FOOTBALL
No censure for Bills
The NFL has determined that the Buffalo Bills acted properly in the aftermath of team president Russ Brandon’s resignation amid allegations he had an inappropriate relationship with a female employee. The league on Friday released a statement saying it would take no further action against the Bills and determined that the team “addressed the matter in a timely, thorough and appropriate manner.” Brandon resigned on May 1 after spending 20 years working up the Bills’ executive ranks. He also spent the past three years serving as president of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, who are also owned by Terry and Kim Pegula. Two people with direct knowledge of the matter said that Brandon’s resignation came after he was confronted about the relationship by the Pegulas. Brandon said he had contemplated stepping down from the job for some time and felt the timing was right following the conclusion of the NFL draft.
WORLD CUP
Doping reporter denied visa
German journalist Hajo Seppelt, who broke the Russian state doping story, has been refused a visa to attend the World Cup, Sport Informations Dienst reported on Friday. “Obviously, the discovery of a state doping system is so far-reaching that Russia thinks it’s necessary to take such measures. That speaks for itself,” the reporter said. The visa application was refused on the grounds that he appears on a list of “undesirable persons” in Russia. FIFA said it had already validated Seppelt’s accreditation request. “In general, the freedom of the press is very important to FIFA and we want to offer media representatives the best possible conditions for them to perform their jobs,” it said in a statement.
WORLD CUP
Alves out for Brazil
Brazil right back Dani Alves is to miss the World Cup, leaving the five-time champions without one of their main leaders. Alves on Tuesday injured his right knee in Paris Saint-Germain’s French Cup Final. Alves was examined by doctor Rodrigo Lasmar, who said he will be sidelined for about six months for a detached anterior cruciate ligament. The date of the operation is to be decided by PSG and Alves, who played for Brazil in the past two World Cups and has made 107 appearances for the team since 2006. “He was upset when he heard [about missing the World Cup], but he immediately turned the page and started thinking of his recovery,” Lasmar said. Brazilian Football Confederation coordinator Edu Gaspar said Alves was teary-eyed, but sent a positive message to his teammates. “We lost a leader, a champion, but he told us to take some positive energy. He doesn’t want people to be upset for him,” Gaspar said, adding that Brazil coach Tite has enough information to pick an adequate substitute at right back. Former Brazil player Junior believes Manchester City’s Danilo is the most likely replacement. “He is the one playing at the highest level at the moment, but he still needs to adapt to the team,” Junior said.
WORLD CUP
Iceland picks injured players
Iceland has selected playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson and captain Aron Gunnarsson in its 23-man squad, even though both midfielders are out injured, the team announced on Friday. Sigurdsson has been out with a knee injury since early March and is to miss the final game of the English Premier League today for Everton. Gunnarsson is recovering after undergoing knee surgery late last month. Iceland is to be in Group D with Argentina, Nigeria and Croatia.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
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