ENGLAND
City sign defender Mangala
Manchester City have completed the signing of France defender Eliaquim Mangala from Porto for a fee reported to be about £32 million (US$54 million). The 23-year-old is City’s sixth signing of the off-season, and will provide competition for Vincent Kompany and Martin Demichelis at centerback. City manager Manuel Pellegrini said Mangala “is already a fine player, but in my opinion he has all of the mental, physical, technical and tactical attributes to become one of Europe’s very best defenders.” City, who had been linked with the Frenchman since January, did not disclose the length of Mangala’s contract or the transfer fee.
SPAIN
Vermaelen injured: Barca
Barcelona said Thomas Vermaelen has a lingering muscle injury from the World Cup finals that will keep him from training with his new teammates. Vermaelen still has a right-leg muscle injury from playing for Belgium at the World Cup and the club said the speed of his recovery would determine when he practices with the rest of the squad. Vermaelen was unveiled by Barcelona on Sunday after the club paid Arsenal a reported 19 million euros (US$25.4 million) for the 28-year-old. At his presentation, Vermaelen said that he wanted to “put behind” him the injuries that had plagued him last season at Arsenal and “start from zero.”
ARGENTINA
Maradona slaps journalist
Former great Diego Maradona slapped a reporter on the face after attending an event with his family last weekend. Maradona also called the journalist an idiot during the confrontation outside a theater in Buenos Aires. It was not clear why Maradona was upset, though local media said the discussion appeared to be related to his former wife. Video images showed the former player leaving his car and telling the reporter not to mess with him, just before slapping him with his right hand. The journalist did not immediately react. Maradona’s son and his ex-wife were with him inside the vehicle.
ITALY
Tavecchio elected president
Scandal-hit Carlo Tavecchio was elected president of the Italian soccer federation on Monday, winning 63.63 percent of the vote, despite a furor sparked by a racist comment during his campaign. “I will be president of everyone, especially those who expressed their dissent,” an emotional Tavecchio told a press conference following his election. Tavecchio, 71, sparked outrage three weeks ago when he referred to African players as “banana eaters” during a speech saying Italy should enforce stringent requirements for non-EU players. Moved to tears after his election, Tavecchio admitted he was “little at ease with words,” but promised to “better my rough ways” after a difficult race for the post of president.
ENGLAND
Canaries probe racist abuse
Norwich City confirmed on Monday they would investigate reports of racial abuse by a handful of their supporters during Sunday’s Championship defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Carrow Road club received numerous complaints from fans following an incident in the visiting end as the Canaries lost 1-0 in their first competitive match after last season’s relegation from the Premier League. Norwich have passed the information on to police and said that any fan found to be guilty would face a lifetime ban from attending matches at Carrow Road.
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