EURO 2012
Fans earn English FA a fine
The English FA has been fined 5,000 euros (US$6,332) after England fans tried to invade the pitch in Kiev during their 3-2 win over Sweden in Group D on Friday last week, UEFA said in a statement. UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary Body said on Wednesday that England can lodge an appeal within 24 hours of the decision. England, who won Group D and face Italy in the quarter-finals in Kiev on Sunday, are the latest team to be punished by UEFA for crowd trouble at the finals in Poland and Ukraine. The Croatian Football Federation was fined 80,000 euros by European soccer’s ruling body on Tuesday for racist chants directed at Italy striker Mario Balotelli, while other teams have also had problems with their supporters at the championship.
SPAIN
Villarreal names new coach
Recently relegated Villarreal has named B-team coach Julio Velazquez as its new manager, less than two weeks after his predecessor died of a heart attack a day after accepting the job. The 30-year-old Velazquez was promoted from Villarreal’s third team to take charge of its B team midway through last season, when the club shuffled around its coaching staff after a poor start in the top-flight. Villarreal’s relegation was confirmed in the closing minutes of the final round, leading to the exit of Miguel Angel Lotina, its third coach in an injury-plagued season. The club came to an agreement on June 6 with Manuel Preciado to replace Lotina. However, the former Sporting Gijon manager died the following morning at the age of 54.
EURO 2012
Irish fan’s body found
A body found floating in a Polish canal has been identified by a family member as that of an Irish soccer fan who came to the country for the European Championship, an official said. Polish deputy chief prosecutor Wlodzimierz Marszalkowski said on Wednesday that the family member confirmed the identity of the body as James Nolan, who went missing early on Sunday in the northern city of Bydgoszcz. He would not identify the family member, but said it was a close relation. Documents in Nolan’s name were found on the corpse. Marszalkowski said an autopsy would be held yesterday to establish cause of death. James Nolan, 21, of Blessington, County Wicklow, disappeared early on Sunday in Bydgoszcz, sparking a huge search effort in the city. Police divers found a body early on Wednesday and authorities were awaiting the arrival of Nolan’s father, Jimmy, and other family members later to make a formal identification.
EURO 2012
Croatia face more charges
The Croatian Football Federation, fined 80,000 euros by UEFA on Tuesday for racist chanting by their fans, faces further punishment after it was charged on Wednesday for the display of racist banners against Spain. “UEFA has today opened disciplinary proceedings against the Croatian football federation [HNS] for the setting-off and throwing of fireworks, and the improper conduct of supporters (display of racist banners and symbols) at the UEFA Euro 2012 Group C match against Spain in Gdansk on Monday,” the governing body said in a statement. The disciplinary case, UEFA said, also involves the “improper conduct” of the Croatian team, after six of their players were booked in the 1-0 defeat that condemned them to a group-stage exit. UEFA will deal with the latest case on Sunday.
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