■SOCCER
Henry to miss Cup final
Barcelona striker Thierry Henry will miss the Copa del Rey final and might not play in the Champions League final because of his strained right knee ligament. The club said on Friday that Henry will miss the next four games, including Wednesday’s Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao. The France striker was “undergoing specific treatment to try and ensure that he can play in Rome against Manchester United,” the club said on its Web site. Henry injured his knee during Barcelona’s 6-2 win at Real Madrid last weekend. Although he traveled with the team to London, Henry missed Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea that advanced the Spanish league leaders to the Champions League final on May 27. The 31-year-old former Arsenal striker has been one of the keys to Barcelona’s bid to become the first Spanish team to win the treble of Europe’s top club competition and the domestic league and cup double.
■SOCCER
Barca to face the Galaxy
Barcelona’s tour of the US this summer will include a match against David Beckham’s Los Angeles Galaxy. Barcelona will play an exhibition match against the Galaxy at the 90,000 seat Rose Bowl Stadium on Aug. 1. The Catalan club will also face the Seattle Sounders on Aug. 5 and a third match against a yet to be named opponent. Beckham will be back with the Galaxy by the time Barca visit under the terms of his loan agreement with AC Milan.
■NASCAR
Kenseth grabs pole position
Matt Kenseth set a Darlington Raceway record in winning his first pole in four years on Friday, while three-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson will start near the back for the Southern 500 after a qualifying crash. Kenseth had a lap at 288.89kph on the 60-year-old track to take the top spot for the race. He surpassed the mark of 288.77kph set last year by Greg Biffle, the first race after Darlington’s repavement. Johnson, a two-time Darlington winner, had the back end of his car slide into the turn two wall on his first qualifying lap. Then Johnson’s front side hit an infield wall and brought the car to a stop. Johnson was evaluated at the infield care center and released a short time later.
■CYCLING
Riders to be tested for CERA
Riders in the Giro d’Italia will be tested for the advanced blood-boosting drug CERA. Several cyclists have tested positive for the substance since last year’s Tour de France. All 198 riders entered in the Giro underwent routine pre-race tests by the International Cycling Union (UCI) on Thursday and there will be 481 more controls — plus surprise tests — during the three-week race. Giro d’Italia director Angelo Zomegnan announced plans for CERA testing on Friday, but did not specify who will carry out the controls. Urine tests for insulin will also be conducted.
■GOLF
Skins game postponed
The made-for-television Skins game in Indian Wells, a Thanksgiving weekend tradition since 1983, has been postponed because of the global financial crisis. “The Skins game has enjoyed a long and successful history ... but given the current economic climate, postponing the 2009 event was necessary,” IMG media executive vice president Barry Frank said in a statement on Friday. “We look forward to working with key partners over the coming months to ensure the Skins game comes back next year in a manner befitting one of golf’s great traditions.”
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
After nearly six years away from the NBA, New Taipei Kings player Jeremy Lin (林書豪) is set to participate in the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars mini-tournament as the coach of Team G League. The NBA announced Monday (U.S. time) that the Taiwanese-American player will join a trio of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers – Tim Hardaway Sr., Chris Mullin, and Mitch Richmond – as honorary coaches for four teams featuring 28 rising talents. "See you soon in the Bay," Lin wrote in an Instagram story sharing the news. As the All-Star Weekend will take place at
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38