Nehwal beats Marin in Super Series finals
DUBAI • World No. 2 Saina Nehwal injected hope into her bid to get out of the Super Series finals group stage with a 23-21, 9-21, 21-12 win over top-ranked Carolina Marin at the Hamdan Sports Complex yesterday.
The Indian shuttler also gained some measure of revenge for her losses to Marin at this year's world championships and All England finals. She lost her opening Group A match at the season-ending tournament to Japan's Nozomi Okuhara.
Benzema banned indefinitely by France
PARIS • Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been suspended indefinitely from the France team because of the blackmail case he is embroiled in, the French federation (FFF) president told a news conference yesterday.
Benzema was put under formal investigation last month in connection with an alleged attempt to blackmail fellow footballer Mathieu Valbuena.
REUTERS
Feng takes two-shot lead at Dubai Masters
DUBAI • Defending champion Feng Shanshan of China lived up to her billing as the pre-tournament favourite as she took a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Dubai Ladies Masters yesterday.
The highest-ranked player in the field, the world No. 6 added a second successive bogey-free round of five-under 67 to move to 10-under after 36 holes.
She is bidding to become the first three-time winner in the season-ending championship of the Ladies European Tour.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Ceni hangs up his gloves after 25-year career
SAO PAULO • Rogerio Ceni, the highest-scoring goalkeeper in history, charmed the world with his golden boots, but it is his magical gloves that will be most missed at his club, Brazil's Sao Paulo.
Ceni, who was Sao Paulo's go-to man for free kicks and penalties, scored 131 goals in his 25-year professional career - far more than any other keeper.
The 42-year-old, who retired on Sunday, earned 16 caps for Brazil.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
IOC to start audits for sports bodies
LAUSANNE • The International Olympic Committee (IOC) wants to make sure the billions of dollars of cash distributed to stakeholders for the development of sport are being used appropriately and will ask for audits of every major contribution handed out, IOC president Thomas Bach said yesterday.
The IOC is eager to make sure major payments to sports federations, national Olympic Committees and Games organising committees are accountable.
REUTERS
