WBC lifts ban on Indonesia
WBC lifts ban on Indonesia
MEXICO: The World Boxing Council on Thursday lifted the ban it imposed on Indonesia last December after five boxers had died in the previous 18 months.
The WBC said it was sending doctors, safety experts and trainers to Indonesia to help the sport pick itself up off the canvas after the spate of fatalities.
The suspension was imposed at a WBC convention in Pattaya, Thailand, seven months ago.
The WBC acted after the Indonesian government had presented them with a report insisting on the need for putting the country's boxing house in order.
Eight Indonesian boxers have died of injuries suffered in matches since 1990, five of them in the past 18 months.
The latest casualty, lightweight boxer Donny Maramis, 19, died after he was knocked unconscious during a tournament organised by the Indonesian Boxing Commission on Oct. 27. --AFP
;REUTERS; ANPAs..r.. Putbriefs-Athletics-Green Greene out to avenge Chambers defeats in London JP/9/Brief
Greene out to avenge Chambers defeats
LONDON: Olympic and world champion Maurice Greene will go looking for revenge when he tackles British rival Dwain Chambers in the 100 metres at a grand prix meeting at Crystal Palace next month.
Chambers beat Greene twice in June but the American will get the chance to reassert his superiority after confirming he will race at the meeting in south-east London on August 23.
Chambers, though, has other ideas. "If things go to plan I could have Commonwealth and European gold by then so it would be the feather in my cap to beat Maurice in my home town," he said. --Reuters
;AP; ANPAs..r.. Putbriefs-Golf-Irwin Irwin accepts Thorpe apology for remarks JP/9/Brief
Irwin accepts Thorpe apology
CHICAGO, Illinois: Hale Irwin said he accepted an apology from Jim Thorpe, who earlier this week criticized the Senior PGA Tour's career victory leader.
"He called me yesterday and explained his side of it and offered an apology, which I have accepted," Irwin said Thursday on the eve of the SBC Senior Open, a tournament he's won three times.
"Now you just go on with it. I think that's the end of the story as far as I'm concerned. ... Our conversation was adequate for me."
He declined to elaborate on details of his phone talk with Thorpe. --AP
;REUTERS; ANPAs..r.. Putbriefs-Soccer-Everton Everton clinches deal for second Chinese international JP/9/Brief
Everton clinches deal for Li Tie
LONDON: Everton has signed China's World Cup midfielder Li Tie on a one-year loan deal, the English premier league club said on Friday.
The capture of the 24-year-old comes a day after Everton, which has also secured a sponsorship deal with a Chinese electronics firm, signed China international Li Weifeng.
"I traveled to the Far East to watch the World Cup and took the opportunity to watch the Chinese national side," said Everton boss David Moyes on the club's website. --Reuters
;REUTERS; ANPAs..r.. Putbriefs-Golf-Jaidee
Thailand's Jaidee withdraws from British Open JP/9/Brief
Jaidee withdraws from British Open
GULLANE, Scotland: Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee pulled out of the British Open before the start of the second round on Friday.
The 32-year-old, who opened with a nine-over-par 80 at Muirfield, suffered a back strain during Thursday's first round.
"I do not normally make excuses but on Thursday morning I woke up with a really sore back," said Jaidee, who played in his first major tournament at last year's U.S. Open.
"It became worse when I jarred my body trying to hack out of the rough at the seventh hole." --Reuters