TENNIS
Taiwan’s Chan advances
Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Veronika Kudermetova of Russia yesterday advanced to the round-of-16 in the women’s doubles at the Qatar Open. Chan and Kudermetova won 6-3, 6-4 against Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania and Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha to set up a clash today against Luisa Stefani of Brazil and the US’ Peyton Stearns.
RUGBY UNION
NZR launches lawsuit
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has launched legal action against former sponsor INEOS for alleged breach of contract, saying the global chemicals producer had walked away from a six-year deal three years early. NZR and INEOS signed a sponsorship agreement in 2021 that was to run from 2022 to 2027. The deal included INEOS branding on the back of playing shorts and on the front of training jerseys for the three-times world champions All Blacks and other national men’s and women’s rugby teams. NZR said that INEOS had informed it at the end of last month that it intended to exit the agreement effective from Jan. 1. “New Zealand Rugby is disappointed that INEOS has breached its sponsorship agreement,” it said in a statement yesterday. “Most recently, it failed to pay the first instalment of the 2025 sponsorship fee, confirming its decision to exit our six-year agreement. Having learned of INEOS’ decision to walk away three years early, we have moved to protect the interests of New Zealand Rugby and the wider game. We have been left with no option but to launch legal proceedings to protect our commercial position.” INEOS, a British multinational conglomerate based in London, was contacted for comment. INEOS chairman Jim Ratcliffe owns a minority stake in Premier League soccer club Manchester United and owns British professional cycling team Grenadiers. INEOS also backed Britain’s America’s Cup bid last year, but last month announced that it had split with skipper Ben Ainslie’s crew, who lost 7-2 to New Zealand in the final series.
SOCCER
Coach lands two jobs
Coaching one club is usually considered a full-on and demanding job, but Marcelinho Paraiba will be dealing with double the stress after being appointed as coach of two Brazilian sides — Carioca A2 side Americano-RJ and Nacional de Patos — within 24 hours over the weekend. The unusual move caused a stir on Brazilian social media, with people wondering if it was a mistake. However, both announcements were legitimate. Nacional de Patos are in the final stretch of the first phase of the Paraibano championship in the northeastern state of Brazil and are fighting to avoid relegation. Marcelinho’s time with them will theoretically last until the end of this month, only for three matches, while Americano’s pre-season starts in the middle of next month as they prepare for the Carioca A2, a state tournament in Sao Paulo that begins in May. “I am here to tell you how happy I am to be in charge of Americano in the Carioca Second Division in 2025. We’re going in search of our goal to access the elite of Carioca football,” Marcelinho said in a video on his Instagram account and later posted the Nacional de Patos announcement.
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning
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