull out because of a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Allen will be making his ninth All-Star appearance. He also was an injury replacement last season and scored 28 points, helping the East to a 134-128 victory over the West in New Orleans.
■ICE HOCKEY
Sweden defeats Russia 4-3
Sweden killed off Russia’s 5-on-3 advantage during a 1:43 span late in the third period and held on to edge the defending Euro Hockey Tour champion 4-3 in an LG Hockey Games opener in Stockholm on Thursday. Earlier in Prague, Finland beat the Czech Republic 5-3. Sweden’s win snapped a nine-game losing streak against Russia, the reigning world champion and two-time defending Euro Hockey Tour champ. Sweden’s last win against Russia was in the 2007 Euro Hockey Tour final. Russia leads the overall standings. Finland plays Russia and Sweden takes on the Czechs at the Globe today. The tournament ends tomorrow with the Czechs playing Russia and Sweden facing Nordic archrival Finland in Stockholm.
■ATHLETICS
Payton Jordan dies at 91
Payton Jordan, coach of the record-setting 1968 US Olympic athletics team, died Thursday aged 91. Jordan died of cancer at his home in Laguna Hills, California, daughter Cheryl Melville said. He led the US track team to a record 24 medals, 12 of them gold, at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. He served as Stanford University’s track and field coach from 1957 to 1979. Years ago, Jordan recalled how his Olympic team excelled despite some black athletes threatening to boycott the games over a push for civil rights.
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