■ Soccer
FIFA lifts ban on Iran
FIFA officially lifted Iran's ban from international competition on Wednesday. The governing body of world soccer said it has held "a series of cooperative negotiations" with Iranian authorities to ensure that the sport is free from political interference. FIFA said the sides agreed to create a provisional board within the Iranian soccer federation that would draft and pass new statutes for the body and hold leadership elections. Iran was suspended from international competition last month after FIFA accused the government of interfering in the federation's affairs.
■ Golf
Wie endorses Pyeongchang
South Korean ski resort Pyeongchang received a boost on Wednesday in its bid to win the right to host the 2014 Winter Olympics as teenage golf star Michelle Wie agreed to become an honorary ambassador. The 17-year-old American whose parents are South Korean agreed after months of negotiations to accept the role after further talks with the chairman of the did committee, Han Seung-soo. Wie, who has yet to triumph on the senior US women's LPGA tour but has finished third at two majors, the Kraft Nabisco and the US Open, and fifth at the LPGA Championship this year, said that it had not been a difficult decision to come to.
■ Golf
Casey wins Shot of the Year
Britain's Paul Casey added the Shot of the Year award on Wednesday to his long list of achievements for the year. The Englishman receives a trophy and £2,000 (US$3,942) to donate to a charity of his choice after his spectacular hole-in-one during Europe's Ryder Cup victory at the K Club in Ireland in September. "I feel very privileged to win the Shot of the Year," Casey said in a news release. "There were so many great shots played during the season and I feel very lucky that mine has been voted the best. It is a very special award." Casey holed his four-iron from 213 yards at the 14th hole as he and David Howell beat Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson 5 & 4 in the Saturday fourballs.
■ Cricket
Michael Vaughan recalled
Former captain Michael Vaughan was recalled yesterday to an England one-day squad which is missing Steve Harmison, who has retired from limited-overs international cricket. Vaughan, recovering from long-standing knee problems, has been included in a 16-man squad to compete in the tri-nations tournament with Australia and New Zealand next month and early February.
EVERY DAY A VICTORY: Players on the women’s team faced pressure from society just getting out onto the field as they prepare for their first Women’s Asian Cup game today Bangladesh’s national soccer team face daunting odds at their first-ever Women’s Asian Cup, but have already scored a major victory by qualifying. In the South Asian nation of 170 million, social stigma, family expectations, poverty and religious hardliners have long relegated women and girls to sports sidelines. The first women’s soccer league matches took place in 2011 and the squad, known to fans as the Red and Green, have kept pressing forward despite deeply embedded prejudices. “Many more girls would have joined us if the community had been even slightly supportive,” captain Afeida Khandaker told AFP ahead of her side’s March 3
Soccer officials yesterday offered “full support and assistance” to the Iranian team in Australia for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup after the US and Israel launched massive attacks on their homeland. Iran’s 26-strong squad arrived on the Gold Coast days before the strikes on Saturday killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Washington and Tel Aviv seek to topple the Islamic republic. They are due to open their tournament today against South Korea. The AFC in a statement said it “continues to closely monitor the recent developments in the Middle East during this challenging period.” “The AFC’s foremost priority remains the welfare, safety and
ROAD RASH: Marc Marquez retired after a crash, marking the first time after 88 consecutive races stretching back to 2021 that a Ducati bike failed to make the podium Marco Bezzecchi yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening grand prix in Thailand from pole position as defending world champion Marc Marquez retired late with a buckled wheel. Aprilia’s Bezzecchi led from start to finish to top the podium in Buriram, with KTM’s Pedro Acosta second and Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez third. Ducati’s Marquez is chasing a record-equaling eighth world title this season, but he exited the race in dramatic fashion while in fourth place with five laps to go. The Spaniard, who started from second on the grid, took a corner wide, with the jolt to his bike dislodging the rear tire, badly damaging his
Liverpool on Tuesday suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the English Premier League’s bottom club. Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux. Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November last year. However, Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool. It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017. Liverpool
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