SOCCER
Chinese women get boost
The women’s game in China yesterday received a major financial boost after Ant Financial’s Alipay said it would provide 1 billion yuan (US$145.4 million) in funding for a 10-year project. The initiative was being funded primarily by charitable organization the Alipay Foundation and would look to make the sport more accessible to girls and women, Alipay said in a statement. The funds would be allocated to improve the national team setup, youth development, coaching education and the welfare of retired professionals. The women’s team have traditionally been more competitive on the international stage than the men’s side, finishing runners-up at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup and fourth at the 1995 tournament. At the ongoing World Cup in France, China reached the last 16, where they lost 2-0 to Italy. The men’s team have qualified for the World Cup only once, in 2002 when they lost all three games.
OLYMPICS
Second round for tickets
Tokyo organizers are putting “a few hundred thousand” tickets into a lottery next month for Japan residents who were shut out when results of the first lottery were announced last month. The new “second-chance” lottery is being organized on short notice because of unprecedented demand, which is believed to be at least 10 times over supply. Organizing committee spokesman Masa Takaya yesterday said that 3.22 million tickets were sold to residents in the first lottery. More than 90 percent of applicants bought the tickets that they were awarded, he said, adding that only the unsold tickets would be those offered in the next round. Japan residents might get fewer than half of the 7.8 million tickets that organizers say are available for all events. It is a reversal from recent Olympics when tickets were unsold and many events were poorly attended.
FOOTBALL
Dolphins’ Norton loses arm
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Kendrick Norton has had his arm amputated after a car crash in the early hours of Thursday. Florida police said that the 22-year-old’s Ford F250 overturned after hitting a concrete barrier. His injuries are not considered life-threatening, but his agent said the player had his arm amputated. Norton was drafted by the Carolina Panthers last year after starring for the University of Miami. He joined the Dolphins in December and was competing for a roster spot this off-season.
SOCCER
FIFA rejects criticism
Criticism of FIFA president Gianni Infantino over the handling of sexual abuse investigations was “ill-informed and unjustified,” the governing body said on Thursday after Afghanistan women’s team coach Kelly Lindsey said she was “disgusted” with him. Lindsey had demanded Infantino’s departure, claiming FIFA is not being rigorous enough in pursuing Afghanistan Football Federation officials. FIFA has so far only sanctioned Keramuudin Karim, who was banned for life last month for repeated sexual abuse of female players while president of the federation. FIFA has now disclosed that it is “carefully looking into allegations leveled against additional persons and will not hesitate to take appropriate measures and impose sanctions if justified.”
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two