■FORMULA ONE
Villeneuve plans return
Jacques Villeneuve wants to return to Formula One as part of the expanded series from next year. The 1997 world champion last raced in F1 in 2006, pulling out after 12 rounds following his exit from BMW Sauber. The 38-year-old Villeneuve has attended recent grands prix and spoken to unnamed team principals about the possibility of a seat. “I’m a racing driver and I always will be,” Villeneuve told Autosprint. “That’s why I’m looking about myself for F1. Driving is the only thing that interests me, and all the mess that’s happened helps me.” Villeneuve has competed in various events in recent years, including NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series and last season’s Le Mans 24 Hours. “The human aspect is counting again, as it did in the past. The work is more like the way I remember it,” he said. “When I left, F1 wasn’t fun anymore. Or rather, driving still was, but the atmosphere outside was bad. You’d spend your half-hour with your race engineer, after which the computer would prepare your set-up, and they would tell you ‘Shut up and drive.’”
■ICE HOCKEY
Sakic looks likely to retire
Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic will hold a news conference today and make an announcement regarding his career, the team said on Tuesday on its Web site, avalanche.nhl.com. The 40-year-old, who has played 20 seasons with the franchise including seven when they were the Quebec Nordiques, was expected to announce his retirement, Denver media reported. The future Hall of Famer led the Avalanche to Stanley Cup titles in 1996 and 2001 and helped Canada win the 2002 Olympic ice hockey gold medal.
■ICE HOCKEY
Pronger, Flyers sign deal
The Philadelphia Flyers have signed All-Star defenseman Chris Pronger to a multi-year contract extension, the team said on Tuesday. Pronger, 34, joined the Flyers from the Anaheim Ducks in a blockbuster multi-player trade at the NHL draft last month. The league MVP in 2000 registered 11 goals, 37 assists and 48 points for the Ducks last season.
■ICE HOCKEY
‘Monster’ signs with Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs signed coveted Swedish free agent goalie Jonas Gustavsson to a one-year contract on Tuesday. The 24-year-old netminder, nicknamed “The Monster,” was also heavily pursued by Dallas, San Jose and Colorado. “Jonas is considered by many to be the best goaltender not playing in the NHL today,” Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke said in a statement. Gustavsson played for Farjestad in the Swedish Elite League last season, registering four shutouts with a league-leading 1.96 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage in 42 games.
■BASKETBALL
NBA salary cap drops
The NBA salary cap has been set for next season at US$57.7 million, a decline from 2008-2009, allowing teams to begin signing players. The figure the league announced on Tuesday night was about US$1 million less than last season’s cap of US$58.68 million, even though league-wide revenue rose 2.5 percent. The number is expected to drop further next season when the full effect of the economic difficulties hit. The new salary cap went into effect at 12:01am EDT on Wednesday, ending the NBA’s moratorium period and allowing free agents to sign deals with teams. The luxury tax level also dropped to US$69.92 million. Any team whose salary exceeds that will have to pay US$1 for every US$1 it goes over.
■SOCCER
Drug tests negative: FIFA
Drug tests conducted on teams who participated in the Confederations Cup, a curtainraiser for next year’s World Cup, came out negative, soccer’s world governing body FIFA said in a statement on Tuesday. “A total of 131 urine and blood tests were conducted as part of the testing program,” said the statement. It said FIFA doping control officers visited all eight participating teams and performed unannounced out-of-competition tests two months before the competition. Eight players per team were drawn, which meant that a total of 64 players were tested out of competition. FIFA Medical officer, Professor Jiri Dvorak said: “Some players were surprised when we woke them up at 7am, but the cooperation of all teams was excellent.” During the tournament held from June 14 to June 28, two players per team were randomly selected for doping control at all 16 matches. “All the usual prohibited substances and methods were searched for in the urine and blood tests, including stimulants, anabolic steroids, diuretics and erythropoietin,” FIFA said.
■SOCCER
Olivera scores winner
Juan Manuel Olivera scored the winner as Universidad de Chile beat Union Espanola 1-0 on Tuesday to claim the Chilean Football Championship in Santiago. Olivera scored in the 63rd minute with a header off a cross from Emilio Hernandez. This is Universidad de Chile’s first title in five years. The title marked the end of Uruguayan Sergio Markarian’s six-month tenure as coach of Universidad. Markarian terminated his contract and plans to leave Chile. The team’s next coach will be Argentinian Jose Basualdo. “I think we achieved everything we set out to do,” Markarian said.
■TENNIS
US Open prizes increased
The winners of the US Open men’s and women’s singles title will each receive a record US$1.6 million, a nearly 6 percent increase from last year. The total prize money will be a record US$21.6 million, the third consecutive year the purse has increased by US$1 million, the US Tennis Association announced on Tuesday. The top three men’s and women’s finishers in the US Open Series may earn up to an additional US$2.6 million in bonus money. The bonus prize money at the series has resulted in the largest paychecks in tennis history, when Roger Federer won a combined US$2.4 million in 2007 and Kim Clijsters won US$2.2 million in 2005.
■HORSE RACING
Dutrow banned for 30 days
Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes-winning trainer Rick Dutrow was suspended for 30 days on Tuesday for violating doping rules more than a year ago. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) issued the suspension after tests revealed that Salute the Count had an excessive amount of Clenbuterol in his blood after finishing second in a race at Churchill Downs the day before he won last year’s Kentucky Derby with Big Brown. Clenbuterol allows horses to breathe easier while exercising. It’s only legal at low dosages. Besides imposing the 30-day suspension, the KHRC ordered Dutrow to return the purse money won by the horse. In a rare split vote, the commission voted 6-5 to suspend Dutrow for 30 days moments after voting 6-5 against approving the 15-day ban proposed by both the stewards at Churchill and an officer who heard Dutrow’s appeal. That officer had initially rejected the suspension altogether because of questions about the drug testing that was used.
STILL IN THE HUNT: Rasmus Hojlund took his goal tally for SSC Napoli to nine as the champions cruised to a win at US Cremonese and stayed two points behind the leaders Inter on Sunday stayed at the Serie A summit after beating Atalanta BC 1-0 to maintain their slender lead over local rivals AC Milan. Lautaro Martinez netted the only goal of the game in Bergamo for Inter, who lead Milan, 3-0 winners against Hellas Verona thanks to Christoper Nkunku’s first Serie A goals, by a single point at the top of the division. The Argentina striker has scored in four consecutive league matches to end what has been a tricky year in positive style. “I ended last season in a lot of pain... I kept going during the Club World Cup and international
Hosts Morocco on Friday were held to a 1-1 draw by Mali at the Africa Cup of Nations, ending their world record run of wins and leaving them still to make sure of progress to the next stage. Midfielder Brahim Diaz tucked away a penalty in stoppage-time at the end of the first half, but Mali equalized from the spot midway through the second half through Lassine Sinayoko. Both penalties were awarded after video reviews in a tempestuous clash at the end of a busy day of action at the tournament. Morocco were atop the Group A standings with four points, while Zambia,
Algeria on Sunday became the third country after Egypt and Nigeria to qualify for the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations by edging Burkina Faso 1-0 in Rabat through a Riyad Mahrez penalty. Defending champions Ivory Coast failed to join the trio after drawing 1-1 with Cameroon in a lively showdown in Marrakesh. Elsewhere, Mozambique ended a 39-match wait for a first victory by beating Gabon 3-2, while Sudan got back into contention for a last-16 slot by beating Equatorial Guinea 1-0 in Casablanca. Captain Mahrez converted from the penalty spot midway through the first half and Algeria then held on
Supermaxis Master Lock Comanche and defending champions LawConnect yesterday continued their close duel on the second day of the 80th running of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Just over 27 hours into the race that began on Friday in Sydney Harbour and is to end on the island state of Tasmania, Comanche had a 4 nautical mile (7.4km) lead over LawConnect. LawConnect was forced to contend with a broken mainsheet and halyard overnight, but fixed both issues and remained in pursuit of Comanche, which is skippered by Matt Allen and James Mayo. “We had a few things slow us down and Comanche’s
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