■ HORSE RACING
Jockey left paralyzed
Jockey Andrew Lakeman is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of a fall during a race at Belmont Park last month, the Daily Racing Form reported. The 32-year-old Lakeman was told by doctors at North Shore University Hospital on Wednesday he would never walk again, a friend of the jockey said in a report posted late Thursday on the Form's Web site. "Andrew was very frustrated, very angry, and very scared hearing this all of a sudden," said Tom Daughn, who told the Form he is a close friend of the jockey. "They needed to sedate him a little bit. I told him we'll work through this."
■ BASEBALL
Standridge heads for Japan
Former Kansas City Royals pitcher Jason Standridge became the newest member of the Softbank Hawks of Japan's Pacific League yesterday. Standridge was 3-9 with a 5.80 ERA over seven seasons in the major leagues with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds and the Royals. The 28-year-old right-handed pitcher joins a bullpen which leads the Pacific League with a 2.99 ERA. "My strength is my fastball," Standridge said. "I'll do my best to help the team win games and the championship." The Hawks are in second place in the standings behind Lotte Marines.
■ SOCCER
Bad boy Barton joins Toon
Midfielder Joey Barton signed a five-year contract with Newcastle on Thursday in a transfer worth ?5.8 million (US$11.4 million). Barton left Manchester City after a string of disciplinary problems -- the latest coming last month when he allegedly attacked his teammate Ousmane Dabo at a training session. He was suspended for Manchester City's final two games of the season. Barton said he was excited to work with new Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce.
■ CYCLING
Union pushes maximum ban
Ivan Basso should receive the maximum ban of two years for doping, the International Cycling Union said in a letter sent to Italian officials on Thursday on the eve of the rider's disciplinary hearing. The Italian Olympic Committee's doping prosecutors recommended last month that last year's Giro d'Italia champion be banned for 21 months. Basso had a hearing scheduled before the Italian cycling federation yesterday, after which his ban would be decided. Basso is accused of using or attempting to use a banned substance or method, and "possession of banned substances and methods." He was suspended by the Italian federation last month after acknowledging involvement in the probe, known as Operation Puerto. He confessed to "attempted doping," but said he never actually went through with it.
■ CYCLING
Moreau wins Dauphine stage
France's Christophe Moreau won stage four of the Dauphine Libere with a powerful climb up steep Mont Ventoux on Thursday. Kazakhstan's Andrey Kashechkin took the overall lead. The stage win was Moreau's second at this Dauphine. The 36-year-old cyclist with the AG2R team also won stage two. He surged ahead on Ventoux, finishing one minute, eight seconds ahead of Poland's Sylvester Szmyd, who rides for Lampre. Spain's Igor Anton of Euskaltel finished third, 1:21 behind Moreau. Kashechkin finished in 13th place, 2:04 behind Moreau but good enough to take the lead from teammate Alexandre Vinokourov, who struggled on the climb.
Brazil has four teams, more than any other country, in the expanded Club World Cup that kicked off yesterday in the US, but for SE Palmeiras, the competition holds a special meaning: winning it would provide some redemption. Under coach Abel Ferreira since 2020, Palmeiras lifted two Copa Libertadores titles, plus Brazilian league, cup and state championships. Even before Ferreira, it boasted another South American crown and 11 league titles. The only major trophy missing is a world champions’ title. Other Brazilian clubs like Fluminense FC and Botafogo FR, also in the tournament, have never won it either, but the problem for Palmeiras
Manchester City on Monday completed the signing of left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported ￡31 million (US$41.8 million). The 24-year-old Algeria international has signed a five-year contract and will be available for the FIFA Club World Cup, which begins later this week. Ait-Nouri is expected to be just one of a trio of new City faces for that tournament with deals close to completion for AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and Olympique Lyonnais playmaker Rayan Cherki. After missing out on a major trophy in the recently completed season for the first time since 2016-2017, City are hoping
Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped FIFA Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday. Fans showed up en masse for the Group A clash at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, but Messi could not fully deliver, his best chance coming through a last-second attempt that was deflected onto the crossbar. Inter Miami next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta, while Al-Ahly, who benefited from raucous, massive support, are to
Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in has pleaded with South Korea fans to get behind the team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after more boos were aimed at coach Hong Myung-bo despite leading them to qualification. South Korea reached next year’s finals in North America without losing a game, but that does not tell the whole story. The country’s soccer association has been in the firing line, having scrambled about to find a successor after sacking the unpopular Jurgen Klinsmann in February last year. They eventually settled on Hong, the decorated former skipper who had an unsuccessful stint as coach in 2013-2014, during which
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