Dani Alves arrested in Spain
BARCELONA, Jan 20: Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves was arrested Friday after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Spain.The alleged act took place on Dec. 31 at a night club in Barcelona, police said.Alves will now go before a judge, who will decide on the charges.The charge of sexual assault in Spain can mean anything from unsolicited and unwanted sexual groping to rape. Police said they could give no detail on the case. The 39-year-old Alves is one of soccer’s most successful players, winning major titles with several elite clubs, including Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain over his long career. He currently plays with Mexican club Pumas. (PTI)
Aussie Olympian tests positive for banned drug
SYDNEY, Jan 20 : Australian Olympic middle-distance runner and 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist Peter Bol has tested positive to a banned performance-enhancing drug.Athletics Australia said on Friday that Bol, the national 800-meter record holder, failed an out-of-competition test on October 11. The 28-year-old tested positive to the banned drug erythropoietin, known as EPO.“I am innocent and have not taken this substance as I am accused,” Bol said on Twitter.Bol said his career hinged on the result of a B sample from the October test which would be known next month.(PTI)
ISL: Mumbai City FC cruise past NEUFC 4-0
MUMBAI, Jan 20: Mumbai City FC went seven points clear at the top of the table after a comfortable 4-0 victory over Northeast United FC in an Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 match at the Mumbai Football Arena, here on Thursday.Ahmed Jahouh, Jorge Diaz, and Vinit Rai were on target for the Islanders. The third goal of the match was classified as an Alex Saji own goal. The result was another example of their dominance this season in all, Mumbai City FC have now scored 45 goals in 15 games, putting them just a goal behind FC Goa’s league stage record of 46 goals in 2019-20 with five games to go. Mumbai City FC are now seven points clear at the top of the table now. As for the Islanders, their next challenge will be a game against Jamshedpur FC on January 27. Northeast United FC were handed their 13th defeat of the season and they will play Kerala Blasters FC next on January 29. (IANS)
Manika storms into singles quarters, mixed doubles semis
DOHA, Jan 20: India’s top-ranked women’s table tennis player Manika Batra stormed into the singles quarterfinals of the WTT Contender with an impressive 3-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-7) win over Joo Cheonhui, here on Thursday.World No. 36 Manika took just 24 minutes to register an emphatic over her Korean opponent ranked 129 on the ITTF rankings.Manika will now clash with another Korean, Choi Hyojoo, ranked 53rd in the world, on Friday evening for a place in the semifinals. In the men’s singles Round of 16 match held on Thursday evening, veteran paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal lost 2-11, 1-11, 4-11 to Peng Xiang of China.(IANS)