BASEBALL
Ex-Angels’ staff sentenced
Former Los Angeles Angels communications director Eric Kay, who in February was found guilty of distributing a controlled substance to late Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, was on Tuesday sentenced to 22 years in prison, the US Department of Justice said. Skaggs, 27, died on July 1, 2019, while on a team trip to Texas and an autopsy showed oxycodone, fentanyl and alcohol in his system. At trial, government prosecutors presented evidence that Kay had distributed the pills, including a 30mg oxycodone tablet that had been laced with the powerful synthetic opiate fentanyl, to Skaggs. In a statement, Skaggs’ family said in a statement they were grateful for the prosecution of Kay, but said that “the real issue in this case is holding accountable the people who are distributing the deadly drug fentanyl.”
BASKETBALL
Green fined, not suspended
Draymond Green has been fined, but would not be suspended by the Golden State Warriors for a violent punch to the face of teammate Jordan Poole last week. Coach Steve Kerr said after Tuesday’s pre-season win against the Portland Trail Blazers that Green would return to practice today, then play for the defending NBA champions against the Denver Nuggets tomorrow. Kerr, general manager Bob Myers and players have met to decide how to best proceed — including Green and Poole talking to each other. “We feel like this is the best way after assessing everything for us to move forward,” Kerr said. “It’s never easy no matter what decision you make in a situation like this. It’s not going to be perfect. This is the biggest crisis that we’ve ever had since I’ve been coach here. It’s really serious stuff.”
MOTORSPORTS
World Supersport rider dies
Dutch World Supersport 300 motorcycle rider Victor Steeman has died of injuries sustained in a crash in Portugal on Saturday, World Superbikes said on Tuesday. The 22-year-old Kawasaki racer crashed with another rider in the race at Algarve International Circuit and was flown by helicopter to hospital in Faro, where he died, FIM said. Steeman’s death came less than a week after British Superbikes rider Chrissy Rouse, 26, died of head injuries after being struck by another rider in a race at England’s Donington Park Circuit.
SOCCER
Spain relish win over US
Laia Codina and Esther Gonzalez on Tuesday both scored for Spain in a 2-0 victory over the US women’s national team, which lost a second straight game for the first time in more than five years. Codina scored in the 39th minute. It was the first goal off a set-piece that the US had conceded since last summer’s Tokyo Olympics. Gonzalez added a goal in the 72nd. The US had not lost two straight since the March 2017 SheBelieves Cup, when the team lost consecutive games to England and France. “I think it’s a historic day for Spanish football as we beat the United States, the top team in the world, for the very first time,” Spain coach Jorge Vilda told reporters. “All the praise goes to my players because they showed all their courage and how to do things the right way. We were very competitive right to the end of the match.”
ADVANTAGE ATLETICO: Well off the pace in La Liga, the Copa del Rey represents Atletico Madrid’s best chance of silverware this season Atletico Madrid on Thursday hammered Copa del Rey holders Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their semi-final. After an Eric Garcia own-goal sent Diego Simeone’s side ahead early on, Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman and Julian Alvarez struck to give Atletico a landslide lead by halftime. Barca defender Garcia was sent off in the final stages, with Atletico maintaining their significant advantage on the record 32-time winners, which they take into the second leg at the Camp Nou on March 3. Both sides missed good chances in the second half, with Barca’s Pau Cubarsi having a goal disallowed before Garcia was sent off
Dasun Shanaka hammered the fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in T20Is as the cohosts thrashed Oman by 105 runs at the World Cup yesterday in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, for their second win in Group B. The 2014 champions piled up 225-5, the highest total of the tournament, before restricting an outclassed Oman to 120-9. The 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem waged a lone battle for Oman, compiling an unbeaten 53 to become the oldest player to score a 50 in T20 World Cups. Having promoted himself up the order and under pressure to deliver, Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka smashed a 19-ball half-century. It has been
Stade Rennais, four days after firing coach Habib Beye, stunned Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 on Friday, snapping the defending champions’ seven-match winning run in French Ligue 1. Second-placed RC Lens could leapfrog the champions and retake top spot last night after press time if they beat Paris FC in the capital. PSG started brightly, with Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue carving openings to no avail. Rennes fired Beye on Monday and promoted his assistant Sebastien Tambouret, and the same players who had lost four games on the bounce seemed transformed. Jordanian forward Mousa al-Tamari bagged the opener, unleashing a fierce strike
Manchester City FC halved Arsenal FC’s lead at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 home defeat of Fulham FC, and Aston Villa FC stayed in the frame with a late 1-0 victory at home to Brighton and Hove Albion FC on Wednesday. Nottingham Forest FC squandered a chance to put some distance between themselves and the bottom three as they drew 0-0 at home to bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers FC. Second-from-bottom Burnley FC pulled off a remarkable 3-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace FC to boost their slender survival hopes. City have little margin for error in their pursuit
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