CRICKET
Marlon Samuels banned
Former West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels has been banned from all cricket for six years for breaching four counts of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption code while playing in a limited-overs competition in the United Arab Emirates. The charges against Samuels, who has not played for the West Indies since 2018, relate to the T10 League in Abu Dhabi, the ICC said when the charges were laid in 2021. Samuels in August was found guilty of failing to disclose “the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit” that could bring him into disrepute, as well as the receipt of hospitality worth US$750 or more. The ICC also said that Samuels failed to cooperate with an anti-corruption official and concealed information that might have been relevant to the investigation.
RUGBY UNION
O’Mahony steps down
Ireland flanker Peter O’Mahony has stepped down as Munster captain after a decade in the role, the club said on Wednesday. The 34-year-old has been at Munster since 2010 and first captained them in 2011 on his 12th appearance for the club. He became the skipper full-time in 2013. “I can remember the day I was asked to be captain like it was yesterday,” O’Mahony said in a statement. “From that day to this it’s been an utter privilege and has never been something I’ve taken for granted. However, having given a huge amount of thought to it, I think it is the right time to step back from the role to share my experiences and give the same guidance that I received when I took on the role.”
SOCCER
Player’s release sought
South Korea coach Jurgen Klinsmann has called on the Chinese government to release World Cup midfielder Son Jun-ho in time for Christmas. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in May said that the 31-year-old had been detained “on suspicion of accepting bribes by non-state employees.” Son had been with Chinese Super League side Shandong Taishan since 2021 and played in three of his country’s four games at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last year. “Now we have only one wish for Christmas,” Klinsmann told reporters after landing in South Korea following Tuesday’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying win away in China. “That is to get Son Jun-ho released because until today, they have not proven anything that he did wrong. So we hope that the Chinese government will release him, hopefully before Christmas, to see his family.”
SOCCER
Stephen Kenny’s time ends
Stephen Kenny’s three years as Republic of Ireland manager is over after The Football Association of Ireland bosses said that his contract would not be renewed. The 52-year-old’s departure was widely expected having failed to guide the team to the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament in Germany, winning only two of their eight games in qualifying Group B. Association chief executive officer Jonathan Hill thanked Kenny for working “tirelessly to create the right environment to support the development of our senior men’s team.” Hill added: “Stephen has also overseen an important period of transition for our senior men’s national team and has given debuts to a significant number of new and younger players.”
Manchester City have reached do-or-die territory in the UEFA Champions League earlier than expected ahead of what Pep Guardiola has described as a “final” against Club Brugge today. City have disproved the suggestion a new format to Europe’s top club competition would remove any jeopardy for the top clubs as Guardiola stares down the barrel of failing to make the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in his career. The English champions have endured a torrid season both in their English Premier League title defense and on the continent. A run of one win in 13 games, which included Champions League
Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday poured in 35 points as the Thunder grabbed a bounce-back 118-108 victory in Portland to push their NBA-best record to 37-8. The Thunder, surprised by the short-handed Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, fended off a late surge from the Trail Blazers to snap their four-game winning streak. Jalen Williams scored 24 points and Isaiah Joe added 16 off the bench. Center Isaiah Hartenstein, back after a five-game absence with a calf injury, added 14 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a big block. The Western Conference leaders were under pressure late as Portland, trailing by 15 heading
The Golden State Warriors on Wednesday withstood Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 52-point outburst to beat the Western Conference leading Thunder 116-109. Andrew Wiggins scored 27 points and Warriors superstar Stephen Curry scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half as Golden State erased a double-digit deficit and pulled away late for the victory. “We just stayed solid,” said Curry, who entered the contest mired in a shooting slump and had just four points on one basket in the first half. “Just all-around effort.” The Thunder, fueled by 31 first-half points from Gilgeous-Alexander, led by as many as 14 in the
Ousmane Dembele on Wednesday scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain romped to a 4-1 win at VfB Stuttgart and qualified for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages. PSG were at risk of elimination after a disappointing league stage, with three losses and a draw, but were utterly dominant against an outclassed Stuttgart side as they confirmed their place in the playoffs. With six minutes gone, Bradley Barcola headed PSG in front after Desire Doue stood a cross up at the back post following a corner. Stuttgart probed for an equalizer, but PSG hit on the counterattack, Dembele tapping a Barcola pass into an
RSS