■ OLYMPICS
Beijing fish dies in HK
Chinese officials berated Hong Kong yesterday after one of five “Olympic” fish presented to the city by China ended up dead within days. The rare Chinese sturgeon, one of China’s five Olympic symbols, died on Monday, just four days after being publicly released into an aquarium at Hong Kong’s Ocean Park. Vets believe the 1.1m sturgeon, the smallest of five presented by China, was fatally injured when a barracuda sharing the its giant tank bit it on Saturday. Officials from China’s National Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Association quoted by Hong Kong’s government-run radio station yesterday questioned whether the fish had been “adequately handled.”
■ CRICKET
S Africa cuts Zimbabwe ties
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has suspended its bilateral agreements with Zimbabwe because of the worsening political crisis in the country, the body said on Monday. The agreements, including development and administrative programs, as well as the participation of Zimbabwe teams in CSA’s domestic competitions, have been suspended until further notice. “In the past, CSA has defended Zimbabwe cricket against heavy odds, but the general situation in Zimbabwe has now made this untenable,” CSA president Norman Arendse said.
■ BASKETBALL
Shaq skewers Kobe Bryant
Just in case anybody had forgotten that Kobe Bryant has never won an NBA title without Shaquille O’Neal, the big man sent out a reminder. The Phoenix Suns center can be seen rapping that “Kobe couldn’t do without me” in a video posted online at celebrity news site TMZ.com. During the two-minute video, a grinning O’Neal lurches through an improvised rap in which he skewers the Lakers star, with whom he won three straight NBA titles from 2000-2002 while with Los Angeles. “I was freestyling. That’s all. It was all done in fun. Nothing serious whatsoever,” O’Neal told ESPN.com on Monday. “That is what MCs do. They freestyle when called upon. I’m totally cool with Kobe. No issue at all.”
■ BASKETBALL
Carmelo Anthony suspended
The Denver Nuggets suspended NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony for the first two games of the next season as punishment for his April arrest on suspicion of drunken driving. The announcement by the team on Monday comes a day before he is scheduled to enter a plea in the case. Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien said in a written statement the team would continue to support Anthony as he “strives to live up to the high expectations” set by the Nuggets and by Anthony. Anthony was arrested on April 14 on Interstate 25.
■ SOCCER
Angola face elimination
Angola are in danger of being eliminated from the 2010 World Cup qualifying race after Uganda exceeded expectations by forcing a 0-0 Group 3 draw in Luanda on Monday. The shock 2006 World Cup qualifiers visit leaders Benin in the penultimate series of second round fixtures during September and a loss coupled with a win for Uganda in Niger would rule Angola out of contention for a top-two finish. The 12 group winners and best eight runners-up advance to the third round, where the countries will be split into five pools with the winners joining hosts South Africa at the first World Cup to be staged in Africa. All World Cup fixtures in Africa double as qualifiers for the 2010 Nations Cup and Angola are guaranteed a place among the 16 participants as hosts of the biennial tournament.
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about ￡2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
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