CYCLING
Doull talks toilet breaks
Welshman Owain Doull on Monday said he is “loving” his maiden Tour de France experience, despite the lack of opportunities to “have a nature break” during the crowded opening stages in Denmark. This year’s Tour started in Copenhagen and continued in Denmark for two more days with spectators packing the roadsides in the cycling-mad country. “It was quite hard, because when you’re racing you end up with three or four chances to have a nature break, but when there’s not a meter of spare road you can’t pull up in front of a load of fans and have a number one,” Doull said during the Tour’s third and final rest day. “As soon as there was an odd section where there were no people, or a gap of no people then all the riders would be shooting off to alleviate themselves.”
TENNIS
Kasatkina says she is gay
Russian world No. 12 Daria Kasatkina criticized her country’s attitude toward homosexuality in a video published on Monday as she announced she is a lesbian. The 25-year-old’s comments came after Russian deputies the same day proposed a new law that would ban information on all non-traditional sexual relationships in the public sphere. Broadcasting homosexual “propaganda” to youngsters has been banned in the country since 2013. “There are many subjects that are even more important than it that are banned, so it’s no surprise,” she told Russian blogger Vitya Kravchenko after telling him that she has a girlfriend. “Living in peace with yourself is the only thing that matters; fuck everyone else,” Kasatkina said. “I believe it is important that influential people from sports, or any other sphere really speak about it. It is important for young people who have a hard time with society and need support.”
GOLF
Claret Jug fits two beers
British Open winner Cameron Smith has confirmed that the venerable Claret Jug trophy he won on Sunday can hold two beers. The Australian staged one of the greatest back-nine charges ever witnessed at a major championship to receive the trophy that has been handed to British Open winners since 1873. “I’m definitely gonna find out how many beers fit in this thing, that’s for sure,” Smith said when asked how he would be celebrating, later estimating he would have about 20 jugs’ worth. In an Instagram video filmed before he took the trophy back to his Florida home, Smith confirmed the results of his celebratory experiment. “I guess everyone’s been asking how many beers fit in the Claret Jug, it’s pretty much exactly two,” the 28-year-old said. “Yeah, had a good night last night with it. Cheers.”
E-SPORTS
Sam Kerr on ‘FIFA 23’ cover
Australian forward Sam Kerr is to be the first female player to feature on the global cover of Electronic Arts’ FIFA video game when the nearly three-decades-old franchise launches FIFA 23 this year, the game developer announced on Monday. Kerr, who plays for Women’s Super League (WSL) champions Chelsea, is to be featured alongside Paris Saint-Germain forward and France’s FIFA World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe. Kerr, 28, was the WSL’s top scorer last season with 20 goals in as many appearances. She has also scored 56 goals in 108 appearances for Australia since her debut in 2009 at the age of 15.
TOOTHLESS: Bologna never looked like finding a way back, and Antonio Conte and his substitutes were waiting to celebrate long before the final whistle SSC Napoli on Monday lifted the Italian Supercoppa with a 2-0 win over Bologna in Riyadh, David Neres netting both goals to earn the league champions a deserved victory over the toothless Coppa Italia winners. Neres opened the scoring with a stunning strike from distance six minutes before halftime and found the net again in the 57th minute when Bologna were caught trying to play out of defense. “We came here as champions of Italy, we wanted this trophy and we showed it with a great performance,” Napoli forward Matteo Politano told Mediaset. “We could have scored a few more goals, but
Backup quarterback Luke Weaver on Wednesday night threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds left, as the University of Hawaii rallied for a 35-31 comeback victory over the University of California, Berkeley in a thrilling Hawaii Bowl. Weaver entered the game after Micah Alejado took a hard hit on the previous play. With the Rainbow Warriors (9-4) in range for a tying field goal, coach Timmy Chang took a shot at the end zone, and Cenacle got between two defensive backs and made the contested catch. “How amazing is that?” Chang said. “It’s a program that is built
Fulham on Monday climbed away from the English Premier League relegation zone and left Nottingham Forest mired in the fight for survival after Raul Jimenez’s penalty sealed a 1-0 win. Marco Silva’s side started the day just two points above fourth-bottom Forest, but Jimenez’s first-half goal at Craven Cottage moved them 10 points clear of the bottom three. While Fulham’s relegation fears were eased heading into the Christmas schedule, Forest are just five points ahead of third-bottom West Ham United in the scrap to avoid crashing into the Championship. Forest had won six of their previous eight games in all competitions, with a
Barcelona wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal on Sunday guided the Catalan giants four points clear at the top of La Liga with a 2-0 win at 10-man Villarreal. Brazil international Raphinha won and converted an early penalty, before Villarreal’s Renato Veiga was sent off before halftime for a late lunge on teenager Yamal. The 18-year-old slotted home Barca’s second midway through the second half, as Hansi Flick’s side restored their advantage on Real Madrid and won an eighth consecutive league game. Villarreal are fourth after Atletico Madrid moved ahead of them with a comfortable 3-0 win at Girona earlier. “The attitude and mentality of
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