■BASEBALL
Barry Bonds’ son in court
Nikolai Bonds, the son of disgraced former baseball star Barry Bonds, has pleaded not guilty to charges related to a fight with his mother and threatening police. The 20-year-old Nikolai appeared in a San Francisco court on five misdemeanor charges on Tuesday with his father at his side. Police say a man tossed a doorknob at a woman and spit in her face during a Dec. 5 incident at a neighborhood park. Police also say the man blocked the woman from leaving, destroyed property worth US$400 and threatened an officer. Nikolai Bonds faces charges of battery, false imprisonment, vandalism, making threats to an officer and obstructing an officer. The court granted a restraining order barring him from contacting his mother.
■BOXING
Braehmer sentenced to jail
A German court on Tuesday handed WBO light heavyweight world champion Juergen Braehmer a 16-month prison sentence for attacking two people in separate incidents two years ago. Braehmer’s lawyers said they would appeal the verdict while his promoter Klaus-Peter Kohl said it had not yet come into force. Braehmer was found guilty by the court in the eastern city of Schwerin for hitting a woman in a Schwerin bar in May 2008 and attacking another person in one of the city’s clubs in September of that year. The 31-year-old southpaw, who became world champion last year and has a 35-2 record, has had run-ins with the law for much of his career and had been convicted for violent behavior in the past.
■BASKETBALL
Teams fined for standing
The NBA has fined two teams US$10,000 apiece for violating the rule preventing players from standing for long periods of time in front of their bench. League spokesman Tim Frank confirmed a memo was sent to all teams on Tuesday informing them of the fines. The teams were not identified in the memo. The rule was instituted this season as a way to stop players from blocking the view of fans sitting behind the benches.
■FIELD HOCKEY
Indian sponsor pays up
A major sponsor of the Indian hockey team released 10 million Indian rupees (US$219,000) to striking players yesterday in a bid to resolve a pay dispute that has disrupted preparations for the upcoming World Cup, Press Trust of India reported. The Indian hockey team began a training boycott on Friday when it refused to attend a camp in the western city of Pune until it was paid wages owed to the players. Team sponsor, the multi-industry conglomerate Sahara India Pariwar, said in statement it had paid the funds to Hockey India in a suspense account for distribution to the players so they can “peacefully and happily practice and play for the country.” The men’s field hockey World Cup is scheduled for Feb. 28 to March 13 in New Delhi.
■ICE HOCKEY
Goalie Curtis Joseph retires
Goalie Curtis Joseph retired on Tuesday, ending a 19-year career in the NHL in which he was No. 4 on the career victory list. The 42-year-old Joseph was the most successful goalie to have never won the Stanley Cup. He had 454 victories, trailing only Martin Brodeur (585), Patrick Roy (551) and Ed Belfour (484). He said he had a “great career” and “didn’t leave anything on the table” at a news conference in Toronto, where he ended his career with the Maple Leafs.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two