GYMNASTICS
Bono resigns after four days
Interim USA Gymnastics CEO and president Mary Bono has resigned just four days after she stepped into the role. Bono was the subject of criticism from Olympic champion Simone Biles over the weekend. “*mouth drop* don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything,” Biles wrote on Twitter. Bono had tweeted, and then deleted, a photograph of herself drawing over a Nike logo, a presumed shot at the company’s advertising campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick. Bono later tweeted that she respects “everyone’s views & fundamental right to express them.”
ATHLETICS
IAAF to delay hormone rules
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said it would not apply rules to limit natural testosterone levels in female runners until the Court of Arbitration for Sport concludes an appeal case brought by Olympic champion Caster Semenya. The federation on Tuesday said it agreed to postpone the intended Nov. 1 start for eligibility rules until the court gives a verdict “expected on or before” March 26. That target date is six months and two days before the start of the World Championships in Doha. If the federation’s rules for athletes with differences of sex development are upheld by the court, female runners would be forced to medicate to reduce their testosterone levels for six months before racing internationally from 400m through the mile. The federation expects a February appeal hearing for Semenya. “The IAAF remains very confident of the legal, scientific and ethical bases for the regulations, and therefore fully expects the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reject these challenges,” the organization said.
SAILING
Ian Kiernan dies at 78
Ian Kiernan, an environmental campaigner and accomplished around-the-world sailor who raced for more than 40 years, died yesterday at 78 after a short battle with cancer, his family said. Kiernan competed for Australia at the Admiral’s, Southern Cross, Clipper, Kenwood and Trans Pacific Cup competitions. In 1986-1987, Kiernan represented Australia in the BOC Challenge solo around-the-world yacht race, placing sixth out of a fleet of 25 yachts. During the challenge, Kiernan became dismayed by the amount of pollution in the world’s oceans. He in 1989 organized a community event, Clean Up Sydney Harbour, for which 40,000 volunteers turned out to help clean up the waterway. Officials for Clean-up Australia say the day has since spread to about 120 nations. Kiernan was named Australian of the Year in 1994 and in 1998 received a UN Environment Programme award for “mobilizing tens of millions of people around the globe.”
ICE HOCKEY
Devils continue perfect start
Kyle Palmieri became the first player in NHL history to score his team’s first goal in each of the first four games of the season on Tuesday night, when his first-period tally gave the New Jersey Devils the only goal they would need in a 3-0 win over the visiting Dallas Stars. Goalie Keith Kinkaid recorded his second shutout of the season — as many as he had in the previous two seasons combined — by making 24 saves for the Devils, who are the lone unbeaten team in the NHL.
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
DOMINATION: McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took the first two spots as Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen followed them Australian Oscar Piastri yesterday roared back from season-opening disappointment in his home race by winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix from pole position in a McLaren one-two with championship-leading teammate Lando Norris. George Russell finished third for Mercedes, ahead of Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Saturday’s sprint winner Lewis Hamilton fifth and sixth respectively. Piastri’s win denied Norris a third victory in a row, including last year’s Abu Dhabi season-ender, but left champions McLaren unbeaten in two races so far this year. “Mega job guys. The car was very, very lovely,” Piastri said
TO FINAL FOUR: France had 22 chances and scored two goals, while Croatia could not manage a single shot on target in 120 minutes. Les Bleus won 5-4 on penalties France on Sunday overturned a two-goal deficit to qualify for the UEFA Nations League Final Four by eliminating Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 victory in their quarter-final second leg at the Stade de France. Dayot Upamecano scored the winning spot kick in a nail-biting shootout in which France keeper Mike Maignan made two saves, sending Les Bleus into the semi-finals against Spain. Michael Olise opened the scoring and Ousmane Dembele doubled their lead 10 minutes from time to send the tie into extra time after their 2-0 loss in Split, Croatia, on Thursday. France had a total of
Armand Duplantis will be among the reigning Olympic champions adding star power to the world indoor championships this weekend when the Chinese city of Nanjing hosts the first major global athletics meet since the Paris Games last year. The three-day event was originally slated for 2020 and faced multiple postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Nanjing’s Sports Training Center would finally welcome more than 570 athletes for the start of the showpiece today. One of the main attractions would be pole vaulter “Mondo” Duplantis, who soared 6.27m to break the world record for a staggering 11th time in Clermont-Ferrand last
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