BASKETBALL
James extends Lakers deal
Reigning NBA finals MVP LeBron James, who turns 36 this month, has agreed to a two-year, US$85 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, his agent Rich Paul said on Wednesday. The deal means James would make US$39.2 million next season and would remain a Laker through the 2022-2023 season, ESPN reported Paul as saying. James would also make US$41.1 million in 2021-2022 and US$44.5 million in 2022-2023. By the time his contract ends, he would have played two decades in the NBA.
RUGBY UNION
Suspensions lifted
Argentina’s rugby union yesterday lifted the interim suspension of skipper Pablo Matera and two other players for racist tweets, in a shock U-turn just two days after calling the posts “unacceptable.” The surprise move followed reports that Argentina’s players had threatened to strike over the suspensions of Matera, Guido Petti and Santiago Socino for their “discriminatory and xenophobic” tweets. “The disciplinary process will continue and the commission will reach its final resolution in the coming days,” the Argentina Rugby Union said in a statement.
SOCCER
Player’s door set ablaze
A Serie C player was sitting on his sofa with his daughters when his front door was set on fire, Calcio Foggia 1920 SSD’s president said on Wednesday. “A tragedy could have taken place last night, but fortunately neighbors intervened with buckets of water and put out the blaze,” Roberto Felleca told the ANSA news agency. “Federico [Gentile] was on the sofa with his little daughters when he saw the smoke get into the house,” he said. In a statement on their Web site, Foggia condemned a “cowardly act of intimidation” against the 35-year-old midfielder.
SOCCER
Messi fined for shirt
Lionel Messi and Barcelona have been fined a combined 780 euros (US$945) after the player was shown a yellow card for lifting his shirt to pay tribute to the late Diego Maradona following his goal in Sunday’s 4-0 win over Osasuna. Messi, who was fined 600 euros while his club were fined 180 euros, paid homage to his late compatriot by taking off his Barca shirt to reveal a Newell’s Old Boys shirt belonging to Maradona. The Spanish soccer federation’s competition committee showed little sympathy when upholding the rules, rejecting Barca’s protests against the punishment.
BASEBALL
Nearly 60 players cut loose
Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr on Wednesday were cut loose by the Chicago Cubs after helping the team win its first World Series title in more than a century. They were among 59 players who became free agents as part of the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic when their teams failed to offer them contracts for next season by Wednesday night’s deadline. Cincinnati Reds’ reliever Archie Bradley, Atlanta Braves’ outfielder Adam Duvall, Colorado Rockies’ outfielder David Dahl and Minnesota Twins’ outfielder Eddie Rosario also were let go by their clubs, who did not want to allow those players to become eligible for salary arbitration in February, which would have been their right had they been tendered contracts.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was