Report: Police called to Olympic great Ian Thorpe
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) — Australian media report that Olympic swimming great Ian Thorpe was taken to hospital early yesterday after residents of a Sydney suburb called police to report a man acting strangely near a car.
The Australian Associated Press report that police spoke to a man in suburban Panania at 3.:15 am local time and he was taken to hospital for a medical assessment.
Police said “no official complaint has been made and no further police action is anticipated”.
Five-time Olympic gold medallist Thorpe, who has been living in Switzerland, has been staying with his parents in Panania in Sydney’s southwest over Christmas.
Channel Nine television news reported Thorpe had been found dazed and disoriented, adding that a 14-year-old boy witnessed a man attempting to break into his family’s van.
Jayawardene, Herath to miss Bangladesh ODI series
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s star batsman Mahela Jayawardene and strike bowler Rangana Herath will not play in the three-match One-Day Series against Bangladesh starting this month.
Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement yesterday that the two players have been rested for the ODI series, but will take part in the Test series and a squad to play two Twenty20 matches before the one-dayers.
The pair also missed out on five ODIs against Pakistan played in the United Arab Emirates last year for personal reasons.
Angelo Perera, a 23-year-old batsman who represented Sri Lanka in two one-dayers and a T20 has been called up to fill the vacant batsman’s slot.
Despite Herath’s absence the tourists have included three spinners in Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis and leg spinner Seekuge Prasanna.
Squads: ODI — Angelo Mathews (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Ashan Priyanjan, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Angelo Perera, Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Seekuge Prasanna.
T20 — Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Lasith Malinga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Angelo Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Seekuge Prasanna.
Sochi city hall orders killing of stray dogs
SOCHI, Russia (AP) — A pest control company which has been killing stray dogs in Sochi for years told The Associated Press yesterday that it has a contract to exterminate more of the animals throughout the Olympics.
Alexei Sorokin, director general of pest control firm Basya Services, said his company is involved in what he described as the “catching and disposing” of dogs. Sorokin refused to specify whether they shoot or poison dogs or say where they take the carcasses.
Thousands of stray dogs are roaming the streets of Sochi, Sorokin said, and some of them are “biting children”.
Sorokin said he attended a rehearsal of the Olympic opening ceremony last week and saw a stray dog walking in on the performers.
“A dog ran into the Fisht Stadium, we took it away,” he said. “God forbid something like this happens at the actual opening ceremony. This will be a disgrace for the whole country.”
Stray dogs are not uncommon in Sochi and the surrounding area, and many tend to gather near construction sites where they are likely to get food and shelter from workers. They have even been able to get inside the Olympic Park.
Sorokin’s company operates in the Krasnodar region, which encompasses Sochi and the neighbouring area. Sorokin refused to say how many dogs they kill a year, calling it “a commercial secret”.
Sergei Krivonosov, a lawmaker from the Krasnodar region, last year supported the dog culling.
Krivonosov said taking the dogs off the street was Russia’s “responsibility to the international community and that their elimination is the quickest way to solve this problem”. He conceded, however, that this is “not the most humane way” of dealing with the problem and said that authorities should encourage dog shelters.
Sochi city hall last year announced a contract “to catch and dispose” of stray dogs in Sochi but animal activists vehemently protested the move. Authorities pledged to give up the practice and build animal shelters for stray dogs instead.
Activists say there is no evidence that a shelter has been built. The city hall would not immediately respond to the AP’s calls and e-mails seeking comment.
Shooting stray dogs has been common practice in many Russian regions despite activists’ efforts to push authorities for more humane ways of dealing with the issue.
Australia warm-up game called off
POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa (AP) — Australia’s four-day warm-up game in South Africa has been called off because of rain, leaving the tourists with no preparation match ahead of next week’s first Test against the top-ranked Proteas.
Australia were due to play a South African invitational team from Wednesday at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom, southwest of Johannesburg, but Cricket South Africa says heavy rain there is likely to continue throughout the week.
The Australia squad will instead practise from today at SuperSport Park near Pretoria, the venue for the first of three Tests. Australia’s last Test was the victory over England in the final Ashes match a month ago.
South Africa will play a practice game against South Africa A in Johannesburg from today, having beaten India in their last Test in late December.
Bach: ‘I am still assured’ of security in Sochi
SOCHI, Russia (AP) — IOC President Thomas Bach says heavy security and criticism of Russia’s anti-gay law will not detract from the Sochi Olympics.
Bach also reiterates his defence of Russia’s spending on the games, saying the money is going to the long-term transformation of the region.
Speaking at a news conference four days before the opening ceremony, Bach voiced confidence in Russia’s ability to deliver a safe Olympics amid threats of terror attacks by insurgents from the North Caucasus.
Bach says, “I have been assured before coming here and I am still assured being here”.
The IOC leader added, “we have to address this because anything else would be surrender to terrorists” and “this is the last thing we all want to do”.
Bach is also confident that uncompleted hotels will be ready in time.
Woods in India for private golf event
NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — Tiger Woods arrived in New Delhi yesterday for his first visit to India, where he will play a round with special guests at a private event organised by a motorcycle company.
The world number one arrived from the United Arab Emirates where he had competed in the Dubai Desert Classic, and was whisked from the VIP area at the airport under tight security.
Woods is expected to play an 18-hole round with special invitees at the heavily guarded Delhi Golf Club this morning, an event that is closed to the public and the media.
“I am afraid this is a strictly private affair,” a club official told AFP. “Even regular members will not be allowed in unless they have been invited.”
The 14-time Major winner will play alongside Hero Motors boss Pawan Munjal and his guests that include two renowned Indian golfers, Shiv Kapur and Arjun Atwal.
Kapur, a member of the upscale Delhi Golf Club, is a regular on the European and Asian tour. Atwal is a long-time friend and PGA Tour colleague of Woods.
Media reports speculated that Woods could be earning an appearance fee worth a seven-figure dollar sum for his short trip.
Despite the public and media being excluded from the event, Kapur said Woods’s presence would boost golf’s image in the cricket-mad nation.
Neymar back in training for Barcelona
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona forward Neymar has returned to training after being sidelined by a right ankle sprain.
The Brazil striker worked with the ball at Barcelona’s training ground on Monday, the first time he’s touched one since injuring himself in a Copa del Rey match at Getafe on January 16.
Barcelona did not disclose when it expects Neymar to return to action, although the initial diagnosis expected him to be sidelined for three to four weeks. That would put him in line to return next week.
Barcelona slipped three points back of Spanish leader Atletico Madrid after Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Valencia at the Camp Nou.
The Catalan club next plays at Real Sociedad on Wednesday in the first-leg of its Copa del Rey semi-final.