■CYCLING
Armstrong on Astana roster
Lance Armstrong will be on Astana Cycling’s final nine-rider roster for the Tour de France next month. Armstrong, a seven-time Tour winner, will be joined on the team by three-time Grand Tour winner Alberto Contador, Andreas Kloden, Levi Leipheimer, Yaroslav Popovych and Haimar Zubeldia. Three other riders from a list of seven will also earn spots on the roster for the Tour, which begins on July 4 in Monaco. That group includes Jani Brajkovic, Chris Horner, Benjamin Noval, Dmitriy Muravyev, Sergio Paulinho, Gregory Rast and Tomas Vaitkus.
■BASEBALL
Darvish to release book
All-Star Japanese pitcher, philanthropist and model Yu Darvish can now add author to his ever-growing resume. The 22-year-old Darvish, considered by many to be Japan’s best pitcher, has written an instructional baseball book that reveals his techniques for throwing a variety of pitches including change-ups, curves, sliders and sinkers, the Nikkan Sports newspaper reported yesterday. The book, which will be released next month by Baseball Magazine Co, is the latest venture for the popular pitcher, who is the son of an Iranian father and a Japanese mother. Darvish created a stir in Japan’s baseball world when he posed partly nude in a women’s magazine early in his career. He has also set up several charitable organizations. One assists in the distribution of water to developing countries while another provides support for children in his hometown, Osaka.
■ATHLETICS
Usain Bolt’s home burgled
The home of triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt was burgled on Tuesday night while the Jamaican sprinter was competing in the Czech Republic, police revealed on Thursday. The burglars entered the property in the St Andrew area of Kingston between midnight and 4am on Wednesday morning. Bolt’s half-brother, Sadeke Bolt, was asleep in the house at the time. The thieves took around US$1,000 worth of electrical goods, including a camera, a laptop and mobile phones.
■CYCLING
Cavendish wins Swiss stage
British cycling star Mark Cavendish won his second stage in the Tour of Switzerland on Thursday, the 178km sixth stage from Oberriet to Bad Zurzach. The 24-year-old Manxman — winner of four stages in last year’s Tour de France — won in a sprint finish ahead of Spain’s three-time world road race champion Oscar Freire. Slovenia’s Tadej Valjavec (AG2R) retained the overall lead.
■FOOTBALL
Donte Stallworth suspended
Cleveland Browns receiver Donte Stallworth has been suspended indefinitely following his guilty plea to manslaughter while driving under the influence of alcohol, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said on Thursday. Stallworth, 28, was sentenced on Tuesday to 30 days in jail for the car crash that killed a pedestrian in Miami Beach. “The conduct reflected in your guilty plea resulted in the tragic loss of life and was inexcusable,” Goodell wrote in a letter to Stallworth. “While the criminal justice system has determined the legal consequences of this incident, it is my responsibility as NFL Commissioner to determine appropriate league discipline for your actions, which have caused irreparable harm to the victim and his family, your club, your fellow players and the NFL.”
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday sparked defending champions Oklahoma City to victory, while Anthony Edwards led Minnesota’s last-minute fightback to beat San Antonio. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points while adding eight assists and five rebounds in the Thunder’s 124-112 home victory over Miami, improving the NBA’s best record to 33-7 after outscoring the Heat 70-53 in the second half. “We locked in defensively. We were finally able to get some stops,” Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins said. “We were able to get out in transition a little bit, get going offensively and find the flow.” Jalen Williams scored 18 points, while
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