■BASKETBALL
Muslim’s headscarf banned
The Swiss basketball association has told a Muslim player she can’t wear a headscarf during league games. Sura Al-Shawk, a 19-year-old Swiss citizen of Iraqi origin, is making her debut in a regional women’s league when the season starts next month and her team STV Luzern had asked for permission to let her wear the scarf. The Swiss association ProBasket, however, said on Thursday it follows the rules of world governing body FIBA, which state that the sport has to be neutral, forbidding any religious symbols and head covers. “If basketball is priority No. 1, international rules have to be respected,” ProBasket said according to a report by Swiss daily Neue Luzerner Zeitung. “If religion is priority No. 1, then you cannot play basketball.” It added that STV Luzern will lose its games by default if Al-Shawk plays with her headscarf. “I really can’t understand what is happening here,” Al-Shawk told the newspaper. “I would not have thought it possible that in a country like Switzerland a headscarf in sport would pose a problem.”
■BOXING
Cuban women won’t box
Cuba will not take part in the newly created female boxing competition at the London 2012 Olympics, calling the combat sport “not appropriate” for women, Cuban Boxing Federation president Jose Barrientos said on Thursday. “We have no intention at this time to take part in any international tournament, because we consider this discipline as not appropriate for women,” Barrientos told the Cuban press agency Prensa Latina. Cuba has traditionally been a powerhouse of amateur boxing, though recent defections have weakened its team. Barrientos said the communist country does not currently have a program to develop women’s boxing.
■CRICKET
Goodwin hits triple-century
Former Zimbabwe batsman Murray Goodwin made the sixth-highest score in the history of English county cricket as his 344 not out helped Sussex reach 742-5 against Somerset on Thursday. Goodwin’s innings lasted 351 balls and included 43 fours and six sixes before Sussex declared. The 36-year-old’s mammoth score was a new individual record for Sussex and his team’s total was their highest ever, beating the previous best of 705-8 declared against Surrey in 1902. Former West Indies batsman Brian Lara holds the record for the highest score in first class cricket with an innings of 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston in 1994.
■BOXING
Replays to be introduced
Nevada could start using instant replays in professional boxing within a month to help referees review crucial or controversial moments of fights. The Nevada Athletic Commission approved limited use of the technology to help referees rule whether hits like low blows or head-butts are accidental — if they cause a fight to end because of injury. Commission executive director Keith Kizer said on Thursday that instant replays would be used at the sole discretion of referees.
■BASKETBALL
Jason Williams to return
Point guard Jason Williams has come out of retirement to play for the Orlando Magic, the NBA team said on Wednesday. The 33-year-old Williams hung up his sneakers in September last year after injuries and a reduced role with the Miami Heat team. Williams played 10 seasons with the Sacramento Kings, the Memphis Grizzlies and Miami. A first-round draft pick in 1998, Williams has career averages of 11.4 points and 6.3 assists per game.
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
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two