RUGBY UNION
Folau fired after meme post
Wallabies fullback Israel Folau is to have his contract terminated after posting a meme on social media that said gay people would go to “hell” if they did not “repent,” Rugby Australia and the New South Wales Waratahs said yesterday. “As a code we have made it clear to Israel formally and repeatedly that any social media posts or commentary that is in any way disrespectful to people because of their sexuality will result in disciplinary action,” the chief executives of both bodies said in a statement.
GOLF
Women’s Masters spurned
Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley on Wednesday threw cold water on the idea of one day hosting a women’s Masters alongside the men’s major. Augusta, which did not have a woman member until seven years ago, held its first women’s tournament last week on the same course that is to host the men’s major. “To date, all of our grow-the-game initiatives have been focused on amateur golf,” Ridley said. “In this particular case, we elected to conduct a women’s amateur tournament for really that same reason, but we really wanted this to continue in a grow-the-game sort of mode.” While Augusta is best known as the home of the Masters, Ridley believes the club is better serving the amateur roots of cofounders Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones. “I think part of that kind of goes back to history and that is that Augusta National was founded, cofounded by the greatest amateur of all time,” Ridley said.
TENNIS
Remarkable comeback stuns
Britain’s Tara Moore on Tuesday pulled off one of the most remarkable comebacks in history, saving a match point at 0-6, 0-5 and going on to complete the win. Serving to avoid a “double bagel” humiliation against French third seed Jessika Ponchet, Moore fell 30-40 behind on her own serve in the first round of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour event in Sunderland, England. However, the luck of the 479th-ranked player began to change when her overhead smash clipped the net and bounced on the line. Moore, 26, pulled herself back into the match, winning the second-set tiebreak and going on to complete a 0-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-3 victory over the player ranked nearly 300 places above her. Moore tweeted that the result was “never in doubt” in response to a video clip of her lucky net-cord winner.
TENNIS
Slope disrupts tournament
An international wheelchair tennis event has been forced to move because the show court at a new complex has been built on a slope. The Darwin International Tennis Centre in Australia is to stage the Arafura Games later this month, but wheelchair competitors have been relegated to one of its 14 outside courts. The center was completed in May last year, but it was not long before a major problem became apparent: The center court had a 49.5cm slope from one side to the other. An incline of that size contravenes ITF guidelines, meaning no officially sanctioned events could be played until it is leveled. Tennis NT had received assurances that those guidelines would be met and at the time of its unveiling, but the court gradually sunk into ground, leaving it unfit. The slope is believed to be fixable, but there are no plans in place for work to start.
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