Nick Kyrgios to appear in court in Australia
WIMBLEDON, July 6: Wimbledon quarterfinalist Nick Kyrgios is due in court back home in Australia next month, and a lawyer representing him said the “precise nature of” the allegations “is neither certain at this moment nor confirmed by either the prosecution or” the 27-year-old professional tennis player. “While Mr. Kyrgios is committed to addressing any and all allegations once clear, taking the matter seriously does not warrant any misreading of the process Mr. Kyrgios is required to follow,” attorney Pierre Johannessen wrote in a statement emailed to the media. Johannessen wrote that “the allegations are not considered as fact” by the court, and Kyrgios is not “considered charged” with an offense until a first appearance in court.
Shoe issues bar triple jump star Rojas from long jump worlds
MONACO, July 6: Olympic triple jump champion Yulimar Rojas cannot compete in long jump at the world championships in Oregon this month because her qualifying leap was done in unapproved shoes. Track and field’s governing body World Athletics said Wednesday that a jump by Rojas in Spain in June – which was long enough to qualify for the worlds – “was not a valid result as she was wearing triple jump shoes which are not approved for long jump.” The soles of long jump shoes are allowed a maximum thickness of 20 millimetres, while the limit for triple jump is 25 millimetres. Rojas’ long jump in Spain measured 6.93 meters – a distance that would have taken a silver medal at the 2019 worlds. (AP)
Spain-born footballer Inaki to play for Ghana in WC
MADRID, July 6: Spain-born Athletic Bilbao striker Inaki Williams said on Tuesday that he will play for Ghana in the FIFA World Cup. However, his younger brother Nico has decided to continue playing for Spain’s U-21 side. The 28-year-old announced through a video posted on his social media accounts. “It’s about time,” said a Twitter post by Ghana’s national team. “Welcome to the Black Stars.” Although Williams was born in Spain, his parents are originally from Ghana, and despite playing in a friendly game for Spain in May 2016, he is able to switch his loyalties. (IANS)
IIHF dismisses Russia and Belarus ban appeals
ZURICH, July 6: The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) disciplinary board has dismissed appeals lodged by the Russian and Belarusian associations against the governing body’s decision to ban them from competition over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. In February, the IIHF suspended all Russian and Belarusian national teams and clubs from participation in every age category. It later moved the 2023 world championships out of St Petersburg due to concerns about the wellbeing of players and officials. Russia’s hosting rights for the 2023 world junior championships were also revoked. (Agencies)
MotoGP racer Bagnaia crashes car while intoxicated
IBIZA, July 5: Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia admitted that he drove his car into a ditch in Ibiza while he was over the legal alcohol limit in the early hours of Tuesday. Bagnaia, last year’s runner-up in the MotoGP championship, is currently on a summer break after the Dutch Grand Prix. “As I was leaving the disco at 3 am, I was facing a roundabout when I ended up with the front wheels in a ditch without involving other vehicles or people,” Bagnaia wrote on Instagram. “However, the alcohol test carried out by the police found that the blood alcohol level was higher than what is allowed by Spanish law. I am sorry for what happened; I am practically a non-drinker and it was a serious carelessness that should not have happened.” (Agencies)