FOOTBALL
Chudzinski to rejoin Browns
Rob Chudzinski is returning to the Cleveland Browns as head coach after two stints as an assistant with the National Football League team. The 44-year-old Chudzinski succeeds Pat Shurmur, who was fired on Dec. 31, the day after the Browns ended the season 5-11 and finished their two years under him with a 9-23 record. Chudzinski will be the Browns’ 14th head coach. Chudzinski spent the 2004 season with the Browns as tight ends coach and 2007 to 2008 as offensive coordinator. In 2007, he directed Cleveland to their best offense in terms of total yards (5,621), passing yards (3,726) and points scored (402) since the club’s return in 1999, the team said in a statement on their Web site last night.
FOOTBALL
Jaguars sack Mularkey
Mike Mularkey was fired as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars after one season in charge, the National Football team said on Thursday. “I informed Mike today that he will not return as head coach of the Jaguars,” Jaguars newly hired general manager David Caldwell said in a statement. “I know Mike well and do not want anyone to misinterpret the rationale behind my decision. Mike is an excellent coach and I am sure he will succeed in his next stop in the NFL. However, I must do what I believe is best for the Jacksonville Jaguars and immediately explore every avenue possible to turn our football team around.”
SOCCER
Sergio Ramos handed ban
Real Madrid’s Spanish international defender Sergio Ramos has been handed a five-match ban for insulting a referee after being sent-off, the Spanish soccer federation announced on Thursday. The world and European champion was sent off in the 73rd minute for two yellow card offenses during his team’s 4-0 victory over RC Celta de Vigo in the last-16 of the Spanish Cup on Wednesday. The federation suspended Ramos one match for the red card and four additional matches for insulting the referee. The defender tried to make amends by apologizing to the official following the tie, but his words fell on deaf ears and he will now miss the Spanish Cup quarter-final matches against Valencia as well as three other games.
GOLF
McIlroy opens foundation
Rory McIlroy wants to help children around the world through a foundation and on his golf bag. McIlroy on Thursday announced he has started The Rory Foundation. Among the first projects is drawing attention to children by putting the name of charities on his bag when possible. The world’s No. 1 player starts his season next week in Abu Dhabi. The 23-year-old from Northern Ireland is geared toward work like this. Two years ago, he went to earthquake-ravaged Haiti the week before the US Open to try to raise the spirits of children. He then won his first major at Congressional, setting a US Open record at 16-under 268.
SOCCER
Federation hands out fines
The German Football Federation has fined Bayern Munich a total of 15,000 euros (US$19,670) for fan trouble during Bundesliga games. The DFB says Bayern fans set off flares causing smoke plumes during a game at Fortuna Duesseldorf on Oct. 20 and let off fireworks at Nuremberg on Nov. 17, while a home supporter ran toward the pitch when the club hosted Borussia Dortmund on Dec. 1. Duesseldorf were fined 10,000 euros after a fan threw a beer cup toward a referee’s assistant and a Hamburg player on Nov. 23.
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