ITALY
Ref admits heroin charge
The referee involved in Italy’s controversial elimination from the 2002 World Cup pleaded guilty on Thursday to heroin smuggling charges, according to the US attorney’s office. Byron Moreno, who is being held without bail, pleaded guilty to one count of heroin smuggling, office spokesman Robert Nardoza said. He faces up to five years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. No sentencing date was set. Moreno was arrested in September at John F. Kennedy International Airport after arriving on a commercial flight from his native Ecuador with bags of heroin attached to his body, prosecutors said. During a routine inspection, Moreno “became visibly nervous,” according to a complaint filed in federal court in Brooklyn. A customs agent felt “hard objects on the defendant’s stomach, back and both of his legs,” the complaint said. A strip search revealed that the lumps were 10 clear plastic bags containing more than 4.5kg of heroin, it said. Moreno became a hate figure in Italy after several contentious decisions in the second-round match of the 2002 World Cup, when the Azzurri lost 2-1 after extra time. He sent off Francesco Totti, giving the Italian a second yellow card for an alleged dive in the penalty area 13 minutes into extra time. A 111th-minute goal by Italy’s Damiano Tommasi that would have advanced the team was disallowed, apparently for offside, and South Korea was awarded a penalty — saved by goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon — for a foul by Christian Panucci against Seol Ki-Hyeon. Ahn Jung-Hwan then scored the winner for South Korea in the 117th minute.
ITALY
Bologna points docked
The Serie A disciplinary committee has docked Bologna two points for failing to pay its players’ wages. It means Bologna drops to 22 points, 18 behind league leader AC Milan, and from 10th to 15th in the standings. The committee also suspended president Sergio Porcedda for six months and chief executive Silvino Marras for two months and 20 days, according to media reports on Thursday. It is the second time this season that the Serie A side has had points deducted after being docked a point for failing to make tax payments.
UNITED STATES
Rooney signs for New York
Wayne Rooney’s younger brother John has been selected by the New York Red Bulls in the second round of the Major League Soccer (MLS) draft. Having already signed with MLS, the younger Rooney worked out for scouts last week in Florida and was taken by the Red Bulls on Thursday. John is a 20-year-old midfielder who has played for Macclesfield Town in England’s League Two. He joins a squad that includes Thierry Henry and Rafael Marquez. Wayne Rooney is the star forward for Manchester United and England.
QATAR
Team fined over conference
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has fined Qatar US$2,000 for refusing to bring a player to an Asian Cup news conference. The AFC said in a statement on Thursday that the fine was punishment for failing to send the player to a Jan. 6 news conference before its match against Uzbekistan. It said a complaint against Qatar coach Bruno Metsu for not fulfilling media obligations has been sent to its disciplinary committee. North Korea and Iraq have earlier been cited for the same violation while Saudi Arabia could be added to the list after it failed to send a player to its news conference.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
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
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