WORLD CUP
Mastercard alters meal plan
Mastercard on Monday said it was changing a campaign in which thousands of free meals were to be given to the needy every time Neymar and Messi scored goals. Under the scheme, every time the strikers score, 10,000 meals would be donated to the UN World Food Programme. The idea, due to run until March 2020, drew fire on social media as being in poor taste. Brazilian national team coach Tite also criticized it as counterproductive, because it put too much pressure on individual stars. The credit card giant said that instead, 1 million meals will be donated this year, regardless of the goals scored, in addition to 400,000 meals already donated. “We don’t want the fans, players or anyone else to lose focus of the crucial question of hunger and our efforts to help this cause,” Mastercard said in a statement. Neymar and Messi would continue to cooperate for the campaign, it added.
SOCCER
Pep banned for first game
Pep Guardiola is to be banned from the touchline for Manchester City’s first game in the Champions League next season. The City manager would also be banned for a further game if there is a repeat offense during a probationary period next season, after being found guilty of improper conduct during the Champions League quarter-final loss to Liverpool in April. After being sent to the stands for protesting a goal being disallowed and verbally abusing a referee, Guardiola appeared to send communications to his coaching staff from his seat high in the main stand.
FOOTBALL
‘The Catch’ receiver dies
Dwight Clark, the former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver whose reception known as “The Catch” sent the team to their first Super Bowl, has died just over a year after revealing he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He was 61. Clark in March last year said that he had ALS, which attacks cells that control muscles. He suspected that playing football might have caused the illness. The team said Clark died on Monday surrounded by friends and family. Clark won two Super Bowls with the 49ers during a nine-year career that ended in 1987. He memorably pulled down the winning touchdown pass from Joe Montana in the 1981 NFC championship game against the Dallas Cowboys, a play remembered simply as “The Catch.” Clark later served as general manager of the 49ers and the Cleveland Browns.
OLYMPICS
Thrope urges stop to targets
Swimmer Ian Thorpe, Australia’s most decorated Olympian, has called on national bodies to stop setting gold medal targets as it puts too much pressure on athletes. Speaking at an Australian Institute of Sport summit on athlete well being yesterday, the five-time Olympic gold medalist and 11-time world champion said the focus should be on athletes representing the country well. “What I’d prefer to see happen is we know the athletes represent our communities, they’ll represent the diversity of this country and they’re going to represent it well, to the best of our ability, and that will lead to gold medals,” he said. The Australian Olympic Committee has set, but not met, a target of a top-five finish in the medals table at the past three Summer Games and individual sports have also made their own targets.
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