ENGLAND
Arsenal pen Campbell deal
Costa Rica striker Joel Campbell on Friday became Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger’s fourth summer signing when he moved from Deportivo Saprissa, the Premier League club announced. Campbell completed his transfer after representing Costa Rica at the Under-20 World Cup in Colombia and follows the club’s earlier acquisitions of defender Carl Jenkinson, Lille forward Gervinho and Southampton starlet Alex Oxlade--Chamberlain. The 19-year-old Campbell has six full caps and was in the Costa Rica squad for the recent Copa America in Argentina. He has two international goals to his name — one on his debut in a 5-0 win over Cuba at this year’s Gold Cup as his side reached the quarter-finals, the other against Bolivia in the Copa America.
SYRIA
National team disqualified
Syria have been disqualified from the 2014 World Cup after fielding an ineligible player in qualifiers, FIFA said on Friday. World soccer’s governing body said in a statement that Tajikistan would be reinstated into the competition in Syria’s place. “The Syrian team is disqualified from the competition, losing their second-round knockout phase by forfeit,” FIFA said in a statement. “These decisions are final and binding and not subject to appeal.” FIFA said the same ineligible player, who has not been named, had taken part in both legs of Syria’s Asian qualifying second round tie against Tajikistan on July 23 and July 28 and a 3-0 defeat had been imposed on them in each match as punishment. When the matches were played, Syria had won 6-1 on aggregate. Syria, who have never reached a World Cup finals, were not expected to reach the 2014 edition in Brazil. Tajikistan will now play in the third round of qualifying, where they are in Group C with Japan, Uzbekistan and North Korea. Their first game in this stage will be at home to Uzbekistan on Sept. 2.
ITALY
Atalanta deducted six points
Newly promoted Atalanta will start this year’s Serie A season with minus-six points because of their involvement in a match-fixing scandal, the Italian Football Federation said on Friday. A three-and-a-half-year suspension for club captain Cristiano Doni was also upheld. Doni, 38, has retired from the sport. Atalanta could now turn to the Italian Court of Arbitration for Sport. Former Atalanta star Giuseppe Signori, who also represented Lazio and Bologna, was banned from all football-related activity for the next five years for his part in the affair. Serie B’s Ascoli have also had six points docked. The scandal erupted at the end of last season amid revelations from an inquest launched in November last year by Cremona prosecutor Roberto Di Martino. In total, 18 teams and 26 people were investigated in the scandal dubbed “Calcioscommesse,” which translates as “betting on football.” Those investigated also risk criminal prosecution. The Serie A season begins next Sunday.
SPAIN
Mata set for Chelsea move
Valencia winger Juan Mata will soon put pen to paper on a transfer to Chelsea, Spanish media claimed on Friday, in a deal worth between 27 million and 30 million euros. “Mata will play for Chelsea,” said the As newspaper on its Internet edition which claimed the Londoners will pay 30 million euros. “Mata’s departure is imminent,” Marca said. “The club will accept an offer of between 27 and 28 million euros which will allow him to play in the Premier League.” Mata has long been tipped to leave Valencia, but Arsenal and Tottenham were thought to be his main pursuers.
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38
Taiwan’s Lin Yun-ju and Kao Cheng-jui were defeated by their Chinese counterparts 3-0 on Saturday in the men’s doubles final at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash. Lin and Kao received their silver medals after being defeated by third-seeded duo Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin of China 2-11, 4-11, 11-13. The Taiwan pair were left playing catch-up early in the match after the Chinese duo proved unstoppable in the first and second game. Although Lin and Kao picked up their pace in the third game and at one point took a 10-8 lead, they were crucially unable to take