■BASKETBALL
Yao sits out next season
Encouraged by progress in his recovery from major foot surgery, Yao Ming says he will return to action — just not next season. “The [X-ray] picture looks good. The bones heal well,” he said in an interview with Houston television station KRIV on Wednesday. He also said, however, that there was no chance that he will play in the 2009-2010 NBA season. “The answer is no. You don’t want to rush it, because they want it to totally heal this time. I have been in this situation enough,” he said. The 2.29m Chinese star underwent surgery in May to repair a hairline fracture in his left foot suffered late in a May 8 NBA playoff game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The injury had raised questions, especially in China, about Yao’s playing future. This week, he said he expects his career will take on new life. “I am able to play again,” he said. However, there may be a change in the style of his play. “Obviously, I want to play basketball. This is my life right there,” he said. “But for long term, believe me for long term, I need to slow down.”
■BASEBALL
US win, Taiwan lose again
Terry Tiffee hit his fourth home run of the baseball World Cup as the US beat Cuba 5-3 in Rome on Thursday in a likely preview of this weekend’s final. The US stretched its winning streak to 12 games after opening the competition with a loss to Venezuela. Lucas Harrell earned the win, allowing only one hit over four innings, and Ehren Wasserman got the save, also allowing only one hit in 2-1/3 innings. Puerto Rico defeated Taiwan 8-2, while Venezuela beat Australia 9-4 and Canada downed the Netherlands 11-5.
■BOXING
Japan to get heavy again
Japan plans to reintroduce domestic heavyweight boxing rankings after a gap of 51 years. The Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) will give tests to 10 applicants, including kickboxers and mixed martial arts fighters hoping to join the professional ranks from late November. “The heavyweight division existed in Japan, but there were insufficient boxers above super middleweight to sustain a ranking system,” the JBC’s Eiichiro Sameshima said yesterday. “We have had 10 applications for tests above the 75kg class [super middle].” JBC officials are also bringing in light heavyweight and cruiserweight rankings in a bid to boost the sport’s image in the country and generate more revenue.
■ATHLETICS
ASA chief to keep his job
Athletics South Africa (ASA) president Leonard Chuene will keep his job despite government calls for him to be fired for lying about gender tests made on runner Caster Semenya, SAPA news agency reported on Thursday. SAPA said the athletics federation’s board had decided to keep Chuene in his post at a meeting to discuss the controversy surrounding whether gender tests were conducted on Semenya before her world championship 800m victory last month. “The meeting unanimously expressed confidence in the current ASA leadership,” the agency quoted the federation as saying. Chuene said last week that Semenya had undergone tests before the world championships in Berlin, something he had previously denied. He said he had lied to protect the gold medalist’s privacy and said a team doctor had advised that she should be withdrawn from last month’s championships.
■SKIING
Miller rejoins US team
Three-time Olympian Bode Miller announced on Thursday that he is returning to the US ski team after a two-year solo adventure with mixed results. Miller, who battled injuries at the end of last season and pondered retirement, said he telephoned US ski team coach Sasha Rearick four weeks ago and asked to rejoin the team for the upcoming World Cup ski season. “I asked what is your program and how do I look like I can fit into that,” Miller said. “It didn’t take a lot of encouragement when I reached out to Sasha. Everyone on the team is on the same page and when you talk about important issues they are dealt with.” The two-time World Cup overall champion is also hoping to qualify for his fourth Winter Olympics, which begin in Vancouver in just over four months.
RSS