SOCCER
Costa Rica to attend Copa
Costa Rica have decided to accept an invitation to replace Japan at the Copa America, the Central American country’s Football Federation president Eduardo Li said on Tuesday. “We have taken the decision to take part in the Copa America,” Li, whose squad will take one of two berths for guest teams in the July 1 to July 14 tournament, told reporters. “We can go with an Olympic team, an under-23 [side] with five reinforcements basically over 23 years of age.” Japan pulled out on Monday after failing to get the release of European-based players and facing a problem with J-League clubs whose season has been extended into July following the earthquake and tsunami in March.
BASEBALL
Wang completes simulations
Taiwanese pitcher Wang Chien-ming of the Washington Nationals completed all of his seven simulation games in Florida on Tuesday, a step forward in his attempt to return to the Major League. The former New York Yankees starter, who has not pitched in the majors since 2009 because of a shoulder injury, threw five innings for the first time in the extended spring training, including seven strikes. “I felt pretty good overall today. I controlled the ball much better and did not use as many balls as last time. My sliders were also in good position,” he said in a TV interview with Taiwanese media. The right-hander threw 64 balls against the Houston Astros hitters without letting them score. His fastest ball was timed at 138.4km per hour. Wang’s next move will be to the Nationals’ minor league, Class 2A on Sunday, where he will begin a rehab assignment. He will hopefully return to the majors in late June.
GOLF
Yani Tseng paired with Hart
Top seed Choi Na-yeon of South Korea will face Scotland’s Catriona Matthew in the first round of the US$1.5 million LPGA Match-Play Championship that begins today. A random draw on Tuesday set up the pairings for the showdown at Hamilton Farm Golf Club, which concludes with semi-finals and an 18-hole final for the US$375,000 top prize on Sunday. Seedings were based upon last year’s LPGA money list rather than the current rankings, adding another twist to the bracketing, which saw the top 32 players from last year locked into place and their opponents selected in a blind draw. World No. 1 and LPGA season money leader Yani Tseng of Taiwan, the fourth seed, was paired against American Marcy Hart, the second-worst seed in the field of 64. Second-ranked and second-seeded Jiyai Shin will open against fellow South Korean Meena Lee.
MULTI-SPORT
X Games looks to expand
The X Games, a US-based multi-sport festival including such sports as skateboarding and motocross, will expand globally in 2013 with three new events to start in 2013, founder ESPN said on Tuesday. ESPN produces current events in Los Angeles and winter-sport haven Aspen, Colorado, plus another in France with partner Canal Plus. Cities will bid next year to host three other 2013 X Games to be staged outside the US. The X Games, which began in 1995, includes BMX cycling, skateboarding, motocross and rally car racing, while the Winter X Games features skiing, snowboard and snowmobile events. Since 1998, the X Games has organized smaller-level demonstration and qualifying events in Brazil, Canada, China, Dubai, France, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan and the Philippines.
ICE HOCKEY
Flyers’ Carcillo suspended
Philadelphia Flyers forward Daniel Carcillo has been suspended for two regular-season games for his off-ice actions during a playoff game against the Boston Bruins, the NHL said in Toronto on Tuesday. Carcillo was banned for an incident outside the officials’ locker room after the first period of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals and a verbal confrontation with a linesman at the players’ bench ahead of the second period. The Flyers lost the May 6 encounter and were eliminated from the playoffs, so Carcillo will miss his team’s first two regular season games of the next NHL season. Carcillo had four goals and two assists in 57 games during the regular season.
ATLANTA
Clubs in selloff talks
The owners of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks are in exclusive talks to sell the team and its arena, while also trying to peddle the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on Tuesday. Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper said the Atlanta Spirit group has an exclusive negotiating period to sell the Hawks and their home arena to John Moores, an Internet magnate and outgoing owner of the MLB’s San Diego Padres. The Spirit is also reported to be in talks to sell the Thrashers to a Canadian group that would move the NHL club to Winnipeg, which lost its team in a move to Arizona 15 years ago. The Internet report said a deal is not imminent and not certain to be completed.
CYCLING
Greg Henderson wins stage
New Zealand’s Greg Henderson took the overall lead from British teammate Ben Swift in the Tour of California on Tuesday by capturing a windy and crash-filled second stage. Team Sky’s Henderson, who began the day 10 seconds behind stage one winner Swift, sprinted to the front in the final 500m and captured the 196.2km stage in five hours, 14 minutes, 29 seconds. With 10 seconds of bonus time for winning the stage, Henderson seized the overall lead based upon tie-breakers with Swift second and Slovakian Peter Sagan of Liquigas-Cannondale third, four seconds adrift. Henderson and Swift are teammates of reigning Tour of California champion Michael Rogers, an Australian who was unable to defend his crown after a virus kept him from properly training for the race. Argentina’s Juan Jose Haedo, a rider for Saxo-Bank, was second in the stage, with Norwegian rider and reigning world champion Thor Hushovd of Garmin-Cervelo third, both came in the same time as Henderson. Crashes in the final kilometers caused minor injuries to Tour de France veteran Jens Voigt of Germany and the Leopard-Trek team, countryman Andreas Schillinger of NetApp and American Will Dugan of Team Type One.
OLYMPICS
Torch to circumnavigate UK
Organizers say the Olympic torch will embark on a 70-day, 12,875km relay of Britain ahead of next year’s London Games. In a statement yesterday, organizers named 74 locations where 8,000 torchbearers will carry the flame after it arrives from Greece in exactly a year’s time on May 18 next year. The relay will start the following morning at the southern tip of Britain at Land’s End in Cornwall. The torch will pass through England’s major cities, the capitals of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as remote outposts including the Isle of Lewis. The flame will spend the week in London before it is used to light the cauldron at the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium on Friday, July 27 next year.
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