■HOCKEY
Newton-John accepts role
Hopelessly devoted to ... hockey? Olivia Newton-John is set to co-star in a movie musical about Canada’s favorite pastime. The Grease and Xanadu star will play the mother of a teen hockey phenom in Score: A Hockey Musical, which begins shooting in Toronto next week. Director Michael McGowan, whose screen credits include One Week and Saint Ralph, says he managed to land the pop singer-turned-actress by sending her the script through a network of friends. She was the one that he wanted, but McGowan said on Thursday he never imagined Newton-John would accept the role. Newton-John will co-write and perform a song for the film’s final credits, along with Canadian singer-songwriter Marc Jordan, who plays the hockey dad. The movie is set to be released on Oct. 22.
■FOOTBALL
Underwood to sing anthem
American country singer Carrie Underwood will sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl, the NFL announced on Thursday. Underwood, winner of the American Idol show in 2005, has amassed more than 11 million in US album sales and is a four-time Grammy Award winner. Musician and actress Queen Latifah will sing America the Beautiful as part of the pre-game festivities. The league had previously announced that British rock band The Who will perform the high-profile half-time show.
■BOXING
Mayweather pleas not guilty
Boxing trainer Roger Mayweather pleaded not guilty on Thursday to felony charges that he beat and choked a female boxer at an apartment he owned last August. A judge set trial for June 1 on coercion, battery-strangulation and battery causing substantial bodily harm charges that carry the possibility of three to 16 years in prison. Mayweather’s lawyer, Jack Buchanan, said he intends to file a legal challenge to the evidence and the charges. Buchanan has said he heard inconsistencies in the preliminary hearing testimony of Melissa St Vil, a fighter Mayweather used to train. St Vil, 26, testified on Jan. 15 that Mayweather punched and choked her nearly to unconsciousness before police arrived and found the two struggling in a Las Vegas apartment Mayweather rented to another man, Cornelius Lott. Buchanan said he’ll show that St Vil started the scuffle, gave conflicting accounts to boxing reporters afterward, and hoped to use it to obtain a civil financial settlement.
■BOXING
Uganda fight called off
Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield’s scheduled fight against Francois Botha in Uganda next month was called off on Thursday. Holyfield’s manager, Ken Sanders, said promoters were unable to deliver a promised pre-fight payment for the Feb. 20 fight. Sanders said Holyfield will instead fight Botha on March 6, possibly in Miami. “We spent about two months waiting on them to wire us the upfront money and they never did,” Sanders said. “So in the meantime we started working on a fight over here. We’re in the process of getting this closed, hopefully this week.” Holyfield has had other fights canceled in South Korea and Ethiopia when financing fell through. Holyfield (42-10-2) has lost five of his last nine bouts, and has not fought since losing a points decision to Nikolai Valuev a year ago. After the long wait, Holyfield plans two fights in two months. Besides the fight against Botha, Sanderssaid the Holyfield, 47, will also face Derric Rossy on April 24 in Las Vegas.
■SOCCER
Vermaelen may miss game
Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen is likely to miss tomorrow’s home Premier League clash with champions Manchester United despite a scan easing fears of a broken leg. “There is no fracture in Thomas’s leg but his injury still has to be assessed,” manager Arsene Wenger told the club Web site on Thursday. “There is still a good chance he will not play on Sunday.” The Belgian international has made a huge impact at the Emirates since his move from Ajax Amsterdam last year, scoring on his league debut at Everton. He has netted six goals in 31 appearances for the club. If Vermaelen is ruled out, veteran defender Sol Campbell could be called into action for the third time in a week. Wenger said Croatia striker Eduardo, who also limped off in Wednesday’s goalless draw at Villa Park, will miss tomorrow’s match but could be back for the visit to Chelsea the following weekend. “Eduardo has a small, small, small hamstring [injury]. He will be out for one week. He will not make Man United but he might make Chelsea,” the Frenchman said. Arsenal are third in the league, a point behind United and two adrift of Chelsea, who have a game in hand.
■SOCCER
Cabanas ‘taunted’ at Bar Bar
A man suspected of shooting Paraguay World Cup star Salvador Cabanas in a Mexico City bar allegedly taunted him to score more goals beforehand, a report said on Thursday. Cabanas, who plays with Club America of the Mexican league, remains in a serious condition following Monday’s incident, which saw his attacker flee the scene. The suspect, who has not yet been detained, allegedly told Cabanas to score more goals and asked how he would help the club win the Mexican league, during a conversation in the toilets of the “Bar Bar,” the Reforma daily reported, citing an employee of the establishment. When the soccer star failed to reply, the suspect shot him, said the report, which cited police files on the incident. The bullet has yet to be removed from Cananas’ skull, and his wife told Paraguayan television on Thursday that he had squeezed her hands and given signs of life.
■RUGBY UNION
Grewcock banned again
Bath lock Danny Grewcock was on Thursday banned for seven weeks after being found guilty of stamping on Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris. The veteran forward, who will be of action until March 13, was red-carded in the 32nd minute of Bath’s 28-10 European Cup defeat last Saturday. Grewcock has endured a torrid disciplinary record, having missed the 2007 World Cup after punching French lock Thibault Privat.
■RUGBY UNION
Williams lasts four minutes
The long-awaited rugby comeback of veteran All Black lock Ali Williams lasted less than four minutes yesterday when a recurring Achilles injury saw him hobble off the field in a pre-season match. The 61-Test veteran, who missed all rugby Tests last year because of Achilles problems, is expected to undergo surgery again next week after turning out for the Blues against the Chiefs. He fell awkwardly and struggled to put weight on his lower right leg as he was assisted from the field by medical staff. A Blues spokesman said the extent of the damage was hard to determine, but added that a worst-case scenario could see the 28-year-old ruled out for all of this year.
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