BASKETBALL
Lin set for Asian tour
Houston Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday that he is looking forward to an Asian tour upon which he will embark next month. Lin is scheduled to arrive in Taiwan on Aug. 14 for a week-long stay. During his visit, Lin plans to attend various activities and charity events arranged by his sponsors, and will spend his remaining time with local children at a basketball camp. A devout Christian, he also plans to take part in evangelical services. Lin, the first NBA player of Taiwanese descent, has a great following in Taiwan. He will return to Taiwan in October for an NBA exhibition game between the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers, which will be played as part of the NBA Global Games series. The game on Oct. 13 is to be played at the Taipei Arena, with tickets priced between NT$800 and NT$28,000.
BOXING
Emile Griffith dies aged 75
Former welterweight champion Emile Griffith, best known for the brutal 1962 world title fight that claimed the life of bitter rival Benny Paret, died on Tuesday. He was 75. Griffith, who suffered from dementia, died at a care facility in New York, the International Boxing Hall of Fame confirmed in a statement. Griffith’s infamous rivalry with the Cuban-born Paret ended in a fatal third meeting between the two boxers at Madison Square Garden in New York on March 24, 1962, for the welterweight title. According to a 2005 documentary, Paret had allegedly enraged Griffith prior to the bout by taunting him in Spanish with the homophobic slur maricon (faggot). Griffith, who was married, but later admitted to being bisexual, claimed victory over Paret with a savage 12th-round assault. Paret never regained consciousness and died in hospital 10 days later. Griffith was ambiguous about his sexuality throughout his life and he told Sports Illustrated in 2005 he was bisexual. “I like men and women both ... I don’t know what I am. I love men and women the same, but if you ask me which is better ... I like women,” he said.
SAILING
NZ team clinch victory
Emirates Team New Zealand defeated Luna Rossa Challenge on Tuesday to clinch the round-robin stage of the Louis Vuitton Cup, the selection series to decide the challenger for the America’s Cup. The New Zealanders completed the 15.43 nautical mile (28.58km) course in San Francisco in 46 minutes, 53 seconds, comfortably ahead of an Italian team that were deemed not to have finished because they were more than five minutes behind. New Zealand’s win ensured they will finish at the top of the standings in the round-robin phase of the challenger series. By winning the round-robin stage New Zealand has the option of advancing directly to the Louis Vuitton Cup Final or picking an opponent for the semi-final round, starting on Aug. 6.
GOLF
Fans to pick pin position
Golf fans will play a direct role in course setup for the first time in a major at next month’s PGA Championship in Rochester, New York, organizers said on Tuesday. Through the “PGA Championship Pick the Hole Location Challenge Hosted by Jack Nicklaus,” fans will be able to choose online one of four designated pin positions at the par-three 15th for the final round. The 181-yard 15th is a downhill hole with a narrow green guarded by water on the right and by two bunkers on the left. Fans will make their selections via the PGA of America Web site until Aug. 10. The final round is scheduled for Aug. 11.
SOCCER
Juventus real Champions
Juventus may have been knocked out in the quarter-finals, but they were the biggest financial winners in last season’s UEFA Champions League. Bayern Munich beat German compatriots Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the final, yet neither side could match Juve’s earning power, a UEFA report said. The Italian champions made 65.3 million euros (US$86.3 million) last season from their participation, more than 10 million euros more than Bayern earned.Unsurprisingly, the two finalists were the next biggest winners, with Bayern earning 55 million euros and Dortmund making 54.2 million euros. The 32 clubs partipating in the group stages shared 904.6 million euros, according to UEFA. The main difference between the German pair and Juve was television rights, with the Torino giants earning 44.8 million euros from that alone, compared with just 19.1 million euros for Bayern. AC Milan, who only made it to the second round, were the next biggest winners with 51.4 million euros ahead of Spanish losing semi-finalists Real Madrid (48.4 million) and Barcelona (45.5 million) and French quarter-finalists Paris Saint-Germain (44.7 million).
SOCCER
Falcao snubs age rumors
AS Monaco’s Colombian striker Radamel Falcao on Tuesday took to Twitter to slam rumors about his age amid claims he is 29, not 27. “I am surprised by these media reports about my age — they are ridiculous,” said Monaco’s recent 60 million euro (US$79.4 million) signing from Atletico Madrid. “I vehemently deny [the story] and want to put an end to it once and for all,” Falcao said after TV station Noticias Uno showed the player’s former headmaster saying the star was born in 1984, not 1986.
FORMULA ONE
F1 to return to Austria
Formula One will return to Austria next year after an 11-year absence, world champions and Spielberg circuit owners Red Bull said on Tuesday. The energy-drink company said a deal had been struck between Red Bull billionaire founder Dietrich Mateschitz and Formula One’s 82-year-old chief executive Bernie Ecclestone. “On condition of approval by the required authorities, July 6, 2014 is expected to be the date,” Red Bull said in a brief statement issued in Austria. Austria last hosted a grand prix in 2003, after which the circuit was due to be extended, but construction was stopped midway and the track became unusable for years before Mateschitz bought and rebuilt it, renaming it the Red Bull Ring. Formula One is due to introduce two new grands prix next year: at Russia’s Winter Olympic venue Sochi and in New Jersey.
SOCCER
Maradona surgery goes well
Soccer legend Diego Maradona underwent successful eye surgery on Tuesday, his surgeon said. Maradona, 52, underwent surgery to correct presbyopia, age-related loss of ability to focus on nearby objects, in Mendoza, Argentina. “Maradona was fine, it was a normal routine presbyopia procedure we do. He did well; he’s a great patient,” surgeon Roberto Zaldivar told reporters.
CYCLING
Trek sign Schleck brothers
US cycling team Trek says it has signed Andy and Frank Schleck to its squad for next year. The Luxembourg brothers will compete in the major Tours and the three Ardennes classics, among other races. Frank Schleck has not been racing since a one-year doping ban after testing positive for a diuretic during last year’s Tour de France.
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
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely