SOCCER
Hercules, Racing draw
Hercules came away from El Sardinero stadium with a point after a 0-0 draw with Racing Santander on Monday to close the round 16 of the Spanish league. Racing had the stronger first half, while Hercules played better in the second, but neither team generated enough chances to break the deadlock. Racing’s Kennedy Bakircioglu saw two well-taken free kicks come close to beating Hercules goalkeeper Juan Calatayud, and Hercules’ second-half substitute Javier Portillo rattled the woodwork with a free kick of his own in the 70th in the game’s best opportunities.
SOCCER
Benitez affirms his status
Rafa Benitez says he is still the coach of Inter, despite Italian media reports that he is set to be fired. Benitez told Spanish radio station Onda Cero on Monday that “no, I have not been fired.” Benitez said that “I am surprised because I have seen a lot of headlines of newspapers and I have been phoned by a lot of people asking me if I have been fired, and that is not true at all.” Benitez has reportedly angered club officials with his recent comments about team management.
BOXING
Pacquiao fight ‘a go’: Mosley
“Sugar” Shane Mosley, a former world champion in three weight classes, told the Los Angeles Times on Monday that his adviser was to meet with Manny Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum about a May 7 fight. Hours after sending a Twitter message about a Pacquiao fight that said “the ink hasn’t dried yet, but it’s pretty much a go,” Mosley said prior discussions set the ground for finalizing a deal quickly, the newspaper reported. “We’ve already discussed the fight about three, four weeks ago, so now we’ll go over it again,” Mosley told the Times. One detail that needed to be settled by Pacquiao, according to Mosley, was an exact weight for the fight. Pacquiao could fight at welterweight near 147 pounds or perhaps risk his World Boxing Council junior-middleweight crown.
CRICKET
Australia calls up Khawaja
Australia called up uncapped batsman Usman Khawaja yesterday as cover for captain Ricky Ponting, who is nursing a broken finger ahead of the crunch Melbourne Ashes Test. Selectors said they were showing an “abundance of caution” in adding Khawaja to the squad, adding they were confident Ponting will play in the clash against England starting on Sunday. Pakistan-born Khawaja, 24, who plays for New South Wales, is yet to break into the team after becoming the first Muslim to be selected for an Australian Test squad in June. Ponting has pledged to play in Melbourne despite suffering a small fracture to his left little finger while trying to take a catch during Australia’s crushing win in Perth.
AUSSIE RULES
Teen posts naked pictures
An Australian teenager yesterday caused an embarrassing row by posting nude photos of Australian Rules footballers on the Internet, in the latest scandal to afflict the sport. Kim Duthie, 17, said she uploaded the pictures on her Facebook page as an act of revenge, claiming she was impregnated by a player, but was poorly treated by the sport’s bosses. Duthie posted two pictures featuring three St Kilda players, attracting thousands of new Facebook friends, before the club won a court injunction to have the page taken down. Duthie claimed to have 21 compromising pictures of players from various clubs and threatened to start releasing them.
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