BOXING
Briggs fined over illness
Western Australia’s boxing commission has fined Paul Briggs A$75,000 (US$74,870) for not declaring a medical issue which limited his ability to contest a world cruiserweight title bout in July which lasted just 29 seconds before he was knocked down by Danny Green. The Western Australian Professional Combat Sports Commission released its findings yesterday and sanctioned Briggs and his trainer Billy Hussein for failing to disclose that issues with the boxer’s nervous system meant he was not fit enough to participate in the IBO title fight. Briggs received US$200,000 for the fight, but was heavily criticized for apparently going down very easily to a Green punch.
SOCCER
Flores records doping test
A Bolivian player injected some imagination into proceedings when called for his second doping test of the year by recording the event on his mobile phone. Walter Flores, a midfielder with top side Bolivar, tested positive for cocaine in April only to be cleared of using the banned substance when world ruling body FIFA said anti-doping procedures had not been followed properly. Flores was handed a two-year ban by the South American Football Confederation two months after a urine sample from him tested positive for cocaine. The decision was annulled when Flores appealed to FIFA.
SOCCER
Independiente fined
Argentina’s Independiente have been fined US$20,000 and ordered to play their next Copa Sudamericana match at a neutral venue after crowd trouble at their home ground, the South American Football Confederation said on Tuesday. Goalkeeper Martin Silva of visiting Uruguayan side Defensor Sporting suffered a cut in his head from a stone thrown from the terraces before the second-half kickoff in the match at Independiente’s Libertadores de America stadium on Oct. 19. The Uruguayan team’s officials wanted the match suspended, but the referee refused and Silva played on with his head heavily bandaged. Independiente won the second leg of the second round tie 4-2 to reach the quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate.
SOCCER
FA warns Spurs’ manager
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was warned by the Football Association (FA) on Tuesday about his conduct after he criticized referee Mark Clattenburg’s performance at the weekend. The FA did not charge Redknapp over his criticism of Clattenburg’s decision to allow Manchester United’s second goal in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Tottenham. The Tottenham manager was furious that Nani’s goal for United was allowed to stand. The Portugal winger scored after Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes put the ball down in the belief that a free kick had been awarded for Nani’s handball.
SOCCER
Serie A talks planned
Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Giancarlo Abete said he would arrange preliminary talks between the Serie A league and the Italian Players’ Association (AIC) in a bid to avert a proposed strike. The two sides are deadlocked over a collective bargaining agreement that has twice led to the AIC calling for strike action in Serie A. “Tomorrow we will formalize the proposal for a political meeting between the presidents of the League and of the AIC to see if the conditions needed to return to the negotiating table are in place,” Abete said.
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
Roger Federer on Wednesday said that staying involved with tennis in retirement helped him avoid feeling “like an alien” ahead of this week’s Laver Cup in Berlin. Federer, who helped create the tournament, retired at the Laver Cup in London two years ago and has since stayed involved with the competition as an ambassador. “I’m happy I went back right away to some tournaments,” the 43-year-old told reporters. “I feel I ripped the Band-Aid off quite quickly and when I walk around the tennis sites I still feel I belong there,” he said. “I don’t feel like an alien, which is 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