Arsenal winger Theo Walcott apologized for diving to try to win a penalty during his side’s 1-1 draw against Leeds United in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.
With Arsene Wenger’s team trailing 1-0 in the closing minutes at the Emirates, England international Walcott tumbled to the turf after a challenge from Alex Bruce in the penalty area.
Referee Phil Dowd initially awarded a penalty, but after consulting with his assistant, he changed his mind. Walcott, who then won the stoppage-time penalty that Cesc Fabregas scored for Arsenal’s equalizer, later issued a statement apologizing for his actions.
“I want to apologize to the managers because I actually dived. I was trying to win the penalty,” Walcott said. “I am not the sort of player to do it, but I own up to it and apologize. It is something I don’t want to see in my game. It was one of those things. I am not happy with myself for doing that, but I am happy that we got the draw. I had a little joke with the referee afterwards, saying: ‘That was my first dive, can you tell?’ I don’t have to own up to it and I can’t speak for other players, but I have just expressed how I feel. I hope people respect that.”
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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