SPAIN
Clubs threaten boycott
Thirteen La Liga clubs have threatened to postpone the start of the season on the weekend of Aug. 18 over a TV-rights dispute involving broadcasters Canal+ and Mediapro. Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid, Real Betis Balompie, RC Celta de Vigo, RCD Espanyol, Getafe, Granada, RCD Mallorca, CA Osasuna, Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, Real Sociedad, Sevilla and Real Zaragoza issued a list of demands which included a call for the professional league (LFP) to adopt a “transparent and regulated” system for fixing match kickoff times. They urged LFP president Jose Luis Astiazaran, who has been accused of helping some clubs with favorable kickoff times that disadvantage others, to convene a meeting of all 20 La Liga clubs on Tuesday next week to discuss and vote on the demands. Many of the 13 are also unhappy with the way Real Madrid and Barcelona dominate revenue from audiovisual rights, because of the lack of a system of collective bargaining and income-sharing like those used in rival European leagues.
ENGLAND
Suarez stays at Reds
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has signed a new long-term contract at Anfield, the Merseyside club announced on Tuesday. The Uruguayan had been linked with a move away from Liverpool this summer, after an often difficult last season, but he told the club’s official Web site that he was delighted to extend his stay. “To sign a new contract with Liverpool is unbelievable for me because I am so happy here at both the club and also in the city,” he told Liverpoolfc.com. The length of the new deal was not disclosed, but new Reds manager Brendan Rodgers admitted his delight that Suarez, who has scored 21 goals in 52 matches for the club, would be staying put for the foreseeable future.
ENGLAND
Gunners sign Cazorla
Arsenal have strengthened their midfield with the acquisition of Spanish playmaker Santi Cazorla from La Liga side Malaga, the Premier League club said on Tuesday. “Arsenal Football Club is delighted to announce that Spain international Santi Cazorla has joined the Club on a long-term contract,” Arsenal said on their Web site. Malaga also confirmed the deal, which Spanish and British media reported was worth about £15 million (US$23.38 million). Cazorla is Arsenal’s third major summer signing, joining Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, who moved from FC Cologne and Montpellier HSC respectively. The 27-year-old has made 45 appearances for Spain, including brief cameos at Euro 2012. He spent most of his career at Villarreal before joining Malaga last season, when he helped the Andalusian side qualify for the Champions League for the first time.
ENGLAND
Huth might have meningitis
Stoke City defender Robert Huth has suspected meningitis and is awaiting the outcome of hospital checks, the Premier League club said yesterday. “The German international is due to undergo further tests to determine the strain of meningitis and the prognosis in terms of his recovery,” the club said on their Web site. Stoke is due to start the new season with a league game at promoted Reading on Aug. 18, but manager Tony Pulis said that was of secondary concern. “It’s a massive, massive worry for us, but the most important thing right now is Robert’s health and we are keeping our fingers crossed he’ll be okay,” Pulis said. “He started to feel unwell last week ... and then felt a lot worse over the weekend.”
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
RALLY: It was only the second time the Taiwanese has partnered with Kudermetova, and the match seemed tight until they won seven points in a row to take the last set 10-2 Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix women’s doubles final in Stuttgart, Germany. The pair defeated Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri and Estonia’s Ingrid Neel 4-6, 6-3, 10-2 in a tightly contested match at the WTA 500 tournament. Chan and Kudermetova fell 4-6 in the first set after having their serve broken three times, although they played increasingly well. They fought back in the second set and managed to break their opponents’ serve in the eighth game to triumph 6-3. In the tiebreaker, Chan and Kudermetova took a 3-0 lead before their opponents clawed back two points, but