Embattled Ronaldo to miss Portugal ties
LISBON: Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of Portugal’s next four internationals, the national coach Fernando Santos said on Thursday, days after rape allegations against the Juventus star resurfaced. Santos said he and the president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) Fernando Gomes talked to Ronaldo and “we agreed that the player was not available for this or the next call up”.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner missed the two internationals Portugal played in September. At the time, Santos suggested that the 33-year-old’s absence was temporary and intended to help the star attacker adapt after his move from Real Madrid to Juventus. “This is not what I am saying now,” Santos said on Thursday. Last month, an American woman, Kathryn Mayorga, accused Ronaldo of raping her on June 13, 2009.
BOXING FACES HEAT
LOS ANGELES: Boxing risks being thrown out of the Olympics unless the sport’s ruling body addresses “grave” concerns regarding its governance, the International Olympic Committee executive board said on Wednesday. The executive board said the troubles in the AIBA affect “The IOC reiterates its clear position that if the governance issues are not properly addressed to the satisfaction of the IOC at the forthcoming AIBA Congress, the existence of boxing on the Olympic programme and even the recognition of AIBA as an International Federation recognised by the IOC are under threat.”
JAYARAM ADVANCES
TAIPEI CITY: Ajay Jayaram progressed to the men’s singles quarterfinals of the Chinese Taipei Open defeating Denmark’s Kim Bruun 21-10, 22-20 in 37 minutes at the Taipei Arena. Japan’s Riichi Takeshita defeated world No 69 Sourabh Verma 19-21, 23-21, 21-16.