ICE HOCKEY
Lightning re-sign Roloson
The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed key goaltender Dwayne Roloson to a one-year contract, the NHL team announced on Thursday. Financial terms were not announced, but local media reported the deal was worth US$3 million. Roloson, acquired from the New York Islanders in January, helped the Lightning get to the Eastern Conference final, where they lost in seven games to eventual Stanley Cup champions, Boston. “We had a great run last season,” Roloson said. “I’m looking forward to trying to do it again in 2011-’12.” Roloson, 41, went 10-5-1 in 17 postseason games and posted a 18-12-4 regular season record with Tampa Bay. “He proved his worth both in the regular season and playoffs last year,” Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman said.
SOCCER
Sunderland signs Gardner, Ji
English Premier League team Sunderland on Thursday announced the signings of South Korea striker Ji Dong-won and English midfielder Craig Gardner. Ji, 20, joined from Chunnam Dragons for an undisclosed fee and signed a three-year contract at the Stadium of Light. He has scored six goals in 11 appearances for South Korea, including four at the Asian Cup in Qatar in January. Gardner signed from relegated Birmingham City on a three-year deal, for a reported fee of around £6 million (US$9.6 million). The 24-year-old, who joined Birmingham from their archrivals, Aston Villa, was the Blues’ top scorer last season with 10 goals and was a part of the team that won the League Cup before succumbing to relegation in May.
ICE HOCKEY
Hurricanes sign Jokinen
The Carolina Hurricanes and Finnish left wing Jussi Jokinen have come to terms on a three-year contract that will play him US$3 million annually, the NHL team said on Thursday. Jokinen, 28, tied for fourth in scoring for Carolina last season with 52 points in 70 games. He ranked third on the team with 33 assists and second in power-play goals with eight. “Jussi is a player who fit in with our team from day one in all situations, and has been a valuable offensive contributor,” Hurricanes general manager Peter Rutherford said.
SOCCER
City close on Clichy
Manchester City are close to completing a move for French left-back Gael Clichy and are also interested in signing his Arsenal colleague Samir Nasri, Sky Sports said on Thursday. The big-spending FA Cup winners have reportedly stolen a march on Liverpool in the race to sign Clichy and are preparing a £20 million bid for France midfielder Nasri, according to the British TV channel. Nasri, 24, enjoyed his best season in an Arsenal shirt last term, scoring 10 league goals, but has yet to agree a contract extension and is also rumoured to have attracted interest from champions Manchester United. He joined Arsene Wenger’s side from Marseille in 2008 and has since made over 80 appearances for the club, who have not won a major trophy since the 2005 FA Cup.
SOCCER
Japan club fined over scuffle
Shimizu S-Pulse have been fined ¥2 million (US$25,000) by the J-League after rival fans scuffled over a banner insulting the club’s Iranian-American coach Afshin Ghotbi before a match. The league also slapped the Kashima Antlers with a ¥1 million penalty over the arrest of a former coach of their soccer school for indecent exposure. The decisions were made by the league’s arbitration committee on Thursday, the J-League said on its Web site.
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
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was