ICE HOCKEY
Flyers player held in Russia
A Russian ice hockey player under contract with an NHL team has been detained in Russia over charges he evaded military service, his lawyer said. Ivan Fedotov, a goaltender on the Russian team that won silver at the Beijing Winter Olympics this year, signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers in May. His detention comes after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. The Fontanka.ru news Web site on Friday said that the 25-year-old had been detained by St Petersburg police at the request of the military prosecutor’s office. His lawyer, Alexei Ponomaryev, told state news agency RIA on Saturday that Fedotov was taken to an enlistment office on Friday and then a military hospital after falling ill. “As I understand it, due to stress, he had gastritis,” Ponomaryev said. “Ivan feels bad. He says that he is not being provided with full medical assistance.” Ponomaryev denied accusations that his client had evaded military service.
SOCCER
Ronaldo wants out of Man U
Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United this summer if the English Premier League club receives an appropriate offer, multiple reports said on Saturday. The 37-year-old Portugal forward returned to Old Trafford from Juventus last summer, but despite being United’s top scorer last season, and third in the Premier League, the overall campaign was disappointing. United finished sixth in the league, missing out on UEFA Champions League qualification and leaving the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has a year left on his contract plus an optional year, facing the prospect of playing in the Europa League for the first time. Manchester United are adamant that Ronaldo is not for sale.
CRICKET
Bumrah bats record over
Jasprit Bumrah was enjoying a dream debut on Saturday as India captain with bat and ball as England were made to struggle on a rain-hit second day of a series-deciding Test at Edgbaston, England. Bumrah hammered fast bowler Stuart Broad for the most expensive over in Test cricket history. Then, given the ball, Bumrah took 3-35 to have England limping at 84-5 by stumps. Ben Stokes’ team were trailing by 332 runs. Ravindra Jadeja’s first overseas Test hundred of 104 and Bumrah’s ballistic unbeaten 31 off 16 balls, including a world record 29 off the bat in Broad’s one over, gave India an imposing total of 416 all out.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was