Everton drop appeal against PL points deduction
LIVERPOOL, May 10: Everton has dropped an appeal against a two-point reduction for breaching the Premier League’s spending rules, having successfully staved off the threat of relegation.The club said Friday it will not proceed with a scheduled hearing to contest the punishment handed down by an independent regulatory commission last month.Everton said it “will conclude the 2023-24 Premier League season with the two-point deduction remaining in place.” The relegation-threatened club was docked two points last week for overspending in three years up to the end of the 2022-23 season.It was a second deduction this season, with Everton having already had six points removed – reduced from 10 following an appeal – for breaching spending limits from 2019-20 to the 2021-22 season.The deductions had put Everton in danger of relegation. But, Sean Dyche’s team secured another year in the top-flight thanks to three straight wins last month, including against archrival Liverpool.The team is in 15th place with two games remaining, 11 points above the relegation zone. (PTI)
2 more tennis players banned over links to match-fixing
LONDON, May 10: Two more low-ranking tennis players linked to a match-fixing syndicate in Belgium have been banned from the sport, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said Friday.Alejandro Crespo, a 34-year-old Bolivian, was banned for life and fined USD 250,000 for his “continuous pattern of corruption.” Jorge Panta Herreros, a 28-year-old Peruvian, was suspended for three years and fined USD 10,000 after he was involved in fixing the result of two matches.Crespo reached a ranking of 741 in 2016, while Panta Herreros reached No. 447 in 2022.The two joined at least 15 other players who have been suspended for having links with the match-fixing syndicate run by Grigor Sargsyan, who was given a five-year custodial sentence last year. (PTI)
Nisha Dahiya raises hopes of fifth Olympic quota
ISTANBUL, May 10: A day after all six Greco-roman wrestlers came up with forgettable performances, Nisha Dahiya kept India’s hopes of a fifth Paris Games quota place alive by moving into the semifinals at the World Olympic Games Qualifier here on Friday.The 68kg grappler, a World U-23 bronze medallist and Asian Championships silver-medal winner last year, defeated Belarusian teenager Alina Shauchuk, competing as an independent athlete, on points 3-0 to secure a place in the quarterfinal.Nisha, 25, then overcame the challenge of ninth-ranked wrestler from the Czech Republic Adela Hanzlickova, a multiple European Championships medallist, on points 7-4 to book a place in the semifinal against Romania’s Alexandra Anghel, ranked 58th.If Nisha beats the Romanian later in the day, she will become the country’s fifth female grappler to book a Paris berth.Even if she loses later on Friday, Nisha can still earn a Paris berth as a third quota is given to the wrestler who emerges winner in the bout between the two bronze medallists.In a bout lasting the full distance, Nisha took a quick 3-1 lead in the first round of three minutes and despite a fight-back by Adela, managed to win with ease. (PTI)