SOCCER
Premiership to get Hawk-Eye
The Premier League on Thursday announced a historic decision to sanction the use of goal-line technology in the English top flight from next season onwards, in a global first for a domestic competition. British-based firm Hawk-Eye was chosen over German company GoalControl to supply the groundbreaking technology at a meeting of the Premier League’s 20 club chairmen. Hawk-Eye’s system uses seven cameras to track the movement of the ball and sends a signal to the match officials’ watches within a second if the ball crosses one of the two goal-lines. It will now be put in place at all Premier League grounds, while the Football Association also intends to install a system at London’s Wembley Stadium in time for the traditional season-opener, the Community Shield, in August.
SOCCER
Croatia move up rankings
Croatia have made a big move to No. 4 in the FIFA rankings after two 2014 World Cup qualifying wins, while tournament hosts Brazil dropped to No. 19. World and European champions Spain lead an unchanged top three, from Germany and Argentina. Croatia’s victories against Wales and Scotland last month lifted them five places, while No. 5 Portugal climb two spots. Colombia remain at No. 6, followed by England and Italy, who both fell three places, and the Netherlands. Ecuador enter the top 10, up two, and No. 12 Ivory Coast are the top-ranked African team. Mexico are up one to No. 14. Rankings weigh results over a four-year cycle and Brazil, who fell one place, have dropped while playing no World Cup qualifiers.
RUGBY UNION
Fillol banned for 14 weeks
Stade Francais scrumhalf Jerome Fillol was banned for 14 weeks on Thursday for spitting in the face of Bath counterpart Peter Stringer. The Argentine will miss the rest of the season following the incident in his team’s 36-20 win over the English side in the European Challenge Cup quarter-final last weekend. The ban, imposed by the tournament’s disciplinary commission, rules the 35-year-old Fillol out of the semi-final against Perpignan on April 26. Stade prop Rabah Slimani, who was cited for a dangerous tackle in the game against Bath, was cleared of the charge.
CYCLING
Armstrong sells property
Disgraced US cyclist Lance Armstrong, who is the subject of multiple lawsuits after confessing to doping, has sold his property in Austin, it was reported on Thursday. The Austin American Statesman reported that Armstrong had sold the luxurious 6,880m2 Spanish-style estate he bought in 2004, but planned to continue living in the Texas city. Armstrong, who has been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and abandoned by former sponsors after finally admitting he took performance-enhancing drugs, sold the property to a Texas oilman, Al Koehler. The property was listed by local real-estate agents at US$10 million, but the newspaper did not say what Koehler paid for it. Armstrong’s fortune is estimated at between US$60 million and US$110 million, but he is facing a series of lawsuits that could cost him dearly. The largest lawsuit is a whistleblower case filed by former US teammate Floyd Landis in conjunction with the US Department of Justice. He is also being pursued by US insurer SCA Promotions, which is seeking reimbursement of US$12 million in Tour bonuses it insured.
OLYMPICS
Aussies target Rio top five
Australia has set a goal of a top-five finish at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics after slipping to 10th at last year’s London Games. Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) president John Coates said in the committee’s annual report yesterday that better use of resources, rather than more government cash, would help achieve the goal in Brazil. Coates said swimming would continue to be strongly supported by the AOC, despite recent controversies over the sport’s administration and performance in London, where the team won only one gold medal in the pool. The AOC expects to send about 480 athletes to Rio de Janeiro, including golfers and a rugby sevens team after the sports were added to the Olympic program. In London last year, Australia won seven gold, 16 silver and 12 bronze medals.
FORMULA ONE
Alonso in hair loss quip
Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso has responded sarcastically to the qualifying edge currently enjoyed by his teammate Felipe Massa, saying he cannot sleep and is losing his hair. Massa has qualified ahead of Alonso in the past four races — the first two this season and the last two of last season — and if he does it again at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix it will represent the first time in Alonso’s career that he has been out-qualified by a teammate five straight times. Asked about the statistic, Alonso quipped: “I haven’t slept since Australia. I’m only eating white rice. I’m losing my hair. A huge drama.” Alonso said qualifying in Formula One is less important than ever in the Pirelli era, with tire management now the key to winning grand prix.
FOOTBALL
Dennard to go to prison
National Football League player Alfonzo Dennard was sentenced to 30 days in jail on Thursday for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest a year ago. Dennard, who plays defensive back for the New England Patriots, will only begin his jail sentence on March 1 next year after the next NFL season is over. The sentence stems from an incident in April last year outside a bar in Lincoln, Nebraska, just days before the NFL entry draft. The delay means Dennard will not enter jail to serve his four weeks until almost two years after the incident took place. The Patriots selected Dennard in the seventh round of the draft. As a rookie, he registered 35 tackles and three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. He started seven of the 10 regular-season games he took part in and also appeared in two post-season games. Dennard was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.
BASEBALL
Players linked to clinic
Major League Baseball players paid a former employee of a Florida anti-aging clinic linked to performance-enhancing drugs for documents. Two unidentified people briefed on the matter said at least one player linked to now-closed Biogenesis of America purchased documents from a former clinic employee in order to destroy them and that other players made efforts to buy potentially incriminating documents. In January, the Miami New Times, an alternative weekly newspaper, reported that New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez was among the major leaguers listed in Biogenesis of America’s records. The players have denied they obtained banned drugs from the clinic.
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
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
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
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just