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Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Danish tennis player slammed as racist for impersonating Serena Williams
Unknown | 11:13 | sports
14 Dec 2012
Caroline Wozniacki as Serena Williams, in a weekend tournament in Brazil (Special to Gossip Extra)
Wozniacki’s rep told a television station “It was all in good fun as Serena is one of her closest friends”.
Although the prank was a hot among the crowd for some it was bad taste.
She’s being accused of stereotyping not just Williams, but also the bodies of many black women!
Atlanta Hawks child fan examining cheerleader’s assets go viral on You Tube-Video
Unknown | 12:22 | sports
22 Nov 2012
Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong “back in Austin and just layin’ around” with tainted Tour de France Jerseys
Unknown | 08:12 | sports
12 Nov 2012
The caption said “back in Austin and just layin’ around”…
LA Lakers coach fired
Unknown | 11:03 | sports
09 Nov 2012
NY Knicks off to great start, MSG network infringes
Unknown | 16:38 | sports
08 Nov 2012
The network has said it would tear-down the posters and put brakes on the campaign, but some believe the damage is done.
One ad read “You can either go out and attempt to pick up sixes and sevens or stay home and watch (Knicks guard Jason) Kidd dish out dimes.”‘
Another ad read “You can either see a Broadway harness malfunctioning or you can watch real men fly.” The second ad was in reference to Broadway show Spiderman: Turn off the Dark in which actor Christopher Tierney fell 30 feet and broke his ribs. Ironically the poster depicts Amar’e Stoudemire, who would be in the sidelines at least for a month with a knee injury.
The New York post reported last week that the network would pull out the ad campaign after some senior executives admitted ‘bad judgment” and offered apologies to anyone they have offended.
The MSG network also reassured ESPN that the ads would be withdrawn.
Gillian Chance of CSUN Named Most Valuable Rugby Player
Unknown | 10:16 | sports
07 Nov 2012
Pic Courtesy: Facebook
Below is the full text of the article….
The Scrum by the Sea tournament is a kickoff event for many southern California-area women’s colleges, so many teams are still working through the off-season rust. When Cal State University Northridge entered the tournament, they focused on initiating the 20 new rookies who augmented the squad of 12 returning players, and wanted to keep the weekend fun. But under the guidance of tournament MVP Gillian Chance, CSUN did more than just have fun – they won the whole she-bang, ending with a 19-7 victory over Humboldt. And that’s why Chance is RugbyMag.com’s Rhino Rugby Women’s Player of the Week.
The 20-year-old junior has been playing rugby since she was 12, picking up the game through her father, Ron, and continuing with Mother Lode High School. After three years on the Nor Cal U19 All-Star team, she chose a university that didn’t have a rugby program, drawn to CSUN’s film department instead. But after two months, she missed the sport too much and began forming a team. CSUN experienced tremendous success in their first year, winning SoCal and going on to the DII championships. Chance was the catalyst to it all, so it’s no surprise that she’s still leading from the front.
As the most experienced player on the team, fly half is a good fit for Chance. She kicks, passes and reads the field well, and lays the groundwork for CSUN’s strong passing game and ability to draw in opponents and pull a lot of give-and-goes.
It’s always a pleasure to encounter someone who performs on and off the field, and Chance is a perfect example of a player who runs her team on the pitch and on paper.
“I work hard to be a leader for my team,” Chance said. “I have a lot of responsibility being president and captain of my club. I am so happy that CSUN has given us the opportunity to represent our university. Founding and playing for this club has made my college experience better than I could ever have imagined it to be.”
Golfers greeted by a live Leopard shark from the sky
Unknown | 21:15 | sports
25 Oct 2012
It’s called a double-bogey.
Some golfers in the outskirts of Los Angeles had shock of their lives when a live Leopard shark fell from the sky and landed in the midst of the 12th tee.
“It was just wriggling around,” Director of Club Operations Melissa McCormack told the Capistrano Dispatch. “Honestly, this is the weirdest thing that’s happened here.”
The two-foot long shark was immediately loaded into a golf cart and was taken to the club house, where it was placed in a bucket of water. It was later released into the Pacific Ocean, located five miles off the gold course in San Juan Capistrano.
The employee who drove the shark to the Pacific Ocean, Bryan Stizer told the Dispatch when he put the shark into the water; he just lay there for few minutes, before shooting off into the deep waters.
Experts think the shark would have been snatched by a bird because it had punctured wound near the fin and little blood.
“I have seen peregrine falcons and we do have ospreys. Between the two of those, ospreys are probably more frequent. Those are the only two that would’ve had the strength,” Chief aquarist of the Ocean institute, Julianne Steers has said.
Some golfers in the outskirts of Los Angeles had shock of their lives when a live Leopard shark fell from the sky and landed in the midst of the 12th tee.
“It was just wriggling around,” Director of Club Operations Melissa McCormack told the Capistrano Dispatch. “Honestly, this is the weirdest thing that’s happened here.”
The two-foot long shark was immediately loaded into a golf cart and was taken to the club house, where it was placed in a bucket of water. It was later released into the Pacific Ocean, located five miles off the gold course in San Juan Capistrano.
The employee who drove the shark to the Pacific Ocean, Bryan Stizer told the Dispatch when he put the shark into the water; he just lay there for few minutes, before shooting off into the deep waters.
Experts think the shark would have been snatched by a bird because it had punctured wound near the fin and little blood.
“I have seen peregrine falcons and we do have ospreys. Between the two of those, ospreys are probably more frequent. Those are the only two that would’ve had the strength,” Chief aquarist of the Ocean institute, Julianne Steers has said.
Lance Armstrong’s US Postal team mate Steffen Kjærgaard admits taking blood booster
Unknown | 09:10 | sports
23 Oct 2012
Former
team mate of Lance Armstrong, the Norwegian cyclist, Steffen Kjærgaard
has admitted using banned blood booster known as EPO during Tour de
France alongside of the American, Norwegian media reported.
Kjærgaard said he started doping on his own initiative in 1998 when with the Danish Chicky World team, going on to meet with Belgian doctor George Mouton for “advice” to “avoid the risk of being caught”, the Local edition of Norway quoted.
He has said that he joined the US Postal team in 2000 and 2001 and raced along the disgraced Armstrong.
“Doping at the time was contagious and the team arranged all”, he added. “The team arranged everything and there were number of “players” involved in scheme”, he said.
Steffen Kjærgaard’s admission comes hard on the heels after the International Cycling Union stripped Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France winnings.
Kjærgaard said he started doping on his own initiative in 1998 when with the Danish Chicky World team, going on to meet with Belgian doctor George Mouton for “advice” to “avoid the risk of being caught”, the Local edition of Norway quoted.
He has said that he joined the US Postal team in 2000 and 2001 and raced along the disgraced Armstrong.
“Doping at the time was contagious and the team arranged all”, he added. “The team arranged everything and there were number of “players” involved in scheme”, he said.
Steffen Kjærgaard’s admission comes hard on the heels after the International Cycling Union stripped Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France winnings.
Masquerading King of Seven Tour de Frances' dethroned
Unknown | 09:47 | sports
The disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong
has been stripped of all seven Tour de France titles with immediate
effect, world cycling body said in a press statement.
The International cycling union said that it accepted the evidence set forward by the United States anti-doping agency, that said Armstrong not only used performance enhancing drugs but also pushed the same for fellow cyclists, a program dubbed as “the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.”
President of the UCI, Pat McQuaid has said, according to BBC that Armstrong has no place in cycling. He also said that Armstrong would be banned from the sport for life and the No. 1 spot for those years would remain empty in the record books.
The UCI has completed its review of USADA’s ‘Reasoned Decision’ and appendices in the case against Lance Armstrong.
The full statement from International cycling union…
The UCI considered the main issues of jurisdiction, the statute of limitation the evidence gathered by USADA and the sanction imposed upon Mr. Armstrong.
The UCI confirms that it will not appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and that it will recognize the sanction that USADA has imposed.
The USADA decision explains how riders on the USPS Team showed no inclination to share the full extent of what they knew until they were subpoenaed or called by federal investigators and that their only reason for telling the truth is because the law required them to do so.
These riders have confronted their past and told their stories. Their accounts of their past provide a shocking insight into the USPS Team where the expression to ‘win at all costs’ was redefined in terms of deceit, intimidation, coercion and evasion.
Their testimony confirms that the anti-doping infrastructure that existed at that time was, by itself, insufficient and inadequate to detect the practices taking place within the team. The UCI has always been the first international sporting federation to embrace new developments in the fight against doping and it regrets that the anti-doping infrastructure that exists today was not available at that time so as to render such evasion impossible.
Many of the USPS Team riders have already acknowledged that the culture of cycling has now changed and that young riders today are no longer confronted with the same choices to use performance enhancing drugs. They are right to do so.
The UCI has recognized the problem of doping within the sport and taken significant steps to confront the problem and to clean up cycling. Today’s riders are subject to the most innovative and effective anti-doping procedures and regulations in sport. Cycling has been a pioneer in the fight against doping in sport under the leadership of the UCI and this role has been recognized by WADA.
Today’s young riders do not deserve to be branded or tarnished by the past or to pay the price for the Armstrong era. Cycling has a future and those who will define that future can be found among the young generation of riders who have chosen to prove that you can compete and win clean.
Riders who were caught doping continue to do the sport a disservice by protesting that the UCI refused to engage with them. The reality is that these riders never contemplated such action until they were found positive by the UCI, and even then they refused to confess and co-operate with the UCI.
Those riders who made the choice to stop using performance enhancing drugs, and to share their stories to enable the new generation of riders to learn from the mistakes that were made in the past, can continue to support clean cycling.
The role that training and education has to play in discouraging doping at all levels is well recognized by the UCI. The UCI will engage with any rider that is willing to work with them in the fight against doping and interested in establishing what lessons can be learned and applied to its ‘True Champion or Cheat?” programmed which is obligatory for all riders subject to anti-doping tests.
This is not the first time cycling has reached a crossroads or that it has had to begin anew and to engage in the painful process of confronting its past. It will do so again with renewed vigor and purpose and its stakeholders and fans can be assured that it will find a new path forward.
That process extends beyond the UCI and the anti-doping agencies including WADA, USADA, AFLD and CONI must contribute to it by also examining how many times they tested Lance Armstrong and by providing their own explanation for why he never tested positive in the tests that they respectively conducted.
The UCI tested Tyler Hamilton 40 times and found him positive. It tested Floyd Landis 46 times and found him positive as the winner of the Tour de France. The list of riders that it has found positive does not end there.
The UCI has tested Lance Armstrong 218 times. If Lance Armstrong was able to beat the system then the responsibility for addressing that rests not only with the UCI but also with WADA and all of the other anti-doping agencies who accepted the results.
The UCI supports WADA’s decision to create a working group to examine ‘The Ineffectiveness of the Fight Against Doping in Sport’ and proposes that it commence its work by examining the effectiveness of the system in place to detect the use of performance enhancing substances in cycling.
The UCI is committed to reviewing the environment upon which the sport operates in order to ensure that something like this never happens again. It has convened a special meeting of its Management Committee on Friday, October 26th to begin the process of examining the existing structures and introducing changes to safeguard the future of cycling.
The International cycling union said that it accepted the evidence set forward by the United States anti-doping agency, that said Armstrong not only used performance enhancing drugs but also pushed the same for fellow cyclists, a program dubbed as “the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.”
President of the UCI, Pat McQuaid has said, according to BBC that Armstrong has no place in cycling. He also said that Armstrong would be banned from the sport for life and the No. 1 spot for those years would remain empty in the record books.
The UCI has completed its review of USADA’s ‘Reasoned Decision’ and appendices in the case against Lance Armstrong.
The full statement from International cycling union…
The UCI considered the main issues of jurisdiction, the statute of limitation the evidence gathered by USADA and the sanction imposed upon Mr. Armstrong.
The UCI confirms that it will not appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and that it will recognize the sanction that USADA has imposed.
The USADA decision explains how riders on the USPS Team showed no inclination to share the full extent of what they knew until they were subpoenaed or called by federal investigators and that their only reason for telling the truth is because the law required them to do so.
These riders have confronted their past and told their stories. Their accounts of their past provide a shocking insight into the USPS Team where the expression to ‘win at all costs’ was redefined in terms of deceit, intimidation, coercion and evasion.
Their testimony confirms that the anti-doping infrastructure that existed at that time was, by itself, insufficient and inadequate to detect the practices taking place within the team. The UCI has always been the first international sporting federation to embrace new developments in the fight against doping and it regrets that the anti-doping infrastructure that exists today was not available at that time so as to render such evasion impossible.
Many of the USPS Team riders have already acknowledged that the culture of cycling has now changed and that young riders today are no longer confronted with the same choices to use performance enhancing drugs. They are right to do so.
The UCI has recognized the problem of doping within the sport and taken significant steps to confront the problem and to clean up cycling. Today’s riders are subject to the most innovative and effective anti-doping procedures and regulations in sport. Cycling has been a pioneer in the fight against doping in sport under the leadership of the UCI and this role has been recognized by WADA.
Today’s young riders do not deserve to be branded or tarnished by the past or to pay the price for the Armstrong era. Cycling has a future and those who will define that future can be found among the young generation of riders who have chosen to prove that you can compete and win clean.
Riders who were caught doping continue to do the sport a disservice by protesting that the UCI refused to engage with them. The reality is that these riders never contemplated such action until they were found positive by the UCI, and even then they refused to confess and co-operate with the UCI.
Those riders who made the choice to stop using performance enhancing drugs, and to share their stories to enable the new generation of riders to learn from the mistakes that were made in the past, can continue to support clean cycling.
The role that training and education has to play in discouraging doping at all levels is well recognized by the UCI. The UCI will engage with any rider that is willing to work with them in the fight against doping and interested in establishing what lessons can be learned and applied to its ‘True Champion or Cheat?” programmed which is obligatory for all riders subject to anti-doping tests.
This is not the first time cycling has reached a crossroads or that it has had to begin anew and to engage in the painful process of confronting its past. It will do so again with renewed vigor and purpose and its stakeholders and fans can be assured that it will find a new path forward.
That process extends beyond the UCI and the anti-doping agencies including WADA, USADA, AFLD and CONI must contribute to it by also examining how many times they tested Lance Armstrong and by providing their own explanation for why he never tested positive in the tests that they respectively conducted.
The UCI tested Tyler Hamilton 40 times and found him positive. It tested Floyd Landis 46 times and found him positive as the winner of the Tour de France. The list of riders that it has found positive does not end there.
The UCI has tested Lance Armstrong 218 times. If Lance Armstrong was able to beat the system then the responsibility for addressing that rests not only with the UCI but also with WADA and all of the other anti-doping agencies who accepted the results.
The UCI supports WADA’s decision to create a working group to examine ‘The Ineffectiveness of the Fight Against Doping in Sport’ and proposes that it commence its work by examining the effectiveness of the system in place to detect the use of performance enhancing substances in cycling.
The UCI is committed to reviewing the environment upon which the sport operates in order to ensure that something like this never happens again. It has convened a special meeting of its Management Committee on Friday, October 26th to begin the process of examining the existing structures and introducing changes to safeguard the future of cycling.
Uproar in Australia over Prime Minister’s decision to award “Order of Australia” to Indian God of Cricket
Unknown | 21:47 | sports
18 Oct 2012
The
Australians are outraged over their Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s
announcement that Indian legendry cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, described
as “God of Cricket” will be honored with the membership of “Order of
Australia”
Some of Tendulkar’s Australian counterparts openly criticized their government for awarding the prestigious award that they claim is as “sacred”. One of the critics, former Australian cricketer Mathew Hayden told a radio show that “I understand the point that he is an iconic figure. If Sachin was living in Australia – give him the Prime Minister’s gong I reckon – but the reality of it is he’s living in India.”
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, to recognize Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service. Before the establishment of the order, Australian citizens received British honors.
However, Gillard said Sachin is as admired in Australia as he is in India.
“At the start of this year it was my pleasure to host the Australian and Indian cricket teams at my Sydney residence. The summer was a celebration of the game and of the ties it has created between our two peoples,” she said.
“And many Australians gathered for what could be their final sight of Sachin Tendulkar in Tests. Tendulkar is almost as widely admired in Australia as he is here in his homeland,” she said.
“… We are delighted that he has accepted an honor from the Australian people, Member of the Order of Australia,” she added.
The ‘Order of Australia’ is an order of chivalry to recognize Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service. The 39-year-old Tendulkar will be awarded an AM, which is one of the six grades in the Order of Australia.
Tendulkar, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, will become only the second Indian after former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee and the first sportsperson from the country to get the honor.
Source:NDTV
Some of Tendulkar’s Australian counterparts openly criticized their government for awarding the prestigious award that they claim is as “sacred”. One of the critics, former Australian cricketer Mathew Hayden told a radio show that “I understand the point that he is an iconic figure. If Sachin was living in Australia – give him the Prime Minister’s gong I reckon – but the reality of it is he’s living in India.”
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, to recognize Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service. Before the establishment of the order, Australian citizens received British honors.
However, Gillard said Sachin is as admired in Australia as he is in India.
“At the start of this year it was my pleasure to host the Australian and Indian cricket teams at my Sydney residence. The summer was a celebration of the game and of the ties it has created between our two peoples,” she said.
“And many Australians gathered for what could be their final sight of Sachin Tendulkar in Tests. Tendulkar is almost as widely admired in Australia as he is here in his homeland,” she said.
“… We are delighted that he has accepted an honor from the Australian people, Member of the Order of Australia,” she added.
The ‘Order of Australia’ is an order of chivalry to recognize Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service. The 39-year-old Tendulkar will be awarded an AM, which is one of the six grades in the Order of Australia.
Tendulkar, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, will become only the second Indian after former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee and the first sportsperson from the country to get the honor.
Source:NDTV
Racist chants follows scuffles at Serbia-England U-21 Play-off
Unknown | 12:49 | sports
UEFA,
has begun disciplinary hearings against Serbian and England football
associations after scuffles broke out at the final whistle of the
Under-21 European championships play-offs which was won by England 1-0
on Tuesday at the Miadost stadium in Kruseva.
The scuffle broke out after an English team member allegedly behaved
in a vulgar manner towards Serbian fans. The player Danny Rose was
red-carded after the game for kicking the ball into the crowd.
However, an audio from an amateur video footage could be heard Serbian fans “chant” like monkeys after the winning goal was scored by the English.
The statement from UEFA…
UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against both the Football Association of Serbia (FSS) and England’s Football Association (FA) following a number of incidents during and after England’s 1-0 win over Serbia in the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-off second leg at the Mladost stadium in Krusevac on Tuesday 16 October.
Regarding alleged racist chanting, UEFA will instigate proceedings against the FSS over the misconduct of their supporters during and at the end of the match. Proceedings will also be instigated against the FSS for the improper conduct of the Serbia players at the end of the game.
UEFA will also commence proceedings against the FA for the improper conduct of the England players at the end of the match.
These cases will be discussed on the occasion of the next ordinary hearing of the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body on 22 November.
Pic Off Sky TV Video
However, an audio from an amateur video footage could be heard Serbian fans “chant” like monkeys after the winning goal was scored by the English.
The statement from UEFA…
UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against both the Football Association of Serbia (FSS) and England’s Football Association (FA) following a number of incidents during and after England’s 1-0 win over Serbia in the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-off second leg at the Mladost stadium in Krusevac on Tuesday 16 October.
Regarding alleged racist chanting, UEFA will instigate proceedings against the FSS over the misconduct of their supporters during and at the end of the match. Proceedings will also be instigated against the FSS for the improper conduct of the Serbia players at the end of the game.
UEFA will also commence proceedings against the FA for the improper conduct of the England players at the end of the match.
These cases will be discussed on the occasion of the next ordinary hearing of the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body on 22 November.
Drogba’s double sparks violence, Senegal-Ivory Coast match called-off
Unknown | 22:08 | sports
13 Oct 2012
An
all important soccer match between Senegal and Ivory Cost came to an
end abruptly following violent clashes between spectators on Saturday.
Violence erupted just minutes after International star Didier Drogba scored two goals within in few minutes, minimizing the hopes of Senegal going to South Africa in 2013.
The match officials including the referees were driven off the pitch as security officials tried to protect Ivory Coast supporters – who came under severe attack in the stadium.
The stands became empty after police fired teargas to disperse the unruly fans, who hurled plastic bottles onto the pitch while also burning flags and newspapers that turned the entire atmosphere at the Sedar Senghor Stadium hostile.
For close to 25 minutes, the players and security were left speechless on the pitch unsure of the fate of the game as hundreds of other Ivory Coast supporters, who were fleeing from danger, joined them in the inner perimeter for safety.
The match had entered into the 76th minute and Ivory Coast was leading by two goals (6-2 on agg). Early on, a fan had made an incursion onto the pitch which was the catalyst for ugly scenes to break out which marred the qualifier.
Several Premier League players were involved in the match including Newcastle United strikers Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame, who were all representing Senegal.
For Ivory Coast, Manchester City’s Kolo and Yaya Toure, Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote and Arsenal forward Gervinho were all included.
“City’s Yaya and Kolo Toure are both safe after crowd trouble halted play as Senegal hosted the Ivory Coast in Dakar,” a statement read on Manchester City’s official website.
“Disturbances broke out as Didier Drogba put the Elephants 2-0 up, after what was deemed a controversial penalty decision in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
“Fires were started in the stands at Stade Leopold Senghor and missiles were launched on to the pitch before the players were escorted to safety.
“Yaya and Kolo were both involved in the second leg clash and early reports suggest the brothers are unharmed.”
Reported by Goal.com
Violence erupted just minutes after International star Didier Drogba scored two goals within in few minutes, minimizing the hopes of Senegal going to South Africa in 2013.
The match officials including the referees were driven off the pitch as security officials tried to protect Ivory Coast supporters – who came under severe attack in the stadium.
The stands became empty after police fired teargas to disperse the unruly fans, who hurled plastic bottles onto the pitch while also burning flags and newspapers that turned the entire atmosphere at the Sedar Senghor Stadium hostile.
For close to 25 minutes, the players and security were left speechless on the pitch unsure of the fate of the game as hundreds of other Ivory Coast supporters, who were fleeing from danger, joined them in the inner perimeter for safety.
The match had entered into the 76th minute and Ivory Coast was leading by two goals (6-2 on agg). Early on, a fan had made an incursion onto the pitch which was the catalyst for ugly scenes to break out which marred the qualifier.
Several Premier League players were involved in the match including Newcastle United strikers Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame, who were all representing Senegal.
For Ivory Coast, Manchester City’s Kolo and Yaya Toure, Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote and Arsenal forward Gervinho were all included.
“City’s Yaya and Kolo Toure are both safe after crowd trouble halted play as Senegal hosted the Ivory Coast in Dakar,” a statement read on Manchester City’s official website.
“Disturbances broke out as Didier Drogba put the Elephants 2-0 up, after what was deemed a controversial penalty decision in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
“Fires were started in the stands at Stade Leopold Senghor and missiles were launched on to the pitch before the players were escorted to safety.
“Yaya and Kolo were both involved in the second leg clash and early reports suggest the brothers are unharmed.”
Reported by Goal.com
“Don’t mess with Russian President”, awarded the eighth Dan in Judo
Unknown | 10:38 | sports
12 Oct 2012
World
leaders a word of caution: Do not mess with Russian president Vladimir
Putin; he has been awarded the eighth Dan, one of the highest sports’
honors by the International Judo Federation.
“Being the Honorary President of the IJF, an Emeritus and recognized
judoka, and having the stature of the Head of State of a pre-eminent
country, Vladimir Putin is the perfect ambassador for our sport,” IJF
president Marius Vizer said in a letter.
The 60 year old Putin is also an honorary president of IJF. He also possesses a black belt in Judo.
“It is a great honor for our international federation, as well as for the entire judo community, to count among us a very high personality of his reputation and standing,” Vizer said.
“President Putin represents a high expression of the judo values in the world,” he said in the letter, released Wednesday. Putin become the first Russian to be awarded the eighth dan.
Full text of the news release of IJF
Following the festivities of the 60th anniversary of the International Judo Federation, celebrated last year in Paris on the occasion of the World Championships, the IJF had the honor of awarding the 8th dan to Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, who was also celebrating his 60th birthday on the 7th of October.
Being the Honorary President of the IJF, an Emeritus and recognized judoka, and having the stature of the Head of State of a preeminent country, Vladimir Putin is the perfect ambassador for our sport.
“It is a great honor for our international federation, as well as for the entire judo community, to count among us a very high personality of his reputation and standing,” said Marius L. Vizer, the IJF President, before adding: “President Putin represents a high expression of the Judo Values in the world.”
Pic: Moscow times
The 60 year old Putin is also an honorary president of IJF. He also possesses a black belt in Judo.
“It is a great honor for our international federation, as well as for the entire judo community, to count among us a very high personality of his reputation and standing,” Vizer said.
“President Putin represents a high expression of the judo values in the world,” he said in the letter, released Wednesday. Putin become the first Russian to be awarded the eighth dan.
Full text of the news release of IJF
Following the festivities of the 60th anniversary of the International Judo Federation, celebrated last year in Paris on the occasion of the World Championships, the IJF had the honor of awarding the 8th dan to Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, who was also celebrating his 60th birthday on the 7th of October.
Being the Honorary President of the IJF, an Emeritus and recognized judoka, and having the stature of the Head of State of a preeminent country, Vladimir Putin is the perfect ambassador for our sport.
“It is a great honor for our international federation, as well as for the entire judo community, to count among us a very high personality of his reputation and standing,” said Marius L. Vizer, the IJF President, before adding: “President Putin represents a high expression of the Judo Values in the world.”
U.S anti doping agency: Lance Armstrong was part of most sophisticated doping program
Unknown | 09:00 | sports
10 Oct 2012
Lance
Armstrong was part of a most sophisticated doping network that sport
has ever seen, the US anti doping agency claimed today in a report.
The report said beyond any doubt that the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.
Read the full report below…
Today, we are sending the ‘Reasoned Decision’ in the Lance Armstrong case and supporting information to the Union Cycliste International (UCI), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC). The evidence shows beyond any doubt that the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.
The evidence of the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team-run scheme is overwhelming and is in excess of 1000 pages, and includes sworn testimony from 26 people, including 15 riders with knowledge of the US Postal Service Team (USPS Team) and its participants’ doping activities. The evidence also includes direct documentary evidence including financial payments, emails, scientific data and laboratory test results that further prove the use, possession and distribution of performance enhancing drugs by Lance Armstrong and confirm the disappointing truth about the deceptive activities of the USPS Team, a team that received tens of millions of American taxpayer dollars in funding.
Together these different categories of eyewitness, documentary, first-hand, scientific, direct and circumstantial evidence reveal conclusive and undeniable proof that brings to the light of day for the first time this systemic, sustained and highly professionalized team-run doping conspiracy. All of the material will be made available later this afternoon on the USADA website at www.usada.org.
The USPS Team doping conspiracy was professionally designed to groom and pressure athletes to use dangerous drugs, to evade detection, to ensure its secrecy and ultimately gain an unfair competitive advantage through superior doping practices. A program organized by individuals who thought they were above the rules and who still play a major and active role in sport today.
The evidence demonstrates that the ‘Code of Silence’ of performance enhancing drug use in the sport of cycling has been shattered, but there is more to do. From day one, we always hoped this investigation would bring to a close this troubling chapter in cycling’s history and we hope the sport will use this tragedy to prevent it from ever happening again.
Of course, no one wants to be chained to the past forever, and I would call on the UCI to act on its own recent suggestion for a meaningful Truth and Reconciliation program. While we appreciate the arguments that weigh in favor of and against such a program, we believe that allowing individuals like the riders mentioned today to come forward and acknowledge the truth about their past doping may be the only way to truly dismantle the remaining system that allowed this “EPO and Blood Doping Era” to flourish. Hopefully, the sport can unshackle itself from the past, and once and for all continue to move forward to a better future.
Our mission is to protect clean athletes by preserving the integrity of competition not only for today’s athletes but also the athletes of tomorrow. We have heard from many athletes who have faced an unfair dilemma — dope, or don’t compete at the highest levels of the sport. Many of them abandoned their dreams and left sport because they refused to endanger their health and participate in doping. That is a tragic choice no athlete should have to make.
It took tremendous courage for the riders on the USPS Team and others to come forward and speak truthfully. It is not easy to admit your mistakes and accept your punishment. But that is what these riders have done for the good of the sport, and for the young riders who hope to one day reach their dreams without using dangerous drugs or methods.
These eleven (11) teammates of Lance Armstrong, in alphabetical order, are Frankie Andreu, Michael Barry, Tom Danielson, Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, Stephen Swart, Christian Vande Velde, Jonathan Vaughters and David Zabriskie.
The riders who participated in the USPS Team doping conspiracy and truthfully assisted have been courageous in making the choice to stop perpetuating the sporting fraud, and they have suffered greatly. In addition to the public revelations, the active riders have been suspended and disqualified appropriately in line with the rules. In some part, it would have been easier for them if it all would just go away; however, they love the sport, and they want to help young athletes have hope that they are not put in the position they were — to face the reality that in order to climb to the heights of their sport they had to sink to the depths of dangerous cheating.
I have personally talked with and heard these athletes’ stories and firmly believe that, collectively, these athletes, if forgiven and embraced, have a chance to leave a legacy far greater for the good of the sport than anything they ever did on a bike.
Lance Armstrong was given the same opportunity to come forward and be part of the solution. He rejected it.
Instead he exercised his legal right not to contest the evidence and knowingly accepted the imposition of a ban from recognized competition for life and disqualification of his competitive results from 1998 forward. The entire factual and legal basis on the outcome in his case and the other six active riders’ cases will be provided in the materials made available online later today. Two other members of the USPS Team, Dr. Michele Ferrari and Dr. Garcia del Moral, also received lifetime bans for perpetrating this doping conspiracy.
Three other members of the USPS Team have chosen to contest the charges and take their cases to arbitration: Johan Bruyneel, the team director; Dr. Pedro Celaya, a team doctor; and Jose “Pepe” Marti, the team trainer. These three individuals will receive a full hearing before independent judges, where they will have the opportunity to present and confront the evidence, cross-examine witnesses and testify under oath in a public proceeding.
From day one in this case, as in every potential case, the USADA Board of Directors and professional staff did the job we are mandated to do for clean athletes and the integrity of sport. We focused solely on finding the truth without being influenced by celebrity or non-celebrity, threats, personal attacks or political pressure because that is what clean athletes deserve and demand.”
The report said beyond any doubt that the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.
Read the full report below…
Today, we are sending the ‘Reasoned Decision’ in the Lance Armstrong case and supporting information to the Union Cycliste International (UCI), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC). The evidence shows beyond any doubt that the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.
The evidence of the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team-run scheme is overwhelming and is in excess of 1000 pages, and includes sworn testimony from 26 people, including 15 riders with knowledge of the US Postal Service Team (USPS Team) and its participants’ doping activities. The evidence also includes direct documentary evidence including financial payments, emails, scientific data and laboratory test results that further prove the use, possession and distribution of performance enhancing drugs by Lance Armstrong and confirm the disappointing truth about the deceptive activities of the USPS Team, a team that received tens of millions of American taxpayer dollars in funding.
Together these different categories of eyewitness, documentary, first-hand, scientific, direct and circumstantial evidence reveal conclusive and undeniable proof that brings to the light of day for the first time this systemic, sustained and highly professionalized team-run doping conspiracy. All of the material will be made available later this afternoon on the USADA website at www.usada.org.
The USPS Team doping conspiracy was professionally designed to groom and pressure athletes to use dangerous drugs, to evade detection, to ensure its secrecy and ultimately gain an unfair competitive advantage through superior doping practices. A program organized by individuals who thought they were above the rules and who still play a major and active role in sport today.
The evidence demonstrates that the ‘Code of Silence’ of performance enhancing drug use in the sport of cycling has been shattered, but there is more to do. From day one, we always hoped this investigation would bring to a close this troubling chapter in cycling’s history and we hope the sport will use this tragedy to prevent it from ever happening again.
Of course, no one wants to be chained to the past forever, and I would call on the UCI to act on its own recent suggestion for a meaningful Truth and Reconciliation program. While we appreciate the arguments that weigh in favor of and against such a program, we believe that allowing individuals like the riders mentioned today to come forward and acknowledge the truth about their past doping may be the only way to truly dismantle the remaining system that allowed this “EPO and Blood Doping Era” to flourish. Hopefully, the sport can unshackle itself from the past, and once and for all continue to move forward to a better future.
Our mission is to protect clean athletes by preserving the integrity of competition not only for today’s athletes but also the athletes of tomorrow. We have heard from many athletes who have faced an unfair dilemma — dope, or don’t compete at the highest levels of the sport. Many of them abandoned their dreams and left sport because they refused to endanger their health and participate in doping. That is a tragic choice no athlete should have to make.
It took tremendous courage for the riders on the USPS Team and others to come forward and speak truthfully. It is not easy to admit your mistakes and accept your punishment. But that is what these riders have done for the good of the sport, and for the young riders who hope to one day reach their dreams without using dangerous drugs or methods.
These eleven (11) teammates of Lance Armstrong, in alphabetical order, are Frankie Andreu, Michael Barry, Tom Danielson, Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, Stephen Swart, Christian Vande Velde, Jonathan Vaughters and David Zabriskie.
The riders who participated in the USPS Team doping conspiracy and truthfully assisted have been courageous in making the choice to stop perpetuating the sporting fraud, and they have suffered greatly. In addition to the public revelations, the active riders have been suspended and disqualified appropriately in line with the rules. In some part, it would have been easier for them if it all would just go away; however, they love the sport, and they want to help young athletes have hope that they are not put in the position they were — to face the reality that in order to climb to the heights of their sport they had to sink to the depths of dangerous cheating.
I have personally talked with and heard these athletes’ stories and firmly believe that, collectively, these athletes, if forgiven and embraced, have a chance to leave a legacy far greater for the good of the sport than anything they ever did on a bike.
Lance Armstrong was given the same opportunity to come forward and be part of the solution. He rejected it.
Instead he exercised his legal right not to contest the evidence and knowingly accepted the imposition of a ban from recognized competition for life and disqualification of his competitive results from 1998 forward. The entire factual and legal basis on the outcome in his case and the other six active riders’ cases will be provided in the materials made available online later today. Two other members of the USPS Team, Dr. Michele Ferrari and Dr. Garcia del Moral, also received lifetime bans for perpetrating this doping conspiracy.
Three other members of the USPS Team have chosen to contest the charges and take their cases to arbitration: Johan Bruyneel, the team director; Dr. Pedro Celaya, a team doctor; and Jose “Pepe” Marti, the team trainer. These three individuals will receive a full hearing before independent judges, where they will have the opportunity to present and confront the evidence, cross-examine witnesses and testify under oath in a public proceeding.
From day one in this case, as in every potential case, the USADA Board of Directors and professional staff did the job we are mandated to do for clean athletes and the integrity of sport. We focused solely on finding the truth without being influenced by celebrity or non-celebrity, threats, personal attacks or political pressure because that is what clean athletes deserve and demand.”
One million dollar tuna fish caught 180 miles off California
Unknown | 16:09 | sports
09 Oct 2012
To
men from California are waiting for confirmation from International
Game Fishing association that a 427-pound yellow fin Tuna fish they
caught in Mexican waters would win them $ 1 million prize.
The skipper of 61 foot Viking, Greg DiStefano has told the Orange County Register newspaper that weight was recorded at Cabo San Lucca, Mexico. The current record is 405 pounds and if the record is confirmed his team would win the prize money from Mustad, a company that manufactures fishing hooks and other accessories.
The record breaking fish was caught 180 miles off Baja California.
“The fish pulled 300 yards of line in no time”, Stefano told the newspaper.
It has taken 50 minutes for the crew to land the tuna on board.
The skipper of 61 foot Viking, Greg DiStefano has told the Orange County Register newspaper that weight was recorded at Cabo San Lucca, Mexico. The current record is 405 pounds and if the record is confirmed his team would win the prize money from Mustad, a company that manufactures fishing hooks and other accessories.
The record breaking fish was caught 180 miles off Baja California.
“The fish pulled 300 yards of line in no time”, Stefano told the newspaper.
It has taken 50 minutes for the crew to land the tuna on board.
Texas southern basketball, football programs banned for foul play
Unknown | 09:26 | sports
09 Oct 2012
Texas
Southern Basketball program is banned from the 2012-13 post season and
the football program for 2013-14 post season for recruitment violations
and various other “infringements’ by NCAA on Tuesday, a press statement
from NCAA said.
Texas Southern demonstrated a lack of institutional control and was responsible for booster involvement in recruiting, academic improprieties, ineligible student-athlete participation and exceeding scholarship limits, according to a decision announced Tuesday by the Division I Committee on Infractions.
In addition, the former head basketball coach was cited for unethical conduct and the former head football coach did not promote an atmosphere for compliance, the committee said in its report.
The committee noted that as a double repeat violator, Texas Southern either has been on probation or had violations occurring on campus, or both, for 16 of the past 20 years. At various times during the earlier probation periods the university reported to the committee it was taking certain remedial actions when it actually was not, which was of particular concern to the committee.
In this case, the university allowed 129 student-athletes in 13 sports during seven academic years to compete and receive financial aid and travel expenses when they were ineligible. The majority of these student-athletes had not met progress toward degree or transfer requirements. The committee noted “particularly serious violations” occurred when the former head football coach knowingly allowed a booster to recruit for the football program and the former head men’s basketball coach provided false or misleading information during the investigation.
The men’s basketball team also failed to serve its academic performance program penalty. During the 2009-10 season, the university was required to limit scholarships and restrict its athletically related activity to five days a week. The team awarded two more scholarships than allowed in the penalty and did not adhere to the practice restrictions.
The former head football coach and three former assistant football coaches were all aware that a booster was contacting potential transfers and their parents, according to committee findings. The booster also purchased an airline ticket for a prospective student-athlete’s girlfriend through an acquaintance of the former head football coach. The committee notes the staff not only failed to dissuade the booster from making such contacts but also actively encouraged him and did not attempt to determine if the booster’s activities were permissible under NCAA rules.
Over two academic years, the former head basketball coach and former head football coach made an arrangement to put two student-athletes on football scholarships for the purpose of circumventing the scholarship limits placed on the men’s basketball program. One of the student-athletes admitted he had initially been untruthful about playing football during the investigation and both student-athletes did not participate in the football program.
The university exceeded financial aid limits during the 2008-09 through 2010-11 academic years. Compounding the problems with oversight was that no squad lists were produced by the compliance office during the years the violations occurred.
The former head football coach failed to promote an atmosphere for compliance in the football program and monitor the activities regarding compliance by assistant coaches. The report states, “The former head football coach’s purported ignorance of well-understood and long-standing NCAA rules is not persuasive.” The committee noted the former head football coach demonstrated that rules compliance was not of foremost importance. Additionally, he did not establish a culture for rules compliance within his program and he did not monitor his staff’s interactions with the booster.
The former head basketball coach was cited for unethical conduct for knowingly providing false or misleading information concerning improperly awarded scholarships to two men’s basketball student-athletes. In its findings, the committee noted that the coach’s sole purpose in asking the head football coach to put the two student-athletes on a football scholarship was to procure athletically related scholarships beyond what the men’s basketball program was able to provide.
Because of the scope and nature of the findings, Texas Southern lacked institutional control due to its failure to have necessary safeguards in place to prevent violations; ensure the academic performance program sanctions were fully understood and complied with; and make certain that all scholarships were properly awarded and to generate squad lists. The university also insufficiently investigated academic issues that involved 24 student-athletes and allowed 12 of the 24 student-athletes to receive unearned academic credit. Texas Southern also failed to notify the NCAA about the ineligible competition of some of the student-athletes.
Penalties in this case include:
•Public reprimand and censure.
• Five years probation from October 9, 2012, through October 8, 2017.
• Postseason ban for the 2013 and 2014 football seasons and 2012-13 men’s basketball season.
• Three-year show-cause orders for the former head men’s basketball coach and the former head football coach. The public report contains further details.
• A limit of no more than 65 overall counters, 25 initial counters (from 30 maximum) and 60 equivalency scholarships (from 63 maximum) in football for four academic years.
• A limit of 11 men’s basketball scholarships (from 13 maximum) for three academic years.
• Due to health and safety concerns related to the reductions in scholarships and squad size, during probation, the football team may only compete against FCS member schools.
• Vacation of all team records for the 2006-07 through 2009-10 academic years in all sports, and vacation of all team records for the 2010-11 academic year in football and woman’s soccer (self-imposed by the university).
• Reduction in the available number of recruiting person days by 10 for men’s basketball during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years (self-imposed by the university).
• During the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years, the university may only use half the available evaluation days in both the spring and fall evaluation periods in football.
• Football official paid visits are limited to 30 total per year for football and nine total per year for men’s basketball during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.
• An in-person review of the university’s athletics policies and practices must be conducted annually, at the university’s expense, through the term of probation. The review must generate a report of his/her findings, to be submitted with the annual compliance reports and submitted to the committee.
Texas Southern demonstrated a lack of institutional control and was responsible for booster involvement in recruiting, academic improprieties, ineligible student-athlete participation and exceeding scholarship limits, according to a decision announced Tuesday by the Division I Committee on Infractions.
In addition, the former head basketball coach was cited for unethical conduct and the former head football coach did not promote an atmosphere for compliance, the committee said in its report.
The committee noted that as a double repeat violator, Texas Southern either has been on probation or had violations occurring on campus, or both, for 16 of the past 20 years. At various times during the earlier probation periods the university reported to the committee it was taking certain remedial actions when it actually was not, which was of particular concern to the committee.
In this case, the university allowed 129 student-athletes in 13 sports during seven academic years to compete and receive financial aid and travel expenses when they were ineligible. The majority of these student-athletes had not met progress toward degree or transfer requirements. The committee noted “particularly serious violations” occurred when the former head football coach knowingly allowed a booster to recruit for the football program and the former head men’s basketball coach provided false or misleading information during the investigation.
The men’s basketball team also failed to serve its academic performance program penalty. During the 2009-10 season, the university was required to limit scholarships and restrict its athletically related activity to five days a week. The team awarded two more scholarships than allowed in the penalty and did not adhere to the practice restrictions.
The former head football coach and three former assistant football coaches were all aware that a booster was contacting potential transfers and their parents, according to committee findings. The booster also purchased an airline ticket for a prospective student-athlete’s girlfriend through an acquaintance of the former head football coach. The committee notes the staff not only failed to dissuade the booster from making such contacts but also actively encouraged him and did not attempt to determine if the booster’s activities were permissible under NCAA rules.
Over two academic years, the former head basketball coach and former head football coach made an arrangement to put two student-athletes on football scholarships for the purpose of circumventing the scholarship limits placed on the men’s basketball program. One of the student-athletes admitted he had initially been untruthful about playing football during the investigation and both student-athletes did not participate in the football program.
The university exceeded financial aid limits during the 2008-09 through 2010-11 academic years. Compounding the problems with oversight was that no squad lists were produced by the compliance office during the years the violations occurred.
The former head football coach failed to promote an atmosphere for compliance in the football program and monitor the activities regarding compliance by assistant coaches. The report states, “The former head football coach’s purported ignorance of well-understood and long-standing NCAA rules is not persuasive.” The committee noted the former head football coach demonstrated that rules compliance was not of foremost importance. Additionally, he did not establish a culture for rules compliance within his program and he did not monitor his staff’s interactions with the booster.
The former head basketball coach was cited for unethical conduct for knowingly providing false or misleading information concerning improperly awarded scholarships to two men’s basketball student-athletes. In its findings, the committee noted that the coach’s sole purpose in asking the head football coach to put the two student-athletes on a football scholarship was to procure athletically related scholarships beyond what the men’s basketball program was able to provide.
Because of the scope and nature of the findings, Texas Southern lacked institutional control due to its failure to have necessary safeguards in place to prevent violations; ensure the academic performance program sanctions were fully understood and complied with; and make certain that all scholarships were properly awarded and to generate squad lists. The university also insufficiently investigated academic issues that involved 24 student-athletes and allowed 12 of the 24 student-athletes to receive unearned academic credit. Texas Southern also failed to notify the NCAA about the ineligible competition of some of the student-athletes.
Penalties in this case include:
•Public reprimand and censure.
• Five years probation from October 9, 2012, through October 8, 2017.
• Postseason ban for the 2013 and 2014 football seasons and 2012-13 men’s basketball season.
• Three-year show-cause orders for the former head men’s basketball coach and the former head football coach. The public report contains further details.
• A limit of no more than 65 overall counters, 25 initial counters (from 30 maximum) and 60 equivalency scholarships (from 63 maximum) in football for four academic years.
• A limit of 11 men’s basketball scholarships (from 13 maximum) for three academic years.
• Due to health and safety concerns related to the reductions in scholarships and squad size, during probation, the football team may only compete against FCS member schools.
• Vacation of all team records for the 2006-07 through 2009-10 academic years in all sports, and vacation of all team records for the 2010-11 academic year in football and woman’s soccer (self-imposed by the university).
• Reduction in the available number of recruiting person days by 10 for men’s basketball during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years (self-imposed by the university).
• During the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years, the university may only use half the available evaluation days in both the spring and fall evaluation periods in football.
• Football official paid visits are limited to 30 total per year for football and nine total per year for men’s basketball during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.
• An in-person review of the university’s athletics policies and practices must be conducted annually, at the university’s expense, through the term of probation. The review must generate a report of his/her findings, to be submitted with the annual compliance reports and submitted to the committee.
49ers enter into records books, first team in NFL history to pass, rush more than 300 yards
Unknown | 21:13 | sports
07 Oct 2012
San
Francisco 49ers entered into record books by becoming the first NFL
team in the history to have more than 300 yards rushing and passing in a
single game.
Kendall Hunter, Frank Gore and others ran 311 yards with Alex smith combining effectively with 303 yards passing.
The last time similar feet was achieved by Washington Red Skins, they threw 322 yards and rushed 280 in XX11 Super Bowl.
More on this on Pro-Football Reference.com
Kendall Hunter, Frank Gore and others ran 311 yards with Alex smith combining effectively with 303 yards passing.
The last time similar feet was achieved by Washington Red Skins, they threw 322 yards and rushed 280 in XX11 Super Bowl.
More on this on Pro-Football Reference.com
Chinese blogger threatens to assassinate Roger Federer
Unknown | 16:19 | sports
05 Oct 2012
Shanghai:
Shanghai Masters organisers have tightened security around Roger
Federer after the top-ranked men’s tennis player was targeted by an
online death threat, a report said.
Extra precautions for Federer, who has arrived in Shanghai with his family, were taken after an unknown blogger said he planned to “assassinate” the player, in a bizarre posting on a popular Chinese website.
“On October 6, I plan to assassinate Federer for the purpose of tennis extermination,” read the message, posted under the name ‘Blue Cat Polytheistic Religion Founder 07′ on baidu.com.
The user also posted a doctored image showing a decapitated Federer on his knees on a tennis court, with a masked executioner dressed in black and holding an axe posing next to him.
Police and other government agencies have been contacted to increase security around Federer, an official with the tournament’s organising committee told the Shanghai Youth Daily.
“We hope that it was an oral threat only, and the fan won’t take substantive action. However, we have to take it seriously,” Yang Yibin was quoted as saying.
“We have contacted the local police and we will upgrade the level of security for Roger. Meanwhile, we will also protect other players’ security.”
Yang gave few details of the extra security, but he said Federer’s arrival time was not disclosed to media and that he and his family were ushered through a VIP channel and driven straight to their hotel after flying in to Shanghai.
Attacks on tennis players are rare, but in 1993 Monica Seles was stabbed by a deranged fan during a match in Hamburg.
In the 2009 French Open final, a fan invaded the court and tried to put a beret on Federer, before being tackled by security officials.
Extra precautions for Federer, who has arrived in Shanghai with his family, were taken after an unknown blogger said he planned to “assassinate” the player, in a bizarre posting on a popular Chinese website.
“On October 6, I plan to assassinate Federer for the purpose of tennis extermination,” read the message, posted under the name ‘Blue Cat Polytheistic Religion Founder 07′ on baidu.com.
The user also posted a doctored image showing a decapitated Federer on his knees on a tennis court, with a masked executioner dressed in black and holding an axe posing next to him.
Police and other government agencies have been contacted to increase security around Federer, an official with the tournament’s organising committee told the Shanghai Youth Daily.
“We hope that it was an oral threat only, and the fan won’t take substantive action. However, we have to take it seriously,” Yang Yibin was quoted as saying.
“We have contacted the local police and we will upgrade the level of security for Roger. Meanwhile, we will also protect other players’ security.”
Yang gave few details of the extra security, but he said Federer’s arrival time was not disclosed to media and that he and his family were ushered through a VIP channel and driven straight to their hotel after flying in to Shanghai.
Attacks on tennis players are rare, but in 1993 Monica Seles was stabbed by a deranged fan during a match in Hamburg.
In the 2009 French Open final, a fan invaded the court and tried to put a beret on Federer, before being tackled by security officials.
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