■BOXING
Klitschko takes legal action
World heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko has submitted a complaint to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the WBC in an attempt to stop him having to box Russia’s Oleg Maskaev. Klitschko is unhappy about being handed a mandatory defense of his belt against Maskaev that the WBC, one of the sport’s governing bodies, announced in December. The Ukrainian will defend the WBC belt, which he won against Nigeria’s Samuel Peter last October, against Juan Carlos Gomez in Stuttgart on March 21, and the WBC has said he must then face Maskaev within four months of the Gomez fight. “Normally you have a year between mandatory defenses,” Klitschko’s manager Bernd Boente told German agency SID. “But why should we carry the can for Maskaev’s issue with the WBC?” Ex-world champion Maskaev lost his title last March to Peter, who was in turn beaten by Klitschko. Maskaev had come to an agreement with the WBC over differences in fees from the Peter fight, which gave him the right to be the next challenger to Klitschko after Gomez. A Klitschko-Maskaev fight would not entice broadcasters in the US to screen the fight and the Ukrainian champion wants to take on British fighter David Haye or Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola of the US.
■ATHLETICS
Ukhov wins men’s high jump
Ivan Ukhov of Russia jumped a year-best 2.40m to win the men’s high jump at the Athens 2009 indoor athletics meet in Greece on Wednesday. Ukhov’s jump was the fourth-best of all time indoors. He tried but failed to break Javier Sotomayor’s record of 2.43m, making only one effort at 2.44m. Haron Keitany of Kenya won the men’s 1,500m in 3 minutes, 34.83 seconds. In the men’s 60m, Mark Jelks of the US narrowly edged Simeon Williamson of Brazil for the victory, even though both timed 6.57 seconds. In the women’s race, Angela Williams of the US won in a personal best 7.15.
■FOOTBALL
NFL boss takes pay cut
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is taking a pay cut and the league staff has been trimmed by 15 percent because of the reeling economy, the NFL said on Wednesday. The league said its staff cut, announced more than two months ago, has resulted in a reduction of 169 jobs through buyouts, layoffs and other staff reductions. That amounts to just more than 15 percent of the league’s work force. Goodell voluntarily took a cut of between 20 percent and 25 percent from the US$11 million salary and bonuses he was to receive in the 2008 fiscal year, which ends on March 31. He and other league executives are freezing their salaries for this year. The NFL announced on Dec. 9 it would reduce its staff by 10 to 15 percent. Seventy-six people took buyouts, while 45 jobs were eliminated and 48 openings went unfilled. The moves affect NFL headquarters in New York, NFL Films in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and the NFL Network in Los Angeles.
■SOCCER
UEFA clears Mourinho
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has been cleared of any wrongdoing following his controversial comments that Manchester United were favored by the referee during Tuesday’s Champions League 0-0 draw. Mourinho had told reporters at the San Siro: “If we go there [to Old Trafford for the second leg] with a referee who protects the visiting team, then we will qualify for the quarter-finals.” UEFA officials said they had viewed the TV pictures of the press conference and had seen “nothing bad” and would be taking no further action.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care