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.
Chen Yi-tung (陳奕通) secured a historic Olympic berth on Sunday by winning the senior men’s foil event at the 2024 Asia Oceania Zonal Olympic Fencing Qualifiers in United Arab Emirates. Chen defeated Samuel Elijah of Singapore 15-4 in the final in Dubai to secure the only wild card in the event, making him the first male Olympian fencer from Taiwan in 36 years and only the sixth Taiwanese fencer to ever qualify for the quadrennial event. The last appearance by a Taiwanese male fencer at the Olympics was in 1988, when Wang San-tsai (王三財) and Cheng Ming-hsiang (鄭明祥) competed in Seoul. The
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
A soccer jersey carrying a national map including disputed Western Sahara has become a hot commodity in Morocco after a diplomatic dispute with Algeria. Retailers said RS Berkane jerseys have been flying off the shelves after a Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup match against Algerian club USM Alger was canceled last month over the jerseys. “We are overwhelmed by the influx of messages and requests,” said Brahim Rabii, representative of the official RS Berkane jersey distributor. Algeria broke off diplomatic relations with Morocco in 2021, partly over the issue of Western Sahara. The former Spanish colony is largely controlled by Morocco, but claimed
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang