■ BADMINTON
Taiwan to host finals
Taiwan is to host the next Super Series finals, the climax of badminton’s 12-leg Super Series circuit. Staged in Malaysia for the last two years, the finals feature the top eight-ranked players in the Super Series standings in all five of badminton’s events — men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles. The last Super Series tournament of the year is in Hong Kong in December. The Taiwan finals will be staged from Jan. 5 to Jan. 9. “With so many top players in the event, fans are in for some amazing badminton,” Taiwan’s badminton association secretary-general Tsai Hung-Peng said in a statement on Monday.
■ SUMO
Wrestlers to get iPads
Japan’s ancient sport of sumo is embracing the latest technology, with its governing body set to distribute Apple’s iPad to wrestlers who often struggle with smaller cellphone keypads due to their giant hands. The sumo association said it will hand out iPads to Japan’s 51 “stables,” or the clubs the wrestlers belong to, with the aim of improving communication among the roly-poly grapplers after some in the past had missed information sent by fax or telephone. “We will hand out the newest iPads to all the sumo stables to swiftly communicate what we need to,” association vice chairman Hiroyoshi Murayama said. The iPad tablet PC was likely chosen because many stable masters do not use computers and wrestlers are not good at punching in messages on their mobile phones with their big hands, Jiji news agency said.
■ BASKETBALL
Jose Calderon ruled out
Spanish playmaker Jose Manuel Calderon has been ruled out of the world championships starting in Turkey this weekend because of injury, the Spanish basketball federation confirmed on Monday. Calderon, who plays for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, suffered a torn muscle in his left leg during a warm-up game against the US in Madrid on Sunday night. He will be replaced by Raul Lopez. Calderon, 28, was also forced to miss last year’s European championships, which Spain won, because of injury. Spain play their opening match on Saturday against France in a group which also includes Lithuania, New Zealand, Canada and Lebanon.
■ FORMULA ONE
Hamilton avoids conviction
Formula One star Lewis Hamilton has been fined A$500 (US$445) and avoided conviction for doing a burnout outside the Australian Grand Prix circuit in March. Hamilton, 25, did not appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court yesterday. His lawyer, Sandip Mukerjea, said Hamilton was overseas, but he would plead guilty to the charge of improper use of a motor vehicle. Mukerjea said Hamilton had publicly apologized over the incident and suffered “embarrassment, humiliation and distress” after he was criticized in the media.
■ SOCCER
Cavalieri moves to Cesena
Liverpool goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri has completed his move to Serie A newcomers Cesena, the English Premier League club announced on Monday. The Brazilian was signed by former Reds manager Rafael Benitez from Palmeiras in July 2008. However, he was never more than back-up to first-choice Jose Reina and made just 10 appearances for the first team. The arrival last week of Middlesbrough’s Brad Jones, who qualifies as a “homegrown” player despite being an Australia international, effectively signaled the end of Cavalieri’s Anfield career.
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