Sport news

• Blatter $M bonuses, police raid revealed in FIFA turmoil

  03-06-2016 23:46
  
  GENEVA (AP) — Sepp Blatter's $12 million bonus from the 2014 World Cup and yet another police raid for evidence of financial crimes at FIFA revealed the turmoil at soccer's world body was far from over.
  
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• Arsenal trigger Vardy's Leicester buy-out clause - reports

  03-06-2016 23:42
  Arsenal have triggered a buy-out clause in striker Jamie Vardy's contract with English champions Leicester City after making a bid of about 20 million pounds, several British media reports said on Friday. Vardy, who is in England's 23-man squad for the Euro 2016 finals in France that start next week, scored 24 Premier League goals last season as Leicester won the top-flight crown for the first time in their history. The 29-year-old was chosen as Player of the Year by the Football Writers' Associ
  
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• Wayne Rooney is the first name on England teamsheet at Euro 2016, says Roy Hodgson

  03-06-2016 23:35 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The Manchester United captain is one of the most lethal strikers in the game but he ended the season in central midfield for United and played in the No 10 role against Portugal.
  
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• Essex aim to bring Twenty20 action to the Olympic Stadium as they hope cricket will join West Ham at the venue next year

  03-06-2016 23:33 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  PAUL NEWMAN: Essex want to take Twenty20 to the Olympic Stadium. ‘The Olympic Stadium offers us with a tremendous opportunity to take top cricket into East London,’ said John Faragher.
  
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• Dusty Baker welcomed back to city where he made the playoffs

  03-06-2016 23:33
  
  CINCINNATI (AP) — Dusty Baker returned to the place he used to call home. The Nationals manager got a haircut and felt a little love from Reds fans would love to have him back.
  
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• 'Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a monster': Wales boss Chris Coleman says Swedish star poses a unique challenge in Euro 2016 warm-up

  03-06-2016 23:31 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Wales face Sweden in Stockholm on Sunday and Gareth Bale will play for his country for the first time in eight months, with Coleman determined to pick his best available side ahead of Euro 2016.
  
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• Jack Wilshere desperately needs game time... has England boss Roy Hodgson got cold feet over starting Arsenal midfielder?

  03-06-2016 23:31 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Hodgson’s team begin their European Championship campaign against Russia on June 11 but doubts remain about the Arsenal midfielder’s match sharpness.
  
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• Australia coach Michael Cheika wary of England ahead of pivotal Test series with Eddie Jones' men

  03-06-2016 23:31 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Michael Cheika admits England look in ominous form as he prepares for his upcoming battle with Eddie Jones. The Australia coach has keenly followed England since the World Cup,and is impressed.
  
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• Warren Gatland eyes history in New Zealand as Wales aim to shock new-look All Blacks

  03-06-2016 23:30 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Waren Gatland insists Wales are not in New Zealand just to make up the numbers and will look to exploit the vulnerability of the new-look All Blacks. Wales have beaten New Zealand just three times.
  
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• Serena Williams stands on the cusp of matching Steffi Graf's Grand Slam record after seeing off Kiki Bertens at French Open 

  03-06-2016 23:30 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  MIKE DICKSON IN PARIS: Having played for the last three days in succession Serena Williams will have to come out for a fourth when she has a French Open rematch of last year’s Wimbledon final.
  
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• England striker Harry Kane insists he is ready to lead the line at Euro 2016 

  03-06-2016 23:27 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Harry Kane insists he is ready for a rough ride when he leads England’s attack in the European Championships in France.
  
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• Romania stroll to 5-1 win over Georgia in Euro warm-up

  03-06-2016 23:25
  Romania scored two early goals on their way to a leisurely 5-1 victory against a listless Georgia side at the National Arena in their final Euro 2016 warm-up on Friday. Anghel Iordanescu's team, who play in the tournament's opening game against hosts France next Friday, took the lead after 68 seconds when Adrian Popa punished a defensive blunder by dribbling past Georgia keeper Roin Kvashvadze to score. The home side doubled their advantage two minutes later when Georgia captain Aleksandr Amisul
  
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• Mets 3B Wright out at least 6 weeks with neck injury

  03-06-2016 23:25
  
  MIAMI (AP) — New York Mets third baseman David Wright will be out at least six weeks and perhaps a lot longer with a herniated disk in his neck, and the team didn't try to minimize the loss Friday.
  
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• Ten-man Kosovo beat Faroes to win first full international

  03-06-2016 23:23
  Kosovo, accepted as FIFA members only three weeks ago, won their first fully-recognised international when they beat Faroe Islands 2-0 on Friday despite playing for nearly one hour with 10 men. Albert Bunjaku scored Kosovo's historic first international goal when he headed in from close range just before halftime at the Volksbank stadium, home to third tier German club FSV Frankfurt. Elbasan Rashani finished off a counter-attack to score the second for Kosovo in stoppage time amid jubilant scene
  
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• Late birdie blitz earns Kuchar tie for early Memorial lead

  03-06-2016 23:20
  (Reuters) - Former champion Matt Kuchar continued his love affair with the Memorial tournament on Friday as he took advantage of calm conditions with a late birdie flurry to surge into a two-way tie for the early lead in the second round. Kuchar birdied four of his last six holes to shoot a sparkling six-under-par 66 at Muirfield Village, finishing level with fellow American Brendan Steele (67) at 12-under 132. Argentina's Emiliano Grillo (66) and long-hitting American Gary Woodland (65) were at
  
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• WHO emergency panel to meet in June on Zika and Olympics - spokeswoman

  03-06-2016 23:13
  The World Health Organisation's (WHO) Emergency Committee on Zika will meet in coming weeks to evaluate the risks tied to holding the Olympic Games in Rio from August, a WHO spokeswoman said on Friday. "The Emergency Committee meeting will consider the situation in Brazil including the question of the Olympics," WHO spokeswoman Nyka Alexander told Reuters in response to a query.
  
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• Gabby Douglas: "I don't care about no stupid bugs."

  03-06-2016 23:06
  HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Olympic champion Gabby Douglas says the Zika virus won't affect her plans to pursue more gold in Rio de Janeiro.
  
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• Judge: US women's soccer team has no right to strike

  03-06-2016 22:58
  
  CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge in Chicago ruled Friday that the world champion U.S. women's soccer team does not have the right to strike to seek improved conditions and wages before the Summer Olympics, seeming to end the prospect of an unprecedented disruption by one of the most successful American national teams.
  
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• Ian Poulter set for Ryder Cup injury woe as foot problem means he'll miss the chance to star in Darren Clarke's European team

  03-06-2016 22:58 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Ian Poulter is set to miss the Ryder Cup - a tournament he has become synonomous with - for the first time in a decade after being told to sit out the next four months with an arthritic foot.
  
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• The Latest: Blood testing shows Will Smith was legally drunk

  03-06-2016 22:55
  NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Latest on a hearing for the suspect in the April shooting death of former New Orleans Saints star Will Smith (all times local):
  
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• Paes, Hingis complete full set of doubles titles with French win

  03-06-2016 22:45
  Doubles veterans Leander Paes and Martina Hingis completed a full set of grand slam doubles titles on Friday, adding the missing piece to their collections in an emotional mixed final at the French Open. For Paes, who turns 43 in two weeks, the 4-6 6-4 10-8 (champions tiebreak) win over India's Sania Mirza and Croat Ivan Dodig turned the clock full circle. Paes captured the first of his 18 grand slam titles on Court Philippe Chatrier in 1999 when he teamed up with fellow Indian Mahesh Bhupathi t
  
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• Schwartzel says Zika kept him out of Olympics; Day wary

  03-06-2016 22:44
  
  DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — The Zika virus is why Charl Schwartzel is skipping the Olympics, and world No. 1 Jason Day is starting to think twice about going to Rio.
  
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• Young gun Fitzpatrick sets the pace in Sweden

  03-06-2016 22:43
  Matthew Fitzpatrick, who claimed his first European Tour victory in the British Masters at Woburn in October, surged to the top of the Nordea Masters leaderboard with a second-round 65 on Friday. The 21-year-old Englishman's seven-birdie effort gave him an 11-under total of 133, three ahead of fellow countrymen Ross Fisher (68) and Andrew Johnston (69), Swede Alex Bjoerk (68), Scott Henry of Scotland (69) and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts (66). "I've struggled for a bit of form so far this year
  
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• Wayne Rooney believes this is best England squad he's been part of as Roy Hodgson's side prepare for Euro 2016 departure

  03-06-2016 22:42 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The Manchester United striker has been part of the national squad for every major tournament that England have qualified for since his breakthrough at Euro 2004, where he scored four goals.
  
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• WHO experts say Zika may cause birth defects in thousands of babies

  03-06-2016 22:40
  By Bill Berkrot NEW YORK (Reuters) - World Health Organization officials on Friday cautioned that "many thousands" of infants infected with Zika virus could suffer neurological abnormalities and said nations dealing with an outbreak need to watch for problems beyond the widely reported cases of microcephaly. Health officials had previously concluded that Zika infection in pregnant women was a cause of microcephaly in babies, a rare birth defect characterized by unusually small heads and potentia
  
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• FIFA: Sepp Blatter and allies 'awarded' themselves $80m

  03-06-2016 22:29
  
  Internal report says ex-FIFA boss and two other top officials were involved in coordinated effort to enrich themselves.
  
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• Survivor Murray proves he is a force on clay

  03-06-2016 22:01
  By Pritha Sarkar PARIS (Reuters) - When Andy Murray was dragged to five sets in the opening round of the French Open and then again in the second, it was hard to believe this would be the year when the Scot could end Britain's 81-year wait for a men's Roland Garros champion. "To reach the finals of the French the first time, that's a big moment for me," said Murray, bidding to become only the second Briton to win the Musketeers' Cup following Fred Perry's triumph in 1935. "Like I said a few year
  
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• 911 call recorded suspect after shooting ex-Saint Will Smith

  03-06-2016 21:38
  
  NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The suspect in the death of Will Smith said he shot in self-defense because he feared the retired New Orleans Saints star, although unarmed, was going for a gun as they argued over a car crash.
  
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• Big 12 to bring back football championship in 2017

  03-06-2016 21:33
  
  IRVING, Texas (AP) — The Big 12 is bringing back its football championship game in 2017.
  
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• Arsenal trigger Leicester striker Jamie Vardy's £20m release clause as Arsene Wenger looks to bolster strikeforce

  03-06-2016 21:33 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Arsene Wenger is prepared to swoop for the Leicester striker after Arsenal and other Premier League clubs were sounded out by the player's representatives.
  
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• SEC expands 'serious misconduct' rule for transfer students

  03-06-2016 21:24
  DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference has expanded its "serious misconduct" rule for transfer students to include "dating violence, stalking or conduct of a nature that creates serious concern about the safety of others."
  
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• The Latest: No bond reduction in Smith slaying

  03-06-2016 21:18
  NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Latest on a hearing for the suspect in the April shooting death of former New Orleans Saints star Will Smith (all times local):
  
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• Unlucky own goal helps Swiss scrape win over Moldova

  03-06-2016 21:12
  An unlucky own goal by Moldova goalkeeper Stanislav Namasco gave Switzerland a helping hand as the Euro 2016 finalists scraped a 2-1 victory in a warm-up match on Friday. The hosts, who had lost their three previous friendlies, went ahead in the 12th minute when Blerim Dzemaili sent a looping header against the underside of the crossbar before the ball hit Namasco on the back and went into the net. Switzerland experimented with Steve von Bergen and Fabian Schaer at the centre of the defence as c
  
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• The scout's guide to the Copa America... which players are worth watching out for and how far can the countries go

  03-06-2016 20:52 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  All eyes will be on the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Luis Suarez, but there are some players worth highlighting who may have otherwise flown under the radar of fans outside of South America.
  
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• UN to ask permission from Damascus to airdrop aid

  03-06-2016 20:43
  
  Diplomats say airdrops to besieged areas is a last resort, accusing government of obstructing aid delivery by land.
  
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• Spanish Moto2 rider Salom killed in crash

  03-06-2016 20:43
  Spanish Moto2 rider Luis Salom died in hospital on Friday after a crash during the second free practice session for the Catalunya Grand Prix, race organisers said. The 24-year-old Mallorcan fell at the high speed turn 12 of Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya and was treated by the medical team before being taken by road to hospital where he underwent surgery. "It is with great sadness that we have to report the passing of Luis Salom," MotoGP organisers said in a statement.
  
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• From Congo to Brazil, refugee lives Olympic dream

  03-06-2016 20:40
  By Pedro Fonseca and Pilar Olivares RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Growing up as an orphan in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, Popole Misenga never imagined he would be competing in the Olympic Games in his adopted city of Rio de Janeiro, much less for a new refugee team. Then he will compete with them under the Olympic flag. "I never expected this," he told Reuters at the gym in a poor neighbourhood of Rio where he trains.
  
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• Borussia Dortmund snap up Barcelona man Marc Bartra after the defender's release clause drops to just £6.2million

  03-06-2016 20:40 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The defender confirmed his release clause had dropped from £31million to just £6.2million after a lack of playing time at the Nou Camp last season and it appears Dortmund have met that valuation.
  
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• The Latest: Hingis, Paes win French Open mixed doubles title

  03-06-2016 20:34
  
  PARIS (AP) — The Latest on the French Open (all times local):
  
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• Djokovic and Murray eye milestones in blockbuster Paris final

  03-06-2016 20:28
  By Pritha Sarkar PARIS (Reuters) - An 18-year rivalry will play out its next gripping chapter at Roland Garros as Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic eye up a French Open final in which milestones galore will be on the line. Will Murray become the first British man to lift the French Open trophy in more than eight decades? Or will Djokovic have enough energy left in the tank after playing four days in succession at the rain-ravaged claycourt grand slam to become the first man in almost 50 years to ho
  
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• Thiem branded leader of new generation by Djokovic

  03-06-2016 20:26
  By Julien Pretot PARIS (Reuters) - After being previously tipped as a future French Open champion by claycourt master Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem has been branded the "leader of a new generation" by world number one Novak Djokovic. The 22-year-old Austrian, who will break into the top 10 of the world rankings next week, was crushed 6-2 6-1 6-4 by Djokovic in the semi-finals at Roland Garros on Friday. Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, Latvia's Ernests Gulbis and Pole Jerzy Janowicz have also been haile
  
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• Chad war crimes verdict a milestone on long road to African rights court

  03-06-2016 20:20
  By Matthew Mpoke Bigg ACCRA (Reuters) - Now a court in Senegal has convicted Chad's former dictator of crimes against humanity to the applause of global justice advocates, could a pan-African court try a sitting African leader who violates human rights? Hissene Habre was sentenced to life in prison on Monday in a case lawyers said marks a milestone on the road to African justice. The African Union is now acting to set up its own permanent court for offences including human rights abuses and war
  
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• Pro Tommy Haas hired as tourney director at Indian Wells

  03-06-2016 20:13
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tennis pro Tommy Haas was hired Friday as tournament director of the BNP Paribas Open, replacing Raymond Moore, who quit in March after making controversial comments about female players.
  
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• No. 1 Djokovic to face No. 2 Murray in French Open final

  03-06-2016 20:08
  
  PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic is on the precipice of history once again at the French Open, reaching the final for the fourth time in five years at the only major tournament he hasn't won.
  
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• Andy Murray Reaches First French Open Final

  03-06-2016 20:00
  
  Andy Murray has become the first British man since 1937 to reach the French Open tennis final. The Scot beat defending champion Stan Wawrinka 6-4 6-2 4-6 6-2 to set up a date in Paris on Sunday with his long-time nemesis Novak Djokovic. It is the first time Murray, 29, has made the final of the clay court event at Roland Garros.
  
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• Judge: US women's soccer team bound by no-strike clause

  03-06-2016 19:53
  
  CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge says the world champion U.S. women's soccer team currently does not have the right to strike to seek improved conditions and wages before the Summer Olympics.
  
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• Luis Salom, Spanish Moto2 rider, dies aged 24 after crashing in Catalunya Grand Prix practice session

  03-06-2016 19:50 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The SAG Team rider was taking part in the second practice session of the Moto2 World Championship when he fell at turn 12 of the Catalunya Circuit near Barcelona.
  
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• Felipe Massa unfazed by talk of a Williams return for Jenson Button

  03-06-2016 19:45 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Brazilian Felipe Massa is not afraid that Jenson Button could replace him at Williams next year with the British team interested in a romantic move for the 2009 world champion.
  
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• Hull prepare for Premier League return with £1.5m bid for Reading and Northern Ireland midfielder Oliver Norwood

  03-06-2016 19:42 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Hull have made enquiries about the 25-year-old, who started all but three of Reading’s games in the Championship last season and will play for Northern Ireland at Euro 2016.
  
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• Blatter compensation 'proper, fair', his U.S. lawyer says

  03-06-2016 19:23
  Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter received compensation payments that were "proper, fair and in line" with those of the heads of major professional sports leagues, his U.S.-based lawyer said on Friday. Earlier, the world football's governing body said that Blatter and two former leading FIFA officials were involved in a "coordinated attempt" to enrich themselves through annual salary increases and World Cup bonuses totalling 79 million Swiss francs (55.7 million pounds) over a five-year period.
  
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