Podolski joins J-League side Kobe
TOKYO • German World Cup winner Lukas Podolski has joined Japan's Vissel Kobe, the J-League club said yesterday, bucking a trend of big-name footballers moving to cash-rich China.
The 31-year-old forward, who has played for Turkey's Galatasaray since 2015, is expected to arrive in Japan in June.
Kobe did not give immediate details of the deal, although Podolski is understood to have signed a three-year contract worth about US$15 million (S$21.16 million).
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Pele's son released pending appeal
RIO DE JANEIRO • The son of Brazilian football legend Pele was released on Wednesday pending an appeal against his conviction and 13-year sentence for laundering drug-trafficking money.
Edson "Edinho" Cholbi do Nascimento, 46, had turned himself in last Friday, a day after a judge reconfirmed his conviction handed down in 2014 but cut his prison term from the original 33 years to 12 years and 10 months. His lawyers lodged an appeal and the judge permitted Edinho to remain free until it was heard.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Bolivia seek CAS ruling on penalty
ZURICH • Bolivia have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after losing four World Cup qualifying points for fielding an ineligible player.
Bolivia beat Peru 2-0 at home then held Chile 0-0 away in the first week of September but Fifa's disciplinary committee awarded 3-0 walkovers to their opponents' in each case. World football's governing body ruled that Bolivia had fielded Paraguayan-born Nelson Cabrera when he was ineligible to play. Bolivia have already lost an appeal to Fifa itself.
REUTERS
Novak fights back to down del Potro
ACAPULCO (Mexico) • Tennis' world No. 2 Novak Djokovic battled into the quarter-finals of the ATP Acapulco event on Wednesday, rallying for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Juan Martin del Potro.
The Serbian led a parade of the top four seeds into the last eight, with Rafael Nadal, Marin Cilic and defending champion Dominic Thiem all advancing.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
