FOOTBALL
Dolphins release Walton
The Miami Dolphins on Tuesday said that they have released running back Mark Walton after he allegedly assaulted his pregnant girlfriend. Walton had been waived after the team was made aware of the allegations earlier that day, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said. “We were made aware of a police matter earlier this morning regarding Mark Walton,” Grier said. “We hold our players to a high standard and take these matters very seriously. We will have no further comment at this time.” The Miami Herald said that Walton was detained after attacking his girlfriend in Davie, outside Fort Lauderdale, Florida, early that day. Davie police said that Walton had been charged with aggravated battery of a pregnant person. The newspaper quoted a police report as saying that Walton shoved the woman “against a wall and punched her several times in the head and face.”
SOCCER
Fans detained after match
More than 40 fans were detained following a FIFA World Cup qualifier between Malaysia and Indonesia in Kuala Lumpur after they hurled flares and bottles at each other, police said yesterday. It was the latest instance of trouble at a match between the archrivals after Malaysian fans were threatened and pelted with projectiles at a World Cup qualifier in Jakarta in September. In Tuesday evening’s match, rival fans started throwing projectiles during the match, which ended in a 2-0 win for the hosts. However, the most serious trouble occurred after the game, with supporters lighting flares and hurling bottles in front of an entrance to the Bukit Jalil National Stadium. Security officials arrested 27 Malaysians and 14 Indonesians, senior police official Mohammed Mokhsein Mohammed Zon told local media. They were released soon afterward, but police are still investigating the incident. Some Indonesian fans stayed in the stadium until the scuffles had ended and waited to be escorted out by police.
SOCCER
Mourinho to lead Tottenham
Jose Mourinho was yesterday appointed Tottenham Hotspur’s new manager to replace Mauricio Pochettino, with the club languishing 14th in the Premier League. The Portuguese former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager signed a contract until the end of the 2022-2023 season, the north London club said in a statement. Pochettino, 47, transformed Spurs’ fortunes after arriving from Southampton in 2014 and, although he failed to win a trophy, he took the club to the UEFA Champions League final for the first time in their history just six months ago. However, the Argentine was fired on Tuesday, with Tottenham struggling in the league after picking up just three wins from their opening 12 games. This season they were knocked out of the EFL Cup by fourth-tier Colchester United and suffered an embarrassing 7-2 defeat at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League. “I am excited to be joining a club with such a great heritage and such passionate supporters,” said Mourinho, who has won domestic titles in a record four different countries. “The quality in both the squad and the academy excites me. Working with these players is what has attracted me.” His first match in charge will be against West Ham United on Saturday.
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
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was