■ Soccer
Zidane penalty `measured'
The president of France's soccer federation was satisfied with the punishment given to Zinedine Zidane on Thursday for his head-butt in the World Cup final. Zidane was banned by FIFA for three games on Thursday for attacking Italy defender Marco Materazzi. He was also fined 7,500 Swiss francs (US$6,000). "It was intelligent, measured and reasonable. It shows knowledge of the world of football," Jean-Pierre Escalettes told a news conference. Now retired, the former France captain will serve his punishment by doing community work. "His way of paying this penalty is perhaps the best that we could imagine," Escalettes said. The governing body also suspended Materazzi for two matches and fined him 5,000 francs after a disciplinary committee heard Zidane's account of the provocation that led to the incident. "It's a verdict that satisfies me. The provoker of the incident has been punished," Escalettes said.
■ Soccer
Parreira eyes South Africa
Former Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira could be handed the job of leading South Africa at the 2010 World Cup finals, a Brazilian newspaper reported on Thursday. "The business with South Africa is serious, very serious," he told the O Estado newspaper, adding that he could take up the reins at the start of next year. Parreira resigned as Brazil coach on Wednesday following the team's disappointing quarter-finals exit at the hands of France at the World Cup in Germany.
■ Golf
Tschudin makes hole-in-one
Australia's Andrew Tschudin made a hole-in-one on the 326m, par-four 15th hole en route to a 9-under 63 and the first-round lead on Thursday in the Hooters Tour's Thunder Bayou Classic. Tschudin also had an eagle on the par-five fifth hole and added four birdies in his bogey-free round on the Thunder Bayou course. Sal Spallone of the US was a stroke back after a 64.
■ Soccer
Jokes used as punishment
Sleeping in has become a laughing matter at German first division side Wolfsburg since narrowly escaping relegation last season, says the team's coach. Players who arrive late at training are obliged to entertain their colleagues by cracking jokes and singing to make up for the time they have been kept waiting, popular daily Bild reported on Thursday. "It hurts them more than a 10 euro (US$12.60) fine. Some hardly ever sleep in," said coach Klaus Augenthaler. The Lower Saxony club finished 15th in the Bundesliga last season.
■ Soccer
Wolves appoint McCarthy
Wolverhampton Wanderers yesterday appointed Mick McCarthy as manager. The 47-year-old signed a 12-month rolling contract, the terms of which were not released. He takes over at the League Championship club from Glenn Hoddle, who resigned on July 1. "I'm delighted to be joining Wolves. There's a big job to do at Molineux and I'm relishing the challenge. It's going to be a busy but exciting time," McCarthy said. He was fired by Sunderland in March and the club went on to be relegated in last place in the Premier League with a record-low 15 points.
He joined Sunderland in 2003 after leaving the manager's post with Ireland and guided Sunderland to promotion as the League Championship winner last year.
Lin Yun-ju on Thursday handed Taiwan two key victories as they advanced to the semi-finals of the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London. The Taiwan men’s table tennis team beat Sweden 3-2 in five singles matches. The 24-year-old Lin, Taiwan’s top-ranked player at world No. 7 and nicknamed the “Silent Assassin,” opened the tie by defeating world No. 2 Truls Moregard 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 13-11) before clinching the deciding fifth match with a 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 11-5) win over Anton Kallberg to hand his team the overall victory. Kuo Guan-hong put Taiwan up 2-0 with a 3-2 (4-11, 11-8, 8-11,
Taiwan’s men’s table tennis team won bronze on Saturday at this year’s International Table Tennis Federation World Team Table Tennis Championships in London, matching the country’s best-ever finish at the regular tournament. Consisting of Lin Yun-ju, Taiwan’s top-ranked player at world No. 7, Feng Yi-hsin, Kuo Guan-hong, Hong Jing-kai and Hsu Hsien-chia, the team won bronze after losing 0-3 to Japan in the semifinals. In the opening match, 24-year-old Lin played the first game against world No. 3 Tomokazu Harimoto 11-5, but ultimately lost the next three closely contested games 9-11, 10-12 and 10-12. Feng then faced world No. 8 Sora Matsushima in
Taiwanese fire dancer Yang Li-wei advanced to the final of Britain’s Got Talent this weekend after receiving a Golden Buzzer during her live semi-final performance. Yang, a member of Taiwan’s Coming True Fire Group, awed judges and audiences with a high-intensity fire performance featuring flaming umbrellas, fire swallowing and spinning metal structures balanced with her legs. Judge Simon Cowell praised Yang as a star, while guest judge KSI reacted with amazement before pressing the Golden Buzzer, sending her to the finals. The dance group wrote on social media that the Golden Buzzer was “the highest honor” on the talent show, adding: “Twenty-three years
As Super Rugby fast approaches its playoff season it finds itself racing toward a reckoning with many issues that threaten the southern hemisphere tournament. A group of stakeholders met in the New Zealand city of Christchurch late last month to address problems that are making the future of the 31-year-old competition increasingly tenuous. The discussion was made more urgent by the decision by the owners of Moana Pasifika to fold the Auckland-based club for financial reasons. That followed the closure of the Melbourne Rebels at the end of the 2024 season, likewise because of financial difficulties. Problems addressed included player retention as more
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