ITALY
Sports ban extended
Minister of Sports Vincenzo Spadafora on Saturday said that the ban on games and competitions in the nation is to be extended through all of next month. A nationwide lockdown was due to expire on Friday this week, but health experts have said that the need to contain COVID-19 would likely last weeks beyond that. Spadafora told La Repubblica that talks about restarting Serie A soccer on May 3 are “unrealistic.” Today “I will propose extending the ban on sports competitions at every level for all of April. And I’ll extend the measure to training — an area where we hadn’t intervened because there was still a possibility of holding the Olympics,” he said.
SOCCER
Rustu Recber tests positive
Former Turkey and Barcelona goalkeeper Rustu Recber is in hospital after testing positive for COVID-19, his wife, Isil Recber, wrote on Instagram on Saturday. “Rustu is in hospital with a COVID-19 diagnosis,” she wrote. She and their son and daughter had tested negative for the virus, she wrote. Rustu Recber took on hero status in Turkey as he kept goal at the 2002 World Cup, anchoring his team to the semi-finals and ultimately third place, their greatest ever performance at the tournament. The goalkeeper was easily recognizable at the World Cup due to the black, anti-reflection product he smeared beneath his eyes like some NFL players.
BASKETBALL
Dolan contracts COVID-19
New York Knicks owner James Dolan has been diagnosed with COVID-19, the Knicks announced on Saturday. The 64-year-old, who also owns the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers, is self isolating after experiencing “little to no symptoms,” the Knicks wrote on Twitter. Dolan continues to carry out his duties as the executive chairman of New York-based sports and entertainment company Madison Square Garden Co, the Knicks said.
BASEBALL
Jim Edmonds hospitalized
Former eight-time Gold Glove winner Jim Edmonds was in hospital on Saturday with symptoms similar to those from COVID-19. The 49-year-old Edmonds was awaiting test results after trying to tough it out on his own. He said his condition worsened and he checked himself into a hospital. “Held off as long as I could,” Edmonds wrote on Instagram and included a photograph of himself wearing a mask. “I thought I was tough enough to get through. This virus is no joke. #gethealthy.”
BOXING
Billy Saunders apologizes
British world champion Billy Joe Saunders apologized on Saturday after a video emerged of him advising men on how to attack women if domestic arguments occur during COVID-19 lockdowns. WBO super middleweight champion Saunders, 30, is seen in the video giving tips on how to react if “your old woman is ... coming at you, spitting a bit of venom in your face.” Using a punchbag, he then describes how to “hit her on the chin” and “finish her off.” Saunders said that if he “offended any women,” he apologizes. “I would never condone domestic violence and if I saw a man touch a woman I would smash him to pieces myself,” Saunders wrote on Twitter. “Apologies if I offended any women, stay blessed.”
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two
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