Pele set to leave hospital
Sao Paulo: Doctors say Pele is expected to be discharged from a Brazilian hospital on Tuesday, two weeks after being admitted to treat a urinary tract infection. The Albert Einstein hospital said Monday the soccer great “continues to improve” and there are “no signs of the infection” that prompted his hospitalization on November 24. The infection stemmed from surgery on November 13 to remove kidney stones.
Ioc gives Kosovo recognition
Monaco: Athletes from Kosovo will be able to compete at the 2016 Summer Games after being granted full recognition on Tuesday by the International Olympic Committee. The full IOC formally ratified a decision made in October by the executive board that clears the way for Kosovo to compete as an independent nation. Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, becomes the 205th national Olympic committee recognized by the IOC.
OSCAR’s APPEAl on wednesday
Johannesburg: A South African judge will rule Tuesday on whether to grant a state appeal that would open the way for Para-athlete Oscar Pistorius to serve more time behind bars for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Prosecution lawyers applied for an appeal after Judge Thokozile Masipa in October sentenced the Paralympics gold medallist to five years in jail after a trial that attracted worldwide interest, reports Xinhua. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued in appeal papers filed last month that Masipa misinterpreted the law when she ruled Pistorius did not intentionally shoot Steenkamp, describing the sentence as “shockingly light” and “inappropriate”. The hearing is expected to take two hours. Should Masipa grant the appeal, the case will be heard in South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein, the country’s judicial capital.
leBRON breaks protocol
New York: In a breach of royal protocol, basketball legend leBron James put his arm around Prince William’s wife Kate while posing for photographs here. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who are on three-day US trip, met James after watching a basketball game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Barclays Center indoor arena. Prince William and Kate were also presented with NBA jerseys, including a small one for their young son, Prince George. While posing for photographs last night, James appeared to surprise Kate by breaking royal protocol and placing his arm around her. Earlier, James treated them to a breathtaking display of brilliance as he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their seventh win in a row.
Sprinter faces doping ban
Rio de Janeiro: Brazilian Olympic sprint hopeful Vanda Gomes faces a two-year ban from competition after a positive doping test. The 26-year-old was found to have traces of aromatase-inhibiting drug anastrozole in a urine sample in September, Brazil’s athletics federation said Monday, reports Xinhua. She has been temporarily banned by the federation, pending a ruling from the country’s superior sports justice tribunal. A date for the hearing is yet to be set. Gomes was a member of Brazil’s gold medal-winning 4x100m relay team at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara in 2011. Anastrozole, commonly prescribed to breast cancer sufferers, works by inhibiting the synthesis of estrogen.
Dynamos hold Chennaiyin 2-2
Chennai: Italian legend Alessandro del Piero scored his first goal at the fag end of the tournament via a superb free-kick as Delhi Dynamos rallied from two goal down to hold leaders Chennaiyin FC 2-2 in a thrilling Indian Super league football match here Tuesday. The draw gave Delhi a small chance to make it to the semifinals as their qualification will now depend on the results of tomorrow’s matches. Chennaiyin, who now have 23 points after their league engagements ended tuesday, and Goa FC (21 points with one match left) have already qualified for the semifinals.
Man U beat Southampton 2-1
Southampton: Two clinical finishes from Robin van Persie gave Manchester United a 2-1 victory against Southampton in the Premier league, despite the visitors being pegged back for much of the game at St. Mary’s stadium on Monday. Van Persie scored with United’s only two efforts on target to give louis van Gaal’s side its fifth win a row and overtake Southampton in third place. Southampton dropped to fifth behind West Ham after its third straight loss against the teams it hopes to challenge for a top-four spot -Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United.