Disgraced US cyclist Lance Armstrong, who confessed last month to doping after being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles last year, tops the new Forbes magazine list of most-disliked US athletes.
The list, released on the magazine’s Web site on Wednesday, saw Armstrong edge collegiate American football player Manti Te’o on a higher name recognition tie-breaker after each had only 15 percent appeal in a Nielsen/E-Poll survey.
Armstrong backpedaled on years of denials last month by admitting he had taken performance-enhancing drugs during his 1999-2005 victory run in the Tour, tainting his cancer-comeback story and Livestrong Foundation charity efforts.
Te’o was a linebacker for Notre Dame, which lost to Alabama in last month’s US college gridiron title game, and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting as last season’s top player, making him a top National Football League prospect.
However, then came the revelation that the girlfriend whose death he grieved in the season had never existed, only the product of Internet fakery and a voice on a telephone. He said he was not involved in the hoax and was merely duped, even when lying about having met the fictional girlfriend.
Tiger Woods, the 14-time major golf champion who won his 75th career USPGA Tour title last month at Torrey Pines, was third on the list at 19 percent appeal, a likely lingering aftermath of the epic sex scandal that destroyed his marriage, and damaged his iconic good-guy marketing image and sponsorship deals.
NFL Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was fourth, followed in order by Metta World Peace of the NBA Los Angeles Lakers, Alex Rodriguez of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees, NFL Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, US stock car racer Kurt Busch, World Peace’s teammate Kobe Bryant and NFL Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.
Rodriguez, who admitted taking performance-enhancing substances in 2009, was linked to such drugs again in a Miami New Times report last month based on records obtained from an employee at Biogenesis, a Miami clinic that allegedly supplied human growth hormone and other drugs to major league players.
Vick, a former disliked-list topper, spent time in prison for his role in a dog-fight gambling ring, which included slaying underperforming dogs.
Among those dropping off the list from last year was NBA superstar LeBron James, who upset many fans when he departed the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. Last year, James led the Heat to an NBA crown, the first of his career, and helped the US Olympic team of NBA stars capture gold at the London Olympics last year.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two