ICE HOCKEY
Bure, Sakic in Hall of Fame
Russian star Pavel Bure, Swedish icon Mats Sundin and Canadians Joe Sakic and Adam Oates were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame late on Monday. Sakic was one of the few players who spent his entire illustrious NHL career with one franchise. A 13-time All-Star, Sakic was a first-round draft pick of the Quebec Nordiques in 1987, and stuck with them eight years later when they moved to Colorado and were renamed the Avalanche. Sakic played a key role in the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup titles in 1996 and 2001, and after 20 seasons retired as the club’s all-time leader with 625 goals and 1,016 assists. Sundin, who played with Sakic his first four years in the NHL, spent 13 seasons with the Maple Leafs and still holds Toronto club records for most points, goals, power-play goals, shorthanded goals, game-winning goals and overtime goals. Bure, nicknamed the “Russian Rocket,” averaged 36.7 goals per season in 12 NHL campaigns and twice reached the 60-goal plateau. Oates, who just several hours prior to his Hall-of-Fame bid was named the head coach of the Washington Capitals, ranks sixth all-time in NHL history with 1,079 assists and 16th with 1,420 points. He played 1,337 career games with Detroit, St Louis, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Anaheim and Edmonton.
RUGBY UNION
Thomson, Simmons cited
New Zealand flanker Adam Thomson and Australia lock Rob Simmons were cited on Monday following their teams’ weekend rugby internationals against Scotland and France respectively. Thomson was cited for “stamping or trampling” on the head of Scotland’s Alasdair Strokosch, for which he was yellow-carded in the All Blacks’ 51-22 victory at Murrayfield on Sunday. Simmons, on as a replacement at the Stade de France on Saturday, was cited for a dangerous “tip tackle” on flanker Yannick Nyanga in the second half of the match won 33-6 by France. Hearings for both players will be held before independent IRB-appointed Judicial Officers in London today, when both could face bans that end their involvement in their teams’ European tours.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Williams signs with Roosters
World Cup winning All Black Sonny Bill Williams confirmed the worst kept secret in rugby union yesterday when he signed a one-year contract to return to rugby league with Australia’s Sydney Roosters. The 27-year-old Williams had been widely expected to join the Roosters for the next National Rugby League season after a short-term contract in Japan, having declined a new agreement with the New Zealand Rugby Union earlier this year. Williams, who ruptured a pectoral muscle while playing in Japan that could signal the end of his lucrative stint with the Panasonic Wild Knights, said he was fulfilling a long-held promise to play for the Roosters after he sensationally turned his back on rugby league in 2008.
ALPINE SKIING
Lindsey Vonn in hospital
Four-time alpine World Cup overall champion Lindsey Vonn has been admitted to hospital in Vail, Colorado, with an undisclosed illness, her spokesman confirmed on Monday. Lewis Kay declined to disclose any further details about Vonn, who canceled a promotional event in Vail on Friday because she did not feel well. Vonn skipped a World Cup slalom in Finland at the weekend, preferring to prepare for the giant slalom and slalom set for Aspen, Colorado, on Nov. 24 and Nov. 25.
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
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
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