SOCCER
Adefemi dies in car crash
Nigeria international defender Olubayo Adefemi was killed in a car crash on Monday, police in the northern Greek city of Kavala reported. The 25-year-old Xanthi right back was driving to Thessaloniki International Airport to return to Nigeria to finalize plans for his upcoming wedding. Kavala traffic police said Adefemi, who has five international caps, lost control of his car on a curve on a wet highway just outside Kavala. His vehicle struck the dividing bar on the highway and flipped over, landing on the opposite lane. Adefemi was a key member of the Nigeria team who played in the final of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in the Netherlands in 2005. He also starred in the Beijing 2008 Olympics soccer final in which Nigeria were beaten by Argentina. Adefemi joined Xanthi last summer and scored two goals in 24 matches.
Photo: AFP
BASKETBALL
Dwight Howard honored
Dwight Howard was named the NBA’s defensive player of the year on Monday, making the dominant Orlando Magic center the first player to win the award in three consecutive seasons. Howard led the league this season with 789 defensive rebounds and averaged 14.1 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.4 steals in 78 games with the Magic. “I could have just stopped after winning one award, but I want our team to be successful and I know it starts with me and it starts on the defensive end,” Howard said. Howard was third in offensive rebounds (309), second in total rebounds (1,098) and third in blocks (186) in the regular season.
BASEBALL
Pitcher arrested for stealing
The Cincinnati Red’s Mike Leake was arrested on Monday on a shoplifting charge, just two days after pitching the Reds to a 11-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Leake was charged with misdemeanor shoplifting after employees of Macy’s accused him of trying to steal six shirts worth US$60 from a downtown department store on Monday. Police said security cameras captured Leake in the store and that he allegedly removed price tags from a half dozen American Rag T-shirts before trying to leave without paying. Leake, who makes US$425,000 a year with the Reds, got the victory in an 11-2 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday at the Great American Ball Park. If convicted Leake, of San Diego, could be facing a maximum 180 days in jail.
SOCCER
Player banned for beard
Police in Tajikistan have forced a topflight player to be banned because he has a beard, according to the coach of his team. Khayr Vakhdat coach Tokhir Muminov said he has been unable to select Parviz Tursunov for the opening two rounds of the season while there are problems with the police over his appearance. However, the Interior Ministry denies issuing any order to prevent bearded soccer players from playing and said any officers caught intimidating citizens would be punished. Authorities in the mainly Muslim nation have taken strict measures to stamp out any signs of religious extremism, with police reportedly sometimes rounding up bearded young men. Tursunov, a devout Muslim, said he would rather give up soccer than his beard. “Football is secular, but we should think about the eternal,” Tursunov said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
A soccer jersey carrying a national map including disputed Western Sahara has become a hot commodity in Morocco after a diplomatic dispute with Algeria. Retailers said RS Berkane jerseys have been flying off the shelves after a Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup match against Algerian club USM Alger was canceled last month over the jerseys. “We are overwhelmed by the influx of messages and requests,” said Brahim Rabii, representative of the official RS Berkane jersey distributor. Algeria broke off diplomatic relations with Morocco in 2021, partly over the issue of Western Sahara. The former Spanish colony is largely controlled by Morocco, but claimed
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just