Football - Defender Naldo leaves Werder Bremen for Wolfsburg
Brazilian defender Naldo is leaving Werder Bremen for Bundesliga rival Wolfsburg. Bremen says it would have liked to retain Naldo but could not match the offer from Wolfsburg. Naldo still had another season on his contract. The clubs gave no details of the deal.
Olympics - London cabbies block traffic in Olympic protest
Hundreds of London taxi drivers have blocked a major intersection in the heart of the city to protest their exclusion from the road lanes dedicated to Olympic traffic. Drivers in black London cabs blared their horns as they jammed Parliament Square yesterday, sending lines of traffic snaking back along surrounding streets. The cabbies are miffed that they are not allowed into the “Games Lanes” reserved for Olympic athletes, officials and VIPs. The first lane already opened near Heathrow Airport and the rest start two days before the games, which run from 27 July to 12 August. Jonathan Myers of the United Cabbies union says it’s “unacceptable” that cabs were not allowed, adding that “this is a working city and we need to get around and do our job.”
Olympics - Olympics minister: Extra troops reassure athletes
Britain’s Olympics minister says the soldiers at the Olympic Park will give people “enormous reassurance” at the London Games. About 3,500 more troops are being brought to Olympic venues to fill the void left by private security contractor G4S, which couldn’t provide enough guards. Asked if the army will help to ensure a safer Olympics, minister Hugh Robertson said yesterday: “I’ve always felt this.” Soldiers who have been fighting in Afghanistan have switched their weapons for metal-detecting security wands at airport-style checkpoints to the Olympic Park. Robertson, a former army major, says athletes are “incredibly reassured to see the armed forces on the gate.”
Football - Man United most valuable sports franchise
Manchester United is the most valuable franchise in sports at $2.23 billion, according to Forbes magazine’s annual survey. The English Premier League team, owned by the same American family that owns the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is ranked on top thanks to lucrative global sponsorship deals.Second is Real Madrid, at $1.88 billion. The New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys are tied for third at $1.85 billion. Rounding out the top five are the Washington Redskins at $1.56 billion. The Los Angeles Dodgers and New England Patriots are tied for sixth at $1.40 billion, followed by Barcelona at $1.31 billion, the New York Giants at $1.30 billion, and Arsenal at 1.29 billion. The Dodgers recently were sold for $2 billion, the most for any professional sports team.
Basketball - James helps US team win after bad start
LeBron James scored 30 points as the US rallied from an early 10-point deficit to beat Brazil 80-69 on Monday in its final exhibition game on home soil ahead of the Olympics. US President Barack Obama watched the Americans get off to a dismal start, then turn it around by holding the Brazilians to two baskets in the second quarter. James helped the US pull away in the final four minutes after they led by only seven with 4 1/2 minutes left, getting his final point on a free throw with 31 seconds. Kevin Durant added 11 points, and Paul scored 10 for the Americans, who will leave Tuesday for Europe to complete their Olympic preparations.
Football - Xavier Azkargorta named Bolivia coach
Xavier Azkargorta, who coached Bolivia to its first World Cup appearance in 1994, was named Monday to return as the country’s national team coach. The Spaniard replaced Gustavo Quinteros, who resigned earlier this month following his club’s poor form in World Cup qualifying. Bolivia has struggled in qualifying with only four points in six matches and plays its next game in September against Ecuador.
Football - FIFA delays Kosovo ruling due to Serbian politics
FIFA has delayed a decision on clearing Kosovo teams to play international friendlies until after Serbia forms a new government. Sepp Blatter says FIFA executive committee will revisit the subject at a 27-28 September meeting in Zurich. Kosovo has been out of world football since declaring independence from Serbia in 2008, because its sovereignty has not been recognised by the United Nations. Blatter won provisional approval from FIFA member countries’ for Kosovo to play national and club teams, despite opposition from European football body UEFA. Yesterday, the president of football’s governing body said FIFA will wait until the end of the month when Serbia is expected to for a new government. UEFA statutes require countries to be formally recognised by the Union Nations before getting full football rights.
Football - Newly promoted Reading signs Mariappa and Gunther
Newly promoted Premier League club Reading has signed Jamaican international defender Adrian Mariappa and Wales right back Chris Gunther. Reading said yesterday that Mariappa joined from Watford on a three-year contract and would link up his new team mates on a preseason training camp in Portugal on Wednesday. The club announced the signing of Gunther, also on a three-year deal, from Nottingham Forest hours later. Reading said it had paid “a significant fee” for each of the players, but didn’t disclose the amounts. Reading chairman John Madejski said “we have added two excellent young players and they both fit into our ethos in terms of mentality, stature and their standing in the game.” Reading was promoted from England’s second tier last season after winning the League Championship.