HOCKEY
NHL season start still in air
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Saturday said he would not be surprised if the next NHL season begins after the tentatively planned Dec. 1 start date. In his annual pre-Stanley Cup Final news conference, Bettman said that there is still too much uncertainty to know what that season would look like. He would not address speculation about an all-Canadian division given the US-Canada border closure to nonessential travel. The focus would remain on the safety for players, coaches, staff and fans, Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. “If there’s an option to consider, believe me, we’re considering it,” Bettman said. The league has repeatedly said that opening training camps on Nov. 17 and beginning the season on Dec. 1 were tentative targets. Bettman raised the possibility of the season starting later in December or in January. Asked about potentially not playing until the autumn of next year, Bettman said he anticipates a full, 82-game season and playoffs. “How and when we do that is something that we don’t all have enough information to make any decisions,” Bettman said. The US-Canada border is a significant issue and has more of an effect on the NHL than other pro sports leagues because it has seven teams in Canada and 24 in the US until Seattle is set to become the 32nd franchise next year. Canada did not allow MLB’s Blue Jays to play in Toronto this season because of cross-border travel.
RUGBY UNION
Southern Kings to liquidate
South African Rugby (SA Rugby) has placed the Southern Kings into voluntary liquidation because of debts of 55 million rands (US$3.37 million) and no chance of generating any income this year. The Kings, based in Port Elizabeth, were last month withdrawn from all competition due to their financial position following a failed takeover bid that forced SA Rugby and the Eastern Province Rugby Union to take control. “The hard fact is that the Kings are insolvent, with significant debts and zero assets and it would have been reckless of the board to continue to trade,” Eastern Province chairman Andre Rademan said in a statement.
BASEBALL
Tigers manager to retire
Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire on Saturday announced his retirement, bringing a sudden end to his three-season tenure with the Tigers and ending a 16-year MLB managerial career. The 62-year-old compiled 1,200 wins as a big-league manager, 46th in MLB history. Gardenhire said before Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Indians that he came to the decision suddenly. “The way I’ve been feeling since I had that bout of food poisoning in Minnesota and the stomach problems and the stress involved with this job, I told Al [Avila, Tigers’ general manager] I’ll step down right now,” said Gardenhire, who was treated for prostate cancer in 2017.
RUGBY UNION
Castres kicked out of Cup
Castres on Saturday were thrown out of the European Challenge Cup, 24 hours before their quarter-final in Leicester, because of four COVID-19 positives. The French club confirmed that three players and one manager tested positive before the team’s departure to England. The limit for a match to take place is three, said European Professional Club Rugby, the organizer of the competitions.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and