SOCCER
China detains SK player
A South Korean citizen, whom Seoul identified as soccer player Son Jun-ho, has been detained by the Liaoning Province Public Security Department, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. Son, who was detained on Friday, is being held in police custody in northeast China in connection with a bribery case, a South Korean diplomatic source said on Monday. Son plays for the South Korean national team and Chinese Super League club Shandong Taishan, based in Shandong Province. The South Korean Ministry Of Foreign Affairs said its mission in China was providing necessary consular support to Son, but declined to comment further, citing privacy. A Korea Football Association official said it had reached out to Shandong Taishan, seeking an explanation, but has not heard back.
CYCLING
Thomas’ luck changes
Geraint Thomas said he is relishing the opportunity to win the Giro d’Italia after inheriting the leader’s maglia rosa jersey following Remco Evenepoel’s withdrawal. World champion Evenepoel abandoned the Giro with COVID-19 on Sunday, shortly after the Belgian reclaimed top spot in the general classification with victory in a rain-affected 35km individual time trial. Thomas has enjoyed little luck at the Giro, but the 36-year-old said he is keen to improve his results. The Welshman pulled out of the Giro in 2020 after suffering a hip fracture in a crash. Three years earlier his race came to an end after he damaged his shoulder in a pile-up involving a police motorbike. “It would be amazing to win, especially after 2020 when I thought that was it for my chance to win the Giro,” Thomas said. “I don’t feel much pressure or expectation, but I’d love to take this opportunity.” Monday was a rest day.
RUGBY LEAGUE
NZ aims to host World Cup
The New Zealand Rugby League yesterday said that it was in talks to jointly host the 2025 Rugby World Cup with Australia after France pulled out over financial concerns. The 17th staging of the World Cup for the 13-a-side code was scheduled for October to November 2025, but France on Monday said that a lack of funding meant hosting the tournament carried unacceptable financial risk. The game’s governing body, the International Rugby League, called the move “very disappointing.” New Zealand Rugby League CEO Greg Peters said they were interested in staging the event and have already discussed cohosting with Australia.
SOCCER
Women’s final sold out
The Women’s UEFA Champions League final next month is sold out for the first time in the competition’s recent history. UEFA yesterday said that no previous final had fully sold out since the 2009-2010 season, when its Women’s Cup was rebranded as the Women’s Champions League. More than 34,100 tickets have been issued for the match, which is to be played at the Philips Stadion in Eidhoven, Netherlands, on June 3, UEFA said. The final would beat the attendance record for a women’s soccer match in the Netherlands, previously set in 2019 when the Netherlands national team played Australia in front of 30,640 spectators at the same venue.
SEESAW CONTEST: The Pistons remain top of the Eastern Conference after battling to a win over the Hawks in a game that saw the lead change 27 times The Phoenix Suns on Monday shrugged off an injury to Devin Booker to end the Los Angeles Lakers’ seven-game winning streak with an emphatic 125-108 victory on the road. Booker exited in the first quarter, but the loss of the star point guard did little to halt the flow of Phoenix points over the remainder of the game. Dillon Brooks led the Phoenix scoring with 33 points, while Collin Gillespie added 28 — including eight three-pointers — as the Suns romped to victory. The Lakers were left ruing a colossal 22 turnovers — at a cost of 32 Suns points — on a
New Zealand yesterday reached 231-9 at stumps on a first day of the first Test against the West Indies shortened by rain after Justin Greaves triggered a middle-order collapse with the wicket of Kane Williamson. New Zealand tumbled from 94-1 to 148-6 on a bowler-friendly wicket after Williamson was dismissed for 52, his 38th Test half-century. Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith arrested the slide with a 52-run stand for the seventh wicket. Smith eventually fell for 23 and Bracewell for 47. After Matt Henry went for 8, Zak Foulkes and Jacob Duffy were both on 4 when bad light stopped play after 70
Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday scored twice and had an assist as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to end a three-match winless streak in La Liga. Eduardo Camavinga also found the net for Madrid as they moved back within one point of Barcelona, who beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday. Both 19th-round matches were moved forward because Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid are to play in the Supercopa de Espana semi-finals in Saudi Arabia next month. Real Madrid were coming off league draws against Girona, Elche and Rayo Vallecano. It was their second win in their past six matches in
IN-HOUSE BUSINESS: LA Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said that the reason for the team’s poor form was not due to Paul, but the player was not a good fit for them Chris Paul’s return stint with the Los Angeles Clippers has come to an abrupt and stunning end, with the franchise parting ways with one of its greatest players in a late-night meeting on Wednesday that adds another layer of drama to the team’s terrible start this season. The news was delivered in a meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, that ended at about 2am, Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank said. Frank said he made the decision to sever ties with Paul on Sunday then told the franchise’s career assist leader that he needed to see him on Tuesday in Atlanta. Frank did not confirm
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