■SOUTH AFRICA
Whistleblower shot dead
A South African official who blew the whistle on alleged corruption in the building of a stadium for the 2010 World Cup has been shot dead by unknown gunmen, an official statement said on Monday. Jimmy Mohlala, a member of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), was shot dead late on Sunday at his home in the city of Nelspruit, the Mbombela Local Council Municipality said in the statement. “He was shot by two unknown men who were wearing balaclavas ... the gunmen had been lying in wait outside the Mohlala home in an unmarked vehicle,” it said. Mohlala made headlines a year ago with reports that some members of the ANC wanted him sacked for allegedly turning in a colleague over graft claims in the construction of the Mbombela stadium. His claims sparked an investigation into a range of allegations, including the manipulation of tenders in 2010 construction contracts, SAPA news agency said.
■SPAIN
Keeper regrets fan clash
Espanyol’s Cameroon international Carlos Kameni said on Tuesday he regrets tussling with a fan who told him not to bother renewing his contract with the club after recent blunders by the goalkeeper. “I regret what happened. I neither wanted, nor tried to, attack anyone or create any kind of problem with my behavior but it was very hard for me to hear certain comments while I was training,” he said. “I always give my all in training and matches.” Kameni, whose contract expires at the end of the season, approached the fan on Tuesday at a training session and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck before teammates pulled him away, images on Spanish television showed. “I’m a professional. You should respect my work, respect me,” he shouted at the fan according to the online edition of newspaper El Pais.
■England
Campaigners slam sentence
Road safety campaigners vented their anger on Tuesday after Newcastle United’s Nigerian international striker Obafemi Martins was not banned from driving despite being caught speeding well over the limit. The 24-year-old was driving at 106mph (171kph) in his Porsche on a 70mph road. Newcastle Magistrates’ Court heard on Monday that Martins broke the speed limit last May for fear of missing a flight to see his sick son in Italy. He was fined £550 (US$810) and ordered to pay £400 costs. He also had six points put on his driving licence. District judge Stephen Earl gave Martins credit for his guilty plea and unblemished driving record. But Cathy Keeler of road safety charity Brake, said drivers going faster than 100mph should automatically lose their licence. “Going so much over the speed limit is taking a blatant risk with lives on the road,” she said. “There is absolutely no excuse. For someone who is a role model in the community, this sends out a terrible message that road safety does not matter.”
■England
Brazil star trains with Bolton
Brazilian World Cup winner Denilson could soon be playing in the English Premier League. The 31-year-old, once the most expensive player in the world, is out of contract with Palmeiras and having a trial with Bolton. Denilson was in the Brazil lineup that won the World Cup final against Germany in 2002 although he only went on as an 89th-minute substitute for Ronaldo. He also played in the 1998 final when Brazil lost to France. He then spent seven seasons playing in Spain for Real Betis, who bought him from Sao Paolo in 1998 for a record fee of US$32 million.
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the record-breaking baseball “superhuman” following in the footsteps of the legendary Babe Ruth who has also earned comparisons to US sporting greats Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Not since Ruth a century ago has there been a baseball player capable of both pitching and hitting at the top level. The 30-year-old’s performances with the Los Angeles Dodgers have consolidated his position as a baseball legend in the making, and a national icon in his native Japan. He continues to find new ways to amaze, this year becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
More than 180 years of horse racing came to an end in Singapore on Saturday, as the Singapore Turf Club hosted its final race day before its track is handed back to the Singaporean government to provide land for new homes. Under an overcast sky, the air-conditioned VIP boxes were full of enthusiasts, socialites and expats, while the grounds and betting halls below hosted mostly older-generation punters. The sun broke through for the last race, the last-ever Grand Singapore Gold Cup. The winner, South African jockey Muzi Yeni, echoed a feeling of loss shared by many on the day. “I’d
PREDICTION: Last week, when Yu’s father made a wrong turn to the former champions’ parking lot, he said that his son could park there after this year With back-to-back birdies on the 18th hole, Kevin Yu fulfilled his driving range-owning dad’s prediction that he would win the Sanderson Farms Championship and become Taiwan’s third golfer to claim a US PGA Tour title. The Taoyuan-born 26-year-old, who represented Taiwan in the Olympic golf at Paris, saw off Californian Beau Hossler in a playoff at the Country Club of Jackson, Mississippi, on Sunday. Having drained a 15-foot putt to claw his way into the playoff, Yu rolled in from five feet on the first extra hole, ensuring he joined Chen Tze-chung (LA Open in 1987) and Pan Cheng-tsung (RBC
LeBron James and eldest son Bronny James claimed a piece of NBA history on Sunday after making their long-awaited first appearance alongside each other for the Los Angeles Lakers. The duo appeared together at the start of the second quarter in the Lakers’ 118-114 preseason defeat to the Phoenix Suns in Palm Desert, east of Los Angeles. While LeBron James impressed with 19 points in just 16 minutes and 20 seconds on court before sitting out the second half, Bronny found the going harder with zero points in just over 13 minutes on court. The younger James attempted just one