■RUGBY UNION
Beale cleared of assault
Australian star Kurtley Beale said yesterday he was relieved to be able to concentrate on his career after being found not guilty of assaulting a female relative. Beale, 21, had been accused of placing a teenage cousin in a headlock and punching her four times in the head during a party in Sydney last July. But Magistrate Glenn Bartley said the girl sustained no injuries in the alleged attack and had likely overstated her ability to accurately recollect the day’s events given she had been drinking. Bartley told Mt Druitt Local Court the Australian fullback weighed more than double the alleged victim and was very fit, which meant “the absence of an injury is a partial contributor to reasonable doubt.” During the hearing, Beale had admitted he had sworn at a group of female relatives who had been verbally abusing his then girlfriend, but denied hitting his cousin. Outside court, he said he was relieved to have been cleared of assault. “I always said that I was not guilty from the start, like I said [I’m] just very relieved and very happy that I can concentrate on my football,” he said.
■BASKETBALL
Violence halts final
Panathinaikos were named Greek champions after referees called off the fourth game of the league finals against Olympiakos when it was interrupted by fans for a second time at Olympiakos’ home arena on Sunday. The abandonment, just 1:03 before the end, handed Panathinaikos an eighth consecutive Greek title and 12th in the last 13 seasons. Panathinaikos, already ahead 2-1 in the best-of-five finals series, were leading 76-69 and about to shoot two free throws when Olympiakos fans seated behind the two baskets threw a barrage of plastic bottles and arena seats. A flare was thrown at Panathinaikos players and coaching staff as they were leaving the arena, narrowly missing them. The referees’ decision must to be confirmed by league authorities, who will likely impose a harsh penalty on Olympiakos. The arena had already been partly evacuated during a lengthy interruption with 5:02 remaining in the third quarter with Panathinaikos leading 50-42. Then, during a timeout, Olympiakos fans threw fireworks and projectiles at the Panathinaikos bench.
■MOTOGP
Pedrosa wins in Italy
Dani Pedrosa of Honda won the Italian MotoGP at the Mugello circuit on Sunday, seeing off fellow Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo on a Yamaha and Italy’s Andrea Dovizioso, also of Honda. Pedrosa’s win by a 4 second margin ended a seven-year drought at the venue for the Japanese manufacturer. Ironically their 2003 win came from Valentino Rossi, the nine-time world champion and defending MotoGP titleholder, who missed Sunday’s race with a broken leg suffered in Saturday’s practice session. In Rossi’s absence, victory for Pedrosa took the Spaniard into second place in the standings, but he trails his countryman Lorenzo by 25 points after four races of the 18-race season.
■HORSE RACING
Attendance slump halts
British horse racing’s governing body says a slump in attendance has been halted but the sport continues to faces a tough economic climate and declining TV revenue. The Jockey Club says “racing needs to act swiftly and decisively if our future is to be as bright as our past.” The Jockey Club says 1.8 million people attended 374 races at 14 racecourses last year, an increase following a decline in recent years. This year’s annual review showed the organization generated £100 million (US$145 million) in revenue.
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