■BRAZIL
Bruno keeps contract
Goalkeeper Bruno, who is under investigation over the death of a woman said to be the mother of his child, is to retain his contract at Flamengo, the club announced on Tuesday. Bruno, who is also club captain, is currently in custody, but local newspaper Extra reported Flamengo had backtracked on an initial decision to rescind his contract, fearing the player would respond with legal action. “Yes, we have decided to backtrack to avoid bigger problems,” Extra quoted club chairman Helio Ferraz as saying. The 25-year-old is suspected of involvement in the disappearance last month of Eliza Samudio, who is feared dead. Samudio, 25, had been demanding a DNA test to prove that the married Bruno was the father of her four-month-old child.
■BRAZIL
Santos reject Chelsea bid
Santos have rejected a bid from Chelsea to sign teenage striker Neymar, the club said. On its Web site the club said that the offer was made on Tuesday morning without disclosing the amount. Brazilian media says it reached 20 million euros (US$25.8 million). The club reiterated it does not intend to negotiate over the 18-year-old player. Santos reportedly have a 35 euro million buyout clause for Neymar, who is the most talked-about player in Brazilian soccer this year. Neymar has played for Brazil’s under-16 and under-17 squads but has not played for the senior national team. Fans and local media wanted him to play in the recently concluded World Cup but he was left out by coach Dunga.
■TOGO
Adebayor sues journalist
Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor has taken legal action against a Togolese sports journalist on grounds of alleged defamation, a legal source said on Tuesday. Lawyers for Adebayor issued a writ against Prosper Komi Agboklou, otherwise known as “Prosper the German,” for “broadcasting false information, defamation and impugning the honor” of the former Togo captain. The journalist is accused of claiming on a program on a private television channel that Adebayor, who retired from international soccer in April, was the cause of a rift between the players and management prior to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Chad on July 1. The Togo players had refused to travel on the date officially set aside by their soccer federation because, Agboklou said, they decided to stay in Lome to go to a party organized by Adebayor in one of the capital’s nightclubs. The match went ahead on schedule and ended in a 2-2 draw.
■ARGENTINA
Diego to decide next week
Diego Maradona will decide whether to stay on as Argentina coach after a meeting next week, the head of the country’s soccer association said on Tuesday. Argentina’s former captain had been due to meet association (AFA) chief Julio Grondona this week, but the meeting was postponed after Maradona decided to travel to Venezuela, where he was expected to meet President Hugo Chavez. “I got in touch with Diego to arrange a meeting with him on Monday, that’s the only thing that’s true,” Grondona was quoted as telling state news agency Telam. He dismissed reports the AFA had already arranged a contract for Maradona to stay on as coach until 2014. The AFA said last week Maradona would be formally invited to carry on as coach until the World Cup in Brazil. He has kept a low profile since returning from South Africa where Argentina team were thrashed 4-0 by Germany in the World Cup quarter-finals.
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
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
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
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and