OLYMPICS
Tokyo to assess golf club
Tokyo 2020 organizers said they would review the membership practices of the golf course selected for the Olympic Games following criticism that it does not allow women as full members. Founded in 1929, the Kasumigaseki Country Club is one of the oldest private clubs in Japan, but does not allow women to become full members or play on Sundays. “The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee will continue studying the club owner’s policy on the membership eligibility and responses to the public discussion,” organizers said in a statement. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has urged the club to admit women as full members. “I feel very uncomfortable about women not being able to become a regular member in this era,” Koike said. Kasumigaseki has hosted more top-level tournaments than any other golf course in the nation, organizers said, adding that it has hosted various national competitions, including the 1999 Japan Women’s Open, and it fully meets requirements for Olympic-level golf competitions.
SOCCER
Crystal Palace defeat Bolton
Christian Benteke spared Sam Allardyce’s blushes as the Crystal Palace striker came off the bench to inspire a 2-1 win over Bolton, while Lincoln and Sutton pulled off shock victories in Tuesday’s FA Cup third-round replays. Palace manager Allardyce had gone five matches without a win since replacing the sacked Alan Pardew just before Christmas. Falling behind in the first half, Allardyce sent on Benteke and the switch paid immediate dividends, as the former Liverpool striker headed Palace’s 68th minute equalizer. Benteke completed Palace’s revival with a fierce finish from Andros Townsend’s cross in the 77th minute to set up a home tie with Manchester City in the fourth round. At Sincil Bank, National Conference leaders Lincoln sent second-tier Ipswich crashing out with a surprise 1-0 win. Sutton, currently 15th in the fifth tier, lived up to their reputation as FA Cup giant-killers with a shock 3-1 win at third-tier AFC Wimbledon. In the night’s third upset, fourth-tier Blackpool, FA Cup winners in 1953, enjoyed a 2-1 win at Championship side Barnsley. Burnley piled on the misery for struggling Sunderland with a 2-0 win at Turf Moor. Burnley’s fourth-round opponents are second-tier Bristol City, who beat Fleetwood 1-0 in their replay at Highbury Stadium thanks to Jamie Paterson’s 17th minute goal.
SOCCER
Inter edge Bologna 3-2
Jeison Murillo on Tuesday scored with a spectacular bicycle-kick and Antonio Candreva got the winner in extra time as Inter beat Bologna 3-2 to advance to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals. Shortly after the half-hour mark, Murillo broke the deadlock in style, redirecting a corner from Joao Mario with a picture-perfect overhead effort from beyond the penalty spot. Mario also provided the pass when Rodrigo Palacio burst through the offside trap to make it 2-0 six minutes later. Blerim Dzemaili pulled one back for Bologna before the break with a shot that was deflected in by Inter midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia. Godfred Donsah equalized for Bologna in the 73rd, heading in a cross by the far post as Inter’s defense appeared more concerned with Mattia Destro. Eight minutes into extra time, Candreva scored with a shot that deflected in off a defender.
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