SOCCER
Alves a victim of ‘racism’
Brazil right back Daniel Alves has been the victim of racism throughout his time in Spain with Barcelona, he said in an interview published on Tuesday. The 27-year-old described how he had been called a “monkey” by fans of Barca’s rivals at many grounds in Spain. “Sadly, I’ve learnt to live with it,” he told the Brazilian daily Folha de Sao Paulo while preparing for Brazil’s friendly against France in Paris yesterday. “I live with it in all the matches, but I don’t feel offended. They insult me, they call me monkey,” said Alves, who has established himself as one of Barcelona’s key players since joining them from Sevilla in 2008. “The fans do it, the players are against it ... My family are unhappy, they complain, but I try to distance myself from it. I consider those people uneducated and don’t give them importance.” Alves, from a poor background in northeastern Brazil, said that despite the efforts of La Liga to sanction fans for racist behavior, racism “is uncontrollable. It will never stop.”
SOCCER
Suspension angers Diego
Wolfsburg’s Brazilian midfielder Diego said he was disappointed to receive a one-match suspension after disobeying the coach’s order and missing a penalty kick. Diego took the penalty even though then-coach Steve McClaren wanted another player to take it. The former Brazil playmaker hit the crossbar. Diego said in a statement on Tuesday that now “there is nothing else to do but accept the decision and cheer on the team in the next match.” Wolfsburg fired McClaren on Monday after it won only one of its last 11 league matches. He left the 2009 German champion battling relegation.
RUGBY
Tonga PM pans rugby rules
Tonga’s prime minister said this year’s Rugby World Cup would not be a real competition because “unfair” eligibility rules prevent Pacific nations from fielding some of their best players. Lord Tu’ivakano said in Nuku’alofa that International Rugby Board (IRB) rules barring a player who has represented one country from ever taking the field for another protected the game’s traditional powers from being challenged. The law is a sore point for Pacific nations, whose best players are often lured to New Zealand or Australia as youngsters, but cannot represent their homeland even after their careers with their adopted countries are over. “If they’re going to have a real World Cup, then they need to give the other countries the chance to have their own players,” he said in an interview Tuesday. Tu’ivakano said Tonga had players in top international competitions who could not represent their country at the World Cup, which runs from Sept. 9 to Oct .23 in New Zealand, robbing the team of valuable experience.
CRICKET
NZC denies misconduct
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) have denied local media reports that pace bowler Tim Southee was involved in an incident on a flight to Dubai as the team were en route to the World Cup. Local media reported that a passenger on the flight had alerted team management about an incident between a player and a female passenger. However, team manager Dave Currie said that after conducting an investigation he had determined the player, who he identified as Southee, had not been involved in anything inappropriate. “Tim met a female passenger on board the plane and spent some time with her,” Carrie said.
BASEBALL
US stars enter diplomacy
Two veteran US baseball stars will travel to South Korea and meet North Korean defectors as part of US efforts to use sport as a tool of diplomacy. Former Hall of Fame nominee Barry Larkin and former Montreal Expos pitcher Joe Logan will visit Seoul, Gwangju and Jeju Island from Sunday until Feb. 19. The US State Department said on Tuesday the pair will hold baseball clinics, meet defectors and speak to local students. They will also hold discussions with non-governmental and minority groups on the importance of diversity. Former short-stop Larkin was a member of the Cincinnati Reds’ 1990 World Series championship team. He and Logan have made two previous trips overseas as sports diplomacy envoys.
CYCLING
Family doping ring faces ban
Italian cyclist Lorenzo Bernucci, a former teammate of ace sprinter Alessandro Petacchi, was slapped with a five year ban on Tuesday by the Italian Olympic Committee, while four members of his family also received bans for their involvement in a doping ring. Bernucci — who was fired by former team T--Mobile in 2007 after testing positive for sibutramine, a banned substance, although he did not serve a ban — came under suspicion when Italian federal police investigators sequestered pharmaceutical products from both Petacchi and Bernucci’s homes in April last year. According to Italian media reports on Tuesday, banned products such as albumine and sibutramine were among the items discovered by the police during the raid. Along with Bernucci, his wife Valentina Borgioli, mother Antonella Rossi and his father-in-law Fabrizio Borgioli were banned for four years “from frequenting sporting establishments and spaces reserved for athletes and related personnel in Italy,” anti-doping prosecutors said. “As well as [prevented from] taking part in sporting events on Italian soil or those organized by Italian sporting authorities.” His brother Alessio received a three-year ban.
CYCLING
RFEC justifies decision
Spain’s cycling federation justified its decision to seek a one-year ban for Alberto Contador, rather than the usual two years, by saying his responsibility appeared to be minimal, a Spanish newspaper said on Tuesday. “The negligence of the cyclist was not significant ... as the simple presence of the substance in his body does not imply a violation of fair play,” the federation, RFEC, said in a report, according to the sports daily Marca. The paper said the federation used this argument to seek a one-year suspension, rather than a two-year ban that would normally be imposed for a doping violation. The presence of the banned substance clenbuterol was detected over four consecutive days during last year’s Tour de France, the RFEC said in its report, although only one of those tests, on July 21, was retained.
SOCCER
Guardiola signs extension
Barcelona said on Tuesday it has reached an agreement with coach Pep Guardiola for a one-year contract extension. Barcelona did not reveal the terms of a deal that will keep the 40-year-old former Barcelona player at the helm of the Catalan club until the end of the 2011 to 2012 season. Barcelona said the deal will be signed “in the coming days.” Barcelona is enjoying perhaps the most successful spell in its 112-year history under Guardiola, who took over from Frank Rijkaard in 2008. Guardiola had said he preferred to sign one-year extensions over a long-term deal to maintain his motivation.
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