BADMINTON
Lin secures Finals berth
Taiwan’s Lin Chun-yi yesterday defeated Li Shifeng of China in straight games at the China Masters in Shenzhen to clinch a spot in the BWF World Tour Finals. The opening round men’s singles match was make or break for Lin, who was ranked No. 9 on the World Tour, and Li, who is eighth. Both needed the victory in the Super 750 event, which is the last tournament for qualification for the Finals. Lin defeated last week’s Kumamoto Masters champion 21-14, 21-19 in 56 minutes. Meanwhile, World No. 9 Taiwanese shuttler Chou Tien-chen crashed out of his opener, losing 21-17, 18-21, 21-13 to Alex Lanier. However, Chou is second in the World Tour rankings and is already guaranteed a spot in December’s Finals in Hangzhou, China.
SOCCER
Report criticizes safety
Professional soccer is failing to apply required safety standards, contravening legal frameworks at both European and global levels, a report published yesterday said. The report by Belgian University Katholieke Universiteit Leuven was commissioned by global soccer players’ union FIFPRO. It is to be submitted as evidence to the joint complaint filed to European anti-trust regulators against FIFA by FIFPRO Europe, European Leagues and La Liga. Elite leagues accused soccer’s world governing body of abuse over the effects of the expanding soccer calendar on player well-being, including decisions around the expanded FIFA Club World Cup next year. The research looked at the job demands and resources in the professional game, particularly the stressors of a high-risk work environment, and examined the legal obligations around health and safety standards. It determined that Occupational Safety and Health standards should apply to the industry, as soccer players are recognized as workers under European and international labor laws.
FOOTBALL
Jets fire GM Douglas
Jets owner Woody Johnson is cleaning house for his woeful New York Jets in what has been a hugely disappointing season. On Tuesday, he fired Joe Douglas as general manager, the latest shakeup for a franchise that had Super Bowl aspirations with a healthy Aaron Rodgers as quarterback, but has limped to a 3-8 start and appears likely to miss the playoffs for a 14th consecutive year. The dismissal of Douglas, who was 30-64 and had no winning seasons in his tenure, came exactly six weeks after Johnson fired Robert Saleh as coach on Oct. 8 after the Jets were 2-3 to open the year.
BOXING
Paul, Tyson fight sets record
Jake Paul’s unanimous decision over Mike Tyson on Saturday was the highest-grossing combat sports event in Texas at US$18.1 million, the promotions company cofounded by Paul said on Tuesday. The eight-round fight at the home of the Dallas Cowboys drew about 72,000 fans and was part of a co-main event that featured Katie Taylor’s latest disputed decision in a super lightweight championship slugfest against Amanda Serrano. The event surpassed Texas’ previous sports combat high of US$9 million set by Canelo Alvarez when he faced Billy Joe Saunders at the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium in 2021, Most Valuable Promotions said.
Taiwan suffered its first defeat of the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12, losing to defending champion Japan 3-1 at the Taipei Dome last night. Japan’s victory put Taiwan’s score at two wins and one loss in WBSC Premier12 championship Group B play. In the top of the first inning, a sacrifice fly from Japanese batter Shota Morishita allowed Masayuki Kuwahara to score a run on Taiwan’s starter Chen Po-ching (陳柏清). Taiwan’s attempt to catch up in the bottom of the first ended to no avail and an uneventful second inning saw the score
Taiwan last night defeated Cuba 2-0 in their World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12 Group B game at the Taipei Dome and finished the group second. At the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium, South Korea yesterday defeated Australia 5-2, while Japan last night won 11-3 against the Dominican Republic. On Sunday, Taiwan scored two three-run homers in an 11-3 blowout win over Australia at the Taipei Dome to advance to the Super Round. Fresh off a defeat at the hands of defending Premier12 champions and Group B winners Japan the previous day, Taiwan’s offense came out slugging against Australia from the
Taiwan scored two three-run homers in an 11-3 blowout win over Australia at the Taipei Dome last night to advance to the Super Round of the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12 tournament. Fresh off a defeat at the hands of defending Premier12 champion and Group B winner Japan the previous day, Taiwan’s offense came out slugging against Australia from the off. After taking a walk to first base, Taiwan’s Chen Chieh- hsien (陳傑憲) then stole second before Tseng Song-en (曾頌恩) drew a walk to first in the top of the first inning. Chen then
A debate over the soul of soccer is raging in FIFA World Cup holders Argentina, pitting defenders of the social role of the beautiful game against the government of libertarian Argentine President Javier Milei, who wants to turn clubs into for-profit companies. Argentina, which gave the world Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, is home to some of the world’s most devoted soccer fans — a fact attributed by supporters like Gabriel Nicosia to the clubs’ community outreach. Nicosia is a lifelong supporter of San Lorenzo, a more than 100-year-old first division club based in the working-class Buenos Aires neighborhood of Boedo where
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