■SOCCER
World Cup tickets on sale
Tickets for the 2010 World Cup went on sale on the Internet and in bank branches around South Africa on Friday, with organizers declaring it was irrevocable proof that the finals would go ahead in the country. Some 700,000 tickets for the first World Cup hosted in Africa are available for purchase out of a total of just more than 3 million for the 64 games between June 11 and July 11 next year. Fans have until the end of next month to apply for tickets before going into a random draw lottery in April to determine the successful applicants. Ticket prices range from US$20 to US$900, a drastic increase in the standard US$1.50 to US$2.50 supporters pay for entry to South African premier league matches.
■SOCCER
Ronaldo crash claim mulled
Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo may face an insurance claim for thousands of dollars over damage to Manchester Airport when he crashed his Ferrari, officials said on Friday. Ronaldo, 23, was uninjured but wrote off his US$286,000 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano Spider when he smashed into a roadside barrier near the airport on his way to training last month. But now he or his insurance company may have to pay out up to £20,000 (US$28,900) to repair brickwork, railings and a door damaged in the crash. A spokesman for the airport said: “Part of the airport’s infrastructure was damaged in a road traffic accident and as is normal practice, our insurers are talking to the other party’s insurance company.”
■SOCCER
Jubilation sparks ruckus
After scoring the fifth goal in Ulbra’s 5-2 win over Brasil in the Rio Grande do Sul state soccer tournament, midfielder Rogerio Pereira apparently lost his sense of direction. Instead of the traditional celebration in front of team fans, who packed Bento Freitas Stadium in the southern Brazilian city of Pelotas on Thursday, he frolicked in front of the fans of the losing team. Enraged by what they considered a taunt aimed at humiliating them, Brasil players pounced on Ulbra players in a free-for-all with team officials also going at each other with punches and kicks. The 15-minute brawl ended when helmeted police troops wielding rubber truncheons rushed into the field to separate the two sides. No one was seriously injured.
■TENNIS
Nadal in Davis Cup squad
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal was named in Spain’s Davis Cup squad on Friday for next month’s opening round match at home to Serbia. Nadal’s inclusion came a day after he withdrew from next week’s Dubai tournament on the advice of his doctor, to recover from the knee complaint that hindered his performance in the final in Rotterdam last weekend. Spain’s new captain Albert Costa also included David Ferrer, Tommy Robredo and Feliciano Lopez, as well as Nicolas Almagro as a reserve. Spain will play Serbia on clay in Benidorm, Spain, from March 6 to March 8.
■FIELD HOCKEY
New Zealand, India draw
New Zealand and India battled out a 1-1 draw in the first field hockey test in Wellington yesterday, setting the scene for a tight four-match series. The New Zealand Black Sticks dominated the first half and led 1-0 at the break before India fought back and equalized in the 55th minute. A hard hit into the circle, and the employment of a short passing buildup caught New Zealand unawares and Shivendra Singh capitalized from close range.
■FOOTBALL
Murder suspect enters plea
A judge entered a not guilty plea on Friday for a man charged with the murder of former Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams. Willie Clark, 25, faces 39 counts — including two of first-degree murder — in the death of Williams, who was killed in a drive-by shooting on Jan. 1, 2007. Denver District Judge Christina Habas entered the plea on Clark’s behalf after rejecting a request for a two-month delay from defense attorneys. Williams was shot in the neck as he left a Denver nightclub in a limousine. The killing came hours after the popular cornerback played in the 26-23 overtime loss to San Francisco that ended the Broncos’ NFL season.
■BASKETBALL
Garnett to miss three games
Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett will miss the last three games of the team’s West Coast road trip after straining his right knee against Utah on Thursday. The reigning NBA champion Celtics said Garnett returned to Boston on Friday for an MRI exam. Garnett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, will miss games at Phoenix, Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers. The Celtics then return home to face Indiana on Friday. Garnett was hurt late in the first half of Thursday’s 90-85 loss to Utah, landing awkwardly while going up for a rebound.
■BASKETBALL
Jazz owner Miller dies
Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller died on Friday at the age of 64 from complications of type two diabetes, the NBA team said. The Jazz said Miller died at his home, surrounded by family members. Miller had endured severe health problems recently and last month had both of his legs amputated below the knee. Miller, who owned the Jazz for the last 23 years, first purchased 50 percent of the franchise in 1985, then bought the remaining half one year later. A prominent businessman, Miller owned 39 auto dealerships and several movie theaters, among many other business ventures.
■NORDIC SKIING
US win two golds
Todd Lodwick won the opening Nordic combined event at the world championships in Liberec, Czech Republic, to give the US two golds in one day. Lodwick defended his slim lead from the cross-country portion by completing jumps of 100.5m and 97.5m in difficult conditions in the ski jump, which was postponed from Thursday. Lodwick finished with 276 points, while Tino Edelmann of Germany was second with 273.7 points. Earlier on Friday, Lindsey Van became the first ever women’s ski jumping world champ. The US had not won a gold at a Nordic skiing worlds since 2003.
■LUGE
Germans sweep top spots
Natalie Geisenberger set a course record on the track that will host the Olympics in a year and her German teammates swept the rest of the top spots in a World Cup race at Whistler, Canada, on Friday. Tatjana Huefner wrapped up the overall Cup title by taking second, 0.357 seconds behind Geisenberger’s 1:38.012. Andre Florschutz and Torsten Wustlich continued the German medal trend by capturing gold in the men’s doubles race with teammates Alexander Resch and Patric Leitner finishing second. Austrian brothers Andreas and Wolfgang Linger placed third and were the only non-Germans to reach the podium. Germany came roaring back after its streak of 99 straight wins in World Cups, Olympics and World Championships was interrupted two weeks ago by American Erin Hamlin’s title at worlds in Lake Placid, New York.
An “outstanding” 17-year-old Chinese badminton player died of cardiac arrest after collapsing on court during a tournament in Indonesia, officials said yesterday. Zhang Zhijie was playing a match late Sunday against Japan’s Kazuma Kawano at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The score was 11-11 in the first game when Zhang fell to the floor between points. The teenager received treatment at the venue and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance, but passed away later that night after repeated efforts to resuscitate him failed. “Medical conclusions ... indicated that the victim experienced sudden cardiac arrest,” Broto Happy, spokesman for
Taiwan’s men’s national basketball team is set to upgrade its depth in the paint after signing Brandon Gilbeck of the P.League+’s Formosa Dreamers to a naturalized player’s contract. The 27-year-old big man from the US landed in Taoyuan early on Monday, where he was welcomed by Chinese Taipei Basketball Association deputy secretary-general Chang Cheng-chung. The two signed the deal, which still has to be approved by the Sports Administration and the Ministry of the Interior. Chang said he is confident that “the proceedings would go smoothly.” If approved, Gilbeck would become the third naturalized basketball player in Taiwan, following the New Taipei Kings’ Quincy
A buzz of excitement crackled through the hushed arena as the rider gripped the reins of her stuffed steed. Welcome to the strangely exacting world of hobby-horsing, the Finnish sport guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Immaculately coiffed equestrians leap athletically over fences just like in horse jumping, going as fast as they can against the clock straddling their stick steeds. Things are more stately in the dressage, with riders trotting their stick horses with intricately decorated stuffed heads before the discerning eyes of the judges. About 260 riders from 22 countries — most women and girls aged 10 to 20 —
Taiwan is to have two pairs vying for the women’s doubles at the Olympic Games’ tennis event in Paris as Chan Hao-ching and her older sister Latisha Chan officially clinched their third straight Olympic berth, the national tennis association said on Thursday. The International Tennis Federation on Wednesday evening confirmed the Chan sisters’ qualification for the event, meaning they would join the duo of Hsieh Su-wei and Tsao Chia-yi to compete in the Olympics. There are 16 entries in each doubles event. Hsieh, ranked No. 2 in the world on the Women’s Tennis Association doubles rankings as of Monday, secured her slot earlier,