SOCCER
Wolfsburg down Hamburg
VfL Wolfsburg beat Hamburg SV 2-1 on Friday to stay in contention for a European spot and leave their opponents battling against relegation after suffering a fourth straight defeat. Wolfsburg’s third consecutive win lifted the 2009 champions to eighth on 37 points. Sixth place at the end of the season will be enough to qualify for the Europa League. Hamburg, the only club never to have played in the second division since the introduction of the Bundesliga in 1963, remained stuck in 14th position on 27, two points above the relegation playoff zone after their fifth defeat in six games. After a lackluster first half, Wolfsburg grabbed the lead straight after the restart when Iran international Ashkan Dejagah raced down the right and crossed for Mario Mandzukic at the far post to head in his 10th league goal of the season. Hamburg equalized a minute later as Marcus Berg chipped the ball over on-rushing goalkeeper Diego Benaglio. Former Germany international Marcel Schaefer (pictured, left) restored Wolfsburg’s lead in the 75th minute, curling a free-kick under goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny’s body.
Photo: EPA
BASEBALL
Joba dislocates ankle
New York Yankees relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain needed surgery after dislocating his ankle while playing on a trampoline with his son, the team said on Friday. Chamberlain, 26, had surgery on his right ankle on Thursday after the accident in which the bone protruded from the skin. When asked if it was a career-threatening injury, Yankees gneral manager Cashman said: “I’d like to say no. My heart and gut tells me no.” However, a report on Major League Baseball’s Web site said Cashman could not guarantee Chamberlain would not be sidelined for all of this season. He repeated several times that the injury was significant. Chamberlain was already recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery that was scheduled to keep him out of the lineup until mid-season. “This is just an unfortunate accident that’s clearly derailed that,” Cashman said. “What more does this mean? I don’t know.”
SOCCER
Chinese players arrested
Chinese police have arrested four former Chinese internationals on suspicion they accepted substantial bribes to throw a league match in 2003, state press said yesterday. The players are said to have accepted a total of 8 million yuan (US$1.25 million) to ensure the now-disbanded Shanghai International lost to Tianjin Teda. The game ended 2-1 to Tianjin. The daily Shanghai newspaper Xinmin Wanbao said the case came to light after the arrests of former executives of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), including former vice-president Nan Yong. Zhang Yifeng, the ex-president of Tianjin, was also arrested. The four players were named as Jiang Jin, Qiu Hong, Shen Si and Li Ming, but the newspaper did not say when they were detained. Dozens of high-ranking Chinese soccer officials, referees and players have been arrested or jailed as part of a wide-ranging investigation into graft that has blighted the game in the country for years. Nan and his predecessor at the CFA, Xie Yalong, will stand trial next month, according to Chinese press.
CYCLING
Boonen wins Harelbeke title
Home favorite Tom Boonen won the fifth E3 Harelbeke title of his career on Friday, the first since a four-year winning streak came to an end in 2007. The day’s ride cost Briton David Millar a fractured left shoulder blade after the Garmin rider fell at the 70km marker. “When hitting his shoulder, David realized straight away that it was broken. X-rays confirmed the fracture and he’ll have more tests on Saturday in Ghent,” Garmin’s sporting director Geert Van Bondt said. Boonen, who rides for the Omega Pharma team, saw off Spain’s Oscar Freire and Bernhard Eisel of Austria in a sprint finish. The 31-year-old Belgian, the winner in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, succeeds Fabian Cancellara, who won the last two editions. On Friday, the Swiss rider suffered mechanical problems as well as a fall. Philippe Gilbert, the world No. 1 last year, pulled out of the race 50km from the finish.
SHOOTING
‘Borat’ anthem played
Kazakhstan’s shooting team demanded an apology from Kuwait after a spoof national anthem from the satirical movie Borat was played at a medal ceremony instead of the official version. The blunder took place as Maria Dmitrienko stood on top of the podium to celebrate her gold medal performance. However, instead of the Kazkah national anthem, Dmitrienko had to listen to the song used in the 2006 film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. The film, made by British comic Sacha Baron Cohen, portrayed the country as a hotbed of backward quasi-medieval racists who drink horse urine and indulge in incest. Red-faced organizers in Kuwait apologized for the embarrassing oversight before restaging the medal ceremony, this time with the correct version of the anthem. Kazakhstan’s foreign office told local media that they were investigating the incident to avoid any similar errors in the future.
CYCLING
Julien Simon wins fifth stage
French rider Julien Simon of the SAU team won the fifth stage of the Tour of Catalonia on Friday after a sprint finish to the 207.1km run between Asco and Manresa in Spain. Colombia’s Rigoberto Uran of Team Sky and Poland’s Sylvester Szmyd of Liquigas completed the top three. Switzerland’s Michael Albasini of the GreenEdge team, who won the first two stages, kept the overall lead. There was a six-man breakaway after two-and-a-half hours and the 96km mark, but they were reeled in on the daunting category one climb at Montserrat. Rigoberto Uran, who won Thursday’s stage, then launched the final sprint at 1km out, but Simon just did enough to take the stage.
CRICKET
Afridi slaps fan at airport
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi attacked and slapped a fan at Karachi Airport after he returned home from Dhaka, where Pakistan won the Asia Cup final against Bangaldesh on Thursday. Pakistan television channels showed Afridi, wearing a pink T-shirt, first push a youth to the ground and then slap him before his brother intervened and pulled him away on Friday night. The incident took place shortly after Afridi had spoken to the media and praised Bangladesh for their outstanding performance in the Asia Cup final. The footage showed Afridi heading for a waiting car when he turned around and attacked the youth and then pointed his finger at another man before his brother stepped in. Afridi told reporters he had lost his temper because his young daughter had been pushed to the ground.
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
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and