BADMINTON
Tai defeated in Germany
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying crashed out at the German Open yesterday, defeated in straight games by Japan’s Sayaka Takahasmi 21-15, 21-18. World No. 1 Tai on Tuesday won her opening match in Mulheim, but was outdone in 34 minutes yesterday against the world No. 13.
SOCCER
Chelsea face restrictions
Restrictions were placed on Chelsea’s ability to operate by the British government yesterday after owner Roman Abramovich was targeted in sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Abramovich was among seven wealthy Russians who had their assets frozen by the government, pausing his ability to sell Chelsea. The government has issued what it calls a “special license” to ensure Chelsea can continue to play games and staff can be paid, but the club would not be able to sell new tickets or merchandise. It is about “depriving Abramovich of benefiting from his ownership of the club,” British Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Nadine Dorries wrote on Twitter. “I know this brings some uncertainty, but the Government will work with the league & clubs to keep football being played while ensuring sanctions hit those intended. Football clubs are cultural assets and the bedrock of our communities. We’re committed to protecting them.”
CRICKET
‘Mankad’ change welcomed
India great Sachin Tendulkar yesterday welcomed a law change for “Mankad” run outs, which will no longer be classed as “unfair play.” The mode of dismissal — where a bowler in their delivery stride can run out a non-striker — was named after India all-rounder Vinoo Mankad, who ran out Bill Brown twice in that fashion on a tour of Australia in 1947. The nickname for that type of dismissal has stuck, much to the annoyance of Mankad, who died in 1978, and other Indian cricketers. The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has always held that such dismissals are legitimate, but listed them under Law 41: “Unfair Play.” In one of several changes announced by the MCC this week to come into effect from Oct 1, it will now be covered under Law 38: “Run Out.” Tendulkar said in a video message that he “was always uncomfortable with that particular dismissal being called Mankaded. I am really happy that it’s been changed to run out. It always should have been run out according to me. So this is one good news for all of us.”
SOCCER
Adidas to outfit Italy
German sportswear giant Adidas on Wednesday announcing a deal to supply the Italy national team. “Sport is back in 2022 with the [FIFA] World Cup” in Qatar at the end of the year, Adidas chief executive officer Kasper Rorsted told a news conference. After the tournament, Adidas would take over as kit provider for the Italy team, having secured a deal with the Italian Football Federation to outfit all of its teams, he said.
BASEBALL
MLB cancels more games
Major League Baseball on Wednesday canceled a further slate of fixtures after a fresh round of labor talks with players ended in deadlock. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement that the season would not start until April 14 at the earliest after the latest negotiations failed.
RECORD DEFEAT: The Shanghai-based ‘Oriental Sports Daily’ said the drubbing was so disastrous, and taste so bitter, that all that is left is ‘numbness’ Chinese soccer fans and media rounded on the national team yesterday after they experienced fresh humiliation in a 7-0 thrashing to rivals Japan in their opening Group C match in the third phase of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The humiliation in Saitama on Thursday against Asia’s top-ranked team was China’s worst defeat in World Cup qualifying and only a goal short of their record 8-0 loss to Brazil in 2012. Chinese President Xi Jinping once said he wanted China to host and even win the World Cup one day, but that ambition looked further away than ever after a
‘KHELIFMANIA’: In the weeks since the Algerian boxer won gold in Paris, national enthusiasm is inspiring newfound interest in the sport, particularly among women In the weeks since Algeria’s Imane Khelif won an Olympic gold medal in women’s boxing, athletes and coaches in the North African nation say national enthusiasm is inspiring newfound interest in the sport, particularly among women. Khelif’s image is practically everywhere, featured in advertisements at airports, on highway billboards and in boxing gyms. The 25-year-old welterweight’s success in Paris has vaulted her to national hero status, especially after Algerians rallied behind her in the face of uninformed speculation about her gender and eligibility to compete. Amateur boxer Zougar Amina, a medical student who has been practicing for a year, called Khelif an
Crowds descended on the home of 17-year-old Chinese diver Quan Hongchan after she won two golds at the Paris Olympics while gymnast Zhang Boheng hid in a Beijing airport toilet to escape overzealous throngs of fans. They are just two recent examples of what state media are calling “toxic fandom” and Chinese authorities have vowed to crack down on it. Some of the adulation toward China’s sports stars has been more sinister — fans obsessing over athletes’ personal lives, cyberbullying opponents or slamming supposedly crooked judges. Experts say it mirrors the kind of behavior once reserved for entertainment celebrities before
GOING GLOBAL: The regular season fixture is part of the football league’s increasingly ambitious plans to spread the sport to international destinations The US National Football League (NFL) breaks new ground in its global expansion strategy tomorrow when the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers face off in the first-ever grid-iron game staged in Brazil. For one night only, the land of Pele and ‘The Beautiful Game’ will get a rare glimpse into the bone-crunching world of American football as the Packers and Eagles collide at Sao Paulo’s Neo Quimica Arena, the 46,000-seat home of soccer club Corinthians. The regular season fixture is part of the NFL’s increasingly ambitious plans to spread the US’ most popular sport to new territories following previous international fixtures
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