MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016 SPORTS Aurier in hot water after Pakistani women Ex-NBA player Johnson Blanc social media jibe boxers make history banned in Philippines PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain defender Serge Aurier could find himself in hot SHILLONG: Three Pakistani women are making history this week- MANILA: The Philippines’ professional basketball league has banned water after insulting manager Laurent Blanc and many of his team-mates in a end as they step into the boxing ring at the South Asian Games in former NBA player Ivan Johnson for life after he cursed at its commis- live video he and a friend recorded with the online app Periscope on Saturday India, the first time the conservative Muslim nation has fielded sioner during a game, a spokesman said yesterday. Johnson, who plays night. The Ivorian at one stage appeared to describe Blanc as a “faggot”, women boxers internationally. Khoushleem Bano, Rukhsana with local team Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters, was banned mid-game although he was not actually in shot at the time. When his friend asks him Parveen and Sofia Javed say to achieve their dream of competing after he used “the F-word” in an argument with Philippine Basketball whether or not “Blanc sucks off Zlatan (Ibrahimovic)?”, Aurier answers: they had to battle conservative groups in Pakistan who believe Association (PBA) commissioner Chito Narvasa, said PBA “Yes, he takes everything, even his balls.” The French champions women should not participate in the sport. “It was not an easy media officer Willie Marcial. Talk ‘N Text were playing have their most important match of the season on Tuesday with path for us when we shared our idea of women taking up the the Meralco Bolts on Saturday when Johnson was a Champions League last 16, first-leg tie against Chelsea at the macho sport in a conservative country like Pakistan. There were a ejected for two technical fouls. However an angry Parc des Princes. Aurier did not turn up for training on Sunday lot of anti-groups who didn’t accept us,” 23-year-old Bano said in Johnson contested this, Marcial told AFP. “That is morning, according to TF1 television, making it seemingly more the northeast Indian city of Shillong. Bano’s hopes of winning a when he stood up. He was told to calm down. likely that he will be left out for the clash with the medal were cut short on Saturday night when she lost her first But that was when he said the F-word and that London club. He would have been expected to fight to Nepal’s Minu Gurung in the fly-weight (51kg) category. “It is to a commissioner, the highest official of the start that game after being rested for Saturday’s was a good experience for me. I will come back stronger next time,” PBA,” Marcial recalled. Narvasa then convened a league draw with Lille, before his social media Bano told AFP. Javed will take to the ring for the first time later technical committee at the game’s halftime and outburst. There has been no official com- Sunday against India’s Pooja Rani in the 75kg category, while had Johnson banned and fined 250,000 pesos ment on the matter from the club or from Parveen will glove up against Sri Lanka’s M. Vidushika Prabadhi in ($5,600) even before the game was over, said Aurier himself. — AFP the evening.—AFP Marcial. — AFP Australia beat S Africa in World Baseball Classic SYDNEY: Australia booked its place in next games. The Sydney tournament was the first other three qualifiers will join Canada, China, year’s World Baseball Classic by beating South of four WBC qualifiers. Others will be held Cuba, defending champion Dominican Africa 12-5 in yesterday’s final of a qualifying from March 17-20 in Mexicali, Mexico (featur- Republic, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Puerto tournament, securing victory with a six-run ing Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico and Rico, South Korea, Taiwan, the United States eighth inning that was helped by a two-run Nicaragua), and Panama City, Panama and Venezuela in next year’s tournament. It is throwing error on a bunt. (Colombia, France, Panama and Spain); and expected to be held in March 2017 although a In a game where the lead changed hands from Sept. 22-25 in Brooklyn, New York (Brazil, host country or countries have not been four times, Mitch Dening and Trent Oeltjen hit Britain, Israel and Pakistan). Australia and the announced. — AP run-scoring singles in the bottom of the sev- enth inning to break a 4-4 tie and give Australia a decisive 6-4 lead. “I knew from the start that this wasn’t Kuwait wins in UAE going to be an easy competition,” Australian LOS ANGELES: Galen Rupp reacts after crossing the finish line to win US Olympic manager Jon Deeble said on the MLB website. Team Marathon Trials, Saturday, in Los Angeles. The 29-year-old Rupp completed his “People said it would be a walk in the park, jet ski championship marathon debut in 2 hours, 11 minutes, 10 seconds, earning a berth to the Rio and I said, ‘This is going to be tough.’ They Games. —AP DUBAI: Kuwait Speed Racing (KSR) team He said KSR was proud of the achieve- proved that. 12-5, they sort of lacked a bit of won two trophies in the 4th leg of the ment of 10-year-old Shaheen Ramadhan, depth in their bullpen, but a couple more United Arab Emirates (UAE) 2016 champi- who came fifth in the junior stand-up cat- Olympic runners-up Rupp, arms in the bullpen and it might be a one-run onship, which came to an end on Saturday egory. Al-Dawwas said the team suffered game.” evening. Kuwait racer Ahmad Al-Dawwas, some setbacks, foremost sudden technical Keflezighi reach Rio South Africa shortstop Gift Ngoepe led off speaking to KUNA after the conclusion of the failures. He thanked Dubai water sport the game with a long homer to left field off 4th leg, said he was satisfied for finishing the club for the organization of the champi- Australian starter Travis Blackley. But the LOS ANGELES: London Olympic 10,000- London but this time he spoke confidently race fourth in the senior GP category. onship. — KUNA meter runner-up Galen Rupp won his of an Olympic marathon-10,000m double Australians tied it in the bottom of the first on marathon debut Saturday to book a Rio in Brazil next August. “I think it’s definitely a Oeltjen’s RBI double off South Africa starter Olympics berth while 40-year-old Meb do-able double,” Rupp said. “There’s plenty Kyle Gaddin. Keflezighi qualified for his fourth Olympic of time to recover in between. I think it’s Australia’s second baseman Brad Harman trip. Rupp won the US Olympic Marathon possible.” and catcher Allan de San Miguel hit consecu- Trials in Los Angeles in an unofficial time of The men’s marathon is August 21, the tive solo home runs in bottom of fifth, both 2hrs 11mins 13secs, becoming the first last day of the Olympics, while the men’s off South Africa reliever Carl Michaels, to give American since 1968 to qualify for the 10,000 is August 13. Rupp would have to Australia a 3-1 lead. Olympics in his debut at the 26.2-mile dis- qualify for the 10,000 at the US Olympic Catcher Kyle Botha’s three-run homer in tance. athletics trials on July 1. the top of sixth off Blackley put South Africa “I was very happy with the way it went,” Keflezighi, who became a US citizen in up 4-3 but Australia, which outhit South Africa Rupp said. “It was a big change running the 1998, became the oldest American Olympic 17-7, tied it in the sixth on Trent D’Antonio’s marathon but there is no bigger honor marathoner and the first to reach the run-scoring double, before Dening and than representing your country at the Games three times in the event. Oeltjen made it 6-4. South Africa scored a run Olympics.” Eritrean-born Keflezighi, the The 2009 New York Marathon and 2014 off Australian Baseball League save leader 2004 Athens Olympic silver medalist who Boston Marathon winner made his Olympic Ryan Searle in the top of the eighth to close to turns 41 in May, was second in 2:12:21 with debut in 2000 at Sydney in the 10,000, took within 6-5, before Australia’s six unearned Jared Ward third in 2:13:00 to qualify for his second in the marathon four years later runs in the bottom of the inning. first Olympics. and placed fourth in 2012. Former Atlanta Braves pitcher Peter Moylan On the women’s side, Amy Cragg “As a 40-year-old to make it, I’ve been (1-0) threw 1 1-3 scoreless innings for the win bounced back after being the fastest finish- blessed more than I could ever think possi- er not to qualify for the 2012 Olympics by ble,” Keflezighi said. Cragg, 32, and and Searle picked up his second save of the winning the trials in 2:28:20. Desiree Flanagan are training partners, and helped tournament. “The pitching started to get tired, Linden was second, 34 seconds adrift, with each other through difficult moments in and then once we got beyond the guys we Shalane Flanagan, who collapsed just after Saturday’s race. were comfortable with, we had to go to some crossing the finish line, third in 2:29:19 to “She was instrumental,” said the 34-year- rookies who have not been exposed to this take the last Rio spot.