Washington: Former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe, who was convicted last year of abducting his ex-wife and children in 1998, was released from a medium-security prison on Monday. The 36-year-old American boxer had served almost the full 18 months of his sentence and is expected to serve the remaining couple of weeks under house arrest. He received a small reduction on his sentence for good behaviour. “He’s been released this morning and is in home confinement until June 8th,” a prison official said. “He got good conduct credits while serving his sentence.”
Bowe has a 40-1 lifetime record and has talked about returning to the ring. He stopped Evander Holyfield in 1992 to become the world heavyweight champ. In his last fight, he was demolished by Andrew Golota in 1996.
Lahore: A Pakistani court on Tuesday rejected a case against Wasim Akram that he hurt religious sentiments by modelling in an Indian liquor advertisement, court officials said.
Judge Musheer Rao dismissed the case and ruled that “the petitioner had no right to file such a case as he was not directly at a loss,” they said.
The private petition, filed by Mohammad Fayyaz, demanded a public apology from Akram and payment of damages amounting to 25,000 rupees ($ 400) for allegedly posing in an Indian liquor company advertisement.
Mumbai: Delhi and Mumbai will play host to two major ITF women’s tournaments while the national capital will also host two satellite and one men’s Futures tournaments this year.
“Delhi will host a $ 10,000 prize money ITF women’s circuit from May 31 to June 5 apart from a $ 25,000 prize money tourney from August 23 to 28,” Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) secretary Sharad Kannamvar said. ”Mumbai will host a $ 25,000 prize money from October 25 to 30 and another $ 15,000 prize money at the Dr Ranade Tennis Centre from November 1 to 6,” he added. “Apart from the two women’s tournaments, Delhi will also hold two satellite men’s tourneys from June 14 to 26 and another $ 10,000 prize money Futures from November 22 to 27,” Kannamvar said.
Lausanne: Paris, New York, Moscow, London and Madrid were named Tuesday on a short-list of cities bidding to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
The International Olympic Committee rejected bids from Rio de Janeiro, Leipzig, Havana and Istanbul. The announcement marks a new phase in the bidding process as it builds up to the final vote in Singapore on 6 July 2005.
Istanbul had been making its fourth consecutive bid while Rio had been hoping to become the first South American city to stage the Games.
United Nations: Sometimes the political football played at the UN Security Council comes with a smile. Inocencio Arias, Spain’s outgoing UN ambassador and the former chairman of Real Madrid on Monday gave his Chinese colleague Wang Guangya a replica jersey of Real’s star striker Ronaldo.
“It’s a symbol of Chinese diplomacy,” said Arias. “At the moment of truth (Wang) can be decisive. I admire him and the Chinese delegation,” he said, holding up the jersey to a round of applause from diplomats in the council chamber.
Bratislava: A young soccer player died in Slovakia after collapsing on the field during a match on Sunday, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Frantisek Klobucnik, a 19-year old player for Komjatice in a city league, collapsed 11 minutes into a game against Surany and died immediately. The cause of his death was to be determined after an autopsy.
Sport on Screen
Golf: Asian Open highlights from1 pm on TEN Sports
Soccer: Premier League 2003-2004 from 3 pm on ESPN
Soccer: Uefa Cup final, from midnight on ESPN
