■WORLD CUP
Chinese journalists robbed
An armed gang stole money and a camera from four Chinese journalists covering the FIFA World Cup, Chinese media reported yesterday. Several men attacked the journalists when their car stopped on the side of the road as they returned to Johannesburg after an interview, the reports said. The thieves made off with a small amount of cash and a camera worth about US$1,500, the Beijing News said. On Wednesday, an armed gang stole electronic equipment from a team of Portuguese journalists during a robbery at their lodge near Johannesburg.
■ATHLETICS
Semenya to return: report
Caster Semenya has been cleared to return to competition as a woman after nearly a year of speculation on her gender, a media report said yesterday. The International Association of Athletics Federations has given the South African 800m champion the green light to run again after reviewing the results of gender-verification tests, reported television station ETV, citing unnamed athletics sources. The 800m world champion has not run since leaked test results said she was a hermaphrodite following her win at the Berlin championships in August.
By the time Cameron Menzies finally left the arena on Monday, the blood gushing from the gash on his right hand had trickled down his wrist, part of his forearm and — somehow — up to his face. Smeared in crimson and regret, and already mouthing sheepish apologies to the crowd, he disappeared down the steps, pursued by a stern-looking Matt Porter, the chief executive of Professional Darts Corp (PDC). The physical scars from Menzies’ encounter with the Alexandra Palace drinks table after his 3-2 defeat against Charlie Manby at the Darts World Championship would be gone within a few weeks.
Manchester United on Monday blew the lead three times to miss out on moving up to fifth in the Premier League as AFC Bournemouth would not be beaten in a thrilling 4-4 draw at Old Trafford. United have lost just once in their past 10 games, but Ruben Amorim would be frustrated as more points at home were frittered away despite arguably the best attacking display of his reign in charge. Amad Diallo and Casemiro gave the hosts a halftime lead either side of Antoine Semenyo’s equalizer. Two Bournemouth goals from Evanilson and Marcus Tavernier in seven minutes at the start of the
Italian Luca de Aliprandini described Saturday’s World Cup giant slalom at Val d’Isere as the hardest race of his life, coming two days after his Swiss partner Michelle Gisin suffered a heavy fall in training which required neck surgery. De Aliprandini finished 26th in the men’s event won by Loic Meillard, but the result paled into insignificance with two-time Olympic ski champion Gisin in hospital with injuries to her wrist, knee and cervical spine (neck). “It was Michelle’s wish that I race here. I couldn’t say no to her, but it was the toughest race of my entire life,” an emotional De
Glasgow fought back to topple record six-time European Rugby Champions Cup winners Toulouse 28-21 on Saturday as Antoine Dupont made his first start in more than eight months. Earlier, France fly-half Matthieu Jalibert scored 16 points as holders Bordeaux-Begles hammered the Scarlets 50-21 to maintain their 100 percent start to the Champions Cup season. In the late game in Glasgow, the Scottish hosts trailed 21-0 at the break with Dupont, who had made just two substitute appearances since suffering a knee injury in March, in full flow. In driving rain at Scoutstoun, the French side collapsed after the interval to lose their first