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.
Former world No. 2 Paula Badosa has withdrawn from this week’s Wuhan Open, organizers said on Tuesday, amid a racism row over an online photograph. Tournament organizers said the Spaniard had pulled out of the WTA 1000 tournament, citing a gastrointestinal illness, hours before her first-round match against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. News outlets including Britain’s the Telegraph earlier reported that Badosa had posted a photo on Instagram in which she appeared to imitate a Chinese face by placing chopsticks on the corners of her eyes. The photo was taken last week in a restaurant in Beijing, where she reached the semi-finals of the
Shin Oebori coaches the Fukagawa Hawks youth baseball team in Tokyo, and he is very aware how Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani touches his players. “With Ohtani, the kids think everything is possible,” Oebori said, wrapping up practice yesterday on an all-dirt field set alongside a local Buddhist temple, below an elevated highway, and in the shadow of tall apartment blocks in central Tokyo. “Nothing is impossible with him. A dream is not a dream,” Oebori said, stepping out of the fenced practice field that keeps balls from landing on the temple grounds. None of the players hitting sponge-soft baseball has reached
Italian defender Marco Curto has been banned for 10 matches for racially abusing South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan while playing for Como 1907 against Wolverhampton Wanderers in a pre-season friendly in July. Curto, who is on loan from Como to Serie B club Cesena, would serve half of the punishment immediately with the other half suspended for two years. “The player Marco Curto was found responsible for discriminatory behavior and sanctioned with a 10-match suspension,” a FIFA spokesperson said. “The player is ordered to render community services and undergo training and education with an organization approved by FIFA.” Wolves said the club would
CRICKET Azhar’s 59 leads Stallions Aashir Azhar’s blazing half-century guided the Taipei Stallions to victory over Taipei Super 11 in the Taiwan Premier League’s Group A at the Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei yesterday. The Stallions were 102-3 and into the 12th over of 20 when Azhar came to the crease. He hit seven sixes and two fours in the 25 deliveries he faced to push his side to 171-5. Gokul Kumar was the star with the ball for Super 11, taking 3-17. In the reply, Deepak Vishnu outscored Azhar with 77 from 50 balls, but nobody else got past 20 as
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