Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has been banned for one Champions League match for instructing players to get deliberate red cards so they could serve suspensions in a meaningless game.
Mourinho was also fined 40,000 euros (US$51,990) for instructing Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos to get sent off in last week’s 4-0 win against Ajax.
Alonso and Ramos were fined 20,000 euros. They are already suspended from Real’s next group match, against Auxerre on Dec. 8, but can now start the knockout rounds in February with a clean slate. Madrid is already sure of winning Group G.
Mourinho was also given a further one-match suspension to be imposed if the Portuguese coach is found guilty within the next three years of what UEFA calls “improper conduct.”
Mourinho had denied the accusations, but footage of the match showed him apparently sending instructions from the bench immediately before Alonso and Ramos received second yellow cards for time-wasting late on.
UEFA also fined Real Madrid 120,000 euros, while goalkeepers Iker Casillas and Jerzy Dudek were fined smaller amounts for apparently passing on Mourinho’s orders. Mourinho is likely to sit out the match against Auxerre. He and Madrid have three days to appeal against the decision.
Ramos was also banned for one Spanish league game on Tuesday after being red carded for tackling Lionel Messi from behind a day earlier in a 5-0 league defeat by Barcelona. A frustrated Ramos also shoved Spain teammates Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernandez as he left the field.
It is not the first time Mourinho has been punished by UEFA for incidents in the Champions League.
When he coached Chelsea, UEFA banned him from the touchline for two matches in 2005 after he accused Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard of visiting Swedish referee Anders Frisk at halftime in the first leg of a round-of-16 clash.
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
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