■SOCCER
Police arrest Romario
Former Barcelona and Brazil striker Romario was arrested on Tuesday for neglecting to make alimony payments to first wife Monica Santoro, Brazilian media reported. Romario, who helped Brazil win their fourth World Cup title in the US in 1994, might have to spend the night in a police cell, media reports said. Romario, 43, had two of his six children with Santoro before they separated in 1995.
■SOCCER
South African strike ends
A strike by workers at South Africa’s World Cup stadiums ended after an agreement on a wage dispute in the early hours of yesterday, public television reported. The week-long strike threatened the completion deadlines of five venues for next year’s World Cup and other major projects associated with the world’s most watched sporting event. The SABC reported unions accepted a 12 percent wage offer after 15 hours of “intense talks.” Construction workers had demanded 13 percent. Employers lost a bid to get construction workers to waive their right to strike in future. Zwelenzima Vavi of the union federation COSATU said workers would return to work this morning after signing the agreement. “It is a huge relief, we are hosting a World Cup next year and we can’t afford a delay in the construction of the stadiums,” Vavi said.
■TENNIS
Serena meets Obama
US President Barack Obama welcomed Wimbledon champion Serena Williams to the White House on Tuesday. “It was amazing,” Williams said. “I love President Obama; he has such an unbelievable presence, and he seems to be so normal — and he noticed my shoes. I think that was the highlight of the whole day, was he liked my shoes.” Williams said she was wearing 13cm heels for the presidential visit. “He asked me, ‘Should I be wearing high heels?’ So I thought that was kind of funny because he may have been right,” Williams said. “Because it is a job hazard for me, but I insist on wearing them.” Williams got to meet Michelle Obama and the rest of the first family. “I didn’t know she had such an amazing personality,” Williams said. “She had me cracking up and laughing. I knew she was a great person, but now I really understand how important this first family is to the United States. And the kids were just so cute and sweet, and the dog was nice.”
■SOCCER
Raul praises Ronaldo
Real Madrid captain Raul heaped praise on his new team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday, calling the Portuguese international winger “super nice” and “hardworking.” “He is super nice, normal and very harworking,” he told a news conference in Maynooth, Ireland where the club began a nine-day pre-season training camp on Tuesday. “He is integrated. He seems very happy. In the media it seems like everything he does and says, every gesture, has a lot of meaning but he is much more normal than people think,” the 32-year-old said. Real signed Ronaldo from Manchester United last month on a six-year deal worth around 94 million euros (US$131 million) and he will reportedly be paid 13 million euros each season, making him the most expensive player in the world. The 24-year-old, was officially unveiled before some 75,000 ecstatic Real fans on July 6 at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, is being protected by several security guards during his stay in Ireland. Real will play a friendly match against current Irish champions Shamrock Rovers on Monday, two days before its training camp in Ireland ends.
■ICE HOCKEY
Blackhawks oust Tallon
The Chicago Blackhawks abruptly ousted general manager Dale Tallon on Tuesday, less than two months after the team he helped revive from the bottom of the standings reached the Western Conference finals. Tallon, who was reassigned to senior adviser of hockey operations, was replaced by assistant GM Stan Bowman, the son of legendary NHL coach Scotty Bowman. The elder Bowman was hired last year as a senior adviser. A clerical mistake may have hastened Tallon’s departure. Last week, the NHL Players Association filed a grievance against the team, saying the Blackhawks missed the deadline for sending qualifying offers to restricted free agents. The Blackhawks ended up signing all their restricted free agents, including their top rookie from last season, Kris Versteeg. Tallon denied that the administrative problem and grievance had caused the Blackhawks to overpay the restricted free agents. Tallon, 58, has been a member of the organization for more 30 years, including five as a player and 10 in the front office. He was named general manager in June 2005.
■MOTOGP
Stoner has mild anemia
Australian rider Casey Stoner is suffering from mild anemia and gastritis, but will race in Germany this weekend, the 2007 champion’s Ducati team said on Tuesday. Stoner, who overcame sickness to win at the Sachsenring near Chemnitz last year, has undergone a series of medical tests in the US this month after complaining of a mystery illness that left him fatigued and dizzy after races. The illness was compounded by a heavy crash in qualifying for the last race at Laguna Seca in California. “I still don’t feel like I am 100 percent, but the biggest problem now is that my ribs are very painful after the crash,” the 23-year-old told the MotoGP Web site, www.motogp.com. Stoner is currently third in the championship, 16 points behind Italian leader Valentino Rossi and seven adrift of Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo.
■BASKETBALL
Walker faces check charges
Former NBA star Antoine Walker faces three felony counts of writing bad checks to Las Vegas casinos last year, the Las Vegas Sun reported on Tuesday. The 32-year-old, who played for Minnesota last year, won an NBA title with Miami in 2006 and was an All-Star playmaker for the Boston Celtics. Walker is accused of writing 10 bad checks worth a total of US$1 million to three casinos. Prosecutors said Walker repaid US$178,000 of what he owed, but still faced criminal charges for the remaining US$822,000. The debts were undertaken from last July to this past January.
■BASKETBALL
Rockets try to fill Yao void
The Houston Rockets, searching for a big man to fill in for injured center Yao Ming, have acquired the rights to Australian David Andersen, the NBA team said on Tuesday. “David has been a winner with every team he has played for in Europe,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said on the team’s Web site, www.nba.com/rockets. The 2.11m Andersen played for Regal FC Barcelona during the 2008-2009 season, averaging 11.1 points and 4.1 rebounds. He also has played in Italy and Russia and was a member of last year’s Australian Olympic team. Andersen, 29, was picked by Atlanta in the second round of the 2002 Draft. The Rockets sent cash and future considerations to the Hawks in exchange for Andersen, the Rockets said.
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
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
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
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just