MARTIAL ARTS
Brazilian jujutsu champ shot
Brazilian jujutsu great Leandro Lo, an eight-time world champion, was fatally shot in a Sao Paulo club on Sunday, his family’s lawyer said. An off-duty police officer has been arrested for allegedly shooting the 33-year-old champ, after turning himself in to the authorities, local media reports said. Lo was out with friends for a concert at the Clube Siria when the attacker approached their table and began making threatening gestures with a bottle, lawyer Iva Siqueira Junior said. Lo, who won a record five International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation world titles, pinned the man to the ground, before Lo’s friends helped them both up and urged the attacker to leave, Siqueria said. “At that exact moment, the guy allegedly turned around, pulled out a gun and shot Leandro in the head,” he said. Lo was rushed to a hospital, but was pronounced brain dead, he added. A Sao Paulo court ordered the 30-year-old suspect detained for 30 days pending further investigation, newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo reported.
BASEBALL
Rose dismisses questions
Pete Rose on Sunday dismissed questions about his first appearance on the Philadelphia Phillies’ field since the franchise scrapped 2017 plans to honor him because of a woman’s claim she had a sexual relationship with MLB’s hit king when she was a minor. “It was 55 years ago, babe,” Rose told a female baseball writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Rose had no trouble reminiscing about the 1980 World Series champion Phillies team that was honored before Sunday’s game. After initially getting booed lightly, the 81-year-old received a standing ovation from fans when he walked onto the Citizens Bank Park field for the first time since he received a lifetime ban from the MLB in August 1989. Rose’s already stained reputation suffered another blow in 2017 when the Phillies called off a planned induction into the team’s Wall of Fame because of the sexual misconduct accusations. The woman, identified as Jane Doe in 2017, said Rose called her in 1973, when she was 14 or 15, and they began a sexual relationship in Cincinnati, Ohio, that lasted several years. Rose brusquely responded to the reporter’s question before the game — and later apologized to her following Sunday’s ceremony after initially saying: “Will you forgive me if I sign 1,000 baseballs for you?”
BASKETBALL
Bird says goodbye to Seattle
The day set aside to honor Sue Bird and her career with the Seattle Storm was on Sunday slightly soured when the Las Vegas Aces pulled away late for an 89-81 win, but nearly all of the sold out crowd stayed to hear her speech commemorating her 20 years in the city. “I don’t really have that ‘Mamba Out’ moment,” Bird said, referencing Kobe Bryant’s retirement speech. “I just want to say I love you, thank you so much and I’ll see you in the playoffs.” The result of the game did not take away from the three hours where Storm fans, WNBA fans and the city of Seattle said thank you to Bird for her career as the face of the franchise. The largest crowd in Storm history packed Climate Pledge Arena to honor Bird for her career as one of the best female basketball players. “I’m not going to lie, it kind of sucks to lose my last game. But you know what, I lost my first game too. So it’s OK,” Bird joked with the crowd after the final buzzer.
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
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
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
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely