SOCCER
’Keeper carded for peeing
A goalkeeper was sent off for urinating during an English soccer match on Saturday. Salford ’keeper Max Crocombe was issued a red card for relieving himself at the home of Bradford Park Avenue in the National League North, the seventh tier of English soccer. A supporter is also believed to have reported Crocombe, a 24-year-old New Zealander, to the police. “He was told by the steward twice not to do it and he went ahead and had a pee,” Bradford Park Avenue club secretary Colin Barker said. “He went to the side of the stand as I understand it. I didn’t actually see it, but the referee definitely sent him off for it, because he was alerted to it by his linesman,” he said. “One of our spectators has made a formal complaint so we’re waiting to see what will happen from there, but there’s no secret about it. It’s been reported to the police.”
BASEBALL
Rizzo given Clemente Award
Anthony Rizzo is a cancer survivor and World Series champion, but the Roberto Clemente Award is a trophy that will stand out for the Chicago Cubs slugger. “It’s the greatest award you can win and I will be forever appreciative of this, and this will go front and center of anything I’ve ever done on the baseball field,” Rizzo said. Rizzo, a three-time All-Star, was honored on Friday night with baseball’s biggest honor for sportsmanship and community involvement. He was recognized for his foundation’s work to help other families dealing with cancer.
BASEBALL
Gurriel handed suspension
Houston’s Yuli Gurriel will not miss any World Series games for the racist gesture he made toward the Dodgers’ Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish, but will serve a five-game ban next season, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said on Saturday. As part of the punishment, Gurriel will be required to undergo sensitivity training during the off-season while the Astros, in a gesture of support, have agreed to donate Gurriel’s salary for the five games to charitable causes. Manfred said part of his decision to not suspend Gurriel during the World Series was because he felt it was unfair to punish the other Astros players.
TENNIS
Federer heads to finals
Roger Federer on Saturday cruised past David Goffin 6-1, 6-2 in the Swiss Indoors semi-finals to reach an 11th straight final when playing at his hometown event. The top-seeded Swiss was to face Juan Martin del Potro yesterday, after the fourth-seeded Argentine beat Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4. The final is a rematch of del Potro’s back-to-back Basel title wins over Federer in 2012 and 2013. The 19th-ranked del Potro also beat Federer in the US Open quarter-finals last month. Del Potro came to Basel directly from winning the Stockholm Open. With a victory yesterday, he would seal his place in the eight-player ATP World Tour Finals lineup in London next month.
SKIING
World Cup slalom canceled
The first race of the men’s Alpine Skiing World Cup season yesterday has been canceled because of bad weather conditions. Organizers say they have called off the giant slalom “with the updated forecast due to the wind conditions and in the interest of safety for teams and public.” The race, which will not be rescheduled, had been in doubt since gale-force storms and snowfall had been predicted for the Rettenbach glacier. The next events are slaloms in Levi, Finland, with the women racing on Nov. 11, followed by the men’s the next day.
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
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
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