MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2014 SPORTS Team owner’s ‘racist remarks’ trigger outrage LOS ANGELES: US President Barack from April 9. “You can sleep with (black of slavery and segregation. more,’ especially when you have African- reflect Sterling’s opinions on race, as he Obama condemned yesterday racist people). You can bring them in. You can “We just have to be clear and steady Americans renting his apartments, com- announced a team probe. remarks attributed to Los Angeles do whatever you want. The little I ask is in denouncing it, teaching our children ing to his games, playing for him and Roeser added that the woman identi- Clippers owner Donald Sterling as out- not to promote it on that... and not to differently but also (remain) hopeful that coaching for him. fied as Sterling’s girlfriend “is the defen- rage over the billionaire’s alleged com- bring them to my games.” part of why some statements like this “This is bad for everybody. It’s bad for dant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling ments mounted. Later in the audio, the woman identi- stand out so much is because there has America and I’m really upset about it.” family alleging that she embezzled more Sterling’s Clippers were playing the fies herself as “black and Mexican.” “In been a shift in how we view ourselves,” Another former NBA great, the Charlotte than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling Golden State Warriors in Oakland late your lousy ... Instagrams you don’t have he said. Bobcats owner Michael Jordan, said: “As that she would ‘get even.’” yesterday in a crucial NBA play-off battle to have yourself walking with black peo- an owner, I’m obviously disgusted that a Sterling is no stranger to race-related but the build-up to the clash was over- ple,” says the male voice. ‘BAD FOR AMERICA’ fellow team owner could hold such sick- controversy. In 2009, he paid a $2.73 mil- shadowed by the disclosure of recorded Obama, the first African American The controversy was the top item on ening and offensive views. lion settlement to the Justice comments made by the 80-year-old president and a keen basketball player many national news networks in the “As a former player, I’m completely Department following a race-based tycoon. and fan, interrupted his diplomatic ini- United States on Sunday, with various outraged.” NBA commissioner Adam rental discrimination case. The gossip website TMZ posted an tiative in Asia to condemn the “ignorant” NBA legends and personalities reiterat- Silver has vowed to probe the controver- Four years earlier he paid an undis- audio recording where Sterling purport- and “incredibly offensive” remarks. ing their condemnation of Sterling’s sy, describing the recorded remarks as closed amount of money in a suit alleg- edly can be heard criticizing his girl- “I don’t think I have to interpret those alleged comments. Retired Los Angles “truly offensive and disturbing.” ing he tried to force non-Koreans out of friend, identified only as V. Stiviano, for statements for you. They kind of speak Lakers star Magic Johnson, who vowed Silver said the league plans to inter- apartments he owned in Los Angeles’ posting photographs of herself and for themselves,” said the president, never to attend view Sterling and the woman on the Koreatown neighborhood. black friends attending Clippers match- speaking in Malaysia. “When ignorant Clippers games again when the scan- tape, and possibly have the probe According to the Los Angeles Times, es on social media site Instagram. folks want to advertise their ignorance, dal broke on Saturday, told ABC’s NBA wrapped up before the Clippers’ next the apparent girlfriend Stiviano is in her “It bothers me a lot that you want to you don’t really have to do anything, you Countdown that real estate mogul home game on Tuesday. 20s and has been seen often at Sterling’s broadcast that you are associating with just let them talk.” Sterling had no place in basketball. side. In a lawsuit filed last month, black people. Do you have to?” Sterling Obama also made a wider point “He shouldn’t own a team anymore,” TEAM PROBE Sterling’s wife claims that her husband allegedly says in the nearly 10-minute about racism in the United States, which Johnson said. “And he should stand up Clippers president Andy Roeser gave Stiviano money and expensive recording that according to TMZ was he said is still wrestling with the legacy and say ‘I don’t want to own a team any- meanwhile said the remarks do not cars, The Times reported.—AP Sharapova lifts Stuttgart title STUTTGART: Maria Sharapova claimed a hat- trick of Stuttgart titles yesterday after coming from behind to win a three-set battle royal with Ana Ivanovic in Sunday’s final. Having won the 2012 and 2013 titles here, the 27-year-old Sharapova was made to work hard for her 13th consecutive win on Stuttgart’s clay-courts for the 30th final win of her career before over-powering Ivanovic to claim a 3-6, 6- 4, 6-1 victory in just over two hours. “That was a tough bit of work,” said Sharapova, who has won all four Grand Slam titles. “I have always believed in my chances and the fighting spirit is something that comes from within me.” This was the first time Sharapova has claimed a third title at an individual tournament and comes on the back of last year’s shoulder injury. “This time around it’s been extremely tough, that’s why this win is so special,” admitted Sharapova. The Russian collects the winners cheque of 96,774 euros (US$133,896) and a brand-new sports car. “I will need to build a new garage to get all the cars in,” she joked as she collected her third Porsche sports car in as many years from the tournament director. It is the Russian’s first clay-court tournament in her build-up to the French Open, having lost to Serena Williams in last year’s final. “We have seen what a great player Maria is,” admitted Ivanovic. Having been taken to three sets by the Czech Republic’s Lucie Safarova in her first-round match, Russia’s Sharapova had swept into the final with straight set wins over compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, top-seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, then Italian clay-court specialist Sara Errani in the semi- finals. But Ivanovic, the ninth seed, made the stat- uesque Russian dig deep and the 26-year-old wasted no time asserting herself over Sharapova, racing into a a 5-0 lead in the first set before the defending champion responded, but JAKARTA: Anirban Lahiri of India poses with his trophy after winning the Indonesian the Serbian held her serve to take the first set. Masters golf tournament at Royale Jakarta Golf Club. —AP Having won her previous tournament in Monterrey, Mexico, last month, Ivanovic went 3- 1 up in the second but the match’s momentum India’s Lahiri wins turned against her when Sharapova broke her, then fought her way back to take the set. Asian Tour title Ivanovic had been chasing her first win over the Russian since the 2007 French Open semi- JAKARTA: India’s Anirban Lahiri won his a bogey-five on the fifth hole but recov- final, when Ivanovic went onto lose to Justine fourth Asian Tour title at the CIMB Niaga ered with another birdie on 12. Henin in the final, but the Serbian ran out of Indonesian Masters yesterday with a However a double-bogey six on 13 steam and sixth seed Sharapova showed her STUTTGART: Russia’s Maria Sharapova poses with her trophy after defeating Serbia’s Ana spectacular eagle putt on the last hole. after a lengthy three-hour rain delay saw experience to win 11 of the last 13 games.—AFP Ivanovic with 3-6, 6-4 and 6-1 in their final match at the Porsche tennis Grand Prix. —AP The 26-year-old, a three-time Asian the Indian ride out a tense finish. “I had Tour winner, sealed his victory with a an awkward lie on 13. During the rain four-under-par 68 at the Royale Jakarta delay I was just thinking that I have to Golf Club after breaking away from the get up and down there,” Lahiri said, chasing pack. according to an Asian Tour press release. Nishikori first Japanese “It’s really great to get my first win “I got a bad break there but I know outside of India. I have missed out on it (Taiwanese) Lin Wen-tang dropped a for a long time and I am so glad I man- shot as well. Unfortunately I got a double aged to do it today,” said Lahiri, who won bogey there but I am glad I came back to win Barcelona Open $750,000. strong.” “I need the world ranking points so I Lahiri then overtook the lead of South BARCELONA: Kei Nishikori claimed his fifth found his rhythm and broke back with the A demoralised Giraldo immediately went am really happy I can win this week.” Two Korea’s Baek Seuk-hyun at 16-under, career title as he became the first Japanese Colombian losing his serve on a double 2-0 down in the next set and was unable to big names at the tournament, rising screaming jubilantly as his 20-ft eagle to win the Barcelona Open yesterday with a fault. Giraldo was hitting the ball well but find the winning shots that had seen him French star Victor Dubuisson and former putt sank into the hole for a winning 6-2 6-2 victory over Santiago Giraldo.