■ Soccer
Rooney accused of spitting
Everton and England striker Wayne Rooney has been accused of spitting in a woman's face at a Manchester nightclub, British media reported yesterday. The Sun newspaper reported the 18-year-old faced a police probe over the alleged incident which took place in the early hours of Sunday. Greater Manchester Police refused to confirm the names of those involved, and said an investigation into the incident was underway. "It is claimed that an 18-year-old man spat in the woman's face in a Manchester nightclub at around 3am on Sunday Feb. 8," a police spokesman said, adding the complaint was lodged by a 23-year-old woman. The player's agent Paul Stretford was quoted as saying by British media that a woman had spat at Rooney.
■ Soccer
Inter blasts ref
Inter Milan took aim at referee Emilio Pellegrino after their Italian Cup semifinal defeat on penalties by Juventus on Thursday. Juve, Inter's historic rivals, won 5-4 on penalties after the second leg ended 2-2 after extra-time. The first leg had also finished in a 2-2 draw. Inter had Colombian defender Ivan Cordoba sent off in the 67th minute for a crude late challenge on Juve's European Player of the Year Pavel Nedved and moments later were up in arms after a penalty claim was waved away by Pellegrino. "The refereeing tonight was unacceptable and after all we did in those two games we are out of the Cup," Inter president Giacinto Facchetti told reporters. "But I want to congratulate the referee for helping us find our spirit and determination after he left us to play with 10 men." Asked whether Inter would make a formal complaint about the officiating, Facchetti said: "There are institutions that need to control certain things."
■ Olympics
Kim indicted for corruption
International Olympic Committee vice president Kim Un-yong has been indicted on charges of taking bribes and embezzling funds from South Korean sports organizations, a prosecution official confirmed yesterday. Kim was indicted Thursday, according to prosecution spokesman Kook Min-soo, who could not provide details of the charges against the 72-year-old sports administrator, who was arrested on Jan. 28. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said Kim is charged with embezzling 3.84 billion won (US$3.28 million) in funds from the World Taekwondo Federation, the World Taekwondo Headquarters -- which issues taekwondo credentials -- as well as other sports organizations. Kim is also accused of receiving bribes of 810 million won (US$692,000) from businesses and a sports official in return for favors, Yonhap said.
■ Basketball
Yao signs burger deal
NBA star Yao Ming will be friends with Ronald McDonald after the Houston Rockets center signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with McDonald's. The contract was announced at a McDonald's outlet inside the Los Angeles Convention Center on Thursday. Yao was in town to play in tomorrow's NBA All-Star game at Staples Center. "I have always been a big fan of McDonald's ever since the first restaurant opened in China 10 years ago," Yao said. Yao replaces Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, whose three-year deal with the fast-food company expired on Dec. 31 and was not renewed. Bryant has lost other sponsors while his sexual assault case proceeds in Colorado. "His contract expired and we mutually determined under the circumstances it was best to not renew," said Larry Light, McDonald's global chief marketing officer.
Freddie Freeman homered and drove in four runs, Shohei Ohtani also went deep and Roki Sasaki earned his first major league win as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-3 on Saturday night for their seventh straight victory. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series to improve to 5-0 against Atlanta this year. Los Angeles’ three-game sweep at home early in the season left the Braves 0-7. Sasaki allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up a home run to Ozzie Albies, but received plenty of offensive support in his
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
THRILLER: Raphinha gave Barca a 3-2 lead with two minutes remaining of regular time, but Francesco Acerbi equalized the game in the second minute of added time Davide Frattesi on Tuesday fired Inter into the UEFA Champions League final with an extra-time winner that gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate. Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy. Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, Germany, where they would feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after
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