Beckenbauer fined and warned
Zurich: Franz Beckenbauer has been fined and warned by FIFA’s ethics committee for refusing to cooperate with Michael Garcia’s investigation of World Cup bidding. World soccer’s ethics committee says Beckenbauer failed to cooperate “despite repeated requests for his assistance” in the 2018-2022 World Cup enquiry. He was fined 7,000 Swiss francs ($7,050). Beckenbauer was banned for 90 days during the 2014 World Cup before he subsequently answered questions. Beckenbauer was a FIFA executive committee member for the December 2010 vote that chose Russia and Qatar as World Cup hosts. He left FIFA committee in 2011.
‘Too early to decide my rio partner’
bengaluru: Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza on Wednesday said it is too early to take a call on who she would partner in mixed doubles at the Rio Olympic Games. The confident Sania though believed the best possible team should be fielded in the multi-sport extravaganza. “Who knows who is going to be healthy and who won’t be healthy. The most important thing people should know is that the best team should be put forward. Now, I don’t think is the right time to take that call,” Sania told reporters at the launch of Adidas PureBOOST X, a running shoe made for women.
thai tennis player banned
london: A Thai tennis player has been banned 18 months and fined $5,000 for betting on the sport. The sanction was announced Wednesday by the Tennis Integrity Unit. The tennis body says Jatuporn Nalamphun admitted to betting on matches between July and November 2014. It says Nalamphun “contested, but was found guilty of a further charge of failing to cooperate with a TIU Investigation.” The ATP website shows the 22-year-old Nalamphun has never been ranked and has career earnings of $682.
Pirates fightback to stay unbeaten
Patna: Defender Mahipal Narwal rescued leaders Patna Pirates to script a come from behind win against Bengaluru Bulls in Season three of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi here on Wednesday. Trailing under the onslaught of the Bengaluru Bulls for almost 30 minutes of the fast paced encounter, Narwal and co scored at will in the second half to first bridge the half-time gap of 11-20 to inflict an all-out over the losers to turn the match. And just when the fate of Patna Pirates seemed to be hanging by a slender thread, Narwal drew upon all his experience to trap rival Surjeet Narwal once and substitute Deepak Dahiya twice to prevent any slip up in the dying minutes.
Saketh, Ankita in singles qf’s
new delhi: Saketh Myneni tamed big-hitting Matthew Barton while Ankita Raina knocked out error-prone second seed Marina Melnikova to reach the Delhi Open singles quarterfinals, here on Wednesday. Fourth seed Myneni played smartly to dispatch his Australian rival 6-3, 6-4 in the men’s singles second round of the $50,000 ATP Challenger event. In the women’s $25,000 ITF event, being held simultaneously, Ankita beat her Russian opponent 6-1, 6-4 in the second round.
Simons likely to join pune
new delhi: Former India bowling coach Eric Simons is likely to join new IPl franchise Pune Supergiants for the upcoming season. A team source told PTI that talks are at an advanced stage with Simons, who previously worked with the Delhi Daredevils in various roles including of a head coach, besides coaching in the Caribbean Premier league. Simons worked with the Indian team for two years before being replaced in 2012.