Asia Weekly

Chinese Gymnasts cleared

Tennis - Japan's Kei Nishikori beat Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez to enter the third round of the Japan Open

Gymnastics - The International Gymnastics Federation cleared the 2008 Chinese women's Olympic team of being underage but will continue to investigate the Sydney 2000 squad

Rugby League - Japan has applied to host the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups after losing out to New Zealand for the 2011 tournament

Tennis - Japan's Kei Nishikori beat Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez to enter the third round of the Japan Open

Oh, to be a Hall of Famer

Sadaharu Oh has ended a 44-year baseball career that saw him hit 868 homers for Japan's Yomiuri Giants before moving into management, reports the Mainichi Daily News. He leaves his job as manager of the Softbank Hawks with two Japan Series titles and three Pacific League pennants, as well as one pennant from his five years as the Giants' boss.

The end of the Ming dynasty?

The significance of the US men's basketball team's win over China "will last for generations, no matter the score," says Benjamin Hochman in the Denver Post. The US beat the Yao Ming-led Chinese team 101-70, but it was not the time to quibble over the intensity of the game as a sporting contest. Instead, it was a "night to admire the world sport that basketball has become," in a country that "loves basketball and loves the NBA," says Mary Nicole Nazzaro on Sohu.com.

Malaysian ire over Chelsea visit

Malaysian Muslim groups are calling for protests and a boycott when the Chelsea soccer club visits in July because the coach, Avram Grant, and a player are Israeli, says the BBC. An alliance of 21 Muslim groups is furious that Malaysian authorities have given permission for Grant and midfielder Tal Ben Haim to visit the soccer-mad country with the London club.

Some Paralympians more equal than others

The Paralympics may do a lot to raise the status of people with disabilities in China, but "for every sign of progress there's an unpleasant reality," says Time's China blog. Many Sichuan earthquake orphans remain unadopted, mainly because they have a disability.

Boxing stupid

Thai super-bantamweight Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym "is the mandatory challenger to...Celestino Caballero," but may have to wait for his shot after some apparent skulduggery by the World Boxing Association, says Julian Turner in the Bangkok Post.

Night vision goggles on for Singapore

The "enthralling" nature of the contest between Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa has made initially skeptical Singaporeans "sit up and take notice" of the historic Grand Prix, says Leonard Lim in The Straits Times.

Fighting talk from Pacman and De La Hoya

Floyd Mayweather Sr has said he will not train Oscar De La Hoya for his fight against Manny Pacquiao on December 6, reports Ronnie Nathanielsz in the Manila Standard Today.

Off the pitch

Coursing with rage - Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo appeared a lone voice in the woods in his criticism of the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix after Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone piled on the praise after the race, reports Reuters.