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24 FRIDAY MARCH 2, 2007

INBRIEF Bonds: I’ve BASKETBALL suffers night of shame had death Ankle op to end season for Celtics’s Szczerbiak BOSTON, Massachusetts: Coach knocked unconscious; threats Boston Celtics forward Wally BASEBALL Szczerbiak will have season- authorities lay blame on clubs ending surgery on his ankle SAN FRANCISCO: Major March 8, the struggling NBA : Spain’s sports although a number of fans League Baseball star Barry team said on Wednesday. minister has accused the threw objects at him, one of Bonds, who is mired in dop- The news could prove a bless- directors of Real Betis and which hit him on the nose, as ing controversy as he nears a ing in disguise for the Celtics, Sevilla of inflammatory be- he took his seat. hallowed milestone, told a San who have the worst record in haviour ahead of a King’s Cup Former Betis coach Ramos Francisco radio station that he the NBA at 14-42. tie that was abandoned after was hit on the back of the has received death threats. They will have to play their fi nal Sevilla coach Juande Ramos head by a large plastic bottle In a rare 90-minute interview, 26 games without their second- was knocked unconscious by full of liquid thrown from the Bonds told KGO Radio that he leading scorer, but that could a bottle. crowd as he celebrated his tries to block out the possible help their chances of receiving “It was a shameful incident,” side’s goal in their quarter- threats as he prepares for the the top selection in the draft. Jaime Lissavetzky told radio final, second leg at the Betis upcoming season, one in which Szczerbiak has missed 24 station Cadena Ser yesterday. ground. he needs only 22 home runs to games this season, all but “In the days before the game The match was abandoned break Hank Aaron’s all-time US one due to ankle sprains. He certain individuals from the with Sevilla leading the tie 1-0 mark of 755. sat out November 11 against clubs generated a climate on aggregate. “I’m mostly gun-shy of what Cleveland, fi ve games from that meant the game could Eye witnesses said objects can happen. When this is all December 4-11, three games not take place in a normal had been thrown at the Se- over and done, whether I break from December 20-26, nine atmosphere.” villa coach and his assistants the record or not, I will be able games from January 10-26 Ramos agreed with Lis- throughout the match, while to release a bit of the anxiety and two contests from Febru- savetzky saying that the two several Sevilla players were and fear of what could happen,” ary 9-11. clubs had contributed to the subjected to racial abuse. Bonds told the station. tension that had led to Wednes- “Everything was raining The San Francisco Giants TENNIS day’s incident. down on them, screws, bot- slugger has denied taking “We added fuel to the fi re,” tles, lighters. It was terrible,” performance-enhancing drugs Federer, Nadal close in on he told a news conference after one person told sports daily knowingly despite the fact his Dubai showdown being discharged from hospital. Marca. trainer, Grag Anderson, was DUBAI: Triple Grand Slam “We are guilty of causing this The ambulance in which among fi ve men convicted in titleholder Roger Federer and situation and can’t expect the medical staff attended Ramos the BALCO steroid scandal. French Open champion Rafael people to attend the stadium was hit by bottles thrown by Major League Baseball had Nadal came closer to their fi rst like lambs when we have pro- Betis fans, some of whom no steroid testing during most meeting in more than three voked them. chanted “Ramos die”. of Bonds’ career so most of his months on Wednesday when “We have to realise that Daily El Pais reported that homers are under a cloud of sus- each reached the quarter-fi - that our words have a big some 200 Sevilla fans set light picion, including his one-season nals of the Dubai Open. impact and we must take to more than 60 rubbish bins record of 73 in 2001. But while top seed Federer more care.” and telephone booths when Aaron received death threats cruised through impressively The build-up to the latest they were denied entry to the when he was approaching the all- 7-5, 6-3 against Italian Dan- Seville derby was dominated stadium. time record once owned by Babe iele Bracchiali, titleholder by public arguments between Matches between city Ruth, in part because Aaron was Nadal needed all his fi ght as directors of the two clubs over rivals Sevilla and Betis are black and Ruth was white. well as a little luck to survive whether or not Sevilla president regularly marred by crowd Bonds, booed at every away 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2) against Rus- Jose Maria del Nido would be al- problems, including a 1999 park the Giants visit and taunted sian Igor Andreev. lowed in the VIP box at the Betis incident when a knife was with doping references, explained Federer next plays Novak stadium. thrown at Betis midfielder his sometimes gruff and curt Djokovic whom he beat in After mediation by the Benjamin in the derby at the manner by saying the toll of his straight sets in the Austral- Andalucian regional govern- Sevilla stadium. safety fears weighs upon him. ian Open while Nadal faces ment, Betis finally allowed Sevilla’s coach Juande Ramos lies on a stretcher after an object hit his head during his Spanish Mikhail Youzhny. Del Nido to attend the match Agencies King’s Cup soccer match against Real Betis in Seville on Wednesday. Reuters AFP SOCCER

FA to investigate Emre over racism claims Pakistan LONDON: The Football Associa- Udinese end Inter’s 17-game winning streak tion is to investigate an alleged racist incident involving New- SOCCER ble as second-placed Roma also The early kick-offs inevi- pointed by the struggling clubs bowlers castle United’s midfi elder drew, held 2-2 at Chievo. tably resulted in low attend- on Monday after being sacked Emre Belozoglu, following a MILAN: Inter Milan’s record Goals from Erjon Bogdani It was bound to ances at most grounds. earlier in the season. submission by Watford’s French run of 17 consecutive and Franco Semioli put Chievo happen sooner or Third-placed Palermo were Reggina and Fiorentina, both ruled out of midfi elder Al Bangura. wins was brought to an end 2-0 up before Roma captain later. held to a 0-0 draw at home to docked points for their involve- Emre, who already faces an FA after they were held to a 1-1 Francesco Totti netted twice AC Milan, one of several teams ment in last summer’s match- World Cup hearing for alleged racially-ag- draw at home to Udinese on for the visitors, taking his ROBERTO MANCINI chasing the fourth and final fi xing scandal, played out a 1-1 gravated abuse during Newcas- Wednesday. league tally for the season Inter coach Champions league place for draw and Siena against Livorno tle’s defeat at Everton on Dec. Nigerian midfielder Chris- to 16. next season. Luck was against ended goalless. CRICKET 30, had been linked by British tian Obodo put the visitors Inter, who are unbeaten in the visitors with Kaka seeing Sampdoria came from be- media with two other reported ahead with an overhead kick the league, have 67 points from “The players always give his seventh-minute penalty hind to defeat Atalanta 2-1 KARACHI: Pakistan pace incidents. two minutes into the second their 25 matches played, fol- their best,” he said. saved by Alberto Fontana and and bottom club Ascoli drew bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Emre has requested a personal half, before Inter substitute lowed by Roma on 53 points. “Sometimes we don’t play Ronaldo hitting the crossbar. 0-0 with relegation-threatened Mohammad Asif have been hearing, yet to be scheduled, Hernan Crespo headed home Inter coach Roberto Mancini well, but I cannot criticise them Lazio retained fourth place Parma. ruled out of the World Cup due after denying a charge of using Maxwell’s left-wing cross in said he felt no bitterness at see- for their effort.” after late goals from Sebas- All the matches on Wednes- to injury, a senior cricket board “racially-aggravated abusive the 67th minute. ing his team’s winning run Inter’s match at the San Siro tiano Siviglia and Tommaso day afternoon were open to offi cial said yesterday. and/or insulting words” in the Inter pressed for a winning halted. was the only one of Wednes- Rocchi sealed a 3-1 home win the public as the stadiums of The double withdrawal comes Everton game. goal, but found no way through “It was bound to happen day’s 10 fi rst division games against Catania, while Empoli the 10 home clubs have either just fi ve months after the pair a stubborn Udinese defence. sooner or later,” Mancini told to be played in the evening. leapfrogged AC Milan into fi fth complied with security regu- tested positive for the anabolic AMERICAN FOOTBALL Udinese were also the last SKY Italia. The other nine matches all spot with a 3-1 home victory lations or carried out most of steroid nandrolone and were team to take points off Inter in “If it didn’t happen today, kicked-off in the afternoon as over Messina. the work asked of them by the banned by their national board Ravens cut running back the league, holding them to a it could have happened at the part of the Italian government’s Palermo have 45 points, fol- Interior Ministry in the wake of before an appeal panel cleared Lewis, Vikings axe QB 0-0 draw at the Friuli stadium weekend. But it doesn’t change attempts to reduce the threat of lowed by Lazio on 40, Empoli on the Catania riot. them to play again. BALTIMORE: The Baltimore last October before the reigning anything.” crowd trouble. 38 and AC Milan on 37. Those not fully complying - Shoaib, who has played only Ravens cut Jamal Lewis ahead champions embarked on their Mancini insisted his players The decision to reduce the The battle of the new coaches Ascoli, Chievo and Empoli - were one test and four one-dayers of Friday’s pivotal free-agent amazing run. were still highly motivated number of night matches fol- ended in a 1-0 victory for Gianni only allowed to open their gates since February 2006 due to fi t- signing period but the club Despite seeing their fl awless in the championship race, lowed the death of a policeman De Biasi’s Torino over Marco to season-ticket holders. ness concerns, has not recov- says it will try to re-sign the run ended, Inter remain 14 despite their huge lead over during violence in Catania Giampaolo’s Cagliari. De Biasi ered from the knee injury that veteran running back. points clear at the top of the ta- Roma. earlier this month. and Giampaolo were both re-ap- AFP forced him to be sent back from Lewis, 27, was the NFL Of- South Africa last month. fensive Player of the Year in Asif has been carrying a nig- 2003 when he rushed for 2,066 gling elbow problem since that yards, the second most in tour and the pair were receiving league history. But his num- treatment in London. bers have declined dramatical- Wenger in trouble over accusation “The doctors have said they ly since that breakout season. require at least another three Lewis, the fi fth overall pick in SOCCER the whole integrity of the Hughes said McCarthy’s weeks to make a complete the 2000 draft, is the team’s game,” an FA spokesman said. display had vindicated his de- recovery from their injuries. all-time leading rusher with LONDON: Arsenal manager The FA’s move came shortly cision to rest the South African We couldn’t wait for that long,” 7,801 yards. The bruising, six- Arsene Wenger will be asked after Lampard’s agent Steven forward in recent matches. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) foot, 240-pound Lewis rushed to explain his accusations that Kutner was quoted as telling “It was a fantastic goal by chief selector Wasim Bari told for 1,132 yards in 2006. a linesman lied in his account of BBC Sport: “I’ve spoken to Benni and I can’t wait to see reporters. Elsewhere in the NFL, the a mass brawl at the League Cup Frank and he told me that he it again. It was a goal of class “Yasir Arafat and Moham- Minnesota Vikings cut quar- fi nal, the Football Association wasn’t punched.” and quality and that is what he mad Sami will be sent as their terback Brad Johnson, a 15- said yesterday. Meanwhile, Blackburn boss has shown all season,” Hughes replacements.” year veteran. The move was expected Mark Hughes is hoping a re- said. The loss of the new-ball after Wenger told the British freshed Benni McCarthy can “It was nice to be able to bring pair, coupled with all-rounder GOLF media following Arsenal’s FA fi re Rovers all the way to the him on as an impact player and Abdul Razzaq’s withdrawal, is Kennedy takes early lead Cup exit at Blackburn Rovers fi rst FA Cup fi nal at the rebuilt a good decision by the manager a setback to Pakistan’s hopes in Thailand on Wednesday that a linesman Wembley stadium after the even if I say so myself. It was before their opening match PHUKET, Thailand: Brad had lied by saying Arsenal South African striker dumped certainly a goal that deserved against hosts West Indies on Kennedy fi red a near-fl awless striker Emmanuel Adebayor Arsenal out of the competition. to win any game. March 13. seven-under 65 to go top of the had punched Chelsea midfi elder Cape Town-born McCarthy “He is as good as anyone I Sources within the board leaderboard on the opening Frank Lampard. came off the bench to score have seen in the way he is able said the decision to drop the day of a scorching Johnnie Adebayor was red-carded a stunning solo goal to earn to manipulate the ball onto his players on the eve of the team’s Walker Classic yesterday. along with team mate Kolo Toure Rovers a last-ditch 1-0 win foot and work a strike at goal. departure might have come as The Australian fi red birdies and Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel in over the Gunners in their FA “Of late his performances a result of an unusually strong on the fi rst two holes and fi ve the brawl which marred the Cup 5th round, setting up a haven’t had that spark and statement about doping issued more on the back nine for a closing stages of Chelsea’s 2-1 quarterfi nal clash at home to that’s understandable because by the International Cricket well-deserved lead over a top- victory in Cardiff on Sunday. Manchester City. he has played a hell of a lot of Council on Thursday. class fi eld at the spectacular The FA rejected the French- McCarthy collected the ball games for me. But PCB chairman Nasim Blue Canyon Country Club. man’s allegations and added wide on the left, cut inside “He has been magnificent Ashraf insisted the bowlers “It was a very satisfying round that the linesman’s report con- Philippe Senderos and curled since he came here, not only were out because of injuries. after not the greatest of starts tained no mention of a punch a stunning right foot shot on the fi eld but off it as well. He “We had to withdraw them to the year,” Kennedy told being thrown. beyond Manuel Almunia with always has a smile on his face because of the injuries,” he reporters. “I had a great start, “Questioning the integrity of three minutes left, lifting his and I just thought he needed a told a news conference in Is- chipping it in on the fi rst for a a match offi cial and accusing goalscoring tally to 16 since he break. Blackburn Rovers’ Benni McCarthy celebrates after scoring lamabad. birdie and hit a great four iron them of lying is a very serious joined Blackburn from FC Porto against Arsenal during their fi fth round FA Cup replay soccer to two-feet on the second.” claim to make as it questions last year. Agencies and AFP match in Blackburn on Wednesday. Reuters Agencies