SOCCER
Palace, Pulis part company
Manager Tony Pulis has parted company with Crystal Palace by mutual consent less than 48 hours before they kick off their Premier League season against Arsenal, British media reported on Thursday. The 56-year-old held talks with co-chairman Steve Parish earlier in the day following reports that the pair’s relationship had broken down. The BBC said assistant manager Keith Millen would take temporary charge of Palace for today’s trip to the Emirates Stadium. Pulis achieved a minor miracle to steer the Londoners clear of the drop last season. The bookmakers made the promoted team the favorites for relegation at the start of the campaign and they were second-from-bottom when the former Stoke City boss took over from Ian Holloway at Selhurst Park in November last year. However, Palace went from strength to strength under Pulis and ended the season in 11th place after a five-match winning streak. Among the early favorites to replace Pulis at Palace are former Manchester United manager David Moyes and former Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay.
SOCCER
Antonio Conte to coach Italy
Former Juventus boss Antonio Conte was named the new coach of Italy on Thursday on a two-year contract, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced. The 45-year-old was widely expected to take over from Cesare Prandelli, who stepped down after Italy’s group-stage exit at the World Cup finals in Brazil. FIGC president Carlo Tavecchio said Conte, who will earn 2 million euros (US$2.7 million) a year, will be presented at a press conference on Tuesday in Rome. Conte’s first match in charge will be on Sept. 4 when Italy face the Netherlands in a friendly. Five days later, Italy begin their Euro 2016 qualifying Group H campaign in Norway and the pressure will be on for a team whose failure in Brazil was the second successive World Cup at which they had failed to get out of the group stage. With a contract running until July 31, 2016, Conte has a mission “to relaunch the national team and develop new players from across the federation’s training centers,” a FICG statement said.
CYCLING
Contador to ride la Vuelta
Alberto Contador will take part in this month’s Vuelta a Espana after recovering faster than expected from a shinbone fracture, the Spaniard said on Thursday. “I’ve been riding the bicycle for 10 days and yesterday was the first day I could climb a mountain pass without knee pain,” the Tinkoff-Saxo rider said in a statement. Double Tour de France champion Contador broke his shinbone during the 10th stage of the Tour last month and was expected to sit out the Vuelta. However, he plans to start the race on Aug. 23 without any general classification ambitions, only targeting stage wins. Contador has won the Vuelta twice, in 2008 and 2012, and also the Giro d’Italia six years ago.
GOLF
Higginbottom leads in Fiji
Australian youngster Jake Higginbottom took a two-shot lead in the inaugural Fiji International at Natadola Bay yesterday after shooting a second round three-under 69. His round in windy conditions put the 20-year-old on seven-under for the tournament, two strokes ahead of compatriots Cameron Smith, Andrew Dodt and Steve Jeffress. Higginbottom sank four birdies, with a bogey on the ninth the only blemish on his score card. Local hero Vijay Singh struggled on a course he designed in 2009, shooting two-over to leave him in 43rd.
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
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
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