FOOTBALL
Broncos sack head coach
The Denver Broncos sacked head coach Josh McDaniels on Monday, ending his stint at the helm after less than two years. “Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has relieved Josh McDaniels of his head coaching duties,” the Broncos said in a statement. Running backs coach Eric Studesville will serve as interim coach for the last month of the season, the team said. After winning his first six games in his rookie coaching season last year, McDaniels lost 17 of his last 22 games with Denver. In addition to Denver’s disappointing results, McDaniels’ tenure was marred by an embarrassing videotaping scandal as well as a series of poor personnel decisions. McDaniels traded away Peyton Hillis, who has become a power running back in Cleveland. He was fined US$50,000 by the NFL for failing to report a subordinate who violated league rules by videotaping a San Francisco 49ers training in London in October. The team was also rocked this year by linebacker D.J. Williams’ drunken driving charge, which caused him to be stripped of his captaincy.
BOXING
Klitschko taunts Chisora
Ukrainian boxer Vladimir Klitschko on Monday dismissed Dereck Chisora, his challenger for his three heavyweight world titles on Saturday, declaring that he did not beat up women, unlike his British opponent. Klitschko, who holds the WBO IBF belts as well as the lightly regarded IBO title, was referring to the fact that 26-year-old Chisora received a three-month suspended sentence last month for assaulting his ex-girlfriend after discovering messages on her answerphone from another man. “Me, I do not beat up women like you do,” taunted Klitschko at a joint pre-fight press conference. “Those who beat up women are losers. You do not know where one practices boxing. It is in a ring! As you are such a horrible person, I am going to show you the road to redemption without a title,” Klitschko said. Chisora turned professional in 2007 and has won all his 14 bouts, seven within the distance.
SOCCER
Cleanliness hurt Aussie bid
A consultant employed in Australia’s bid for the 2022 World Cup says the bid failed because it had “played it clean.” Australia spent US$45 million on its bid but won only one of 22 votes from FIFA’s executive committee before the 2022 tournament was awarded to Qatar. Peter Hargitay, a former aide to FIFA president Sepp Blatter, said in an interview on Monday with SBS television “the fundamental mistake we made ... is that we played it clean.”
SOCCER
Jol quits as Ajax coach
Former Spurs boss Martin Jol on Monday quit as coach of Dutch fallen giants Ajax, who said they had accepted his resignation. As Frank de Boer, assistant to national coach Bert van Marwijk, prepared to take over on a temporary basis, news of Jol’s decision fueled rumors in England that he was in line to take over English Premier League side Newcastle. The Magpies had earlier on Monday sacked Chris Hughton, despite the promoted side being in midtable. Jol’s departure comes just days before four-times European champions Ajax are scheduled to take on AC Milan as they bid to sign off with at least a draw to secure passage to the Europa League at the expense of French side Auxerre. Jol, 54, leaves Ajax in fourth place in the Dutch league following a weekend draw with Nijmegen. Last year they finished second and also won the Dutch Cup. Hughton was formerly assistant to Jol at Tottenham.
Former world No. 2 Paula Badosa has withdrawn from this week’s Wuhan Open, organizers said on Tuesday, amid a racism row over an online photograph. Tournament organizers said the Spaniard had pulled out of the WTA 1000 tournament, citing a gastrointestinal illness, hours before her first-round match against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. News outlets including Britain’s the Telegraph earlier reported that Badosa had posted a photo on Instagram in which she appeared to imitate a Chinese face by placing chopsticks on the corners of her eyes. The photo was taken last week in a restaurant in Beijing, where she reached the semi-finals of the
Shin Oebori coaches the Fukagawa Hawks youth baseball team in Tokyo, and he is very aware how Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani touches his players. “With Ohtani, the kids think everything is possible,” Oebori said, wrapping up practice yesterday on an all-dirt field set alongside a local Buddhist temple, below an elevated highway, and in the shadow of tall apartment blocks in central Tokyo. “Nothing is impossible with him. A dream is not a dream,” Oebori said, stepping out of the fenced practice field that keeps balls from landing on the temple grounds. None of the players hitting sponge-soft baseball has reached
Italian defender Marco Curto has been banned for 10 matches for racially abusing South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan while playing for Como 1907 against Wolverhampton Wanderers in a pre-season friendly in July. Curto, who is on loan from Como to Serie B club Cesena, would serve half of the punishment immediately with the other half suspended for two years. “The player Marco Curto was found responsible for discriminatory behavior and sanctioned with a 10-match suspension,” a FIFA spokesperson said. “The player is ordered to render community services and undergo training and education with an organization approved by FIFA.” Wolves said the club would
CRICKET Azhar’s 59 leads Stallions Aashir Azhar’s blazing half-century guided the Taipei Stallions to victory over Taipei Super 11 in the Taiwan Premier League’s Group A at the Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei yesterday. The Stallions were 102-3 and into the 12th over of 20 when Azhar came to the crease. He hit seven sixes and two fours in the 25 deliveries he faced to push his side to 171-5. Gokul Kumar was the star with the ball for Super 11, taking 3-17. In the reply, Deepak Vishnu outscored Azhar with 77 from 50 balls, but nobody else got past 20 as
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