■ EVENTS
Taiwan to host sports forum
Taiwan has won its bid to host the 2010 forum of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), a Sports Affairs Council official said Saturday. The winning bid is considered by local authorities as another victory in "sports diplomacy," following the nation's success in obtaining the right to host the 2009 Summer Deaflympics and Kaohsiung's winning the right to host the 2009 World Games. Council Vice Chairman Lee Kao-hsiang said the FISU Forum is a biennial event and the bid to host the forum was made in a low-profile manner in light of China's efforts to isolate Taiwan in the international arena.
■ RALLY RACING
Ford drivers lead in Finland
Ford drivers Marcus Gronholm and Mikko Hirvonen were hard to separate after the first day of the Finnish world championship rally on Friday. After 11 of 23 special stages, Gronholm led by 4.4 seconds over his Finnish compatriot. Gronholm won won six stages and tied one. Reigning world champion Sebastien Loeb of France was 20.2 seconds back in third place in his Citroen. Chris Atkinson of Australia was 46.9 seconds behind in fourth, while 2003 world champion Petter Solberg of Norway was fifth, trailing by 57.3 seconds. The rally ends today.
■ SOCCER
Benitez praises Torres
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez praised expensive new acquisition Fernando Torres, who scored his first goal for the Merseysiders in the 2-0 friendly win over Chinese side Shanghai on Friday. Benitez believes the ?20 million (US$40.9 million) player will go into the new Premiership season next week full of confidence after an impressive 13th-minute strike. Substitute Steven Gerrard bagged the second goal on 64 minutes in what was Liverpool's penultimate pre-season friendly. "Getting off the mark will give Torres a lot of confidence heading into the new season," Benitez said on the Liverpool Web site. "I was very pleased with Fernando, it was very important for him to score his first goal for Liverpool."
■ HOCKEY
Ex-cop nailed for gambling
A former police officer who admitted running a sports betting ring with retired ice hockey All-Star Rick Tocchet was sentenced on Friday to five years in prison. Under a plea agreement he struck with prosecutors a year ago, James Harney could have been sentenced to up to seven years in prison. Tocchet, an assistant coach with the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes, also pleaded guilty and faces sentencing this month. Sports gambling businesses are illegal in much of the US outside the state of Nevada. Harney, a former officer with the New Jersey State Police, received a relatively light sentence because he cooperated with authorities.
■ SOCCER
Japanese query refereeing
Chinese referees discarded any sense of neutrality when they officiated an under-22 friendly match between Japan and China, Japanese media alleged yesterday. The match was staged before a raucous partisan crowd of 50,000 in Shenyang on Friday as part of a four-nation pre-Olympic under-22 tournament that also involved North Korea and Botswana. One assistant referee was reportedly seen loudly singing the Chinese national anthem before the start of the match. Japanese players were slapped with four yellow cards, while Chinese players got away with "hard tackles which did not resemble football," the Sankei Sports daily said.
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about £2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Less than a week after splashing out a world-record fee for Naomi Girma, Chelsea has spent big again to bring England midfielder Keira Walsh back to the English Women’s Super League. Walsh left European champions Barcelona after more than two years to join Chelsea for a reported £400,000 (US$496,000) on Friday. Walsh was the world’s most expensive player for two years after moving to Barcelona from Manchester City for a reported £400,000 in 2022. That status now belongs to Girma, the US defender who cost Chelsea a reported £900,000 to sign from the San Diego Wave. Still, it means 27-year-old Walsh — a technically