CYCLING
Horner hit by car
Tour of Spain champion Chris Horner has been taken to hospital following a training crash with a car around Lake Como, Italy, his Lampre team said on Friday. The 42-year-old American, who was born in Japan and is the oldest-ever winner of a Grand Tour, suffered a punctured lung and broken ribs in the accident. With a best Tour de France finish of ninth in 2010, Horner finally delivered on his Grand Tour potential by winning last year’s Vuelta a Espana just before turning 42. His other notable results included an overall victory at the Tour of the Basque Country in 2010 and the Tour of California in 2011.
CRICKET
Amir to miss World Cup
Banned Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir will not be eligible for next year’s World Cup even if he returns early to domestic cricket, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Friday. PCB chairman Najam Sethi told a news conference in Lahore that under the amended anti-corruption laws of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Aamir’s five-year ban could be reduced by 12 months. Aamir, 21, was banned for a minimum five years in 2011 for spot-fixing during Pakistan’s fourth Test against England at Lord’s in 2010.
OLYMPICS
Pole vaulter Hooker retires
Former Olympic pole vault champion Steve Hooker of Australia has announced he is retiring from the sport, saying he is still physically fit, but does not have the mental drive to continue at the top. The 31-year-old Hooker, who won gold at the Beijing Games in 2008, says: “I honestly thought the body would be the one that would give way, and that would be the end ... but it has almost been the opposite.” From 2008 to 2010, he won every major title in his event — the Olympics, world indoors and outdoors championships. However, Hooker had difficulty qualifying for the 2012 Olympics due to what he often called the pole vaulting “yips,” and did not make the London final.
SOCCER
Rossi return boosts Italy
Italy international striker Giuseppe Rossi has given his country a pre-World Cup boost by returning to training with Fiorentina on Friday. Former Manchester United forward Rossi injured his knee on Jan. 5, but just two months out from the beginning of the World Cup in Brazil, he is now back in training in Tuscany. The US-born 27-year-old was greeted by about 500 fans for his return. It was the second major knee problem he has suffered in his career, having missed the majority of a two-year period from 2011 to last year, during which time he transferred from Villarreal to La Viola, due to a torn cruciate knee ligament. His return was welcome news for Italy coach Cesare Prandelli and the diminutive striker was part of the 42-man squad named for physical tests at Italy’s training base.
SOCCER
Stoch site: ‘kill gays’
Slovak international winger Miroslav Stoch of Greek side PAOK faces disciplinary action after being accused of making threats against Olympiakos players, the Greek soccer federation said on Friday. Stoch, 24, and PAOK said that the remarks on the player’s Instagram account were the work of hackers. The player reportedly wrote on his site: “We will kill those fucking gays in Toumba!!!” The reference was to the second leg of the clubs’ Greek Cup semi-final scheduled for Wednesday at PAOK’s Toumba Stadium. Greek champions Olympiakos won the first leg 2-1, in a match which saw Stoch red-carded.
Ademola Lookman on Thursday scored on his Atletico Madrid debut in a 5-0 rout of Real Betis Balompie that sent Diego Simeone’s team to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. David Hancko, Giuliano Simeone, Antoine Griezmann and Thiago Almada also scored for Atletico as they advanced to the last four for the third straight season. Atletico are trying to reach their first Copa final since winning the competition in 2012-2013. Hancko opened the scoring for the visitors in the 12th minute and Giuliano Simeone added to the lead in the 30th, before Lookman got his first goal for Atletico on a fast
France head coach Fabien Galthie on Thursday lauded his team’s attacking performance after their dazzling 36-14 victory over Ireland in their Six Nations opener. A brace of tries from Louis Bielley-Biarrey and one from mercurial flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert helped France storm into a 29-0 lead before taking their foot off the gas and allowing Ireland back into the match, before winger Theo Attissogbe put some gloss on the victory late on. “In an attacking sense, with the ball, the team played with great accuracy,” Galthie said. “It was one of the most accurate attacking performances in a long time, despite the weather
SUPERSTAR DELIVERS: Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to propel the Spurs to a 135-123 victory over the Dallas Mavericks The Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday shook off the early exit of injured star Luka Doncic, rallying without him in the second half for a 119-115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Austin Reaves, again coming off the bench in his second game back from a 19-game injury absence, scored 13 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, drilling a pair of back-to-back three-pointers to give the Lakers their first lead of the game early in the final frame. “Losing Luka, you know nothing’s going to be easy after that because he does so much for us, but we bonded together,” said
Italy are finally heading to the World Cup — just not in the sport most people might expect. Amid dark times for the country’s storied, but ailing soccer team, some salvation comes in the form of the Azzurri’s unheralded cricketers after their first-ever qualification for a global tournament. Add Italy to cricketing superpowers like India, Australia, England and South Africa competing at the T20 World Cup starting tomorrow. “Just to be there and playing is the end of 45 years of hard work,” Italian Cricket Federation CEO Luca Bruno Malaspina said. That is a reference to the formation of the sport’s national federation in
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