NEWSMAKERS
Italy bounced from World Cup qualifiers
Four-time champion Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in six decades after losing its playoff to Sweden 1-0 on aggregate. They played to a goalless draw in a quiet San Siro stadium in Milan on Monday. It could have been worse for Italy, as Sweden was denied what looked like two clear-cut penalties for handballs, first from Matteo Darmian and then from Andrea Barzagli. The last major competitions Italy missed were the 1984 and 1992 European Championships.
Anthopoulos joining Braves as next GM
The Atlanta Braves have selected former Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays executive Alex Anthopoulos as their general manager. Anthopoulos was introduced as general manager on Monday. Anthopoulos, the former Toronto GM, spent the last two seasons as the Dodgers’ vice-president of baseball operations. He succeeds John Coppolella, who was forced to resign on Oct. 2 after an ongoing investigation by Major League Baseball disclosed rule violations committed by the Braves in the international player market.
Nadal upset by Goffin in ATP Finals match
Rafael Nadal ended his season on a low note as he was upset by Belgium’s David Goffin at the ATP Finals on Monday in London. The world No. 1 lost 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-4. Nadal pulled out of the event after the loss, citing injury. Earlier Monday, Grigor Dimitrov withstood a comeback attempt from Dominic Thiem and held on for a 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 victory in his debut at the ATP Finals. The sixth-ranked Dimitrov is the first player from Bulgaria to qualify for tennis’ season-ending event.
Ex-rivals announce birth of daughter
Two former opponents in the biggest rivalry in women’s hockey are now proud parents. Caroline Ouellette, Canada’s captain at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, and Julie Chu, who captained the Americans from 2011-13, announced the birth of their daughter on social media Monday. Ouellette said Liv ChuOuellette was born Nov. 5. “Julie and I welcomed to the world our beautiful daughter Liv,” Ouellette wrote on Instagram. “I feel truly blessed to experience this incredible adventure with my love and best friend Julie.” Ouellette, 38, won four Olympic gold medals. Chu, 35, coaches the Concordia University women’s team in Montreal.
Jets name security dog in honour of superfan
Winnipeg Jets fans have chosen Lenny as the name for the final member of the National Hockey League team’s in-house security dog squad. It’s a tribute to superfan Len (Kroppy) Kropioski, who died in 2016 at the age of 98. Kropioski was a Second World War veteran who lived in Kenora, Ont., and made the two-and-ahalf-hour drive every home game to sit in the first row. The Jets security team already has two adult dogs and a trio of eight-week-old black Labrador retriever puppies who are being trained to sniff out bombs.
Kaepernick named GQ’s citizen of the year
Free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been named GQ magazine’s citizen of the year for his activism. Kaepernick began kneeling instead of standing during the U.S. national anthem last season to protest racial inequality and police brutality. The demonstration sparked a wave of NFL protests by players during the anthem that have been denounced by U.S. President Donald Trump. Kaepernick parted ways with the San Francisco 49ers in March and hasn’t been signed by another team. Kaepernick said on Twitter that he’s “honoured to be recognized” by the magazine.
French downhill skier dies after crash
The French skiing federation says downhiller David Poisson has died following a training crash in Alberta. The 35-yearold won a bronze medal in the downhill at the 2013 world championships. He was training in Nakiska, a ski resort about an hour’s drive west of Calgary, preparing for World Cup races in North America.