ATHLETICS
French ’mates suspended
French teammates Mehdi Baala and Mahiedine -Mekhissi-Benabbad have been provisionally suspended after trading blows in an extraordinary incident after the 1,500m at the Monaco Diamond League. Baala finished ninth in Friday’s race, while Mekhissi, the Olympic 3,000 steeplechase silver medalist, came in 11th, but an attempt to console each other went badly wrong. At one point, Baala head-butted Mekhissi who responded by swinging his arms wildly as he threw a series of punches, some of which missed their intended target. “Following the unspeakable behavior of Mehdi Baala and Mahiedine Mekhissi--Benabbad ... the president of the French Athletics Federation decided today to hold an emergency disciplinary hearing,” the federation said in a statement on Saturday. “At the same time, the federal office under the general regulations has decided on a temporary suspension of the two athletes until the meeting of the disciplinary commission.” The pair were separated on the track, but the row did not stop there as they exchanged strong words in the media zone after Mekhissi appeared to slap Baala. “I’m going to break you in two,” an angry Baala responded.
ATHLETICS
Savinova clocks second best
At the Russian National Championships, Maria Savinova clocked one minute, 56.95 seconds in the women’s 800m for the season’s best mark and her new personal best. “I didn’t expect to run so fast,” Savinova said. “I just wanted to win a medal here to obtain a world championships place.” Russia’s longstanding favorite at the men’s 800m, Yury Borzakovsky, confirmed his top status winning in 1:45.76. Olga Zaitseva won the women’s long jump with a leap of 7.01m. Maria Abakumova was in a class of her own in women’s javelin at the national championships, winning with 66.05m.
BASKETBALL
Lakers lay off longtime staff
The Los Angeles Lakers have laid off about 20 employees, including longtime assistant general manager Ronnie Lester and five members of their scouting staff, the Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday. Among the laid-off scouts, Gene Tormohlen, who put in 43 years with the NBA club, is part of the group of employees who were told they were being laid off or that their contracts would not be renewed. However, Lester, who spent two-dozen years, including the past 10 as assistant general manager with the team, blasted the organization, saying the Lakers handled the situation poorly. “You think of the Lakers and you think they are a great organization,” Lester told the Times. “But if you work inside the organization, it is only a perception of being a great organization, because great organizations don’t treat their personnel like they’ve done.”
BOXING
Butch Lewis passes away
Butch Lewis, the colorful boxing promoter who worked with Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Michael and Leon Spinks, has died. He was 65. Funeral home owner Sammy Congo of Congo Funeral Home in Wilmington, Delaware, said he received notification of Lewis’ death on Saturday morning. He did not have information about how Lewis died. Lewis was best known in the ring for sporting tuxedos with no shirt and being involved in some of the sport’s biggest fights. He began his career in boxing in the 1970s, but later branched into music and entertainment.
Brazil has four teams, more than any other country, in the expanded Club World Cup that kicked off yesterday in the US, but for SE Palmeiras, the competition holds a special meaning: winning it would provide some redemption. Under coach Abel Ferreira since 2020, Palmeiras lifted two Copa Libertadores titles, plus Brazilian league, cup and state championships. Even before Ferreira, it boasted another South American crown and 11 league titles. The only major trophy missing is a world champions’ title. Other Brazilian clubs like Fluminense FC and Botafogo FR, also in the tournament, have never won it either, but the problem for Palmeiras
Manchester City on Monday completed the signing of left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported ￡31 million (US$41.8 million). The 24-year-old Algeria international has signed a five-year contract and will be available for the FIFA Club World Cup, which begins later this week. Ait-Nouri is expected to be just one of a trio of new City faces for that tournament with deals close to completion for AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and Olympique Lyonnais playmaker Rayan Cherki. After missing out on a major trophy in the recently completed season for the first time since 2016-2017, City are hoping
Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in has pleaded with South Korea fans to get behind the team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after more boos were aimed at coach Hong Myung-bo despite leading them to qualification. South Korea reached next year’s finals in North America without losing a game, but that does not tell the whole story. The country’s soccer association has been in the firing line, having scrambled about to find a successor after sacking the unpopular Jurgen Klinsmann in February last year. They eventually settled on Hong, the decorated former skipper who had an unsuccessful stint as coach in 2013-2014, during which
Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped FIFA Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday. Fans showed up en masse for the Group A clash at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, but Messi could not fully deliver, his best chance coming through a last-second attempt that was deflected onto the crossbar. Inter Miami next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta, while Al-Ahly, who benefited from raucous, massive support, are to
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