Mon, Jul 13, 2009 page18

• Sports Briefs

  • AGENCIES
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  ■TAEKWONDO

  Olympian to open brothel

  A New Zealand athlete has turned to prostitution to fund his London Olympics bid, it was reported yesterday. Logan Campbell, who finished in the top 16 in the taekwondo featherweight division at the Beijing Olympics, has set up a “high-class gentleman’s club” in Auckland, the Sunday Star Times said. Campbell’s Beijing campaign had cost about NZ$150,000 (US$93,000), most of which came from his parents, and he said he was sick of relying on them for help so had set up the brothel. Licensed prostitution is legal in New Zealand. Taekwondo New Zealand (TNZ) was unenthusiastic about the move, saying it would be taken into account when considering him for international selection. “Selection takes into account not just performance but also the athlete’s ability to serve as an example to the youth of the country,” TNZ funding manager John Scholfield told the newspaper. Campbell said he would launch his London bid in 2011, by which time he hoped to have earned NZ$300,000 from the brothel. With a hefty amount of funding behind him, Campbell believes he will be a serious medal contender in London after being beaten in Beijing by eventual bronze medalist Sung Yu-chi of Taiwan.

  ■HOCKEY

  Gretzky fights tax info request

  Lawyers for Phoenix Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky are trying to keep his personal finances out of the NHL team’s bankruptcy case. Responding to a motion by the City of Glendale to review Gretzky’s income tax returns, Gretzky’s attorneys argue that he is a California resident and is entitled to that state’s privacy protections. They also say his personal finances aren’t relevant to the complicated legal battle over the team’s sale. Glendale “has not demonstrated and cannot demonstrate that its need for disclosure of Mr Gretzky’s personal financial information outweighs any privacy claim by Mr Gretzky in such information,” a filing by Gretzky’s lawyers said. “Mr Gretzky has a clear interest in maintaining the privacy of his financial records, and his privacy interest is one that outweighs [Glendale’s] need for disclosure of Mr Gretzky’s personal tax records,” the filing said.

  ■FIELD HOCKEY

  Argentina beat Aussies

  Josefina Sruoga scored on the stroke of half-time yesterday to give defending champions Argentina a 1-0 victory over Australia for a second straight win at the Champions Trophy women’s tournament. Earlier, Germany beat England 3-1 to even their record at 1-1. In the other match yesterday, the Netherlands beat China 1-0. Australia coach Frank Murray said his side lost concentration late in the first half. “They got a soft goal right at half-time ... so it’s something that we’ve got to learn from,” Murray said. “The thing they need to understand is how to play the next minute of the game and there wasn’t enough experience there to stand them in good stead at that point.”

  ■RUGBY UNION

  Canada clinch Cup berth

  Canada routed the US 41-18 to clinch a berth in the 2011 Rugby World Cup on Saturday. Canada outscored the US 47-30 in the two-game series. Canada will join tournament host New Zealand, France, Tonga and an Asian qualifier in Pool A. Canada lost 12-6 last week in Charleston, South Carolina and had to win by seven points on Saturday. The US face a two-game series against Uruguay to determine the Americas second qualifier for Pool C, although the loser will still have another chance to qualify in cross-continent playoffs next year.
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