ITALY
Bologna win Appenine derby
Greece winger Lazaros Christodoulopoulos scored the winner in the 84th minute as Bologna came back from a goal down to beat visiting ACF Fiorentina 2-1 Tuesday in the Appenine derby, which was postponed two days due to snow. Adem Ljajic had put Fiorentina ahead in the 27th, using an angled shot to finish off a counterattack for his third goal in two matches. Marco Motta equalized for Bologna in the 58th by heading in a free-kick from Alessandro Diamanti. Christodoulopoulos, who joined Bologna on the final day of last month’s transfer window from Panathinaikos, decided the match with a shot from beyond the area after Fiorentina failed to clear. Fiorentina remained tied for sixth with Catania, two points behind Inter. Bologna moved into a tie for 14th.
FRANCE
‘Come to vibrate’: Rennes
Top-flight French soccer club Stade Rennais risked drawing the wrath of the feminist movement by launching an advertising campaign based at female fans featuring a sex toy with the logo Venez vibrer (“come to vibrate”). The Brittanny-based Ligue 1 outfit posted a photograph of a vibrating sex toy, in the shape of a black miniature duck wearing a red and black club scarf, on its Web site, staderennais.com. “Five euros for all women,” said the club of the price of tickets for the Rennes against AS Saint-Etienne match on March 8, which is international women’s day. The campaign was largely supported on the club’s facebook page, as the regional daily Le Telegramme asked: “A sexist invitation?” A Rennes spokesman countered that insinuation, saying that the ad was “a creative, offbeat choice, humorous, but certainly not sexist.”
LEBANON
National players banned
The Lebanese Football Association has suspended two national team players for life and handed down suspensions ranging from one to three seasons to 22 other players who were implicated in a match-fixing and bribery scandal. West Asian Football Federation general secretary Fadi Zreiqat announced the suspensions on Tuesday in Beirut. The association appointed Zreiqat to head an investigation into reports of illegal betting and match-fixing in games involving Lebanese clubs in Asian League matches. The investigation determined the players took money from betting companies and intentionally lost games. The two players suspended for life and fined US$15,000 are Mahmoud al-Ali and Ramez Dayoub. Both have played for the national team.
BRAZIL
Corinthians appeal denied
The governing body of South American soccer on Tuesday turned down an appeal by Brazilian club Corinthians and ruled the team will have to play in an empty stadium for 60 days following the death last week of a 14-year-old boy. CONMEBOL said it a statement that it was upholding the decision it made last week in imposing the 60-day penalty. Kevin Beltran Espada died last week with head injuries caused by a flare thrown from the Corinthians fans section. A 17-year-old Corinthians fan has turned himself in to police after telling Brazilian television he had launched the device. The incident took place at a Copa Libertadores match at Bolivian club San Jose.
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
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
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and