SOCCER
Kaka highest-paid in MLS
Brazilian attacker Kaka is earning a base salary of US$6.6 million from Orlando City, according to figures released on Monday by the Major League Soccer (MLS) Players Union. Including a prorated share of compensation not specified to a specific year, his total earnings rise to a league-record US$7,167,500. Orlando starts play next season, along with New York City FC (NYCFC), and Kaka is on loan to Sao Paulo in Brazil. The previous MLS high for total earnings was set by David Beckham of the Los Angeles Galaxy at US$6.5 million annually during a five-year contract that ended in 2011. David Villa’s salary with NYCFC is listed as US$60,000, which would be unusually low. NYCFC teammate Frank Lampard, on loan to Manchester City, is not included on the list. Seattle forward Clint Dempsey dropped to second in total earnings at US$6,695,000, followed by Toronto midfielder Michael Bradley at US$6.5 million and Toronto forward Jermain Defoe at US$6.18 million. Among the US players who signed with MLS after the World Cup, midfielder Jermaine Jones has a US$3 million salary with New England.
BOXING
Promoter Dan Goossen dies
Boxing promoter Dan Goossen, who handled some of the biggest names in the sport, including Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Bernard Hopkins, died from liver cancer on Monday. He was 64. “Sadness is difficult to escape as we grieve his passing. However, we are filled with pride by the fact that Dan Goossen battled this aggressive illness with boundless strength and the last days of his life were fought and lived with unflinching bravery, pure love and grace beyond measure,” the Goossen family said in a statement. For the past several years, Goossen had been handling Chris Arreola, hoping to make him the first heavyweight champion of Mexican ancestry. Canada’s Bermane Stiverne easily defeated Arreola in May for the vacant WBC heavyweight title. Goossen also handled world super-middleweight champ Andre Ward.
FOOTBALLL
Rice case gets arbitrator
Ray Rice’s appeal of his indefinite suspension for domestic violence will be heard by a neutral arbitrator, not NFL commissioner Roger Goodell or someone he appoints, ESPN reported late on Monday. In a copy of an e-mail obtained by ESPN, NFL Players’ Association executive director DeMaurice Smith told the union’s executive board it was the first time a neutral arbitrator had been appointed in a personal conduct disciplinary case. According to the e-mail, the union will “confer with the league shortly regarding the final choice of the arbitrator,” after both sides submitted candidates. The NFL had already suggested Goodell, who usually sits in judgement of all cases, did not intend to hear the appeal. He originally suspended Rice for two games before increasing it to an indefinite suspension after video footage of Rice knocking out his now wife in an elevator surfaced.
BASEBALL
Twins fire Ron Gardenhire
The Minnesota Twins have fired manager Ron Gardenhire, ending a 13-season tenure that featured six division championships, but concluded with four straight years of 90-plus losses, the team said on Monday. The search for a new manager would begin immediately, with the coaching staff to be determined by Gardenhire’s successor and general manager Terry Ryan, the Twins said in a statement a day after the regular season concluded. Gardenhire, 56, had one season left on his contract.
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
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
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
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two