■NETHERLANDS
Fans held over miniskirts
A group of 36 young Dutch fans in orange miniskirts were detained for several hours at Soccer City stadium for wearing outfits designed by a Dutch beer company, a newspaper reported yesterday. The dresses were sold with Bavaria Beer packs in the Netherlands in the run-up to the World Cup, but soccer governing body FIFA accused the women of staging an ambush marketing campaign, the Star said. “We were sitting near the front, making a lot of noise, and the cameras kept focusing on us,” Barbara Kastein told the paper. “In the second half, about 40 stewards surrounded us and forced us to leave the stadium,” she said. They were taken to a FIFA office where police quizzed them about the dresses and asked if they worked for Bavaria. FIFA said the women were “used by a large Dutch brewery as an instrument for an ambush marketing campaign,” although the dresses had no branding on them. Budweiser, an official sponsor, is the only beer company allowed to advertise within the stadiums.
■ENGLAND
Capello’s team criticized
Germany great Franz Beckenbauer says England have “gone backwards” under coach Fabio Capello and the team’s poor start to the World Cup has occurred partly because of a lack of domestic talent in the Premier League. Beckenbauer, in a column for South Africa’s the Times newspaper, said he didn’t think Capello “can still change much there.” England took the lead against the US on Saturday but conceded an equalizer after a blunder by goalkeeper Robert Green. “What I saw of the English against the USA had very little to do with football,” Beckenbauer said. “It looked to me as if the English have gone backwards into the bad old days of kick and rush. The English are being punished for the fact that there are very few English players in the Premier League as clubs use better foreign players from all over the world.”
■MALAYSIA
Excited fan injures father
One fan’s excitement over the Ghana-Serbia World Cup match nearly cost his father an ear. Malaysian news agency Bernama reported that 17-year-old Mohamad Rizal kicked a ball in frustration as he watched Sunday’s match on TV, shattering a window. It says glass pieces hit his father, Rosli Mat Noor, who was sitting next to the window, piercing his right ear. Rosli, 43, needed three stitches. Ghana beat Serbia 1-0 in the Group D match. Mohamad Rizal was supporting Serbia and his misplaced kick was apparently in frustration when the Serbs conceded the goal.
■BRAZIL
Pele lays into Maradona
Brazilian legend Pele on Monday launched a broadside against Argentina coach Diego Maradona, charging that he only took the job as he was out of work and needed the money, Brazilian media reported on Monday. Pele rose to the bait when Brazilian media asked him about comments attributed to Maradona who allegedly implied that a “dark gentleman” — taken to mean Pele — had questioned the ability of the host nation to be the first African country to host the World Cup. Pele hit back, saying: “Maradona accepted the job [as Argentina coach] as he needed work and needed the money. I saw how Argentina qualified with difficulty. But it is not Maradona’s fault; it is the fault of those who put him in charge.”
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