■RUGBY
Brett Stewart to face trial
Australia rugby league star Brett Stewart will face trial in September over claims he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl after his Manly club’s season launch last year. The 24-year-old fullback faced the Downing Center Local Court last month, where he was committed to stand trial in a higher court over the alleged assault. Yesterday, the judge set a trial date of Sept. 13. Stewart has already entered not guilty pleas to the charges of sexual intercourse without consent and assault with an act of indecency. Stewart, who represented Australia at the rugby league World Cup in 2008, was suspended for the first four matches of last year’s season by National Rugby League chief executive David Gallop for a code of conduct breach.
■SOCCER
Abete focuses on gambling
Italian soccer federation president Giancarlo Abete has guaranteed “equal treatment for all” following new revelations in the four-year-old match-fixing scandal. Abete addressed the issue at a federation meeting on Thursday, a day after Juventus — the club hardest hit by the scandal — issued a statement seeking fair treatment for all parties involved. Italian media have for several days printed alleged phone-tap conversations linking Inter and other clubs to the scandal. Inter was awarded the 2006 Serie A title after Juventus was stripped of the honor and relegated to Serie B because of its involvement in the scandal.
■RUGBY
Palu stays in Australia
Bullocking No. 8 Wycliff Palu has rejected lucrative overseas offers to try to win next year’s rugby World Cup with the Wallabies, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said yesterday. The 27-year-old has re-signed with the ARU and his Super rugby franchise the New South Wales Waratahs through 2012. “I like the way this Wallabies team is moving forward under [coach] Robbie Deans,” Palu said in a statement. “It had a big influence on my decision to stay in Australia. The Super 14-leading Waratahs play the Canterbury Crusaders in Christchurch, New Zealand, today.
■FORMULA ONE
Durango interested in slot
Former GP2 competitors Durango have formally registered an interest with Formula One’s governing body in becoming the sport’s 13th team next year, the Italian-based team said. Durango boss Ivone Pinto told the company Web site that his team, who dropped out of GP2 last year because of financial problems, could now count on the backing of “two very big international groups.” The governing FIA has asked those interested in taking the vacant slot to register their interest by Thursday next week. The deadline for applications is expected to be set for June with a decision in July.
■MOTORCYCLING
Stoner leads young guns
Australian Casey Stoner will lead the charge of the young guns pursuing world champion Valentino Rossi as the MotoGP season begins under floodlights at the Grand Prix of Qatar this weekend. Stoner, 24, the 2007 world champion, had a strong finish last season after missing three races because of illness, finishing second in Portugal and winning in Australia and Malaysia. His confidence is high at the Losail circuit where he has won for the past three seasons, and was the fastest rider in the final winter testing session last month. Yamaha have a hard act to follow last season when Rossi led a 1-2 ahead of teammate Jorge Lorenzo, and they also won the constructors title.
■BASEBALL
Brewers sign ace pitcher
The Milwaukee Brewers signed right-handed ace pitcher Yovani Gallardo to a five-year deal for US$30.1 million, the team said on Thursday. Gallardo’s contract covers at least his three arbitration seasons and one year of free agency, and could be worth US$42.5 million over six seasons, the National League team said on its Web site. “It’s a great feeling knowing I’m going to be here for the next five years,” Gallardo said. “Growing up, me and my parents never dreamed of this amount. It hasn’t really settled in yet. I try not to show too much emotion, but it’s great.” Gallardo, one of 12 Mexican players who appeared on opening day major leage baseball rosters, gave up four runs in seven innings during the Brewers’ opening day 5-3 loss on Monday to Colorado.
■BOXING
Berto career back on track
Andre Berto, who put his career on hold after the earthquake in Haiti in January, returns to the ring today to defend his World Boxing Council welterweight title against Puerto Rico’s Carlos Quintana. Florida-based Berto, whose parents are Haitian and who represented Haiti in the Athens Olympics, had pulled out of a scheduled title defense against Shane Mosley on Jan. 30 because concern over the quake and family members in the ravaged Caribbean nation was too big a distraction. Although he learned that his sister in Haiti was safe, Berto lost an uncle and other relatives in the disaster. A portion of ticket sales for today’s fight will go to ongoing Haitian relief efforts, and Berto, unbeaten in 25 professional fights, said he was eager to return to action and support the cause. “I had a tremendous training camp and it’s going to be a terrific night of boxing on Saturday night,” Berto said. Berto had been slated to take on Shane Mosley in Las Vegas on Jan. 30. After Berto withdrew, Mosley opted to take on Floyd Mayweather on May 1.
■ATHLETICS
Bolt to compete in relay
Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt will compete on April 24 at the USA v The World Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Track and Field said on Thursday. Bolt is slated to race for Jamaica in the 4x100m relay. Bolt, the world and Olympic 100m and 200m champion as well as world record-holder in each event, teamed with Jamaican compatriots Steve Mullings, Michael Frater and Asafa Powell in winning the men’s 4x100m relay gold medal at last year’s World Outdoor Championships in the meet record time of 37.31 seconds. He was part of the Jamaican world-record setting 4x100m relay at the 2008 Olympics as well.
■BOXING
Judge rejects Gamache suit
A judge said the New York State Athletic Commission failed to properly weigh boxer Arturo Gatti before a Madison Square Garden bout in 2000, but rejected ex-fighter Joey Gamache’s claim it caused his career-ending knockout loss. Court of Claims Judge Melvin Schweitzer said evidence showed commission official Anthony Russo let Gatti off the scale before it could be reasonably determined he made the 64kg limit, but didn’t show Gatti was “substantially” heavier. HBO unofficially weighed Gatti at 72.5 and Gamache at 65.7kg. Gamache said he suffered brain damage in the fight. Russo said in a deposition that he couldn’t recall if he or the commission’s chairman conducted the weigh-in. Russo has since died. The commission said on Thursday it was pleased with the judge’s ruling. Gatti was found dead under mysterious circumstances at a Brazilian resort last July.
College basketballer Kaitlyn Chen has become the first female player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted by a WNBA team, after the Golden State Valkyries selected her in the third and final round of the league’s draft on Monday. Chen, a point guard who played her first three seasons in college for Princeton University, transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her final season, which culminated in a national championship earlier this month. While at Princeton, Chen was named the Ivy League tournament’s most outstanding player three times from 2022 to last year. Prior to the draft, ESPN described Chen as
College basketballer Kaitlyn Chen (陳凱玲) has become the first player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted by a WNBA team, after being selected by the Golden State Valkyries in the third and final round of the league's draft yesterday. Chen, a point guard who played her first three seasons in college for Princeton University, transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her final season, which culminated in a national championship on April 6. While at Princeton, Chen was named the Ivy League tournament's most outstanding player three times from 2022 to last year. Prior to the draft, ESPN described Chen as a
Japan yesterday secured a second consecutive Billie Jean King Cup finals appearance with a 2-1 win over 2023 champions Canada, thanks to Ena Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama’s 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 win over Kayla Cross and Rebecca Marino in the qualifying doubles decider. Shibahara and Aoyama powered through the opening set 6-3, breaking twice for a quick 3-0 lead. Cross and Marino hit back in the second, edging it 7-5 to level the match, before the Japanese pair regained control in the third. Canada’s 18-year-old Victoria Mboko edged Shibahara 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 7-5 in a marathon opening clash. Mboko fired eight aces to
Kumar Rocker, a first-round pick in both the 2021 and 2022 drafts, on Thursday won for the first time in the major leagues. Rocker struck out a career-best eight in a career-best seven innings as the Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-3 to complete a three-game sweep. Rocker (1-2) threw a career-high 78 pitches and allowed three runs on five hits without a walk. The 25-year-old right-hander was drafted third overall by Texas in 2022, a year after concerns over a physical led to him going unsigned by the New York Mets as the 10th overall pick. He made his major
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