CHINA
Big crowds at events banned
The nation’s sports bodies have been banned until further notice from organizing events that would draw large crowds amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the General Administration of Sport said on Tuesday. “From now until further notice, major sporting events that gather crowds, such as marathons, will not resume,” it said. The directive, which singled out the nation’s soccer and basketball associations — both suspended — did not give a time frame when the situation might change.
RUGBY
Pair axed over schoolgirls
Australia’s National Rugby League has expelled two players on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs for a “serious” breach of its code of conduct after the pair took what the club described as “young females of a consensual age” to the team’s hotel during a pre-season tour. Jayden Okunbor and Corey Harawira-Naera were investigated by the league’s integrity unit following the promotional tour in New South Wales. “This decision should send a very clear message to all players of our stance on such behavior,” league CEO Todd Greenberg said yesterday.
BASEBALL
Empty parks viable: Heaney
Los Angeles Angels pitcher Andrew Heaney on Tuesday said that he would be willing to open the Major League Baseball season playing in empty ballparks — something the MLB players’ union has discussed. Playing with no fans in attendance is an option being considered, even though “no player wants to play in an empty stadium,” said Heaney, the Angels’ union representative. “Baseball shows why it’s the national pastime,” he said. “It can be helpful for people in tough times ... to flip on a game and see their team play.”
SOCCER
Clubs fined for fan banners
Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt have been fined for fans displaying offensive banners at matches in February, UEFA said on Tuesday. Bayern was ordered to pay 20,000 euros (US$22,000) for “transmitting a provocative message of an offensive nature” during a UEFA Champions League match at Chelsea. Fans unfurled banners in English protesting the “pricing insanity” of clubs charging away fans for tickets. Eintracht fans displayed profane slogans aimed at UEFA and opponent Salzburg at a UEFA Europa League game. UEFA fined Eintracht 15,000 euros for “transmitting a provocative message” and 10,000 euros for “bringing UEFA into disrepute.”
OLYMPIC GAMES
Doubt cast on new date
The lawmaker leading polls to be Japan’s next prime minister cast doubt on plans to hold the delayed Tokyo Olympic Games next year, citing uncertainty over the pandemic that he said would also affect his own future. Former Japanese defense minister Shigeru Ishiba, the public’s favorite to replace Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said that whether he runs for leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party next year depends on the coronavirus and whether the Olympics can be held. “It depends on the virus being under control, and not just in Japan,” Ishiba said on Tuesday. “If no one comes from Europe or America, it’s not the Olympics. It’s an Asian athletics event.”
Ademola Lookman on Thursday scored on his Atletico Madrid debut in a 5-0 rout of Real Betis Balompie that sent Diego Simeone’s team to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. David Hancko, Giuliano Simeone, Antoine Griezmann and Thiago Almada also scored for Atletico as they advanced to the last four for the third straight season. Atletico are trying to reach their first Copa final since winning the competition in 2012-2013. Hancko opened the scoring for the visitors in the 12th minute and Giuliano Simeone added to the lead in the 30th, before Lookman got his first goal for Atletico on a fast
GUNNING FOR A WIN: The victory sending Arsenal to the final for the first time in six years was cathartic for a team who had lost their previous four semi-finals Arsenal on Tuesday reached the League Cup final for the first time in eight years as Kai Havertz sealed a 1-0 win against Chelsea in the semi-final second leg. Mikel Arteta’s side had put themselves in pole position in the first leg and Havertz came off the bench to finish the 4-2 aggregate victory in the closing moments at the Emirates Stadium. It was a cathartic triumph for the Gunners, who had lost their previous four semi-finals in last year’s UEFA Champions League and League Cup, the 2022 League Cup and the 2021 UEFA Europa League. In their first final for six years,
SUPERSTAR DELIVERS: Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to propel the Spurs to a 135-123 victory over the Dallas Mavericks The Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday shook off the early exit of injured star Luka Doncic, rallying without him in the second half for a 119-115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Austin Reaves, again coming off the bench in his second game back from a 19-game injury absence, scored 13 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, drilling a pair of back-to-back three-pointers to give the Lakers their first lead of the game early in the final frame. “Losing Luka, you know nothing’s going to be easy after that because he does so much for us, but we bonded together,” said
France head coach Fabien Galthie on Thursday lauded his team’s attacking performance after their dazzling 36-14 victory over Ireland in their Six Nations opener. A brace of tries from Louis Bielley-Biarrey and one from mercurial flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert helped France storm into a 29-0 lead before taking their foot off the gas and allowing Ireland back into the match, before winger Theo Attissogbe put some gloss on the victory late on. “In an attacking sense, with the ball, the team played with great accuracy,” Galthie said. “It was one of the most accurate attacking performances in a long time, despite the weather
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