SOCCER
Beer to flow at World Cup
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Wednesday signed into law a measure approving beer sales during 2014 World Cup matches, bowing to pressure from world governing body FIFA. The bill was passed last month by the senate after international soccer authorities balked over an alcohol prohibition in Brazil’s sports arenas that has been in force since 2003. Lawmakers last month passed a package of measures demanded by FIFA that include selling beer in plastic cups, despite concerns from some lawmakers that allowing alcohol consumption could lead to rowdiness at the event. The announcement that the measure is now law was published in Brazil’s official journal. Its passage ends a long and strident battle between world soccer authorities and the Brazilian government, which is eager to prevent hooliganism and violence as it hosts the sport’s most celebrated event.
SOCCER
Bluebirds switch to red
Cardiff City, known as the Bluebirds, will switch to red shirts, the club have announced, weeks after their Malaysian owners assured upset fans they were abandoning plans to change. Cardiff chief executive Alan Whiteley said in a statement that the “revolutionary move” to switch color was decided in discussions with the owners, who have pledged to pump in more money. Vincent Tan, a Malaysian tycoon of Chinese origin, had been considering the change because red is “luckier,” as well as being the Wales national side’s color, until fans’ “vociferous opposition” saw the plans temporarily halted. However, on their Web site, the club said their primary home color had been changed to red, while the team would retain blue as an away option. A third kit is to be revealed later. The statement did not specify how much Cardiff’s backers Tan and chairman Chan Tien Ghee would invest, but it said the money stood to resolve the club’s long-standing debt problems.
SOCCER
Steve Clarke leaves Anfield
Former Liverpool assistant manager Steve Clarke has left the club, the League Managers’ Association said on Wednesday. Clarke’s departure was widely anticipated after the club sacked Kenny Dalglish — the man who took him to Anfield in January last year — as their manager last month. Liverpool appointed former Swansea City manager Brendan Rodgers as their new boss last week and the two clubs have agreed a compensation package which has seen three of his backroom staff move to Anfield, including his assistant, Colin Pascoe.
GOLF
Carlsson grabs Nordea lead
Magnus Carlsson of Sweden shot a seven-under 65 on Wednesday to open up a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the Nordea Masters. Carlsson’s round was soured by making a bogey on the last at Bro Hof, Sweden. Countryman Peter Hanson and Richard Bland of England were two shots back. World No. 3 Lee Westwood was in a group of eight at four-under. Playing partner and defending champion Alex Noren shot a 74.
ICE HOCKEY
Canadiens fire two coaches
The Montreal Canadiens fired assistant coaches Randy Cunneyworth and Randy Ladouceur on Wednesday, a day after hiring Michel Therrien as head coach. Cunneyworth finished the season as Montreal’s interim head coach after the team fired Jacques Martin in December last year. The Canadiens went on to finish last in the Eastern Conference.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
HSIEH MAKES QUARTERS: Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens of Belgium won in the women’s doubles and face Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sofia Kenin of the US Top-ranked Iga Swiatek and US Open champion Coco Gauff were knocked out of the women’s singles at the Miami Open on Monday, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced in the women’s doubles. Swiatek lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-2, hours after third seed Gauff fell in three sets to No. 23 Caroline Garcia 6-3, 1-6, 6-2. Alexandrova beat a top-ranked player for the first time and advanced to face Jessica Pegula, a 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 winner over Emma Navarro, in the quarter-finals. Alexandrova recorded her second win over Swiatek, following a 2021 victory in Melbourne. Swiatek had won their three matches since. “We played quite