OLYMPICS
Illegal ticket seller arrested
British police said they arrested a man suspected of illegally offering to sell London Games tickets. The Metropolitan Police Service arrested the 23-year-old man at his home on Monday in Brent, England, after it was tipped off about activity on social networking sites luring people to a fraudulent Web site offering tickets to next year’s Games. Police said on Tuesday it was the first arrest of its kind. The man has been bailed to return in early August. Police are warning people to be wary of buying tickets from unauthorized sources.
HOCKEY
Belfour heads Fame list
Former All-Star goalie Ed Belfour has been elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, joining Doug Gilmour, Mark Howe and Joe Nieuwendyk as the newest class of inductees. The four former NHL stars were chosen by the hall’s 18-member selection committee on Tuesday. Belfour, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner as the league’s top goalie, posted 484 wins — third on the NHL career list — and 76 shutouts during a 17-year career during which he played for Chicago, San Jose, Dallas, Toronto and Florida.
RUGBY UNION
McCaw could be fit to play
Canterbury Crusaders assistant coach Daryl Gibson is confident All Blacks captain Richie McCaw will be fit for the Super 15 semi-final against South Africa’s Stormers on Saturday. Gibson said All Blacks backrower Keiran Read was also likely to be fit for the match in Cape Town, South Africa. McCaw has been sidelined for the past month with a foot injury and Read was in doubt after injuring an ankle during last weekend’s elimination qualifier against the Durban-based Sharks. Gibson said “we anticipate Richie will be back and he will lead the team. Kieran, too, is expected to be fit.” He said it was “a pure luxury” for the Crusaders to be able to name a full strength team at this stage of the season.
HOCKEY
Canucks’ Bieksa extended
The Vancouver Canucks signed defenseman Kevin Bieksa to a five-year contract extension, the NHL team said on Tuesday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but local media reports have suggested the deal is worth US$23 million. Bieksa, Vancouver’s fifth-round selection in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, has 34 goals and 147 points in 347 games with the only team he has played for. A cornerstone of the Vancouver blueline, Bieksa had five goals and five assists the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Stanley Cup finalists still have two key defensemen unsigned with Christian Ehrhoff and Sami Salo set to hit the free agent market tomorrow.
CRICKET
‘Big Bash’ salary cap set
Cricket Australia say eight city-based teams in Australia’s revamped Twenty20 “Big Bash” competition will have a salary cap of A$1 million (US$1.05 million). The teams, including two each from Melbourne and Sydney, can sign up to 18 players, including up to two from overseas, within the cap, Cricket Australia said yesterday. Players will be paid retainers, not match fees. Retired Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and attacking West Indies allrounder Chris Gayle are the highest-profile international players figuring in contract speculation. The Indian Premier League, which spawned a number of domestic Twenty20 competitions around the world, imposed a US$9 million salary cap on its clubs for this year’s competition.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
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