■SOCCER
FIFA to probe outburst
FIFA is to open a disciplinary investigation into Diego Maradona after the Argentine coach’s sexually explicit, foul-mouthed rant following his team’s qualification for the 2010 World Cup. “We’ve been left with no other option than to open a disciplinary investigation into the Argentine team coach,” said Sepp Blatter, head of FIFA, soccer’s world ruling body. Maradona rounded on his critics after Argentina’s 1-0 win over Uruguay on Wednesday, a victory that saw the two-time world champions squeeze nervously into next year’s finals in South Africa. He told journalists to “suck it and keep sucking it,” amid a torrent of other abuse. Later on Friday, Maradona apologized to the world’s women, but refused to say sorry to journalists. “I apologize to women, to my mother, to Argentine women, to Uruguayan women and to women throughout the world, but only to them, not the others,” Maradona told TyC Sports television.
■BOXING
McCain seeking pardon
Senator John McCain on Friday pressed US President Barack Obama to give a posthumous pardon to Jack Johnson, the black heavyweight boxing champion imprisoned nearly a century ago because of his romantic ties with a white woman. McCain and Representative Peter King noted in a letter to Obama that both houses of Congress this summer passed their resolution urging a pardon. After the vote, the lawmakers wrote to Obama in August asking him to issue the pardon. “Regrettably, we have not received a response from you or any member of your administration,” they wrote in Friday’s letter, adding they hoped that Obama would be eager to “right this wrong and erase an act of racism that sent an American citizen to prison.” Johnson became the first black heavyweight champion on Dec. 26, 1908. He was convicted in 1913 of violating the Mann Act, which made it illegal to transport women across state lines for immoral purposes. He fled the country after his conviction, but agreed years later to return and serve a 10-month jail sentence.
■MASTERS GAMES
Swimmers slam organizers
Ocean swimmers ripped into World Masters Games organizers yesterday after the 3km open water event in Sydney Harbor was canceled moments before the gun was to fire. “Everybody was numbered up, capped up, told to warm up and then next thing they said it was canceled,” Britain’s Rob Steel, 52, said. “I’ve swum in much colder temperatures than this back in England. It’s a bit of health and safety gone mad.” The organizers said in a statement: “The water temperature did not meet the minimum requirement of an average of 18ºC and combined with the weather conditions [wind chill], it was not possible to safely run an open water swim.” New Zealander Steve Prescott, 55, voiced the anger of many: “It’s crazy, people should be able to make their own decision. We’re all bloody adults. We should have been given the choice to swim.”
■FOOTBALL
Ochocinco ensures sell-out
Cincinnati gridiron fans will be able to watch the Bengals on local TV this weekend, after receiver Chad Ochocinco teamed up with a sponsor to buy enough tickets to avoid a blackout. A game must be sold out 72 hours in advance or it cannot be broadcast on local TV. The Bengals said on Friday they had sold enough tickets to their game against the Houston Texans to keep their streak of sell-outs intact. The NFL gave the Bengals an extension and Ochocinco and sponsor Motorola bought 1,200 tickets that will be given away at the stadium.
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