■BASKETBALL
Bush asks Hu for tickets
US President George W. Bush made a request of Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) in Toyako, Japan, yesterday — tickets to the US-China basketball game at the Olympics in Beijing. Bush, who has rejected calls by human rights activists to boycott the opening ceremonies, told Hu that he was looking forward to attending the summer Games with his wife, father, former president George H.W. Bush, and mother. “I’m really looking forward to watching the American Olympic team compete, particularly with the mighty Chinese team,” he said after meeting Hu on the sidelines of the Group of Eight summit in Japan. “I’m hoping to get tickets for the US-Chinese basketball game,” Bush said. “If you can help me get a ticket I’d appreciate it,” he joked.
■SOCCER
Coupet hopes to join France
Atletico Madrid’s new 35-year-old goalkeeper Gregory Coupet said on Tuesday that he hopes to still be part of France’s squad during the 2010 World Cup as he was officially unveiled by the Spanish club. Asked if he intended to be France’s keeper at the tournament in South Africa, he said: “Playing for Atletico and the possibility of playing in the Champions League allow me to continue to think, to dream of the French squad.” Coupet, who had been linked to English League Cup winners Tottenham, said he had come to Spain “to try to show that I have a place in the starting line-up to defend.”
■RUGBY LEAGUE
Thorman cleared of biting
Huddersfield captain Chris Thorman has been found not guilty of biting the finger of an opponent. Bradford full-back Michael Platt made the allegation during the last 10 minutes of his side’s 25-24 engage Super League defeat by the Giants on Sunday. But the case was thrown out when Thorman appeared in front of the disciplinary committee. Referee Steve Ganson sent four players to the sin bin and dismissed Bradford center Paul Sykes after he protested against his decision to blow for time while the teams were preparing to pack down for a scrum.
■BASKETBALL
Knicks ink top pick Gallinari
Italy’s Danilo Gallinari, selected sixth in last month’s NBA Draft, inked a multi-year contract with the New York Knicks on Tuesday, the team announced. Under NBA salary terms for rookies, Gallinari will make almost US$2.4 million in his debut season and more than US$7.7 million over three years. Gallinari, 19, averaged a team-high 17.5 points and 5.7 rebounds last season in the Italian League, then scored 14.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in Euroleague games. “Danilo will be a tough competitor, will play hard and is very intelligent,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said. “This is how you build a team. He is a tremendous talent.”
■Basketball
NBA caps wages at US$58m
NBA clubs will work under a salary cap of US$58.68 million for the 2008-2009 season, the league announced yesterday as the NBA free agency signing period began. The salary limit for each NBA team went into effect as teams were allowed to begin making trades and signing free agents following a moratorium period in which deals could not be finalized so a final cap figure could be calculated. The cap is up US$3.05 million from last season. The tax level for the upcoming season was set at US$71.150 million compared to US$67.865 million last season. Any team whose total salary exceeds US$71.150 million next season will pay a tax on every dollar over the sum.
■BOXING
Probe ended in Pavlik report
Police in Youngstown, Ohio, have closed an investigation without making an arrest into WBC and WBO middleweight boxing champion Kelly Pavlik’s complaint that a former sponsor threatened to shoot his hands so he couldn’t fight again. Pavlik filed a police report on June 30 in Boardman Township, a suburb of Pavlik’s hometown Youngstown. Pavlik told police some associates warned him about the threat. Pavlik told police the person making the threat believes that the boxer owes him money. Boardman detective Steve Riwniak said the case was considered closed but could be reopened if there are any additional leads.
■ICE HOCKEY
Ducks sign center Morrison
The Anaheim Ducks have signed center Brendan Morrison to a one-year deal, the NHL club announced on Tuesday. A second round selection by New Jersey Devils in the 1993 draft, Morrison has been a durable and consistent performer playing in all 82 regular season games in six of the last seven seasons. After playing 542 consecutive games for Vancouver from 2000 to last year, Morrison saw his ironman streak come to an end last season when he appeared in just 39 games due to wrist and knee injuries. In 674 career games with New Jersey and Vancouver, Morrison has 159 goals and 315 assists, scoring 50 points in six consecutive seasons before last year’s injury interrupted campaign.
■SOCCER
S African cup venue axed
Organizers of the 2010 soccer World Cup in South Africa axed Port Elizabeth on Tuesday from the list of venues which will stage next year’s Confederations Cup after delays to stadium construction. The decision was made after a report compiled by a technical team which said the stadium, one of 10 which are due to stage matches in the 2010 tournament, would likely miss a deadline in March next year for health and safety tests. “We acknowledge the progress that has been made on the Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth stadium in recent months,” Irvin Khoza, chairman of the local organising committee, told reporters.
■TENNIS
US Open boosts prize money
The US Open base purse will jump US$1 million this year to US$20.6 million with up to US$2.6 million more in bonus money available, the US Tennis Association announced on Tuesday. US Open men’s and women’s singles champions will each receive US$1.5 million, a record, with the chance at up to US$1 million more in bonus money based upon performance in a series of US Open tuneup events. Swiss world number one Roger Federer claimed the largest payoff in tennis history, US$2.4 million, for taking last year’s US Open crown after winning the most points from tuneup events across North America starting next week.
■FORMULA ONE
Hamilton leads at test
British Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton led the way in the wet again on Tuesday as Formula One teams tested at Germany’s Hockenheim circuit for the first time since 1993. The 23-year-old McLaren driver, who leads a three-way tie with Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen at the top of the standings halfway through the season, lapped the venue for next week’s German Grand Prix in one minute 15.483 seconds. His Mercedes-powered team ran a new aerodynamic dorsal fin, similar to those used by Renault and Red Bull this season, on top of the engine cover of the MP4-23 car.
SIBLING RIVALRY: Marc Marquez was locked in a duel with his little brother, falling behind at one point before recovering for his first season-opening victory since 2014 Six-time world champion Marc Marquez yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening Thailand Grand Prix to complete a dominant debut weekend at his new Ducati Lenovo Team, having also romped to Saturday’s sprint. The Spanish great took the 26-lap grand prix by 1.732 seconds for his 63rd MotoGP victory from younger brother Alex Marquez, who is still seeking a first checkered flag, with Francesco Bagnaia third to complete an all-Ducati podium. It completed a perfect weekend for Marc Marquez, who took pole position, the sprint victory and the grand prix win for a maximum 37 points to open the 22-leg 2025 campaign. He led from
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
LONG TIME COMING: With the addition of Marcus Smart, the Washington Wizards finally held a team to under 100 points, the last team this season to do so The Detroit Pistons on Monday won their seventh straight game in the NBA with in-form Cade Cunningham making 32 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a 106-97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Pistons, who are in the playoff position, moved to 32-26, their best record at this stage of a season for 17 years. It was an all-round effort from Detroit with Tobias Harris adding 20 points and Jalen Duren making 19 rebounds along with his 12 points. It was a tight contest until Detroit pulled away late in the third quarter to tie their longest winning streak since the 2014-2015
AC Milan’s slender hopes of reaching next season’s UEFA Champions League took another hit on Thursday with a 2-1 defeat at Bologna which left them eight points from Serie A’s top four. Sergio Conceicao’s team sit eighth, some way behind fourth-placed Juventus after losing an entertaining contest at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, a match which was rescheduled from October last year due to torrential rain and flooding. Swathes of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy, much of which is fertile agricultural land, had been left under water following a massive autumn downpour. Dan Ndoye prodded home the decisive goal in the 82nd minute
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