CRICKET
S Africa ban four players
Cricket South Africa yesterday said it had banned four players for involvement in match-fixing last year. The banned players are: Jean Symes, Pumelela Matshikwe, Ethy Mbhalati and Thami Tsolekile, a former South Africa Test wicketkeeper. Tsolekile, who received a 12-year ban, is said to have failed to disclose to the authorities “details of an approach to engage in corrupt conduct in the 2015 Ram slam [T20 Challenge].” Matshikwe, a bowler formerly contracted to the Lions, and Ethy Mbhalati, a bowler formerly contracted to the Titans, were both banned for 10 years, while Symes received seven years.
FOOTBALL
Game canceled due to paint
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game between the Green Bay Packers and the Indianapolis Colts scheduled for Sunday night was canceled due to poor field conditions, ESPN reported. According to ESPN, the wrong paint was applied to the Hall of Fame logo at midfield and in the end zones of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Both teams were cleared off the field approximately 90 minutes before the scheduled start of the first NFL pre-season game of the season. The contest was canceled about 30 minutes later. Earlier, Packers coach Mike McCarthy and Colts coach Chuck Pagano were watching as workers attempted to clear thousands of rubber pellets off the field. The field was used for a Tim McGraw concert on Friday and for the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on Saturday night. The field was covered during Saturday’s festivities. The field in Canton was highly criticized in last year’s contest as well.
OLYMPICS
China protests stars on flag
Most of the five stars on Chinese flags being used at medal ceremonies at the Rio Olympics are misaligned, officials said, prompting a diplomatic protest and online fury. The Chinese flag features one large star — representing the Chinese Communist Party — half surrounded by four smaller stars tilted to point toward the center of the bigger one. However, the small stars on the Rio flags, including the one lifted by Chinese fencer Lei Sheng at the opening ceremony on Friday, all point upward. China’s consulate-general in Rio de Janeiro yesterday said in a social media post that it had filed a formal complaint with the Brazilian organizing committee. The organizers apologized for the mistake and are to contact the manufacturer to correct the mistake, it added, denying reports that the flag maker was a Chinese firm.
OLYMPICS
Medalist’s grandmother dies
The 84-year-old grandmother of a Thai Olympic bronze medal winner yesterday collapsed and died while celebrating the weightlifter’s success in Rio, police said. The octogenarian was watching a live broadcast of her 20-year-old grandson, Sinphet Kruaithong, take third place in the 56kg division. However, a viral video showed the jubilant scene of cheering fans in his rural hometown transform into tragedy after his grandmother, Subin Khongthap, collapsed while watching the competition on a projector. “The initial assumption is that she died from heart failure, but we have to wait for the hospital’s result,” said Somwang Prangprakoan, a police officer in northeastern Surin province.
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