■ICE HOCKEY
Puck kills Swedish ref
A Swedish ice-hockey referee died on Saturday after suffering a fatal blow to the back of the head from a puck, police said. In what is believed to be the first such incident in Sweden, the 62-year-old died shortly after the incident, which occurred during a junior game near Sollefteaa in northern Sweden. Police said the referee was wearing a helmet but the puck struck a fatal blow when it hit him on the lower part of the back of the head where the helmet offers little protection. Despite efforts to revive him, the referee was pronounced dead before emergency services had reached the hospital. “The puck struck the referee between the nape [of the neck] and the lower part of his head, just under where the helmet stops,” said Boerje Oehman, a police officer in the county of Vasternorrmands. Joergen Lindgren, the general secretary of the Swedish ice hockey federation, said it was the first death of any such kind in Sweden.
■ICE HOCKEY
Green suspended for elbow
Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green has been suspended for three games without pay for an incident in Friday’s game against the Florida Panthers, the National Hockey League said on Saturday. The suspension was the result of Green delivering an elbow to the head of Panthers’ forward Michael Frolik in the first period, the league said on its Web site. Green will forfeit US$81,606 in pay and was to miss Washington’s next three games — against Tampa Bay yesterday, at Boston tomorrow and at the New York Rangers on Thursday. He will be eligible to return against Atlanta on Friday.
■BASKETBALL
Obama plays commentator
There was a familiar voice behind the microphone during a US college basketball game on Saturday — US President Barack Obama’s. The president provided about seven minutes of nationally televised commentary in the second half of the game between Duke and Georgetown, both top 10 teams, at an arena near the White House. Obama watched the game from a front-row seat, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden and others. Shortly after the second half began, the president was seated between CBS announcers Verne Lundquist and Clark Kellogg. After Obama niftily described a spin move by one player, Kellogg told him he could handle the job of announcing. “After retirement, I’m coming after your job, Clark,” Obama replied. “I’m just letting you know.” The president munched on popcorn and occasionally used his Blackberry. Obama departed with about a minute left in the game, which seventh-ranked Georgetown won over No. 8 Duke 89-77.
■RALLYING
Sordo maintains lead
Former champion Kimi Raikkonen had a second day of impressive driving at the Arctic Lapland Rally, but could not make up for a previous mistake and finished well behind winner Dani Sordo of Spain. Raikkonen lost more than 30 minutes on Friday after running his Citroen off the road and needing repairs, but still set the second-best time on nine special stages during the two-day race. Sordo won every stage to finish in 1 hour, 38 minutes, 29.1 seconds. Kosti Katajamaki was second, 6 minutes, 7.7 seconds behind. The event was shortened from 12 stages to 11 after the timing equipment malfunctioned on one stage because of the freezing temperatures.
■SOCCER
Cabanas speaks to family
Doctors treating Paraguayan star Salvador Cabanas say he has spoken to family members, the best sign of a possible recovery since he was shot in the head on Monday in a Mexico City bar. Doctors at Angeles del Pedregal Hospital said on Saturday they had lowered Cabanas’ sedation level. Dr Ernesto Martinez said Cabanas had spoken with and recognized family members and officials from his Mexico City club, America. Cabanas, the star of Paraguay and Club America, was shot in the head at point-blank range.
■BOXING
Sylvester retains title
Germany’s Sebastian Sylvester retained his IBF middleweight world title on Saturday when American challenger Billy Lyell retired in the 10th round. Sylvester, 29, recorded his 33rd victory, 16 inside the distance, in 36 bouts against an opponent clearly out of his depth and who had never fought outside the US. Sylvester, who took the lightly-regarded IBF belt in September when he beat Dominican Giovanni Lorenzo on points after previous holder and fellow German Arthur Abraham surrendered it to move up a weight, had been lined-up to originally fight Spaniard Pablo Navascues, but he failed a dope test.
■CRICKET
Aussies claim whitewash
Australia completed a 5-0 whitewash of Pakistan in their ODI series with a two-wicket victory in Perth yesterday. Batting first, the visitors made a nightmare start losing both openers for 0 and then Younis Khan for three with only 16 on the board. Half-centuries by Umar Akmal and Fawad Alam then helped Pakistan set the Aussies a total of 213 to win. Ricky Ponting scored 55 as the hosts made hard work of reaching their target with four balls to spare. Michael Hussey, with an unbeaten 40, guided Australia home. Pakistan’s chief selector Iqbal Qasim announced his resignation after the defeat.
■SKIING
Herbst wins slalom
Austria’s Olympic silver medalist Reinfried Herbst won the men’s World Cup slalom in Kransjka Gora, Slovenia, yesterday to take his fourth victory of the season. The 31-year-old timed 1 minute 45.35 seconds over the two legs to beat compatriot Marcel Hirscher by 00.40 hundredths of a second while Julien Lizeroux of France was 00.53 hundredths adrift. Victory for Herbst, second after the first leg, saw him extend his lead in the overall World Cup slalom standings — he holds a 43 point advantage over Lizeroux heading into the finals on March 14 at Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The Frenchman is the only rival capable of overhauling Herbst. Benjamin Raich extended his lead to 106 points over Carlo Janka, who didn’t compete yesterday, in the overall World Cup standings after finishing seventh in the slalom.
■SKIING
Vonn earns title
American Lindsey Vonn, beaten for the first time this season in a downhill a day earlier, captured the World Cup Super-G title after winning in St Moritz yesterday. In the last race before the Vancouver Olympics, she clocked one minute 1.77 seconds to grab her ninth overall victory of the season. With only two races left this season Vonn leads Swiss Fabienne Suter by more than 200 points in the Super-G standings and cannot be caught. Vonn also strengthened her overall World Cup lead over Maria Riesch who now trails her by 137 points. Her German friend and rival hit a gate and finished 11th.
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about ￡2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Less than a week after splashing out a world-record fee for Naomi Girma, Chelsea has spent big again to bring England midfielder Keira Walsh back to the English Women’s Super League. Walsh left European champions Barcelona after more than two years to join Chelsea for a reported ￡400,000 (US$496,000) on Friday. Walsh was the world’s most expensive player for two years after moving to Barcelona from Manchester City for a reported ￡400,000 in 2022. That status now belongs to Girma, the US defender who cost Chelsea a reported ￡900,000 to sign from the San Diego Wave. Still, it means 27-year-old Walsh — a technically
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