BASEBALL
Yankees most valuable team
The New York Yankees maintained their status as Major League Baseball’s most valuable team and are worth an estimated US$3.7 billion, a survey released by Forbes on Tuesday showed. The Yankees, 27-time World Series champions who have held the top spot on the list in each of the 20 years Forbes has been tracking MLB valuations, are worth nearly US$1 billion more than the next most valuable team. Forbes said the average MLB team is worth US$1.54 billion, a 19 percent rise from last year, which the magazine attributed to new local TV deals that are increasing at roughly a two-fold rate, as well as a surge in profitability. The Los Angeles Dodgers (US$2.75 billion), the Boston Red Sox (US$2.7 billion), World Series champions the Chicago Cubs (US$2.67 billion) and the San Francisco Giants (US$2.65 billion) rounded out of the top five. The Yankees, who last year missed the post-season for the third time in four seasons, saw their revenue rise 2 percent to an MLB-high US$526 million, Forbes said.
CRICKET
Match thrown over umpiring
A Bangladeshi club cricketer peppered the field with no balls and wides to concede 92 runs in four legal deliveries in an extraordinary protest against poor umpiring in the Dhaka Second Division Cricket League, local media reported yesterday. Lalmatia Club’s Sujon Mahmud bowled 15 no balls to go with 13 wides that also raced to the boundary in his side’s match against the Axiom Cricketers. His four legal deliveries went for 12 runs as Axiom won by 10 wickets. Lalmatia had been dismissed for 88 after being put into bat with the team unimpressed at several umpiring decisions that went against them in the match on Tuesday. “It started at the toss,” Lalmatia secretary-general Adnan Rahman Dipon told the Dhaka Tribune. “My captain was not allowed to see the coin and we were sent to bat first and ... the umpires’ decisions went against us.” The tournament has been plagued by umpiring controversy and Fear Fighters Sporting Club’s Tasnim Hasan did something similar on Monday, conceding 69 runs in seven legitimate deliveries to protest against the umpiring.
RUGBY UNION
Players under investigation
Three Grenoble rugby players were on Tuesday night put under formal investigation by a French examining magistrate on suspicion of gang rape following a complaint by a 21-year-old woman, a judicial source said yesterday. Earlier, prosecutors issued a statement saying there was evidence that France’s Loick Jammes, New Zealand’s Rory Grice and Ireland’s Denis Coulson had probably taken part “either as initiator or accomplice” in the crime. The woman told police on March 12 that she had been drugged and taken to a hotel in Bordeaux, where she was raped after a French Top 14 league game between Bordeaux and Grenoble. Being placed under formal investigation in France is often the first step to a trial, but it does not necessarily mean that the case will go to court. The three players were not thought to have been held in custody, but have been placed under restrictions that would require them to report regularly to French police until the case is resolved. Last month, a lawyer for Coulson denied the allegations and described the incident “as a night out between consenting adults.”
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
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
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