■BOXING
Bullets flew around Forrest
Former champion Vernon Forrest exchanged gunfire with robbery suspects before being shot to death, Atlanta police said on Monday. The 38-year-old former two-division champion was killed on Saturday night. Investigators believe between 20 and 24 shots were fired from two guns, said Lieutenant Keith Meadows. Police recovered Forrest’s gun and one shell casing belonging to that gun, he said. Forrest was putting air in his car tires at a service station when a man asked for money, his manager Charles Watson said. When he pulled his wallet out, the man snatched it and started running, and Forrest took off after him, Watson said. Meadows would not confirm those details and said investigators have no new leads on suspects.
■SOCCER
Ronaldo has double fracture
Three-time FIFA player of the year Ronaldo will be sidelined for at least five weeks while he recovers from a double fracture of his left hand, his Brazilian club Corinthians said on Monday. The 32-year-old striker — a two-time World Cup winner and all-time leading World Cup finals scorer — suffered the injury when he fell during a match against rivals Palmeiras, the club’s doctor Paolo de Faria said.
■SOCCER
Obama backs World Cup bid
US President Barack Obama offered support on Monday for the US bid to host the World Cup, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said after a meeting at the White House. Blatter told Obama that as FIFA chief he had to stay neutral on the issue of bids — there are 11 contenders so far for the 2018 host country — but said that Obama appealed for Blatter to “make another move toward United States soccer.” According to Blatter, Obama said that being able to host the competition might boost the US profile of the sport. Blatter said he played a little soccer with the president, who is better known for his basketball skills than his soccer talent. But the FIFA chief said the US president managed to control the ball, kicking it twice with his feet and once with his head, and said he was “impressed” by Obama’s skills.
■BASEBALL
Mets fire combative VP
The New York Mets, who have had a frustrating, injury-plagued season, made a front office move on Monday by firing vice president of player development Tony Bernazard for some combative behavior. Mets general manager Omar Minaya dismissed Bernazard, telling reporters that “his behavior in his interaction with others was inconsistent with our organization’s values.” Bernazard had the spotlight on him after a Daily News report that he had ripped off his shirt and challenged members of the Mets’ struggling Double-A Binghamton team to a fight during a post-game tirade this month. Other incidents were also reported, including a profanity-laced complaint about another team’s scout sitting in a seat he wanted at New York’s Citi Field, and a run-in on the team bus with Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez.
■BASKETBALL
Suns extend Nash contract
Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash has been signed by the Phoenix Suns to a two-year contract extension through the 2011-2012 season, the club said on Monday. The 35-year-old point guard has averaged 14.4 points and eight assists over his 13-year NBA career. Nash is one of only nine players in the NBA to win back-to-back NBA MVP awards (2005, 2006) and is a six-times All-Star.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
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