SOCCER
Mourinho gets new title
Real Madrid cemented Jose Mourinho’s enhanced powers on Friday, following the ousting of director-general Jorge Valdano in May, by naming the coach “sporting manager of football.” Relations between Mourinho and Valdano, a former Real player and coach, broke down soon after the Portuguese arrived from Inter at the end of the 2009 to 2010 season. President Florentino Perez eventually decided to get rid of Argentine Valdano, favoring Mourinho and giving him more wide-ranging influence as the club seek to end the domination of archrivals Barcelona and claim a 10th European crown. In previous stints as manager of Chelsea and Inter, Mourinho was used to more power and a freer rein than he was initially given at Real. According to media reports, he also harbored a grudge over a newspaper column Valdano wrote several years ago criticizing his tactics at Chelsea.
OLYMPICS
London unveils stamps
A set of 10 stamps marking the one-year countdown to the London Olympic and Paralympic Games was unveiled by Britain’s Royal Mail on Friday. The batch of 10 first-class stamps, entitled “Get ready for 2012,” will go on sale on Wednesday, exactly 12 months before the Olympics start. They feature depictions of classic Olympic sports such as field athletics and gymnastics as well as more recent additions to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, including triathlon, handball and wheelchair rugby. The stamps are the third and final set to be issued during a three-year Games countdown, with the total of 30 representing the largest Royal Mail commission since the Millennium series in 1999 and 2000. Jeanette Kwakye, a Team GB 100m sprinter, said they were “beautifully designed.”
FORMULA ONE
Officials mull covering cars
Formula One teams are considering covering the cockpit of cars to protect their drivers following Felipe Massa’s freak accident in Hungary two years ago. Renault technical director James Allison, the head of the Formula One Teams’ Association technical regulations working group, told reporters at the German Grand Prix in Nuerburgring on Friday that various ideas were being discussed with the governing FIA. “We are trying to look after the driver’s head,” he said, recalling Ferrari’s Massa being struck on the helmet by a bouncing spring and suffering serious head injuries. A canopy, which would enclose a driver like a sportscar, a visor or a roll structure on the front of the car are possible options if a radical change is decided upon. “The closed canopy would have an aerodynamic effect,” Allison added, saying it could speed cars up.
ATHLETICS
Chicherova leads high jump
Anna Chicherova celebrated her 29th birthday with a world leading 2.07m in the women’s high jump at the Russian national championships in Cheboksary on Friday as she prepares for next month’s worlds in South Korea. Chicherova smashed the season’s best mark of 2.00m by Crotia’s 2009 world champion Blanka Vlasic and sent out a warning to her rivals at the Aug. 27 to Sept. 4 world championships in Daegu as she bids for her first global title. Only two women, Bulgaria’s world record holder Stefka Kostadinova, who cleared 2.09m at the 1987 worlds in Rome, and Vlasic, 2.08m in Zagreb in 2008, have jumped higher outdoors. Chicherova won silver medals at the two previous world outdoor championships in Berlin (2009) and Osaka (2007) and took bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
SOCCER
Bin Hammam awaits verdict
Suspended FIFA executive Mohamed bin Hammam was facing a possible lifetime ban from soccer yesterday, if the sport’s governing body decides he tried to bribe his way to the presidency. The 62-year-old Qatari said on Friday that he expected the five-man FIFA ethics panel to find him guilty and indicated he will appeal. A leaked interim report said the panel found “compelling” evidence that bin Hammam conspired to pay Caribbean officials US$40,000 bribes to back his ultimately abandoned challenge to FIFA president Sepp Blatter. Bin Hammam has not cooperated with the FIFA probe, which he has said is biased, and isn’t expected in Zurich for the verdict. The Asian Football Confederation president would become the most senior FIFA official ever convicted of corruption.
HOCKEY
‘Rebel’ league gets nod
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Friday reiterated that Hockey India (HI) is the game’s sole national body in the country, but conditionally okayed players’ participation in a league organized by a rival federation. A day after the now de-recognized Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) announced details of an eight-team World Series Hockey (WSH), modeled on the Indian Premier League, the FIH said the upcoming Dec. 15 to Jan. 22 tournament remained an “unsanctioned event.” “Regarding player participation in the tournament, athletes that signed contracts with World Series Hockey before 31st March 2011 could, subject to them having no other contractual or national obligations with their respective national associations, play in the League,” the governing body said in a statement. It was an about-turn by the governing body, which had warned players and national associations in January that participating in WSH could lead to a ban from all FIH competitions, including the Olympic Games.
BASKETBALL
Nowitzki to play in Euros
Dirk Nowitzki, whose MVP heroics helped the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA title, will play for Germany at the European championships, hoping to lead his country to next year’s Olympics. The two finalists at the Aug. 31 to Sept. 18 European event in Lithuania will qualify automatically for the Olympics, with the third to sixth-place finishers going into a qualifying tournament. “The break was rather short, but I want to help my young national team succeed at Euro 2011. I will try to be in my best shape,” 23-year-old playmaker Nowitzki said.
ICE HOCKEY
Boogaard’s brother charged
The brother of Derek Boogaard was charged on Friday with providing the prescription drug that contributed to the former NHL enforcer’s death by overdose in May. In a complaint filed on Friday in Minneapolis, Minnesota, prosecutors say 24-year-old Aaron Boogaard gave his brother an oxycodone pill the day of his death. Aaron Boogaard is charged with unlawful sale of a controlled substance. He is also charged with interfering with the scene of a death for allegedly trying to mislead or conceal evidence. On May 20, authorities said Boogaard died of an accidental overdose after mixing the narcotic painkiller oxycodone and alcohol. Seven days earlier, his body had been found at his Minnesota home by family members, authorities said. The 28-year-old, who played for the Minnesota Wild before joining the New York Rangers, hadn’t played for the Rangers in five months after suffering a season-ending concussion against Ottawa.
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