FOOTBALL
Broncos sack head coach
The Denver Broncos sacked head coach Josh McDaniels on Monday, ending his stint at the helm after less than two years. “Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has relieved Josh McDaniels of his head coaching duties,” the Broncos said in a statement. Running backs coach Eric Studesville will serve as interim coach for the last month of the season, the team said. After winning his first six games in his rookie coaching season last year, McDaniels lost 17 of his last 22 games with Denver. In addition to Denver’s disappointing results, McDaniels’ tenure was marred by an embarrassing videotaping scandal as well as a series of poor personnel decisions. McDaniels traded away Peyton Hillis, who has become a power running back in Cleveland. He was fined US$50,000 by the NFL for failing to report a subordinate who violated league rules by videotaping a San Francisco 49ers training in London in October. The team was also rocked this year by linebacker D.J. Williams’ drunken driving charge, which caused him to be stripped of his captaincy.
BOXING
Klitschko taunts Chisora
Ukrainian boxer Vladimir Klitschko on Monday dismissed Dereck Chisora, his challenger for his three heavyweight world titles on Saturday, declaring that he did not beat up women, unlike his British opponent. Klitschko, who holds the WBO IBF belts as well as the lightly regarded IBO title, was referring to the fact that 26-year-old Chisora received a three-month suspended sentence last month for assaulting his ex-girlfriend after discovering messages on her answerphone from another man. “Me, I do not beat up women like you do,” taunted Klitschko at a joint pre-fight press conference. “Those who beat up women are losers. You do not know where one practices boxing. It is in a ring! As you are such a horrible person, I am going to show you the road to redemption without a title,” Klitschko said. Chisora turned professional in 2007 and has won all his 14 bouts, seven within the distance.
SOCCER
Cleanliness hurt Aussie bid
A consultant employed in Australia’s bid for the 2022 World Cup says the bid failed because it had “played it clean.” Australia spent US$45 million on its bid but won only one of 22 votes from FIFA’s executive committee before the 2022 tournament was awarded to Qatar. Peter Hargitay, a former aide to FIFA president Sepp Blatter, said in an interview on Monday with SBS television “the fundamental mistake we made ... is that we played it clean.”
SOCCER
Jol quits as Ajax coach
Former Spurs boss Martin Jol on Monday quit as coach of Dutch fallen giants Ajax, who said they had accepted his resignation. As Frank de Boer, assistant to national coach Bert van Marwijk, prepared to take over on a temporary basis, news of Jol’s decision fueled rumors in England that he was in line to take over English Premier League side Newcastle. The Magpies had earlier on Monday sacked Chris Hughton, despite the promoted side being in midtable. Jol’s departure comes just days before four-times European champions Ajax are scheduled to take on AC Milan as they bid to sign off with at least a draw to secure passage to the Europa League at the expense of French side Auxerre. Jol, 54, leaves Ajax in fourth place in the Dutch league following a weekend draw with Nijmegen. Last year they finished second and also won the Dutch Cup. Hughton was formerly assistant to Jol at Tottenham.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of “massive theft.” The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-time interpreter and close friend, after Ohtani’s representatives alleged that the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California. “Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,” MLB