BASEBALL
Indians sign Encarnacion
Edwin Encarnacion, one of the top names on Major League Baseball’s free-agent market, has agreed to a three-year deal with the Cleveland Indians, US media reported on Thursday. The Indians, who advanced to the World Series where they were beaten by the Chicago Cubs, are hoping the slugger will be the final piece of the puzzle. Encarnacion, 33, reportedly signed a three-year deal for US$65 million and is expected to replace Mike Napoli at first base and designated hitter. Encarnacion, a former third baseman, split time between first base and designated hitter for the Toronto Blue Jays in recent years. The Indians, winners of the American League title this year, lost to Chicago in Game 7 of the World Series.
FOOTBALL
NFL fines Beckham for shoes
New York Giants star receiver Odell Beckham Jr said the NFL fined him for wearing cleats honoring sports broadcaster Craig Sager during Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions. “I got fined 18k for Craig Sager cleats,” Beckham wrote on Instagram on Wednesday, saying the shoes were to be auctioned and the proceeds donated to cancer research. Sager, a popular sideline reporter who was a fixture in the US sports scene, died this month after waging a public battle with leukemia. The NFL allowed players to wear themed cleats to promote charity during week 13 of the season, but has since returned to its regular policy of fining players for footwear that does not conform to uniform rules.
RUGBY UNION
John Gwilliam dies at 93
John Gwilliam, who captained Wales to two Five Nations Grand Slams in 1950 and 1952, died aged 93, it was announced on Thursday. The robust No. 8 was capped 23 times from 1947-1954. His 1950 Grand Slam-winning side — they sealed it with a 21-0 whipping of France in Cardiff — was the first Wales team to achieve that feat in 39 years. A devout Christian, he earned a reputation later in life for being a disciplinarian head master, and he was no longer skipper when Wales overcame the All Blacks 13-8, Bleddyn Williams having taken over that role. A Cambridge graduate, he took a break in his studies to serve as a tank commander in World War II, and on one occasion toward the end of hostilities was seen dragging a diminutive German soldier along by his neck. When he was told that it would have been easier to shoot the soldier, Gwilliam said: “Oh no sir. Much too small.”
SOCCER
PSG sign Julian Draxler
Paris Saint-Germain have agreed a deal with VfL Wolfsburg to sign Germany World Cup-winning midfielder Julian Draxler for 36 million euros (US$37.6 million), according to the Web site of French sports daily L’Equipe. Draxler, 23, is on the market after a difficult first half to the season with struggling Wolfsburg and was widely expected to leave in next month’s transfer window. “Those who want to leave should go! That should have been done in the summer,” Wolfsburg striker Mario Gomez recently told German TV. PSG director of football Patrick Kluivert is on the lookout for reinforcements after a poor start to the campaign by their own standards, which has left them in third place in Ligue 1 at the halfway stage, five points behind leaders OGC Nice.
EVERY DAY A VICTORY: Players on the women’s team faced pressure from society just getting out onto the field as they prepare for their first Women’s Asian Cup game today Bangladesh’s national soccer team face daunting odds at their first-ever Women’s Asian Cup, but have already scored a major victory by qualifying. In the South Asian nation of 170 million, social stigma, family expectations, poverty and religious hardliners have long relegated women and girls to sports sidelines. The first women’s soccer league matches took place in 2011 and the squad, known to fans as the Red and Green, have kept pressing forward despite deeply embedded prejudices. “Many more girls would have joined us if the community had been even slightly supportive,” captain Afeida Khandaker told AFP ahead of her side’s March 3
Soccer officials yesterday offered “full support and assistance” to the Iranian team in Australia for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup after the US and Israel launched massive attacks on their homeland. Iran’s 26-strong squad arrived on the Gold Coast days before the strikes on Saturday killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Washington and Tel Aviv seek to topple the Islamic republic. They are due to open their tournament today against South Korea. The AFC in a statement said it “continues to closely monitor the recent developments in the Middle East during this challenging period.” “The AFC’s foremost priority remains the welfare, safety and
ROAD RASH: Marc Marquez retired after a crash, marking the first time after 88 consecutive races stretching back to 2021 that a Ducati bike failed to make the podium Marco Bezzecchi yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening grand prix in Thailand from pole position as defending world champion Marc Marquez retired late with a buckled wheel. Aprilia’s Bezzecchi led from start to finish to top the podium in Buriram, with KTM’s Pedro Acosta second and Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez third. Ducati’s Marquez is chasing a record-equaling eighth world title this season, but he exited the race in dramatic fashion while in fourth place with five laps to go. The Spaniard, who started from second on the grid, took a corner wide, with the jolt to his bike dislodging the rear tire, badly damaging his
Liverpool on Tuesday suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the English Premier League’s bottom club. Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux. Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November last year. However, Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool. It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017. Liverpool
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