MMA
McGregor sued over phone
Conor McGregor is facing a civil lawsuit after being charged in South Florida with stealing the cellphone of someone who was trying to take his photograph. Miami-Dade County court records show that 22-year-old Ahmed Abdirzak on Thursday filed a lawsuit seeking more than US$15,000, accusing McGregor of battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Miami Beach police said that McGregor was leaving a hotel early on Monday when Abdirzak attempted to take a photograph of him. McGregor slapped the phone out of Abdirzak’s hand and then stomped on it several times, then grabbed the phone and left the area, police said. McGregor was later arrested on robbery and criminal mischief charges.
HORSE RACING
Fatalities prompt changes
Santa Anita Park said it would ban the use of drugs and whips during competitions after a horse was euthanized on Thursday following an injury during a training run, the 22nd fatality at the Southern California track since Christmas. The restrictions would be the first of their kind in the US and came on the day that federal legislation was reintroduced that would ban race-day medication and increase out-of-competition testing nationwide. Earlier this month, Santa Anita canceled racing after the 21st fatality and brought in a surface expert to determine what had caused the spike in deaths. The track reopened less than a week later.
CRICKET
Sreesanth life ban lifted
India’s Supreme Court yesterday scrapped Shanthakumaran Sreesanth’s life ban for match-fixing, but stopped short of acquitting the paceman. The court said that Sreesanth’s case had been badly handled and gave the Board of Control for Cricket in India three months to reconsider his punishment. Sreesanth was arrested for illegal betting and spot-fixing during the 2013 Indian Premier League along with teammates Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila. “The court has given me a huge lifeline and I am happy with the opportunity given to me,” Sreesanth said. Sreesanth’s lawyer argued that no evidence had been found to prove that he underperformed in return for cash from bookmakers. “The team [Rajasthan Royals] and its owners were banned for two years only. It is completely unfair that a life ban was imposed on him [Sreesanth],” his lawyer was quoted as saying by local media.
SWIMMING
Japan’s hope ‘lacks hunger’
Olympic champion Kosuke Hagino yesterday said he has pulled out of next month’s Japanese championships, blaming a lack of hunger and triggering concerns about his appetite for Tokyo 2020. The 24-year-old was Japan’s best hope for a swimming gold next year alongside six-time Asian Games gold medalist Rikako Ikee, 18, who was diagnosed with leukemia last month. “I’ve been unable to achieve the results I had hoped for since the 2017 season,” Hagino said in a statement. “As the gap between my targets and reality has widened, it has become harder for me to maintain my motivation.” The former Asian champion has struggled with form since capturing gold in the men’s 400m individual medley at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
A seven-year-old horse had to be euthanized on Friday after breaking its back on the final fence of a Grand National steeplechase race that it won despite sustaining the serious injury. It follows the death of four horses at the Cheltenham Festival last month — including one after the prestigious Gold Cup. Gold Dancer was competing in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase during Ladies Day at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. The horse managed to cross the finish line approximately four lengths ahead of runner-up Regent’s Stroll. “The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after
Hans Niemann declares he would become a “stone cold killer” in a Netflix documentary released on Tuesday about his feud with five-time classical world champion Magnus Carlsen, a pledge that injects new edge into the lingering fallout from the cheating scandal that shook elite chess. “I’m gonna be a stone cold killer the rest of my life,” the US’ Niemann says in the film. “I’m going to become the best player in the world, and no one is going to believe that now, but this clip will play over and over again in 10 years — just wait.” “I just
OBJECTIVE REACHED: ’Now for us, it’s about getting healthy, making sure everybody is ready to go, and we can ramp up,’ the Atlanta Hawks’ C.J. McCollum said after the game The Atlanta Hawks on Friday secured an NBA playoff berth with a 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers as the Boston Celtics locked up the Eastern Conference second seed with a lopsided win of their own. C.J. McCollum scored a game-high 29 points for the Hawks, who came into the contest at sixth in the East and still in danger of falling into the play-in tournament that would see the seventh-through 10th-placed teams battle for the last two playoff berths in each conference. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson scored 18 points apiece, and Dyson Daniels added a triple-double of 13
The Daredevils yesterday took eight catches in the final as they eked out a victory in the Taiwan Cricket Triangular Tournament against PCCT at Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District. PCCT’s batting lineup collapsed after they asked the Daredevils to bowl in the T20 decider of the weekend tournament that also involved the Formosa Cricket Club. PCCT were bundled out for 76 in 16.2 overs against a disciplined Daredevils attack. Shahzad Khan was the top scorer in the innings with 21, but he was among those who offered chances to the fielders. Shane Ferreira and Jason Cameron took three wickets each, with
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