PARALYMPICS
Men arrested on sex charges
Three men linked to Jordan’s Paralympic team were arrested and charged in Northern Ireland following allegations of sexual assault, British media reported on Tuesday. It was not clear if the men were athletes or supporting members of Jordan’s team. Jordan’s squad is one of several national teams training in a sports center in Antrim, northwest of Belfast, ahead of the Paralympic Games that start on Wednesday and end on Sept. 9. Northern Irish police said three men were arrested for questioning in the Antrim area on Monday “in relation to allegations of indecent assault.” Police said that one of the men, a 23-year-old, was charged with two counts of sexual activity with a child, one count of sexual assault on a woman and voyeurism. A second man, aged 35, was charged with two counts of sexual activity with a child, and the third, aged 36, was charged with one count of sexual assault on a woman. The three men were expected to appear in Coleraine Magistrates Court yesterday.
RUGBY
Argentina make one change
Argentina made one starting change for their home debut in the Rugby Championship against South Africa, bringing in Martin Rodriguez to replace Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino at fullback. Coach Santiago Phelan would name his reserves bench for Saturday’s match at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza today, the Argentine Rugby Union said on its Web site. Argentina, who joined Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in an expanded southern hemisphere rugby championship this year, opened their campaign with a 27-6 defeat to the Springboks in Cape Town four days ago.
RUGBY
Graham Henry joins Blues
World Cup-winning coach Graham Henry is to join the Auckland Blues as a technical advisor to help the Super 15 franchise rebuild after a disappointing season, the club announced yesterday. The Blues said Henry would work with new head coach John Kirwan, who replaced Pat Lam last month after the three-times champions finished 12th on the ladder with 12 losses and four wins. Henry, who stepped down as All Blacks coach after guiding the team to victory in last year’s World Cup, was in charge of the Blues from 1996 to 1998, when they won two of their titles. Kirwan said Mick Byrne and Grant Doorey, who both previously worked with him when he coached Japan, would also join the coaching team.
RUGBY
Wallabies’ Kepu injured
Wallaby prop Sekope Kepu has joined skipper David Pocock on the Australian injury list and will miss Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup encounter with the All Blacks in Auckland. The powerful Kepu sustained a strain to the medial ligament of his right knee in training on Tuesday, an injury that can typically sideline a player for a month, the Australian Rugby Union said. It is another blow for the Wallabies, who are reeling from news that Pocock could be out of action for three months after a knee operation on Tuesday. Halfback Will Genia, who captained Australia once before against the US in last year’s World Cup, has been confirmed as the new skipper. He will be Australia’s fourth captain in barely 12 months, with first-choice James Horwill ruled out of the four June Tests and the Rugby Championship with a hamstring injury. He took over from Rocky Elsom. Australia are to unveil their side for Saturday’s do-or-die Bledisloe Cup clash today.
agencies
TENNIS
Federer seeded first in Open
Five-time champion and world No. 1 Roger Federer was confirmed on Tuesday as the top men’s seed at the US Open, the last Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year that starts on Monday at Flushing Meadows in New York. Defending champion Novak Djokovic is seeded second and world No. 4 Andy Murray of Britain, who won Olympic gold at Wimbledon, is seeded third — higher than his world ranking because of the injury absence of Spain’s Rafael Nadal. Spain’s David Ferrer is seeded fourth. The singles draw for the tournament, which runs from Monday to Sept. 9, will be made today. Federer, who won his 17th Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon, has won six titles this year, including his seventh Wimbledon title and three ATP Masters Series titles. The Swiss great won five straight US Open titles from 2004 to 2008.
TENNIS
Referee accused of murder
A prominent professional tennis referee who was preparing to work at the US Open in New York City was arrested on Tuesday on a felony murder warrant accusing her of bludgeoning her elderly husband to death with a coffee mug. Lois Ann Goodman, 70, was taken into custody on a warrant filed a week ago by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office charging her with the April 17 slaying of her husband, Alan Goodman, who was 80 years old, prosecutors said. The district attorney’s office said Goodman would remain in custody in New York while awaiting extradition to Los Angeles, where she faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors said they would ask for her bail to be set at US$1 million. She is accused of killing her husband by beating him to death with a coffee mug at the couple’s home in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles. Goodman is well known in tennis circles and was preparing to serve as a referee at the US Open Tennis Championships tournament, district attorney’s office spokeswoman Jane Robison said.
FOOTBALL
Vick’s ribs not broken
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick’s rib injury is a contusion with no broken bones or cartilage damage, the NFL team said on Tuesday. The diagnosis, after MRI and CT scans, was good news for the Eagles, who saw Vick depart a pre-season victory over New England in the first quarter on Monday night after absorbing a hard hit. Vick was taken to the locker room for X-rays, which came back negative. Rookie quarterback Nick Foles will start on Friday’s pre-season contest against the Cleveland Browns if Vick cannot play. In 13 games last season, Vick threw for 3,303 yards, 18 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, but also missed playing time with broken ribs.
SOCCER
Man United sign Buttner
Manchester United have completed the signing of Dutch defender Alexander Buttner from Vitesse Arnhem on a five-year contract, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday. The 23-year-old, who was part of the preliminary Dutch squad for Euro 2012, has made 119 appearances over the last four years at the Eredivisie club. “Alexander is one of the best young left backs in Europe and we’re delighted to sign him,” United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told the club’s official Web site. “He’s someone we’ve been watching for a while now. He gives us some really exciting options in that position.”
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care