SOCCER
Croatian violence slammed
The Croatian Football Federation on Wednesday condemned violence that followed Dinamo Zagreb’s 1-0 win over Hadjuk Split in the Croatia Cup semi-finals. Spectators invaded the pitch after the final whistle and violence spilled out in and around the stadium. Local media said that 51 people were detained by police, while eight officers were injured in clashes with fans. The federation said in a statement that it condemned any form of violence in soccer. “We share the deep disappointment of the football community due to the unfortunate scenes that followed last night’s match, and we hope that each individual involved in the riots will be held accountable in accordance with the law,” it said.
Photo: AFP
TENNIS
Chan Hao-ching eliminated
Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching on Thursday was eliminated at the Charleston Open, exiting in the women’s doubles quarter-finals. Makoto Ninomiya and Eri Hozumi of Japan def Chan and partner Veronika Kudermetova of Russia 6-4, 0-6, 10-5 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in South Carolina.
OLYMPICS
Diver falls at ceremony
French Olympic diver Alexis Jandard on Thursday said he was glad to have brought a smile to people’s faces after an embarrassing fall during the inauguration ceremony for an Olympic aquatics center that was attended by French President Emmanuel Macron. Jandard slipped on a board just as he was about to dive alongside two other divers, before awkwardly bouncing off the board and into the water. In an Instagram story, the 26-year-old posted a photograph of himself with scrapes on his back. “I’m fine. I didn’t hurt myself, unfortunately these things happen,” Jandard told RMC Sport. “It happened at a time when I wasn’t expecting it at all. I’ve broken boards before, but the board had never broken me before. Now it has. I would have preferred this ceremony to have gone well from start to finish. There was that little hitch. If it made people smile a little, so much the better,” he said. “We know our sport. We know what it entails. We know that these things can happen... It had to happen in front of the president and the whole of France. I think we chose the right moment.”
BOXING
Ali’s shorts under hammer
The shorts worn by Muhammad Ali in his legendary “Thrilla in Manila” boxing match are up for grabs at Sotheby’s in New York. Bids — including the latest for US$3.8 million — have been rolling in since late March for the Everlast-brand shorts, which are white with black stripes and are signed by Ali. The auction is open until Friday next week. Sotheby’s said that, as of Thursday, the minimum price agreed to by the seller of Ali’s shorts had not yet been reached. Sotheby’s estimates the shorts could eventually fetch US$4 million to US$6 million. The 1975 fight against Joe Frazier was held in the Philippines. It went to 14 rounds before Frazier’s coach threw in the towel. Ali died in 2016.
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
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about ￡2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Less than a week after splashing out a world-record fee for Naomi Girma, Chelsea has spent big again to bring England midfielder Keira Walsh back to the English Women’s Super League. Walsh left European champions Barcelona after more than two years to join Chelsea for a reported ￡400,000 (US$496,000) on Friday. Walsh was the world’s most expensive player for two years after moving to Barcelona from Manchester City for a reported ￡400,000 in 2022. That status now belongs to Girma, the US defender who cost Chelsea a reported ￡900,000 to sign from the San Diego Wave. Still, it means 27-year-old Walsh — a technically
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