■ Soccer
Rooney accused of spitting
Everton and England striker Wayne Rooney has been accused of spitting in a woman's face at a Manchester nightclub, British media reported yesterday. The Sun newspaper reported the 18-year-old faced a police probe over the alleged incident which took place in the early hours of Sunday. Greater Manchester Police refused to confirm the names of those involved, and said an investigation into the incident was underway. "It is claimed that an 18-year-old man spat in the woman's face in a Manchester nightclub at around 3am on Sunday Feb. 8," a police spokesman said, adding the complaint was lodged by a 23-year-old woman. The player's agent Paul Stretford was quoted as saying by British media that a woman had spat at Rooney.
■ Soccer
Inter blasts ref
Inter Milan took aim at referee Emilio Pellegrino after their Italian Cup semifinal defeat on penalties by Juventus on Thursday. Juve, Inter's historic rivals, won 5-4 on penalties after the second leg ended 2-2 after extra-time. The first leg had also finished in a 2-2 draw. Inter had Colombian defender Ivan Cordoba sent off in the 67th minute for a crude late challenge on Juve's European Player of the Year Pavel Nedved and moments later were up in arms after a penalty claim was waved away by Pellegrino. "The refereeing tonight was unacceptable and after all we did in those two games we are out of the Cup," Inter president Giacinto Facchetti told reporters. "But I want to congratulate the referee for helping us find our spirit and determination after he left us to play with 10 men." Asked whether Inter would make a formal complaint about the officiating, Facchetti said: "There are institutions that need to control certain things."
■ Olympics
Kim indicted for corruption
International Olympic Committee vice president Kim Un-yong has been indicted on charges of taking bribes and embezzling funds from South Korean sports organizations, a prosecution official confirmed yesterday. Kim was indicted Thursday, according to prosecution spokesman Kook Min-soo, who could not provide details of the charges against the 72-year-old sports administrator, who was arrested on Jan. 28. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said Kim is charged with embezzling 3.84 billion won (US$3.28 million) in funds from the World Taekwondo Federation, the World Taekwondo Headquarters -- which issues taekwondo credentials -- as well as other sports organizations. Kim is also accused of receiving bribes of 810 million won (US$692,000) from businesses and a sports official in return for favors, Yonhap said.
■ Basketball
Yao signs burger deal
NBA star Yao Ming will be friends with Ronald McDonald after the Houston Rockets center signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with McDonald's. The contract was announced at a McDonald's outlet inside the Los Angeles Convention Center on Thursday. Yao was in town to play in tomorrow's NBA All-Star game at Staples Center. "I have always been a big fan of McDonald's ever since the first restaurant opened in China 10 years ago," Yao said. Yao replaces Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, whose three-year deal with the fast-food company expired on Dec. 31 and was not renewed. Bryant has lost other sponsors while his sexual assault case proceeds in Colorado. "His contract expired and we mutually determined under the circumstances it was best to not renew," said Larry Light, McDonald's global chief marketing officer.
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
Robinson Cano spent 17 seasons playing in the MLB in front of all kinds of baseball fans, but he said there is something special about his stint with the Mexican Baseball League’s Diablos Rojos. He is not alone. The league last week opened its 100th season, aiming to keep an impressive growth in attendance that began after the national team’s surprise run at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, and is already surpassing some first-division soccer clubs. After finishing third in the 2023 tournament, many casual fans, some of them soccer enthusiasts disappointed after Mexico were eliminated in the first round in the 2022
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
Arne Slot has denied that Darwin Nunez was dropped from Liverpool’s win against West Ham because of a training-ground row with a member of his coaching staff. The Liverpool head coach on Sunday last week said that Nunez was absent from the 2-1 victory at Anfield, having felt unwell during training the day before, although the striker sat behind the substitutes throughout the game. Speculation has been rife that the Uruguay international, whom Slot criticized for his work rate against Wolves and Aston Villa in February, was left out for disciplinary reasons. Asked on Friday to clarify the situation, Slot said: “He
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