SOCCER
US probe to heat up
FIFA will come under fresh scrutiny next week when a US Senate subcommittee meets in Washington, piling more pressure on the corruption-tainted organization. US authorities in May indicted 14 people — nine top soccer officials and five sports business executives — over tens of millions of dollars of alleged bribes for media rights contracts. Swiss authorities are also investigating the hugely controversial award of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar. On Wednesday on Capitol Hill, a Senate subcommittee will scrutinize a host of delicate issues roiling world soccer, including the crisis at FIFA. The hearing could help uncover to what extent US soccer authorities knew about corruption at FIFA and will also examine labor conditions for migrant workers building stadiums for the tournament in Qatar. Rights activists say laborers are toiling in inhumane conditions and have even died during construction projects related to the tournament. Qatari authorities deny that.
BOXING
Chagaev defends WBA belt
World heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev defended his WBA belt on Saturday with a first-round knockout as challenger Francesco Pianeta was put down twice in the brief bout. After undisputed heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko was promoted to the WBA’s “Super” champion in 2011, Chagaev defended the World Boxing Association heavyweight belt he won last year with a points win over US fighter Fres Oquendo. In a dramatic opening bout in Magdeburg, southpaw Chagaev left Germany’s Pianeta on all fours on the canvas with two rapid left hooks with less than 90 seconds gone. Although the challenger survived the count, Pianeta was put down again just before the bell with another left hook on the ropes. As he struggled to get to his feet, the 30-year-old gave the referee little option but to stop the fight as Pianeta’s bid to become Germany’s first heavyweight champion since Max Schmeling in 1932 ended in embarrassment.
BOXING
Thurman defeats Collazo
Keith Thurman defeated Luis Collazo by technical knockout in the eighth round of their welterweight fight on Saturday night. With a loud hometown crowd behind him, Thurman aggressively stalked Collazo during the first four rounds and landed a wide assortment of power punches to the head and body. Collazo was cut on the corner of his right eye in the sixth round and Thurman opened up the cut with several power punches to the face in the seventh. Collazo’s corner officially threw in the towel at one second into the eighth round. Thurman improved to 26-0 with 22 knockouts and retained his WBA regular welterweight title. Collazo, a former world champion, fell to 26-7.
DIVING
Pacheco earns Rio spot
Mexico’s Rommel Pacheco won the gold medal in men’s 3m springboard at the Pan American Games on Saturday to earn an automatic qualifying spot for next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Pacheco, who competed at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics, capped a polished series of dives with his most difficult, a forward 4.5 somersault, to score a total 483.35 points. The silver medal went to Mexico’s Jahir Ocampo (442.15), while Canada’s Philippe Gagne (421.2) took bronze. The men’s 3m springboard is among a handful of disciplines in 10 sports at the July 10-26 Pan Am Games that offer athletes a chance to secure a spot in the Rio Olympics, which are scheduled for Aug. 5 to Aug. 21 next year.
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
James Harden on Friday scored 31 points and came up big in overtime to help the Los Angeles Clippers erase a double-digit deficit on the way to a 121-117 NBA victory over the Toronto Raptors. Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Clippers pushed their wining steak to five games despite the absence of star Kawhi Leonard with a sprained right ankle. The Clippers trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but Harden drilled a pair of free-throws with 1:24 left in regulation to tie it and after misses from both teams, they went to
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
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