SOCCER
China to host tournament
China is to host an annual national team tournament starting from next year, entertainment and property conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group said yesterday as it seeks to build a sporting empire. The announcement comes as Chinese companies snap up foreign players and clubs as the country increases its influence on the global game. The FIFA-approved “China Cup” will be launched in January next year with a four-game tournament featuring China and three teams from Europe and the Americas, Wanda said in a statement, without identifying the non-Chinese participants. The company expects the cup, which Wanda says is a collaboration with the Chinese Football Association and the Asian Football Confederation, to eventually feature eight competitors from “among the world’s top-ranking national A teams,” the statement said. “As the host country, China will automatically qualify to enter its national team in the tournament, gaining the opportunity to climb up FIFA ranks,” Wanda added. Wanda holds a key stake in Atletico Madrid and is a top-tier sponsor of FIFA.
OLYMPICS
Report ‘could ban Russia’
The leader of the US anti-doping effort says nothing short of removing the Russian flag from this summer’s Olympics would suffice if an upcoming report about Russian doping is as damning as expected. The report, due to be made public on Monday, is expected to include details about the Russian sports ministry telling its drug--testing officials which positive tests to report and which to conceal. If those details do show up in the report, Travis Tygart, the CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency, told The Associated Press he would support the same sort of action for all Russian sports that track and field’s governing body, the IAAF, took regarding the country’s track team: It barred the team, but gave a small number of athletes who could prove they were clean a chance to compete under a neutral flag. “If it’s proven true, and there’s been intentional subversion of the system by the Russian government ... the only outcome is they can’t participate in these Olympic Games under that country’s flag,” Tygart said.
SOCCER
Semi-pros beat Celtic
Scottish giants Celtic crashed to a 1-0 Champions League defeat to Lincoln Red Imps on Tuesday with the goal scored by Lee Casciaro, a policeman in his day job. Manager Brendan Rodgers’ first competitive match in charge was a humiliating affair, with 34-year-old Casciaro inflicting the hammer blow in the 48th minute. This was one of 1967 European champions’ Celtic’s worst ever defeats in the competition, and it left the Hoops counting on turning this second qualifying tie around in the return leg at Parkhead next week. For Rodgers it was the worst possible start to his Celtic career.
TENNIS
Niculescu wins in Bucharest
Monica Niculescu won her opening match for only the second time in five tournaments when she overpowered fellow Romanian Andreea Mitu 6-2, 6-4 at the Bucharest Open in Romania on Tuesday. Other winners in straight sets included second-seeded Sara Errani, No. 4 Laura Siegemund of Germany, No. 6 Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, No. 7 Anastasija Sevastova of Lativa and wild card Francesca Schiavone.
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
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care