■ICE HOCKEY
Coach wants booing to stop
Montreal coach Bob Gainey appealed to Canadiens fans to stop booing the US anthem. He and general manager said fans who booed during The Star-Spangled Banner before Game 3 of their NHL playoff series with the Boston Bruins in Montreal late on Monday should find other ways to voice support for their team. “I feel like there’s a confusion there with our fans,” Gainey said on Tuesday. “They feel like booing the anthem is supporting our team, in that the anthem represents the Boston team. And I think if they could separate those two things, then we could respect the anthem of the United States of America and they could still participate loudly in whatever way they want to disrupt the Bruins.” Many fans booed the US anthem at the Bell Centre on Monday, even though others tried to drown them out with chants of, “Go Habs go.”
■SOCCER
Crucifixion case dismissed
Bayern Munich coach Jurgen Klinsmann had his case against a German newspaper that depicted him as Jesus Christ on the cross dismissed on Tuesday, the daily Tageszeitung announced on its Web site. “This type of representation is to be classed in the domain of satire, or, more specifically, caricature,” the tribunal said in its judgment, which was made public by lawyers. “It was not at all a real crucifixion. The complainant’s professional decline is instead represented in symbolic fashion.” The image in question appeared on the front page of the left-wing newspaper’s Easter edition. Beneath the headline “Always look on the bright side of life,” the name of a song from a Monty Python film, Klinsmann was shown in a photo-montage that depicted him with long blond hair, screaming while being crucified on a cross.
■SOCCER
Leverkusen into Cup final
Bayer Leverkusen booked their place in the May 30 German Cup final at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, having needed extra-time to beat second-division side Mainz 4-1 in Tuesday’s semi-final. Having last won the competition in 1993, Leverkusen are hunting their second chance to be German Cup winners and although they finished 1-1 in normal time after Mainz forced a late equalizer, Bayer hit three goals in extra time. In Wednesday’s semi-final, Hamburg were to host Werder Bremen in the first of four meetings between the sides in the next month — twice in the UEFA Cup and again in the Bundesliga.
■SOCCER
Webb’s dream comes true
Howard Webb achieved a lifetime’s dream on Tuesday when he was appointed referee of the FA Cup final on May 30 between Everton and Chelsea. The 37-year-old — who last year received death threats from irate Polish fans for awarding Euro 2008 co-hosts Austria a late penalty, which they converted to force a 1-1 draw — said it was hard to believe he had been chosen. “When I started out as a referee 20 years ago the FA Cup final was the absolute pinnacle even though it was a very distant dream,” he said. “It was very unlikely to ever happen, but that it has is the realization of a dream and I’m thrilled to bits.” Webb admitted in January he had experienced the lowest moment of his career when during the Birmingham-Wolves FA Cup tie he inadvertently deflected a pass by Birmingham’s Radhi Jaidi to Wolves striker Andy Keogh, which led to Sam Vokes scoring. Wolves won the match 2-0.
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
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
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