■OLYMPICS
Medal designer dies
Leo Obstbaum, a designer of Vancouver’s 2010 Olympic medals and mascots, died suddenly at age 40, Games organizers said on Monday. The cause of his death at his home on Thursday evening has not been released. As design director for the Games, Obstbaum led a team that created the yet-to-be-unveiled 2010 Winter Olympic medals, as well as the torches and mascots.
■SOCCER
Everton sign Bilyaletdinov
English Premier League side Everton have signed Lokomotiv Moscow skipper Diniyar Bilyaletdinov on a five-year deal, the railway-backed side announced on their official Web site on Tuesday. The 24-year-old midfielder, who has played for Lokomotiv since 2004, signed a deal with Everton late on Monday in Hamburg, Germany, where he had undergone a medical examination. No financial details of the deal were disclosed.
■BASKETBALL
Beasley checks into rehab
The Miami Heat’s troubled forward Michael Beasley has checked into a Texas rehab facility, the Miami Herald reported on Monday. The newspaper said that Beasley had spent the last two weeks in a Houston rehab as part of the NBA’s substance abuse program to address concerns over his mental state and drug abuse. The paper said the team was concerned about pictures and messages posted to the player’s Twitter page. The photos show Beasley showing off a tattoo on his back in front of a mirror with two bags on either side that were rumored to be filled with marijuana. The messages reportedly indicated Beasley writing that life was not worth living. Both the picture and the posts have been removed, the paper said.
■SOCCER
Man charged over stabbing
A 25-year-old man was charged on Monday with stabbing West Ham defender Calum Davenport, who remained hospitalized in serious condition with leg wounds. Davenport and his 49-year-old mother were attacked on Friday night at her home in Bedford, 92km north of London, and the centerback needed emergency surgery. The 26-year-old player’s condition was described as serious but stable. Bedfordshire police said on Monday that 25-year-old Worrell Whitehurst, from Derby, was charged with grievous bodily harm to Davenport and also assaulting the player’s mother. Whitehurst was due to appear in court later on Monday, while a 19-year-old man who was also arrested on Sunday has been released on bail. No motive for the attack was given.
■RUGBY UNION
Australia delay naming team
Lock Nathan Sharpe and center Berrick Barnes have been ruled out of Australia’s team to play South Africa in the Tri-Nations on Saturday. The pair joined a mounting casualty list that forced the Wallabies to delay the naming of their team by 48 hours. The selectors were due to name their side yesterday, but had to postpone the announcement until tomorrow because of the heavy injury toll from last weekend’s 19-18 loss to New Zealand in Sydney. Four players, Sharpe, Barnes, teenage fullback James O’Connor and flanker Rocky Elsom, missed Monday’s training session in Perth to seek medical treatment. Sharpe was then ruled out of the match because of a shoulder problem while Barnes was overlooked after suffering concussion and injuring his neck against the All Blacks last weekend. Elsom is nursing an ankle injury while O’Connor limped off the field after hurting his leg, although X-rays later cleared him of any fractures.
A seven-year-old horse had to be euthanized on Friday after breaking its back on the final fence of a Grand National steeplechase race that it won despite sustaining the serious injury. It follows the death of four horses at the Cheltenham Festival last month — including one after the prestigious Gold Cup. Gold Dancer was competing in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase during Ladies Day at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. The horse managed to cross the finish line approximately four lengths ahead of runner-up Regent’s Stroll. “The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after
Taiwanese gymnast Tang Chia-hung on Sunday topped the men’s horizontal bar event at the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, scoring 15.233 to take his third title this season. Tang delivered an outstanding performance in the final, earning a difficulty score of 6.500 and an execution score of 8.633 with a 0.1 stick bonus. His closest competitor was Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan, who finished second with 14.933 points. It was Tang’s third gold medal in the FIG World Cup series this year, following his horizontal bar wins in Azerbaijan on March 8, and in Turkey on March
Hans Niemann declares he would become a “stone cold killer” in a Netflix documentary released on Tuesday about his feud with five-time classical world champion Magnus Carlsen, a pledge that injects new edge into the lingering fallout from the cheating scandal that shook elite chess. “I’m gonna be a stone cold killer the rest of my life,” the US’ Niemann says in the film. “I’m going to become the best player in the world, and no one is going to believe that now, but this clip will play over and over again in 10 years — just wait.” “I just
The Daredevils yesterday took eight catches in the final as they eked out a victory in the Taiwan Cricket Triangular Tournament against PCCT at Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District. PCCT’s batting lineup collapsed after they asked the Daredevils to bowl in the T20 decider of the weekend tournament that also involved the Formosa Cricket Club. PCCT were bundled out for 76 in 16.2 overs against a disciplined Daredevils attack. Ninad Malwade was the top scorer in the innings with 21, but he was among those who offered chances to the fielders. Shane Ferreira and Jason Cameron took three wickets each, with
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