SOCCER
Players hairdos cause furor
Germany’s hairdressers are unimpressed by the latest trims on show in the Bundesliga, and have asked the German Football Association (DFB) why the players have been taking to the pitch with fresh cuts. Hair salons in Germany have been shut since Dec. 16 last year as part of strict restrictions imposed by the government to contain the spread of COVID-19. In an open letter addressed to DFB president Fritz Keller, the German Hairdresser Association said that the players’ actions encouraged the public to flout health protocols by demanding the same services. “It is with great amazement we noticed that over the last match days of Bundesliga a vast majority of the professional footballers took to the pitch with new haircuts,” the hardressers’ association was quoted as saying by ESPN. “The discontent with the top styled football pros is growing. They lead to customers calling and asking for work on the side, and breaches of the corona regulations like visits at home.”
MOTORSPORT
Price airlifted to hospital
Two-time Dakar motorbike champion Toby Price on Tuesday crashed out of this year’s rally in Saudi Arabia, with the Australian having to be airlifted to hospital after a serious accident as French veteran Stephane Peterhansel took a massive step toward a record 14th title. Peterhansel has one hand on the trophy again after landing his first stage win this year, the Mini driver emerging from the ninth stage Red Sea run over dirt and rocks with a near 18-minute overall lead in the car category. However, the day was marred by Price’s crash which left him dazed after hitting his head. He had started the stage in second place overall, a little over one minute adrift of Chilean leader Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo. At the time of his accident Price had actually taken the lead and appeared to be gearing up for a victory.
SWIMMING
Klete Keller spotted at riot
American Klete Keller, who won two Olympic gold medals as a relay teammate of Michael Phelps, was identified as being among the supporters of US President Donald Trump who stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday last week, multiple reports said. Swimming news Web site SwimSwam said in a report that at least a dozen people within the sport identified the towering man wearing a US Olympic team jacket inside the building as Keller after reviewing video and screenshots of the riot. Attempts to reach Keller were unsuccessful. In one of the videos, which was taken by a reporter from conservative news outlet Townhall, a man identified as Keller is seen among the crowd that police officers were trying to push toward the Capitol exits.
SOCCER
Atletico lead by four points
Atletico Madrid on Tuesday extended their lead at the top of La Liga to four points after a 2-0 win over Sevilla that strengthened their title credentials. Goals in each half from Angel Correa and substitute Saul Niguez on a freezing night following historic snowfall in the Spanish capital allowed Diego Simeone’s side to increase the gap between themselves and city rivals Real Madrid. The match at the Wanda Metropolitano was one of three games in hand that Atletico had on Madrid and Barcelona, who sit a further three points back in third. Sevilla remain sixth on 30 points, level with Real Sociedad in fifth.
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