RAPIDS’ BADJI SIGNS TWO-YEAR EXTENSION
Striker Dominique Badji has signed a two-year extension with the Rapids, keeping their leading goal scorer under contract through 2019, the club announced Thursday. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Badji’s salary this season is $65,000, according to the MLS players union.
“We’re pleased to be able to sign Dom for two more years,” Rapids sporting director and interim general manager Padraig Smith said in a news release. “Dom has quickly established himself as one of the most promising young players in MLS and we’re confident he will play a big role in our future.”
Badji, a fourth-round pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, is having a career year with the Rapids. In 30 games (26 starts) this season, Badji has tallied a team-leading nine goals and six assists. The 24-year-old forward has 17 goals and 10 assists in 72 career games (52 starts) with Colorado.
The 6-foot, 175-pound striker’s 17 MLS goals are third-most in the league since 2015 among players under the age of 25.
PGA Tour tees off its new season.
CALIF.» Brendan Steele began NAPA, his Safeway Open title defense with a 7-under-par 65 for a share of the lead with Tyler Duncan and Tom Hoge in the PGA Tour’s season opener.
Lucas Glover, Chez Reavie, Emiliano Grillo and Jamie Lovemark were two shots back at 5-under 67.
Steele had an eagle, six birdies and a bogey.
“A little bit of everything worked for me today,” Steele said. “I had a really good ball-striking day. I don’t think I missed a green, so that really helps. And then I had a good putting day as well, so you put that together and it’s going to be pretty good.”
Duncan, making his first start as a PGA Tour member, also had six birdies, an eagle and a bogey.
Zach Johnson, a 12-time PGA Tour winner playing this event for the first time, shot a 4-under 68. He had five birdies and a bogey.
Phil Mickelson, a 42-time PGA Tour winner beginning his 27th PGA Tour season, shot a 3-under 69.
Olympic official arrested.
The president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee was arrested amid an investigation into a votebuying scheme to bring the 2016 Summer Olympics to Rio de Janeiro.
Carlos Nuzman, who also is an honorary International Olympic Committee member, was held for questioning last month by Brazilian and French authorities. They said he was a central figure in channeling at least $2 million to Lamine Diack, a former IOC member from Senegal who helped secure votes when Rio was picked in 2009 by the IOC.
Brazilian authorities have said the behind-the-scenes dealings to win the vote amounted to a “criminal organization,” led by Sergio Cabral, the former governor of Rio de Janeiro who has been jailed on a different corruption conviction.
Securing the 2016 Games for Rio was just the first step in the massive scheme, according to Nuzman’s arrest order. Winning the Olympic bid led to massive public investment in infrastructure projects and services contracts, opening a pipeline of money that was used to reward friends and allies and pay bribes.
Authorities said Nuzman would be held because investigators found that he tried to hamper the investigation by regularizing assets likely gained with illicit money. About two weeks after being held for questioning, Nuzman amended his tax declaration to add about $600,000 in personal income, the arrest order said.
Footnote.
Defending champion Germany booked its slot in next year’s World Cup soccer tournament and stayed perfect in qualifying by beating Northern Ireland 3-1. Sebastian Rudy and Sandro Wagner scored in the first half and Joshua Kimmich wrapped it up late as Germany made it nine wins from nine games to be certain of finishing at the top in Europe’s Group C. — The Associated Press