■SOCCER
Grieving Palacios flies home
Wilson Palacios has flown home to Honduras after being told that police there have found the body of his younger brother Edwin, who was abducted in 2007. The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was in Liverpool for his club’s Premier League match at Everton when he heard the news. “I got a phone call from him at seven o’clock this morning,” Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said after the match. “The kid heard last night at one o’clock in the morning that they had found his brother’s body and they had caught some of the gang that had murdered him.” Edwin Palacios had been missing since October 2007, when he was kidnapped at his home by assailants who demanded a ransom from the family. He was 16 at the time and his elder brother had just signed for his first English club, Birmingham City. Wilson Palacios subsequently moved to Wigan Athletic, before joining Spurs in January.
■SOCCER
Ledley King arrested
England and Tottenham Hotspur defender Ledley King has been arrested outside a nightclub over an alleged assault. The Spurs captain is being questioned by police on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm early yesterday to another man in London’s Soho district. King was detained at around 2:30am after officers on a routine patrol were flagged down by members of the public. The victim did not require medical treatment.
■CYCLING
Boonen admits to problem
Belgium’s Tom Boonen admitted on Saturday that he “must have taken something” during a drunken night out, as he sought to explain why he tested positive for cocaine after a drug test last month. The cyclist, currently suspended by his Quick Step team, admitted on Belgian TV show Sporza that he had a problem with alcohol and would “now seek help.” “The night before the drug test, I went out,” the recent winner of the Paris-Roubaix said. “I stayed for a while and I drank. At some stage I must have taken something. Then I had a blackout. I think I have a problem. After spending three to four months working, when I go out, I probably over-step the mark and I become someone else. For 364 days a year, it’s perfect. I try to be an exemplary citizen. But the day that I drink too much, something that I don’t do often, I change. I will now seek help.”
■RUGBY UNION
London Irish make final
London Irish will face Leicester in the English Premiership final after sealing a comfortable 17-0 victory over Harlequins in Saturday’s semi-final at the Twickenham Stoop. After 42 minutes, six missed penalties and two changes of kicker, it was Irish who finally took control when Delon Armitage booted them ahead. Substitute second row James Hudson crossed to put the Exiles in the driving seat and when Mike Catt added the second in a dominant final quarter it was all over.
■SWIMMING
Irie smashes world record
Japan’s Ryosuke Irie set a world record in the men’s 200m backstroke at a “Duel in the Pool” meet against Australia yesterday. Irie set a time of 1 minute, 52.86 seconds, beating the previous record, held by Ryan Lochte of the US, by 1.08 seconds. Lochte set the previous mark of 1 minute, 53.94 seconds while winning the gold medal over the distance at last year’s Beijing Olympics. Irie wore an Arena brand swimsuit, which is undergoing independent testing by world governing body FINA, which still has to verify the record.
■BASKETBALL
Yao Ming to miss playoffs
Houston Rockets center Yao Ming will miss the remainder of the NBA playoffs with a broken left foot, the team said on Saturday. An examination revealed a hairline fracture in the foot. Although no surgery is needed, Yao is expected to require eight to 12 weeks to recover, the Rockets said. “In order for the bone to heal properly, Yao will need to immobilize the foot by wearing a walking boot,” Tom Clanton, the Rockets’ team physician, said in a statement on the team’s Web site. “He should be able to resume his regular workout routine some time between the next eight to 12 weeks,” Clanton said. Yao was originally thought to have sprained his left ankle in an 108-94 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Three of their Western Conference semi-finals on Friday. Yao’s injury will come as a blow to the Rockets who trail 2-1 in their best-of-seven series.
■BASEBALL
Mets manager suspended
New York Mets manager Jerry Manuel was suspended for one game by Major League Baseball on Saturday for physically clashing with an umpire during a game on Thursday against World Series champion Philadelphia. Manuel, who missed the Mets’ game on Saturday against Pittsburgh, brushed the bill of his cap against that of first-base umpire Bill Welke while he was yelling into his face. Manuel argued with Welke three times during the Mets’ 7-5 victory over the Phillies before being ejected by Welke in the eighth inning after an obstruction call on Jose Reyes. That decision by Welke allowed runner Shane Victorino to escape being tagged out in a rundown.
■ATHLETICS
Wariner easily wins 400m
American world champion Jeremy Wariner coasted to an easy victory in the men’s 400m at the Japan Grand Prix on Saturday, the fourth leg of the 14-round IAAF Grand Prix series. Wariner, who had to be satisfied with the silver medal in the Beijing Olympics last year, clocked 44.69 seconds to beat Yuzo Kanemaru of Japan into second and Sean Wroe of Australia into third. “I ran a good race today, got a good time. I think it’s number two in the world, so I’m happy with the way I ran,” Wariner said. Japan’s Naoki Tsukahara won the men’s 100m, while Sally McLellan emerged victorious in the women’s 100m with a time of 11.46 to beat Japanese rivals Chisato Fukushima and Momoko Takahashi. Tsukahara marked a personal best of 10.13, beating Rodney Martin of the US and Brian Dzingai of Zimbabwe. Martin saved some face by winning the 200m in 20.30. Other world champions Kerron Clement of the US and Donald Thomas of Bahamas duly won the 400m hurdles and the high jump with 48.60 seconds and 2.28m respectively, while Olympic silver medalist David Payne withdrew from the competition. Other winners included Lachlan Renshaw of Australia in the 800m and Shamar Sands of Bahamas in the 110m hurdles.
■DIVING
Teen wins platform final
British teen Thomas Daley won gold in the men’s platform final at the USA Diving Grand Prix in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday. The 14-year-old scored perfect 10s from the seven judges on his fifth dive — a backward three-and-a-half tuck with a 3.3 degree of difficulty. Daley scored 554.9 points to beat Sascha Klein of Germany with 552.15 and Zhou Luxin of China, who won the silver medal in platform at the Beijing Games, with 549.7. Troy Dumais picked up his second gold of the meet with 512 points in the 3m springboard event.
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
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
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning