AFRICA
Brahimi wins BBC award
Porto’s Algerian winger Yacine Brahimi was voted the BBC’s African Footballer of the Year on Monday. Brahimi is the first Algerian to win the award, which is chosen by members of the public, after a fine year for club and country. After a record number of votes were submitted from fans in 207 countries, Paris-born Brahimi won the coveted award ahead of Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama, Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ivory Coast duo Gervinho and Yaya Toure, the Manchester City midfielder who took the prize last year. “It’s a big honor for me to receive this wonderful trophy. I owe it to my country, Algeria, and to all the people who voted for me,” Brahimi told BBC Sport. “It’s also a trophy for the whole of Africa, because it rewards an African player. So I am really very happy.”
ENGLAND
Balotelli post investigated
Liverpool forward Mario Balotelli is to be investigated by the Football Association (FA) for a potentially racist and anti-Semitic social media post, British media reported on Monday. The Italian later deleted the post from his Instagram page. “We are aware of the posting, which has since been promptly deleted by the player,” a Liverpool spokesman told the BBC. “We will be speaking to the player about the issue.” Former FA executive Simon Johnson, who is the chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council, said the 24-year-old should be punished. “We abhor all forms of racism, wherever it is found,” he told the Daily Telegraph. “We call upon the FA to investigate this offensive social media post and to take action if appropriate if we are to succeed in kicking racism out of football.”
WALES
Bony not for sale: Monk
It would take an “astronomical fee” for Swansea City to part with in-form Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Bony, manager Garry Monk said on Monday. The 25-year-old has scored 18 Premier League goals this year, two more than his nearest rival Sergio Aguero, and has helped the Welsh team climb to eighth in the Premier League table with six goals in his past seven appearances. According to media reports, Bony was a target for Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur during the close-season, but he remained at the Liberty Stadium and last month signed a one-year contract extension that ties him to the club until 2018. “It would take an astronomical fee for him to go anywhere,” Monk told reporters. “We are not a selling club, we don’t need to sell. We are very much committed with our players and they are committed to us. It shows the work that we are doing with him is paying off. He works very hard on his finishing and his fitness, so all credit to him and long may it continue.”
BRAZIL
Pele doing well: hospital
Doctors say Pele is in good condition and will remain off kidney-support treatment. The Albert Einstein hospital said the 74-year-old Brazilian great was reevaluated on Monday and doctors decided not to put him back on the hemodialysis that had been needed to help support his only kidney. The treatment was suspended on Sunday, but doctors said it was possible that Pele would need the hemodialysis again depending on how his body responds. The hospital said Pele remains in an intensive care unit, but is “lucid” and “stable.” The three-time World Cup winner was hospitalized early last week after being diagnosed with a urinary tract infection that stemmed from a Nov. 13 surgery to remove kidney stones.
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
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
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and