Sports World: Geylang puncture Tampines' title hopes

Geylang puncture Tampines' title hopes

With just five games left, Tampines Rovers' Singapore Premier League title hopes have been dented after the football club lost 2-1 to Geylang International at the Jalan Besar Stadium last night.

Hougang United, who beat Warriors FC 3-1 on Tuesday, remain the top-ranked local side on 35 points after 19 games, three points behind leaders Brunei DPMM.

Tampines are third on 33 points while defending champions Albirex Niigata have 31 points and two games in hand.

Home United lost 3-1 to bottom team Balestier Khalsa in last night's other game at Bishan Stadium.

Thai weightlifters' world ban upheld

BANGKOK • Thai weightlifters will be banned from competing at the World Championships despite the country hosting the event, the sport's global body confirmed yesterday.

Nine Thais, including two reigning Olympic champions, were suspended after positive drug tests since November, prompting Thailand to voluntarily ban itself from the September championships in Pattaya as well as next year's Olympics.

Last month, the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (Tawa) changed tact, saying lifters who did not fail tests should be allowed to compete and have a shot at the Tokyo Games, while athletes and coaches were told to get ready. But the International Weightlifting Federation said it will not review Tawa's "self-suspension and the suspension of Thai athletes from competing in weightlifting events will remain in place".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

First female officials for Asian qualifiers

KUALA LUMPUR • South Korea's Kim Se-in will become the first female match commissioner to take charge of a men's World Cup qualification tie when Guam play the Maldives in a second-round qualifier for the 2022 World Cup next month, the Asian Football Confederation said yesterday.

Match commissioners are official representatives of a governing body at a game and are responsible for ensuring the match is properly organised and runs smoothly.

Three more female match commissioners - Vietnam's Nguyen Thanh Ha, Hong Kong's Lau Cheuk Chi and Kanya Keomany of Laos - have also been appointed for Asian qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2023 Asian Cup in China.

REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 15, 2019, with the headline Sports World: Geylang puncture Tampines' title hopes. Subscribe