SOCCER
Everton’s Barkley injured
Everton have been dealt a major blow on the eve of the Premier League season, with England midfielder Ross Barkley facing up to six weeks out with a leg injury suffered in training on Friday, according to British media reports. The 20-year-old was to undergo scans yesterday to determine the full extent of the injury, which forced him to leave the club’s training ground in a brace, the reports said. If the injury is as serious as first feared, Barkley could miss England’s 2016 European Championship qualifiers against Switzerland, San Marino and Estonia. Barkley enjoyed a brilliant breakthrough season last term, which culminated in selection for England’s World Cup squad, where he made three appearances. He signed a new four-year contract at Goodison Park last month and has played in three preseason games for Everton, who open their league campaign at promoted Leicester City today.
SOCCER
Keseru scores six goals
Claudio Keseru became the first Steaua Bucharest player to score six goals in a competitive match during the 6-0 Romanian league rout of third from bottom Pandurii Targu-Jiu on Friday. The striker, who netted on his international debut when Romania beat Andorra 4-0 in a World Cup qualifier in October last year, eclipsed Steaua coach Constantin Galca, who hit five goals in a 5-0 win over Brasov in September 1994. Keseru, 27, struck three times for the 1986 European champions in the first half, including a penalty, before adding three more after the interval. Leaders Steaua, who have a maximum 12 points from four matches, face Bulgarian team Ludogorets in a Champions League playoff tie on Tuesday and on Aug. 27.
BADMINTON
Malaysian minister steps in
Malaysian Minister of Youth and Sports Khairy Jamaluddin has stepped in to try and broker a peace deal between the country’s badminton president and the coach of world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei. Badminton Malaysia president Tan Sri Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff sidelined coach Rashid Sidek from the upcoming world championships after a row between the two, which escalated after a poor showing at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow earlier this month which Lee missed through injury. Rashid had threatened to quit after being told he was not required in Denmark for Lee’s return to the court for the Aug. 25 championships and next month’s Asian Games in South Korea. Lee had called for a resolution to the matter between the warring duo and Khairy said it was essential the shuttler, who has twice finished runner-up at the world championships, did not have to contend with the drama. “I have spoken to him [Rashid] on the phone, he said he will stay to serve out his contract which ends at the end of the year,” Khairy told reporters in Malaysia on Friday. “We do not want Lee Chong Wei’s preparations and mental strength affected because the coach has problems. I have asked Rashid and Lee Chong Wei to continue with their training.”
GOLF
Aussies lead in Fiji
Australian Jake Higginbottom picked up three shots in his final three holes to grab a share of the lead alongside compatriot Steve Jeffress after the third round of the Fiji International yesterday. Three-time major winner and Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course designer Vijay Singh (70) fired his best round of the week to give the home fans something to cheer about as he moved up into a tie for 15th, nine off the lead.
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
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was