■SOCCER
Police seize Ribery files
Police searched the headquarters of French soccer team Olympique Marseille (OM) on Monday and seized documents relating to Franck Ribery’s transfer from Galatasaray to OM in 2005, a police source said yesterday. Marseille prosecutors launched an investigation last year after Ribery’s agent filed a complaint against the player and Marseille for alleged irregularities related to Ribery’s transfer from the Turkish side. France forward Ribery left OM for Bayern Munich in 2007.
■BASEBALL
Bid to block book rejected
A New York judge has rejected a bid by a cryonics foundation to block the release of a book that alleges Hall of Fame member Ted Williams’ severed head was mistreated at its Arizona facility. State Supreme Court Judge James Yates issued an order on Monday saying that Larry Johnson can discuss and promote his book, the New York Daily News reported. Johnson is the author of Frozen and a former executive at the Alcor Life Extension Foundation. Johnson claims a technician took baseball-like swings at Williams’ frozen head with a wrench. Claudia Williams, the youngest child of the Red Sox star, issued a statement through an attorney saying she was “horrified and shocked” by Yates’ decision. The last player to hit over .400 in a season, Williams died in 2002 at age 83 and had his remains sent to Alcor for cryogenic storage.
■ATHLETICS
Semenya must go on: ANC
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) says champion runner Caster Semenya should continue in women’s athletics regardless of any gender tests. Party spokesman Jackson Mthembu said on Monday that Semenya had been brought up as a girl and should therefore “continue to run as a woman.” Semenya won the 800m at the world championships in August in Berlin. Before the final, the International Association of Athletics Federations said it had ordered gender tests. The ANC has set up a group to support Semenya, who it said in a statement has been “victimized and subjected to unnecessary public scrutiny.” Former president Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, a prominent ANC figure and lawmaker, is to head the support group.
■MOTOR RACING
Fans limited to 24 beers
Fans at one of Australia’s most popular motor sport races, the Bathurst 1000, will be limited to one “slab” of beer a day — or two dozen 375ml cans — as police focus on reducing alcohol-related crime. The 24-can rule would also be placed on mixed drinks for the V8 car race starting tomorrow in the rural town of Bathurst in eastern New South Wales state, police said yesterday. More restrained spectators will be able to slake their thirst with up to 36 cans of low or mid-strength beer. Wine lovers must make do with no more than 4 litres of cask wine per day and combinations of the options would not be allowed, the police statement said. The race runs from Thursday to Sunday.
■SOCCER
Italy into U20 quarters
Italy booked its place in the quarter-finals of the Under-20 World Cup in Cairo on Monday, beating 10-man Spain 3-1, while South Korea also advanced with a 3-0 victory over Paraguay. Spain had eased through its group games without conceding a goal, but struggled on Monday after losing Alberto Botia in the 28th minute for a foul on Andrea Mazzarani.
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