SOCCER
Chelsea sign Rahman Baba
Ghana defender Abdul Rahman Baba is leaving Augsburg to join Premier League champions Chelsea. The Bundesliga side on Sunday said a deal has been agreed between the clubs but did not disclose a transfer fee. Chelsea confirmed the transfer on their Web site. “I am very happy to sign for Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world and I can’t wait to train with my new teammates and I am very much looking forward to working with them and Mr. [Jose] Mourinho,” the 21-year-old defender was quoted as saying by Chelsea. Baba joined Augsburg from second-division Greuther Fuerth last year, helping the side reach the Europa League in his only season at the club. He played 31 league games for Augsburg. “Abdul Rahman Baba has developed enormously and made a huge leap in one year with us,” Augsburg general manager Stefan Reuter said. Baba told Augsburg’s Web site that “I have to take this chance to play at a top club in England, even if I’d set myself up for a long stay in Augsburg a year ago. I felt very comfortable in the team.”
CYCLING
Wellens wins Benelux tour
Belgian rider Tim Wellens retained the Tour of Benelux title after Sunday’s seventh and final stage over 188.6km from Sint-Pieters-Leeuw to Geraardsbergen in Belgium, with Italian Manuel Quinziato winning the stage. The Lotto-Soudal rider had grabbed the overall race lead by winning Saturday’s s 208.6km sixth stage from Heerlen in the Netherlands to Houffalize in Belgium. Wellens, 24, clocked 26 hours 31 minutes and 5 seconds after the week’s race to finish top ahead of compatriot Greg Van Avermaet, who was overall second at 1 minute 59 seconds, with Dutch rider Wilco Kelderman third at 1 minute 17 seconds. Quinziato won the final stage in 4 hours 18 minutes and 18 seconds in a race for the line ahead of Belgian riders Bjorn Leukemans at 0.03 seconds and Yves Lampaert at 0.08 seconds.
OLYMPIC GAMES
Camera team robbed
A team employed by the city of Rio de Janeiro to film a road cycling test event for next year’s Olympic Games were robbed at gunpoint, according to Brazilian news reports on Sunday. Two armed men on a motorbike approached the group of five and robbed them of camera equipment and a mobile phone, the Globo news network said. The team were setting up to film 100 cyclists from 20 nations as they went past during the 164.9km road race. The Casa Digital agency told reporters they were not authorized to give details about the incident, but such armed robberies are not uncommon in Rio. Last year, the number of robberies in the city rose 25 percent, the biggest jump since records began in 1991, according to official figures. Officials said more than 85,000 law enforcement personnel are to be on duty during next year’s Olympic Games, the first to be held in South America.
TENNIS
Nishikori to rest hip injury
Japan’s Kei Nishikori has pulled out of next week’s ATP 250 tournament in Cincinnati to rest a minor hip injury ahead of the US Open. The world No. 4, who reached the final at Flushing Meadows last year, looked out of sorts in collapsing to a one-sided 6-3 6-0 semi-final loss to Briton Andy Murray in Montreal on Saturday. The 25-year-old hardcourt specialist said he did not think the injury would curtail his title bid at the US Open which starts in New York on Aug. 31. “I’ve never injured that part of the body but I expect to get better in a week,” Nishikori said in a statement to Kyodo news yesterday.
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
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely
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