OLYMPICS
Congolese seek asylum
Six members of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DR Congo) Olympic and Paralympic teams are seeking asylum in Britain, citing political and rights abuses in their country, an official said on Wednesday. Lawyer Patrick Pindi, who heads a Congolese association for disabled people, said three members of the Olympic delegation, a Paralympic committee official and two disabled athletes “don’t want to go home.” The three Olympic delegates — judo trainer Blaise Bekwa, athletics coach Guy Nkita and boxing coach Adelard Ibula — have been missing since the Olympic Games finished on Aug. 12. Pindu said the disabled athletes — Dedeline Mibamba and Levy Kitambala — and the delegation official, Robert Dikazolele, had called him on Sept. 7 to tell him they would not return to the DR Congo. Pindu said his organization deplored Mibamba and Kitambala’s decision. “I had said to them that it was the first time that people living with handicaps had taken part in such an important international event and that it would be better if they came home,” Pindu said.
Golf
Palmer honored by US
Arnold Palmer became the sixth athlete to earn a Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony on Wednesday where the golfing great and humanitarian made light of the divided US lawmakers who gave him the award. Congress bestowed Palmer, 83, with its highest civilian award in “recognition of his service to the country in promoting excellence and good sportsmanship.” To be sure, this, one of the most unpopular and unproductive congresses in history, came together to salute this king of swing. “I’m particularly proud of anything that the House and Senate agree on,” said Palmer, drawing laughter and applause from a US Capitol crowd of a few hundred people, including often warring Democratic and Republican leaders. A winner of more than 80 professional tournaments worldwide, including seven major championships, the charismatic Palmer helped popularize the game of golf over a half century ago with a hard-charging style that drew his own “Arnie’s Army” of fans.
tennis
Ferrero set to retire
Former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero says he will retire after playing in his hometown Valencia Open next month. The 32-year-old Spaniard moved to the top of the rankings in 2003 after winning the French Open and reaching the US Open final. In 14 years as a professional, he won 15 titles and helped Spain win the first two of its five Davis Cups in 2000 and 2004. Ferrero plans to devote time to his tennis academy and hotel.
Olympics
Medalist’s bikes stolen
Law enforcement officials in Germany and the US are investigating the theft of a road bike and time trial bike owned by Olympic gold medalist Kristin Armstrong. The two bikes went missing while they were being shipped from Germany to Boise, Idaho, US media reported Wednesday. Armstrong’s time trial bike was the same one she used to win the gold medal at the London Olympics and is valued at US$30,000. The bikes were on display in Germany before being packed in boxes to be sent to the US. The bikes were shipped from Germany last Friday and made stops in Frankfurt and Atlanta, but the boxes that arrived at Armstrong’s house on Tuesday were empty.
CRICKET
Bolt can bowl: Gayle
The West Indies’ opening batsman Chris Gayle rates the bowling of fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt and reckons the six-times Olympic gold medalist has what it takes to excel at the game. The sprinter expressed his desire to repackage himself as a big-hitting cricketer in Australia’s Twenty20Big Bash League following an invitation by Shane Warne after he repeated his Beijing 2008 feat with three more golds at this year’s London Games. “He wouldn’t embarrass himself. In a charity game, he actually played against me and almost knocked my head off with a good competitive bouncer,” Gayle said as his team started training for the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. The sprinter grew up playing street cricket and soccer in Jamaica and during the London Games said he wanted a trial at English Premier League giants Manchester United.
TENNIS
Champions eye Brisbane
French Open winner Maria Sharapova is to join US Open champions Serena Williams and Andy Murray in warming up for next year’s Australian Open at the Brisbane International, organizers said yesterday. Williams and Murray started their seasons at the tournament this year, but Russian Sharapova will be making her first appearance at the event, which takes place at the Queensland Tennis Centre from Dec. 31 this year to Jan. 6 next year. Williams beat Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka at Flushing Meadows last week to win her 15th Grand Slam title. Murray, who won his first grand slam title on Monday, was already confirmed to return to Brisbane to defend the title he won by beating Alexandr Dolgopolov. The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, begins in Melbourne on Jan. 14.
SOCCER
Ronaldo to ‘think of club’
Cristiano Ronaldo is concentrating on playing well for Real Madrid and is not agitating to improve the terms of his contract with the Spanish champions, the Portugal forward said on Wednesday. Arriving back in Madrid after helping his country to World Cup-qualifying wins against Luxembourg and Azerbaijan, Ronaldo wrote on his Facebook page it is “now time to return to the club and think only about my club.” He added: “I would like to reaffirm, without being concerned about contracts, that my focus is solely on winning every game and every available trophy with the essential company of my teammates and all madridistas.” Ronaldo dropped a bombshell after Real’s match at home to Granada this month when he said he was “sad” for professional reasons, prompting speculation he might be seeking an exit.
TENNIS
Lendl to sub for Connors
Ivan Lendl is going to sub for Jimmy Connors on four stops in the upcoming series of matches around the US featuring several former Grand Slam champions. Andre Agassi, John McEnroe and Pete Sampras are also in the group of competitors scheduled to take part in the four-player mini-tournaments. Each event is to feature one-set semi-finals and a one-set title match. Connors is out with a hip injury, so Lendl is planning to compete in Chicago, Detroit, Boston and San Jose, California. Michael Chang is to fill in when the series comes to Surprise, Arizona; Tampa, Florida; and Atlanta. Formerly known as the Champions Series, the PowerShares Series begins on Oct. 13 in Surprise and the final day is on Nov. 30 in Anaheim, California.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
If all goes well when the biggest marathon field ever gathered in Australia races 42km through the streets of Sydney on Sunday, World Marathon Majors (WMM) will soon add a seventh race to the elite series. The Sydney Marathon is to become the first race since Tokyo in 2013 to join long-established majors in New York, London, Boston, Berlin and Chicago if it passes the WMM assessment criteria for the second straight year. “We’re really excited for Sunday to arrive,” race director Wayne Larden told a news conference in Sydney yesterday. “We’re prepared, we’re ready. All of our plans look good on
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
When details from a scientific experiment that could have helped clear Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva landed at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the leader of the organization’s reaction was unequivocal: “We have to stop that urgently,” he wrote. No mention of the test ever became public and Valieva’s defense at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) went on without it. What effect the information could have had on Valieva’s case is unclear, but without it, the skater, then 15 years old, was eventually disqualified from the 2022 Winter Olympics after testing positive for a banned heart medication that would later
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