Umtiti takes salary cut for Barça to register Torres
BARCELONA, Jan 11: Barcelona will register new signing Ferran Torres after defender Samuel Umtiti agreed to take a salary cut, the club said on Monday. Torres was presented last week but hadn’t been added to the squad because Barcelona couldn’t make room for him without breaching the Spanish league’s strict financial fair play rules. The Catalan club said it reached a deal with Umtiti to extend his contract until 2026, reducing part of the salary the Frenchman was due to receive in the year and a half remaining on his contract. Barcelona paid an initial fee of 55 million euros to sign Torres from Manchester City. (AP)
Galatasaray fire coach Fatih Terim again
ISTANBUL, Jan 11: Galatasaray fired veteran coach Fatih Terim on Monday, ending his fourth spell with the club he led to the UEFA Cup title in 2000. The 68-year-old Terim leaves with the team in the knockout round of the Europa League. Galatasaray is in 12th place in the 20-team Turkish league after a 1-0 home loss against Giresunspor. Galatasaray president Burak Elmas announced the firing while noting Terim achieved success in Europe this season “that makes us all proud.” (AP)
AFC Asian Women’s Cup trophy unveiled
Mumbai, Jan 11: A dazzling trophy, weighing 5.5 kilograms of hallmarked sterling silver bullion, will be presented to the winners of the upcoming AFC Asian Women’s Cup. The tournament, with exemption from the Maharashtra government, kicks off in three venues across the state – Pune, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai on January 20. According to a statement issued, the trophy was crafted by world-renowned silversmiths Thomas Lyte of London. “While the trophy incorporates a modern design, there are discrete elements that honour the competition’s long history. The striking handles, which have been cast from six solid silver bars, point to the six participants that played in the first tournament in 1975,” the release said. (PTI)
EFI to host third round of Asiad selection trials
New Delhi, Jan 11: The third round of selection trials for picking the Indian show jumping team for the Asian Games will be held from January 12 to 16 in Mumbai, the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) announced on Tuesday. The Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou, China from September 10 to 25. “Athletes aged 16 and above will be eligible for participation. Athletes from across Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata along with host city Mumbai, will be taking part in the trials which will have two rounds for teams and individuals to qualify,” an EFI release said. For the team qualification, the height is 1.40m while for individual qualification it would be 1.50m. (PTI)
Boxers Kom, Panghal included in national camps
NEW DELHI, Jan 11: Six-time world champion M C Mary Kom and Asian Games gold-medallist Amit Panghal were among six Indian boxers who were on Tuesday included in the ongoing national camps for women and men in Delhi and Patiala respectively. Panghal was joined by a fit-again Vikas Krishan, who underwent a shoulder surgery last year after the Olympics, Manish Kaushik, Satish Kumar, and Ashish Kumar in the men’s camp in Patiala. Mary Kom will report to the women’s camp at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here after the inclusion of their names was recommended by the Boxing Federation of India. The two camps will continue till March 14. (PTI)
Oly world medallist sprinter Lendore killed in car crash
Kingston, Jan 11: Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic and world 4x400m medallist Deon Lendore has died at the age of 29, World Athletics, the sport’s governing body informed on Tuesday. Lendore, according to reports, died in a car crash in Texas, USA, late on Monday. The news of his death first appeared on social media in the United States and the Caribbean and was later confirmed by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee. The three-time Olympian, who anchored his nation to relay bronze at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, also claimed two world indoor 400m bronze medals and a 4x400m bronze. (IANS)
Nick Kyrgios tests positive for virus ahead of Oz Open
Sydney, Jan 11: Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the Sydney Tennis Classic after testing positive for COVID-19, casting doubt whether or not he will be ready to play in the upcoming Australian Open. Kyrgios withdrew just hours before his scheduled match against Italian world No. 36 Fabio Fognini on Monday evening. “I just want to be open and transparent with everyone, the reason I have had to pull out of Sydney is because I tested positive for COVID,” said Kyrgios in a post on social media. (IANS)