■ CYCLING
Rider in double trouble
German cyclist Stefan Schumacher had amphetamines in his blood when stopped for drunken driving last year, police said on Tuesday. The 26-year-old Gerolsteiner rider was pulled over by police in Stuttgart on Oct. 7, six days after he won a road race bronze medal at the cycling world championships. His license was revoked for 10 months and he was fined 10,000 euros (US$14,500). The German cycling federation is now trying to determine if police discovering amphetamines in Schumacher's system instead of sports authorities constitutes a doping violation in sport.
■ SOCCER
Coach to pay compensation
FIFA have ordered FC Porto's former Dutch coach Co Adriaanse to pay the club 1.15 million euros (US$1.7 million) in compensation for abruptly terminating his contract without a reason in 2006, the Portuguese outfit announced on Tuesday. A judge sitting on the governing body of world soccer's Player Statutes Commission examined the case and found against Adriaanse and his assistant Jan Olde Riederink, who was told to pay 146,250 euros (US$656,000) in compensation, FC Porto said in a statement. "Unprecedented. For the first time in the world of football a coach has to compensate a club after terminating his contract without a reason," the club said.
■ BASEBALL
'Goose' finally finds fame
Pitcher Rich Gossage, who was in his ninth year on the ballot, was the lone athlete elected to American baseball's Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Gossage easily surpassed the 75 percent needed to get into the Hall, garnering 86 percent of the votes. In recent years, Gossage expressed anger over his exclusion, but his hopes were raised last year, when he fell only 21 votes shy of election with 71.2 percent. Gossage, who was called the "Goose," posted 310 saves during an illustrious 22-year Major League Baseball career from 1972 to 1994.
■ BOXING
Brawl lands ex-champ in jail
France's former WBA light heavyweight champion Mehdi Sahnoune was on Tuesday handed a three-year prison sentence, of which two years were suspended, for his part in a gang attack on a fisherman outside a nightclub. Sahnoune, 31, and a second accused, Bruno Bertagna, were both ordered to spend one year behind bars and fined 2,500 euros (US$3,678) for the attack on the 27-year-old victim in March 2002. The court heard that six men cornered Abdelaziz El Hermi outside a nightclub near Aix-en-Provence simply because they did not like "the overly exuberant manner" in which he danced. El Hermi suffered six fractures to his skull.
■ MOTORSPORT
Chile aims for Dakar Rally
The Chilean government will back a proposal to bring the Dakar Rally to South America after terrorist threats forced the cancellation of the off-road endurance race traditionally staged across the Sahara desert. The head of the Chilean Tourism Service, Oscar Santelices, said a formal letter will be sent next week to the France-based Amaury Sports Organization (ASO) -- organizers of the rally -- expressing Chile's interest to host it. The reaction in Chile came after the Spanish sports newspaper As reported that South America was being considered as an alternative to Africa.
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