BASEBALL
Ramirez to play in Japan
Former MLB slugger Manny Ramirez has joined Japanese independent league team the Kochi Fighting Dogs, the club said on its Web site. The 44-year-old, who has also played in Taiwan after retiring from the major leagues in 2011 as one of only 25 players to pass 500 home runs, is set to play in the four-team Shikoku Island League. The Fighting Dogs posted a picture of the Dominican Republic native, describing him a little underwhelmingly as having been “active in Boston Red Sox etc.” Ramirez, in his first year on the Hall of Fame ballot, hit .352 with Taiwan’s EDA Rhinos of the Chinese Professional Baseball in Taiwan in 2013.
OLYMPICS
Indian body backtracks
Already threatened with being suspended and stripped of government funding, the Indian Olympic Association has stepped back from a proposal to appoint two tainted former officials as honorary life presidents. Tirlochan Singh, a senior association official, said that president N. Ramachandran on Monday wrote a letter to the Indian minister of sports explaining that the honorary awards were just a proposal and not been bestowed. The ministry earlier said that Indian government recognition of the association would be revoked unless the positions for Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Singh Chautala were withdrawn. Kalmadi and Chautala, former association presidents, had been unanimously proposed for the positions, which were largely ceremonial and did not give any voting rights, during a in Chennai last month. Kalmadi spent time in jail on corruption charges relating to the 2010 Commonwealth Games before being released on bail. Chautala is facing trial on finance-related matters.
FOOTBALL
Clemson win championship
Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow with 1 second to play to lift them to a 35-31 victory over Alabama in college football’s championship game in Tampa, Florida, on Monday. The Tigers avenged their 45-40 loss to the Crimson Tide in last year’s final. Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts had given the Crimson Tide — unbeaten in 14 prior games this season — a 31-28 lead with 2 minutes, 7 seconds remaining. Watson responded by piloting a nine-play, 68-yard drive for the win, saying he told his teammates in the huddle not to panic because “we were built for moments like this.”
SOCCER
France gains from Euros
Hosting the Euro 2016 tournament cost France less than 200 million euros (US$211 million) and brought 1.221 billion euros into the nation, according to figures released by the French Ministry of Sports yesterday. There was controversy over the public funds poured into the tournament, with 24 million euros — double the expected cost — spent on security in light of an increased terrorist threat. The state spent a further 160 million euros on building and renovating venues for the event, while private funds and tournament organizer UEFA covered the remaining costs. Euro 2016 brought 1.221 billion euros into the country both in tourism and spending directly related to the organization of the tournament, according to data compiled by the Centre of the Law and Economics of Sport at Limoges University and consultancy firm Keneo.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two