■FORMULA ONE
Senna voted greatest ever
Three-time world champion Ayrton Senna has been voted the greatest Formula One driver of all time. In an Autosport magazine survey taken by 217 drivers, seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher — one of those polled — had to settle for second place. Juan Manuel Fangio, who won five titles between 1951 and 1957, was third. Senna died in a crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. He won 41 races. Each voter, including the earliest surviving Grand Prix winner, Jose Froilan Gonzalez, and the oldest living F1 driver, 98-year-old Paul Pietsch, was asked to name their top 10.
■TENNIS
Sanchez-Vicario must pay
The Spanish Supreme Court has ordered former top-ranked women’s player Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario to pay back approximately 3.5 million euros (US$5.1 million) in unpaid income tax. The Madrid court rejected Sanchez-Vicario’s assertion that she was a resident of Andorra and not Spain from 1989 to 1993. The court said in its ruling on Thursday that the three-time French Open champion “never effectively lived in Andorra and never had the intention of doing it in any moment, either.” The 37-year-old Barcelona native, who also won the US Open in 1994, was appealing the decision from a high court ruling in July 2003.
■BOXING
Johnson pardon bid denied
The US Justice Department is refusing to grant a posthumous pardon to Jack Johnson, the black heavyweight boxing champion who was imprisoned nearly a century ago because of his romantic ties with a white woman. In a letter obtained on Thursday by The Associated Press, the department’s pardon attorney, Ronald Rodgers, told Representative Peter King that the Justice Department’s general policy is not to process posthumous pardon requests. In cases like Johnson’s, given the time that has passed and the historical record that would need to be scoured, the department’s resources for pardon requests are best used on behalf of people “who can truly benefit” from them, Rodgers wrote. The letter was in response to one that King, a Republican, and Republican Senator John McCain had sent to US President Barack Obama in October urging a pardon. Rodgers wrote that notwithstanding the department policy, Obama still had the authority to pardon whomever he wishes, “guided when he sees fit by the advice of the pardon attorney.” The White House had no immediate comment whether Obama would consider the request.
■FORMULA ONE
New scoring system mulled
Formula One’s governing body was to decide yesterday whether to change next year’s scoring system so that the top 10 drivers can take points, with race winners collecting 25. The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement on Thursday the proposal, made by the Formula One commission, would be put to its World Motor Sport Council for final approval. It said the recommendation was because of the expansion of the starting grid to 13 teams next year from 10 at present. Under the new system, the race winner would get 25 points with 20 for second and 15 for third. The remaining points would be allocated 10-8-6-5-3-2-1. The current format awards points to the top eight in a 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 sequence. Formula One will have four new teams next year after the withdrawal of Toyota and BMW, whose team will continue as Sauber.
■RUGBY UNION
Cooper to plead not guilty
Australian Test star Quade Cooper is to fight his burglary charge, his lawyer said yesterday, as the case was adjourned for seven months. Cooper, 21, made a brief appearance at Southport Magistrates Court charged with burgling a Surfers Paradise residence last Sunday. The case was adjourned until July. Lawyer Angelo Venardos said Cooper would plead not guilty and urged the public not to “pre-judge.” “There is a lot more to the story,” Venardos told reporters. “It’s not as if Quade and someone else has jumped in a car, packed their balaclavas and house-breaking implements, and come down to the Gold Coast, but I am restricted in what I can say.” The center, who has 11 international appearances and plays for Queensland Reds, said he hoped the case would not interrupt his career.
■RUGBY UNION
Plan to cut teams dropped
New Zealand has backed down on plans to cut four teams from the country’s premier domestic competition next year after threats of legal action from teams facing the ax. Rugby union chairman Jock Hobbs said yesterday the union was reversing its decision made in July to cut the top provincial competition next year from 14 teams to 10. He said, however, that the union still favored cutting four teams from the following season, depending on negotiations with the provincial teams. The decision to cut the teams was made because of the poor financial performance of some teams. The July announcement raised a howl of protest from many fans and the four teams likely to be cut — Northland, Counties-Manukau, Manawatu and Tasman.
■SOCCER
England’s Ashton retires
West Ham United and England striker Dean Ashton announced his retirement from professional soccer yesterday. Ashton has suffered from a long-term ankle problem that he initially sustained when training with England in August 2006. The 26-year-old underwent several operations, but concerns for his mobility later in life prompted his decision. West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury told the club’s official Web site: “This is a sad day and our thoughts are with Dean.”
■SOCCER
Romario convicted again
Former Brazilian international Romario has been convicted of tax evasion for the second time by a court on Thursday. The 42-year-old was sentenced to two-and-a-half years community service and ordered to pay a fine of 391,000 reales (US$222,000). The case relates to Romario’s tax returns in 1996 when he played for Brazilian club Flamengo. Romario could still appeal the decision. Romario was also convicted and sentenced on June 9 to three years in prison and fined US$569,000 after accusations he evaded about US$500,000 in taxes when he played for Flamengo in 1996 and 1997.
■SOCCER
Stadium to get facelift
Sydney’s Olympic Stadium will be given a A$150 million (US$137 million) facelift if Australia succeeds in winning the right to host soccer’s World Cup in 2018 or 2022, local media reported on Thursday. The renovations would include the installation of a retractable glass roof over the entire stadium and the addition of another 7,000 seats, lifting capacity to 90,000. Newspapers quoted an unnamed source as saying that if the rebuilding went ahead it would ensure Sydney was chosen to stage the final ahead of the 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely