BASEBALL
Mariners accused of racism
MLB is investigating claims against the Seattle Mariners by the team’s recently fired training and conditioning director Lorena Martin, who said team management had disparaged Latino players. The Mariners in a statement on Monday denied the allegations following the social media postings from Martin in which she said that general manager Jerry Dipoto, manager Scott Servais and director of player development Andy McKay had called Latino players “lazy, dumb and stupid, especially the Dominicans.” The Mariners said Martin was relieved of her duties on Oct. 10. “While it is our policy to not comment on personnel issues, we do feel it is important to respond to the outrageous, false claims made by her today on social media. And to note that Martin did not make any of these false allegations until after she was relieved of her duties,” the statement said.
SOCCER
Solari to coach until 2021
Santiago Solari on Tuesday was confirmed as Real Madrid coach until 2021 following his successful spell in charge as caretaker boss. Solari’s anointment as sacked Julen Lopetegui’s permanent successor comes after wins in his first four matches. With 15 goals scored and only two conceded, the 42-year-old Argentinian has established the best-ever start for a Real manager. The upturn has left Madrid only four points adrift of league leaders Barcelona and on the brink of qualification for the last 16 in Europe. This is Solari’s maiden job in charge of a first team.
FOOTBALL
Bell forgoes season
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell did not report to the team before Tuesday’s 4pm deadline, meaning he is ineligible to play the rest of the season. Bell, who has held out the entire year since being franchise-tagged for the second straight time, is to forfeit the entirety of his US$14.5 million tender and not play this year. He had already sacrificed more than US$8.5 million by missing the first 10 weeks of the season. Steelers head coach Bell is set to hit free agency in March. He is the first player to sit out an entire season on the franchise tag since Washington Redskins defensive lineman Sean Gilbert in 1997. Gilbert cashed in with a seven-year, US$46.5 million contract the following off-season with the Carolina Panthers.
SOCCER
New coach thanks rivals
Celta Vigo coach Miguel Cardoso on Tuesday got off to an embarrassing start at the struggling Liga club after mistakenly declaring he was taking over at their fierce local rivals, Deportivo La Coruna. The Portuguese worked as an assistant at Celta’s Galician neighbors Depor from 2012 to 2013 and got muddled up in his first news conference after being named as successor to Antonio Mohamed, who was sacked on Monday. “I want to thank the president and the sporting director for showing faith in me and my coaching staff to start a new era at Deportivo. I mean Celta,” Cardoso said, causing sporting director Felipe Minambres to grimace. Cardoso, who was coach at French side Nantes until Oct. 1, takes over a Celta side who are 14th in the Liga standings, having lost 4-2 at home to Real Madrid on Sunday.
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
A soccer jersey carrying a national map including disputed Western Sahara has become a hot commodity in Morocco after a diplomatic dispute with Algeria. Retailers said RS Berkane jerseys have been flying off the shelves after a Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup match against Algerian club USM Alger was canceled last month over the jerseys. “We are overwhelmed by the influx of messages and requests,” said Brahim Rabii, representative of the official RS Berkane jersey distributor. Algeria broke off diplomatic relations with Morocco in 2021, partly over the issue of Western Sahara. The former Spanish colony is largely controlled by Morocco, but claimed
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