BASKETBALL
NBA stars in Philippines
The Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers are in the Philippines to treat fans to the first NBA game in the basketball-crazy nation. Both teams flew in early yesterday ahead of the NBA’s preseason Global Games in the Philippines on Thursday evening. Basketball is the country’s most popular sport and the NBA game has created a buzz on social media and radio and TV, with tickets going on sale months in advance. “We’re just excited to come over to play the game and give Filipinos a great show,” Houston Rockets guard James Harden said. The Rockets squad for the games in the Philippines and then Taiwan includes Jeremy Lin, the league’s first US-born player of Taiwanese descent. The Indiana Pacers roster features Danny Granger and NBA All-Stars Paul George, Roy Hibbert, and David West. Organizers said the game is part of the NBA’s comprehensive global schedule that will have eight teams play in eight cities in six countries this month. After Manila, the Rockets and Pacers play in Taipei on Sunday.
RUGBY UNION
Puma banned for stamping
Argentina scrumhalf Martin Landajo has been banned for a week for stamping after he was cited following the Pumas defeat by Australia in the Rugby Championship in Rosario on Saturday. Landajo planted his foot into a ruck repeatedly in full view of referee Wayne Barnes, but received only a penalty for a tackle infringement and a caution despite the incident being scrutinized by the television match official. The citing commissioner later deemed the incident had met the red card threshold for foul play and it was referred to a hearing. “This was a reckless attempt by Landajo to free up the ball in the back of the ruck, resulting in him making contact with his boot on the hands of two Australian players,” judicial officer Nigel Hampton said in a media release yesterday. “This was a lower end offence and, given the early guilty plea, Landajo’s contrition and his good playing record, appropriately could be dealt with by a one week suspension.”
SOCCER
Spain call up Michu
Swansea City forward Michu has been called into the Spain squad for next week’s World Cup qualifiers against Belarus and Georgia after David Villa was forced to pull out due to arthritis in his left ankle. It is a first ever international call up for Michu, who has scored five times for the Welsh side this season following an incredible debut campaign in the Premier League with 22 goals last season. Villa, who is Spain’s all-time leading international scorer, was forced off just before the hour mark of Atletico Madrid’s 2-1 win over RC Celta de Vigo on Sunday. “The Asturian player is suffering from arthritis in his left ankle, the medical services of the Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] have been informed, which will make his presence in the squad managed by Vicente del Bosque impossible,” the RFEF said in a statement.
HORSE RACING
Treve wins Arc de Triomphe
Treve put on an impressive burst of speed in the final straight to outclass the field and win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe by five lengths on Sunday. Race favorite Orfevre beat Intello by a neck to take second place in the world’s richest turf contest. Treve overcame a difficult draw, breaking from stall 15. The three-year-old French filly ran most of the race on the outside and hardly seemed in contention at the halfway stage, stuck in 14th place. However, she made her move about 600m from home to take the lead and then pulled away in the final straight.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of “massive theft.” The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-time interpreter and close friend, after Ohtani’s representatives alleged that the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California. “Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,” MLB