■ ATHLETICS
Wife threatens to tell all
The wife of the doctor at the center of Spain’s biggest doping investigation says Spanish sport would be ruined if she revealed all she knows about drug use among athletes. Former runner Cristina Perez said Spain’s record medal performance at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics was in part thanks to her husband, Eufemianio Fuentes, the doctor at the center of cycling’s Operation Puerto case. Perez competed on Spain’s 1,600m relay team in Barcelona. “I know what happened at Barcelona ‘92 and I’m a Pandora’s box that, if opened one day, could bring down sport,” Perez was quoted as saying by La Provincia newspaper. “But out of respect for my companions, the people who sacrificed so much, I’m staying quiet. Although I could speak out and ruin all those caught up in this little world.” Fuentes was one of five people arrested in May 2006 after Spanish police raided apartments in Madrid and Zaragoza and uncovered a blood doping ring that would implicate more than 50 cyclists. Perez, who said all “all elite athletes and regular athletes were implicated” in doping networks across the world, added that the government made Fuentes a doping scapegoat after he helped many Spanish athletes win Olympic medals.
■ FOOTBALL
‘Pacman’ Jones reinstated
The NFL lifted Adam “Pacman” Jones’ suspension on Wednesday, just more than five weeks after the Dallas Cowboys cornerback was banned for another violation of its personal conduct policy. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Adam Jones was reinstated by league commissioner Roger Goodell, but would miss the next two games and likely return on Dec. 7 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jerry Jones said the player could return to practice on Monday. The owner said Adam Jones would have “limited participation” this week, but would not be part of full-squad practices or conditioning.
■ SOCCER
Mourinho’s medal sold
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho’s Premier League winners’ medal sold for £21,600 (US$32,240) at an auction in London on Wednesday. Mourinho threw the medal into the stands at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea beat Manchester United 3-0 to win the 2005-2006 title. It was caught by a fan and sold to an unnamed telephone bidder at a sporting memorabilia sale at Bonhams Auctioneers in Chester. At the same auction, a winners’ medal from the 1930 World Cup was sold for £28,800. The gold medal was awarded to Uruguay captain Jose Nasazzi after his side defeated Argentina 4-2 to become the first World champions.
■ SUMO
Ama upsets grand champion
Mongolian Ama upset compatriot Hakuho on Thursday to move into a two-way tie for the lead with the grand champion at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, Japan. Sekiwake Ama forced Hakuho back at the faceoff and threw the yokozuna down with an arm throw. Ama, who is bidding for his first Emperor’s Cup and promotion to the rank of ozeki, is tied with Hakuho at 10-2 heading into the final three days of the tournament. Hakuho, bidding for his ninth title, desperately tried to escape Ama’s hold but touched the dirt surface for just his second loss since an opening-day loss to Aminishiki. In other major bouts, ozeki Chiyotaikai (7-5) prevented Miyabiyama making it a three-way tie for the tournament lead, forcing the No. 7 maegashira out. Fifth-ranked maegashira Dejima shoved out Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu to give both wrestlers a record of 6-6.
Doping fears prevented former US Open champion Emma Raducanu from treating insect bites on the eve of the Australian Open, she said, with players increasingly wary about ingesting contaminated substances. The British player was speaking in the wake of high-profile doping cases involving Iga Swiatak and Jannik Sinner. “I would say all of us are probably quite sensitive to what we take on board, what we use,” the 22-year-old said, recalling an incident on Friday. “I got really badly bitten by, I don’t know what, like ants, mosquitoes, something. I’m allergic, I guess,” she added. The bites “flared up and swelled up really a
The NHL postponed the Los Angeles Kings’ home game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday with several massive wildfires burning across the greater Los Angeles area. The Kings and Flames were scheduled to play on Wednesday night at the Kings’ downtown arena. The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers were scheduled to host the Charlotte Hornets in the same arena last night. “Our hearts are with our entire Los Angeles community,” the Kings said in a statement. “We appreciate the hard working first responders who are diligently working to contain the fire and protect our community. We appreciate the league’s support in keeping our
TWO IN A WEEK: Despite an undefeated start to the year playing alongside Jiang Xinyu of China, Wu Fang-hsien is to play the Australian Open with a Russian partner Taiwan’s Wu Fang-hsien yesterday triumphed at the Hobart International, winning the women’s doubles title at the US$275,094 outdoor hard-court tournament, while McCartney Kessler lifted the trophy in the women’s singles. Fourth-ranked Wu and partner Jiang Xinyu of China took 1 hour, 15 minutes to defeat Romania’s Monica Niculescu and Fanny Stollar of Hungary, 6-1, 7-6 (8/6) at the Hobart International Tennis Centre, their second title in a week. Wu and Jiang on Sunday won the women’s doubles title at the ASB Classic in Auckland, beating Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic and Sabrina Santamaria of the US. Their winning ways continued in Australia as they stretched
EL CLASSICO: La Liga champions Real Madrid would face Barcelona in the Super Cup final tomorrow. Barca secured their final spot after a 2-0 win over Bilbao on Wednesday Real Madrid would chase a record-equaling 14th Spanish Super Cup title in the final against Barcelona after second-half goals by Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo helped them to a 3-0 win over Mallorca in the semi-finals on Thursday. England midfielder Bellingham broke the deadlock after the hour mark with a low shot into the middle of the goal before Mallorca defender Martin Valjent’s own goal doubled the lead in stoppage time followed by a Rodrygo strike from close range. Spanish champions Real are to play Barcelona for the trophy tomorrow after goals by Gavi and Lamine Yamal earned Barca a 2-0 win over
RSS