AMERICAN FOOTBALL
NFL clears Peyton Manning
The NFL said it found no credible evidence that Peyton Manning was provided with HGH or other prohibited substances, as alleged in a documentary by al-Jazeera America last fall. The league said the quarterback and his wife fully cooperated in the seven-month investigation, providing interviews and access to all records sought by investigators. Manning vehemently denied the allegations when they were made late last season. Manning retired from the NFL a month after Denver’s 24-10 win over Carolina in Super Bowl 50. The NFL is continuing its investigation into allegations made against other NFL players in the documentary, which the league said involves “different lines of inquiry and witnesses.”
CRICKET
Australia dominate Sri Lanka
Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood picked up three wickets as Australia ripped through Sri Lanka’s brittle top order on the first morning of the opening Test in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, yesterday. At lunch, the hosts were reeling on 84-5 with debutant all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva (24) and Kusal Perera (12) unbeaten at the crease. Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat on a dry pitch in the first of the three-match Test series. However, Australia pace duo Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc ensured their team took full control with the new ball by reducing the hosts to 18-3 inside 10 overs. Starc sent back Dimuth Karunaratne, with the opening batsman failing to get the umpire’s LBW verdict overturned on review. Hazlewood then dismissed Kusal Mendis and Kaushal Silva, and returned for another spell before lunch to lure Dinesh Chandimal into an edge behind to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill. Left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe was brought on in the ninth over by Australia captain Steve Smith and he was rewarded when he dismissed Mathews.
SOCCER
Give Africa places: Infantino
Africa should be given two more places at the FIFA World Cup finals if the tournament is expanded to 40 teams, FIFA president Gianni Infantino told reporters on a brief trip to Nigeria on Monday. Infantino repeated his presidential election manifesto pledge to push for the World Cup to grow by eight teams to 40 and said he wants Africa to get at least two extra slots from 2026. “I believe for the World Cup 2026 — because the 2018 and 2022 finals are already decided — there should be 40 teams ... and out of the eight more, there should be at least two slots for African teams,” Infantino told reporters. “This is what I declared during my campaign and as you know, I am not a dictator, but a democratically elected FIFA president, so I have to speak to everyone and listen to everyone as well,” he added in Abuja.
RUGBY UNION
Reds appoint new coach
Former Wallabies prop Nick Stiles was yesterday appointed the Queensland Reds’ permanent coach. Stiles, who played 12 times for Australia, has been the interim co-coach along with Matt O’Connor since Richard Graham was let go two rounds into this year’s Super Rugby season. “The panel and board ... ultimately determined Nick to have the right attributes to take this group forward,” Queensland Rugby Union general manager Daniel Herbert said.
ADVANTAGE ATLETICO: Well off the pace in La Liga, the Copa del Rey represents Atletico Madrid’s best chance of silverware this season Atletico Madrid on Thursday hammered Copa del Rey holders Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their semi-final. After an Eric Garcia own-goal sent Diego Simeone’s side ahead early on, Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman and Julian Alvarez struck to give Atletico a landslide lead by halftime. Barca defender Garcia was sent off in the final stages, with Atletico maintaining their significant advantage on the record 32-time winners, which they take into the second leg at the Camp Nou on March 3. Both sides missed good chances in the second half, with Barca’s Pau Cubarsi having a goal disallowed before Garcia was sent off
Stade Rennais, four days after firing coach Habib Beye, stunned Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 on Friday, snapping the defending champions’ seven-match winning run in French Ligue 1. Second-placed RC Lens could leapfrog the champions and retake top spot last night after press time if they beat Paris FC in the capital. PSG started brightly, with Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue carving openings to no avail. Rennes fired Beye on Monday and promoted his assistant Sebastien Tambouret, and the same players who had lost four games on the bounce seemed transformed. Jordanian forward Mousa al-Tamari bagged the opener, unleashing a fierce strike
Dasun Shanaka hammered the fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in T20Is as the cohosts thrashed Oman by 105 runs at the World Cup yesterday in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, for their second win in Group B. The 2014 champions piled up 225-5, the highest total of the tournament, before restricting an outclassed Oman to 120-9. The 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem waged a lone battle for Oman, compiling an unbeaten 53 to become the oldest player to score a 50 in T20 World Cups. Having promoted himself up the order and under pressure to deliver, Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka smashed a 19-ball half-century. It has been
Manchester City FC halved Arsenal FC’s lead at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 home defeat of Fulham FC, and Aston Villa FC stayed in the frame with a late 1-0 victory at home to Brighton and Hove Albion FC on Wednesday. Nottingham Forest FC squandered a chance to put some distance between themselves and the bottom three as they drew 0-0 at home to bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers FC. Second-from-bottom Burnley FC pulled off a remarkable 3-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace FC to boost their slender survival hopes. City have little margin for error in their pursuit
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