Asia Weekly

Headlines

Chinese Gymnasts' ages probed

Gymnastics - The probe into the ages of China's women's Olympic team has widened to include competitors in the Sydney 2000 Olympics

Sumo - Grand champion Asashoryu withdrew from the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, citing a recurrence of an injury to his left elbow

Badminton - Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro beat Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia to take the Japanese Open men's singles title

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Japan sports stories

Foreigner throws sumo into crisis

Disgraced Russian sumo Wakanoho has eschewed a tradition of "laconic silence and forbearance" and declared he was forced to take part in fixed matches, says Leo Lewis in The Times (UK). The wrestler is also expected to implicate his stable mates in the marijuana scandal that saw him barred from sumo when he takes the stand in court.

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China sports news

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.

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Malaysia sports stories

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.

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Olympic news

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.

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Thailand sports stories

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.

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Singapore sports stories

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.

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Philippines sports news

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.

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Sports gossip

Off the pitch

Team tactics - South Korean soccer coach Huh Jung-moo has left his European players with no doubts as to what is required of them ahead of next month's World Cup qualifier against the United Arab Emirates, says Yoo Jee-ho in the JoongAng Daily. "Just because you play in Europe, you shouldn't act like stars and try to do individual things," said Huh.

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