GOLF
Daly says pic caused injury
John Daly is suing organizers of the Honda Classic, claiming he injured himself while trying to stop his backswing after being distracted by a fan taking his picture while he was playing in the tournament. The two-time major winner filed a complaint in a Florida court on Wednesday seeking US$15,000 in damages, alleging he aggravated an old injury as a female patron took a flash picture of him during the 2007 edition of the tournament. Under the rules of entry for the tournament, spectators are prevented from taking cameras on to the course. Daly, who withdrew from the tournament, alleges that security was negligent because they allowed her on the course with a camera and failed to remove her after he told them she had a camera. In 2008, Daly smashed a spectator’s camera into a tree when the individual tried to take his photograph at the Australian Open in Sydney.
SOCCER
Ban for hooter shocker
The player who caused outrage by kicking an injured owl during a Colombian championship match was banned for two games and fined on Wednesday. The Colombian league ruled that Pereira defender Luis Moreno had provoked the crowd by kicking the bird which was regarded as a mascot by the fans of home team Atletico Junior. Moreno was fined 1,070,200 pesos (US$560) in addition to his ban following Sunday’s incident. The owl, which lived in the stadium roof, later died. The incident happened after the owl was hit by the ball, prompting the referee to stop play.
SOCCER
Schalke stun Bayern in Cup
Schalke 04 stunned holders Bayern Munich 1-0 with a goal from Raul to reach the German Cup final on Wednesday and improve their chances of playing European soccer next season. Schalke, lying 10th in the Bundesliga, will face second division Duisburg in Berlin in May after reaching the final for the first time since 2005. The defeat left last season’s domestic double winners Bayern with only the Champions League to fight for following a 3-1 Bundesliga defeat by Borussia Dortmund on Saturday that effectively ended their league title hopes. Visitors Schalke made the most of Bayern’s sloppy passing game in the first half to dominate in midfield. They threatened for the first time with a 14th-minute Raul volley. The Spaniard was on target a minute later when Benedikt Hoewedes headed on a corner and the 33-year-old striker drilled his header in from close range. Bayern upped the tempo from the start of the second half as Schalke fell back, going close through Arjen Robben but keeper Manuel Neuer twice denied the Dutchman. He denied Robben again before making his best save three minutes from time, stopping a Franck Ribery shot from 10m.
SOCCER
Hammers get stadium nod
The British government and the Mayor of London have formally approved West Ham’s bid to move into the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 Games. The Premier League club was selected last month as the preferred tenant for the venue, beating a rival bid from Tottenham. The decision needed to be ratified by the government and Mayor Boris Johnson’s office, and the Department for Communities and Local Government granted that approval yesterday. West Ham plan to downsize the stadium from 80,000 to 60,000 seats and use it as a multipurpose venue.
IN-HOUSE BUSINESS: LA Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said that the reason for the team’s poor form was not due to Paul, but the player was not a good fit for them Chris Paul’s return stint with the Los Angeles Clippers has come to an abrupt and stunning end, with the franchise parting ways with one of its greatest players in a late-night meeting on Wednesday that adds another layer of drama to the team’s terrible start this season. The news was delivered in a meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, that ended at about 2am, Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank said. Frank said he made the decision to sever ties with Paul on Sunday then told the franchise’s career assist leader that he needed to see him on Tuesday in Atlanta. Frank did not confirm
Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday scored twice and had an assist as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to end a three-match winless streak in La Liga. Eduardo Camavinga also found the net for Madrid as they moved back within one point of Barcelona, who beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday. Both 19th-round matches were moved forward because Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid are to play in the Supercopa de Espana semi-finals in Saudi Arabia next month. Real Madrid were coming off league draws against Girona, Elche and Rayo Vallecano. It was their second win in their past six matches in
PINA BRACE: Claudia Pina scored in the 61st and 74th minutes, while Vicky Lopez added one as Spain notched their third victory in a final in the past four tournaments Claudia Pina scored twice and Germany crumbled on Tuesday as Spain retained the UEFA Women’s Nations League title with a 3-0 victory in the final’s second leg. Vicky Lopez also scored after Pina finally broke the deadlock in the 61st minute with Germany stubbornly hanging on as Spain had done in the first leg, a 0-0 draw in Kaiserslautern on Friday. Spain were without three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, who broke her leg in training on Sunday. Lopez took Bonmati’s place and Spain dominated from the start. Esther Gonzalez swept the ball just past the post and Mariona Caldentey forced a save
There was another win for Arsenal in the Premier League on Wednesday, but more misery for Liverpool and their under-fire manager, Arne Slot. While Arsenal accelerated their title charge with a 2-0 victory over Brentford to regain a five-point lead, Liverpool needed a late own-goal just to salvage a 1-1 draw with Sunderland AFC at Anfield. Slot is back under pressure, with his team languishing in eighth place in a disappointing title defense and his decision to leave star forward Mohamed Salah out of the starting lineup for a second straight game likely to be heavily scrutinized. “It’s clear that teams that play
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