■REFEREES
FIFA appoints upcoming refs
Spanish referee Alberto Undiano will take charge of the round-of-16 match between the Netherlands and Slovakia in Durban today, his second appointment of the World Cup. Undiano handed out nine yellow cards — the most for a single game at this World Cup — and sent Germany striker Miroslav Klose off during the Group D game between the Germans and Serbia on June 18. FIFA on Saturday also announced that Howard Webb of England would take control of Brazil against Chile at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park today. Hector Baldassi of Argentina has been awarded the game between Spain and Portugal in Cape Town tomorrow, while Frank de Bleeckere of Belgium will referee Paraguay versus Japan in Pretoria on the same day.
■CRIME
Australian fans robbed
South African police say four Australian fans were robbed after their team’s final World Cup match. Police spokesman Leonard Hlathi said on Sunday the four found their chalet had been ransacked after they returned to their hotel outside the eastern city of Nelspruit on Thursday night. As one of the fans headed to the front desk to report what had happened, four armed men pushed him back into the chalet. All the fans were then forced to the ground and searched. Hlathi said an undisclosed amount of cash and items such as cameras was taken. He said no one was hurt. Hlathi said police were appealing to the public for information leading to the arrest of “these thugs.”
■CRIME
Ticket scams a big problem
South African companies lost more than US$850,000 in World Cup ticketing scams, a report in a local newspaper said on Sunday. The Sunday Times said the companies, along with many South African and foreign fans, had lost large amounts after buying tickets that were later canceled because they were not bought through FIFA-accredited agents. The report said Clifford Green, a lawyer acting for FIFA and accredited ticket sales company Match, had a dossier of affidavits from seven companies, including petrochemicals group Sasol, detailing their losses. The affidavit reportedly showed that Sasol had paid US$434,000 to a ticketing company for 110 tickets to group games, the semi-finals and the final.
■SPAIN
Xabi Alonso doubtful to play
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said midfielder Xabi Alonso was “a serious doubt” for the World Cup last 16 match against Portugal. Alonso suffered a right ankle sprain during the European champion’s 2-1 win over Chile on Friday and his condition hadn’t improved much by Saturday night. Del Bosque said “he’s a serious doubt to play on Tuesday. He’s already undergoing treatment and we can only hope he’ll be ready. If not, someone else will play.” Spain is also without defender Raul Albiol, who injured his right leg during Saturday’s training.
■SWITZERLAND
Hitzfeld to keep coaching
Switzerland’s coach Ottmar Hitzfeld will remain at the helm of the Swiss national team until July 2012, despite a disappointing first-round elimination at the soccer World Cup. Hitzfeld, who renewed his contract with the Swiss federation in August last year, was asked during the team’s final press conference if he would honor his contract despite rumors that several German clubs were seeking his services. “Of course I do want to stay. If the Swiss people want me to stay, I’ll stay,” Hitzfeld said.
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the record-breaking baseball “superhuman” following in the footsteps of the legendary Babe Ruth who has also earned comparisons to US sporting greats Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Not since Ruth a century ago has there been a baseball player capable of both pitching and hitting at the top level. The 30-year-old’s performances with the Los Angeles Dodgers have consolidated his position as a baseball legend in the making, and a national icon in his native Japan. He continues to find new ways to amaze, this year becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
More than 180 years of horse racing came to an end in Singapore on Saturday, as the Singapore Turf Club hosted its final race day before its track is handed back to the Singaporean government to provide land for new homes. Under an overcast sky, the air-conditioned VIP boxes were full of enthusiasts, socialites and expats, while the grounds and betting halls below hosted mostly older-generation punters. The sun broke through for the last race, the last-ever Grand Singapore Gold Cup. The winner, South African jockey Muzi Yeni, echoed a feeling of loss shared by many on the day. “I’d
PREDICTION: Last week, when Yu’s father made a wrong turn to the former champions’ parking lot, he said that his son could park there after this year With back-to-back birdies on the 18th hole, Kevin Yu fulfilled his driving range-owning dad’s prediction that he would win the Sanderson Farms Championship and become Taiwan’s third golfer to claim a US PGA Tour title. The Taoyuan-born 26-year-old, who represented Taiwan in the Olympic golf at Paris, saw off Californian Beau Hossler in a playoff at the Country Club of Jackson, Mississippi, on Sunday. Having drained a 15-foot putt to claw his way into the playoff, Yu rolled in from five feet on the first extra hole, ensuring he joined Chen Tze-chung (LA Open in 1987) and Pan Cheng-tsung (RBC
LeBron James and eldest son Bronny James claimed a piece of NBA history on Sunday after making their long-awaited first appearance alongside each other for the Los Angeles Lakers. The duo appeared together at the start of the second quarter in the Lakers’ 118-114 preseason defeat to the Phoenix Suns in Palm Desert, east of Los Angeles. While LeBron James impressed with 19 points in just 16 minutes and 20 seconds on court before sitting out the second half, Bronny found the going harder with zero points in just over 13 minutes on court. The younger James attempted just one
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