■TENNIS
Two players sanctioned
The Czech Republic’s Frantisek Cermak and Slovakia’s Michal Mertinak, both doubles specialists, became the latest players to be banned and fined for betting on tennis matches, the ATP said on Monday. Cermak, 31, who does not have a singles ranking, was banned for 10 weeks from Monday and fined US$15,000, while world No. 616 Mertinak received a two-week suspension and a US$3,000 penalty. “An ATP investigation launched in November 2007 found that Mr Cermak had wagered on tennis matches during a period dating from 9 Sept. 2006 through 1 Feb. 2007,” the ATP said in a statement. “The same investigation found that Mr Mertinak had wagered on tennis matches during October of 2006.” The ATP said neither player had placed bets on his own matches and the independent hearing officer found no evidence of any intent to affect the outcome of any matches wagered upon. The ATP’s Anti-Corruption Program prohibits players and their entourage from betting on any form of tennis.
■ATHLETICS
Jones asks for commutation
Disgraced sprinter Marion Jones has asked US President George W. Bush to commute her six-month prison sentence for lying to government agents about her use of performance-enhancing drugs and a check-fraud scam. The US Justice Department confirmed on Monday that Jones is among hundreds of convicted felons who have applied for presidential pardons or sentence commutations, but would provide no further details. A pardon is an official act of forgiveness that removes civil liabilities stemming from a criminal conviction, while a commutation reduces or eliminates a person’s sentence. Such applications are reviewed by the Justice Department, which makes a recommendation to the president. It’s unclear when Jones, who was stripped of the three gold and two bronze medals she won at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, made the request. She entered prison March 7 in Fort Worth, Texas. Jones was sentenced in January to six months in prison and 400 hours of community service in each of the two years following her release.
■OLYMPICS
Locust threat recedes
The threat of a locust plague reaching Beijing during next month’s Olympics is easing as a campaign to blitz the pests in a region close to the capital takes effect, officials said. Farmers and officials at Duolun County in Inner Mongolia, 180km north of Beijing, have “virtually” eliminated the locusts and their larvae in the hardest-hit areas, Lu Zhanshan, who heads the local agricultural office, said in an interview yesterday. Inner Mongolia is experiencing one of most serious locust plagues in years. “We’re pretty confident that there won’t be any locust threat to Beijing,” Lu said.
■SOCCER
Manager shows ref red card
An Austrian first division manager was so incensed with a referee that he brandished a red card at the official from the touchline. But Frenkie Schinkels’ unusual form of protest earned him his very own red card with the referee wasting no time in banishing the Austria Carinthie manager to the stands. Schinkels reached into his pocket to pull out the card that also cost him a fine after the referee in the game against Rapid Vienna on Saturday had made numerous “refereeing mistakes.” Schinkels told the local media that he carried a red card with him on the advice of his father. “I do less harm with it than when I open my mouth,” he said.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
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