Sports

United States football audiences can turn their attention to the skills of Latin American players this month after a year of watching dozens of FIFA officials from the region parade before US law enforcement officers.

Argentina captain Lionel Messi, Chile playmaker Arturo Vidal and Colombia midfielder James Rodriguez are among the leading players expected to light up the Copa America Centenario from June 3-26 in 10 US cities.

The tournament was organised to mark the 100th anniversary of the Copa America, the world’s oldest continental competition first played in Buenos Aires in 1916.

It has been boosted to a 16-team format for the first time with the inclusion of six teams from CONCACAF, which governs football in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

That the plan to stage the tournament outside of South America for the first time has survived the massive cull of top Latin American football officials in the so-called Fifagate scandal is remarkable, though holding it in the United States is less of a surprise.

There had been ideas afoot for some time to expand the event to the whole of the Americas and, in light of last year’s revelations of fraud and bribery within FIFA, the US was arguably the only clean venue available with the necessary infrastructure.

Messi, the world’s top player who added to his many records at Barcelona with another Liga and Copa del Rey double this season, will continue his quest for a first victory with his national team after defeats in the finals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and last year’s Copa America in Chile.

Argentina are favourites with rival powerhouse Brazil fielding something of an experimental side in the absence if their star Neymar, Messi’s Barcelona teammate, who is being freed up for the Rio Olympic football tournament instead.

Chile, with Bundesliga winner Vidal of Bayern Munich and Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez their key players, will be defending the title after an upset victory over Argentina on penalties in the 2015 final gave them their first international title.

Pan-American future?

Colombia, on their day, can beat anyone and will be looking to James, a Champions League winner with Real Madrid, to lead their bid for a second title after winning the 2001 tournament on home soil.

Mexico, familiar with US venues where they can count on massive support having played 11 and won five CONCACAF Gold Cup tournaments north of their border, see it as a good chance to win the tournament in which they have twice reached the final.

A victory for a CONCACAF side, with hosts the United States also in with a chance, would probably seal the future of the tournament as a Pan-American event.

Uruguay, whose 40-goal Barcelona striker Luis Suarez is nursing an injury that casts doubts as to what stage he will make his appearance, represent with Argentina the long history of what was formerly called the South American championship.

The archrivals from opposite shores of the River Plate met in 12 finals in the first 51 years of the competition, including the first, won by Uruguay who hold a record 15 titles, one more than Argentina.

Five times world champion Brazil have won five of their eight titles in the last 16 years but failed to get past the quarter-finals in the last two.

They will be banking on young hopefuls like Lucas Lima to give coach Dunga his second crown after they beat Argentina in Venezuela in the 2007 final in his first spell in charge — when Messi made his first appearance in the tournament.

NEW YORK — Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi literally coasted to victory at the Brickyard in the 100th running of the race on Sunday but his triumph was anything but worry free.

IndyCar series rookie Rossi won the fabled race after a bold tactical move to forgo refuelling to save time and in this individualist sport relied on help from his Andretti Autosport teammates to make it to the finish.

Rossi says he ran out of gas at Turn Four of the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval with about 400 metres left.

“I was just praying that there was nobody coming up behind me,” the 24-year-old Californian told Reuters on Tuesday. “It was the longest trip from Turn Four to the start/finish line.”

He had petered down to 209 kilometres per hour by the time he got the chequered flag, almost 161kph slower than he should have been, but still crossed the line with more than four seconds to spare.

“I kept looking at the Yard of Bricks [marking the finish], looking at my rearview mirror, saying ‘Please, may nobody come and pass me.’

“When I finally got my car over the finishing line I looked to my right and it was ‘Yeah, we did it. Thank god’,” Rossi said from the Empire State Building Observation Deck on the 86th floor about the moment that he felt on top of the world.

Standing next to the giant silver Borg-Warner Trophy whose Art-Deco design looked at home in the iconic Manhattan skyscraper, Rossi praised his fellow Andretti team drivers.

“One of the ways we found most efficient to saving fuel was being in the draft of others,” said Rossi.

“So Townsend [Bell] helped me out quite a bit by towing me around for probably about 12 laps and Ryan [Hunter-Reay, the 2014 Indy 500 winner] helped me at the end by towing me for four laps.

“It was a huge team effort from Andretti Autosport.”

Teammate Carlos Munoz finished second as Rossi’s No. 98 Honda finally came to rest short of the pit entrance.

Rossi, who joined the Andretti team after driving on the Formula One circuit, said pulling together as a team was not unusual for them.

“The four teammates and the fifth added for the 500 are an incredibly close knit group and after every day we sit down in a circle and discuss our individual day and what worked and what didn’t work,” said Rossi after only his second race on an oval.

“That’s how as a unit, as a team, we move forward.”

Since winning the Indy 500, time has been a blur for Rossi, who lost count of how many interviews he had done with media during a whirlwind day in New York.

“It’s been insane,” said Rossi, breaking into a laugh when asked if he was in danger of running out of gas.

“I’ll be honest, I’m a little bit on the limit.

“But it’s an amazing city, to be able to come to New York, and a great opportunity and this place gives you energy.”

Along with all the attention came a first prize of $2.5 million.

“I’ll get through it, I’m young enough. It’s been crazy. I had no idea from when I got out of the car on Sunday afternoon what was going to come. It’s been an amazing experience. I’ll remember these days for the rest of my life.”

STOCKHOLM — Sweden captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic has remained tight-lipped about his future at club and international level, telling reporters on Wednesday that he would let them know his plans when he was good and ready.

Speculation about his next move has been rife since Ibrahimovic left Paris Saint-Germain after scoring a career-high 38 league goals this season.

Rumours linking the 34-year-old free agent to Manchester United and Malmo, as well as guesswork that he would announce the end to his international career, have gathered steam but a relaxed Ibrahimovic opted to avoid discussing his future.

“I want you to still write a lot of stories, so I get excited when I see them, because I want to see who is making up the best story,” he told reporters at Sweden’s training camp, where the side are preparing for the Euro 2016 finals in France.

“When I’m tired of it, I’ll let you know where I will go.”

The striker did manage to refute a suggestion that he might play half a season for Swedish league leaders and his first club Malmo before joining another side at the beginning of 2017.

Malmo would have no chance of matching the top-level salaries Ibrahimovic earned in major clubs such as Juventus, Milan, Barcelona and PSG.

“I’m still not interested in the Allsvenskan [Swedish league]. I’m too good for the Allsvenskan,” he stated, without giving any more hints about his next destination after he completed four trophy-laden seasons with French champions Paris St Germain last month.

Speaking in the west coast town of Bastad where the Swedes are training ahead of their final pre-tournament friendly against Wales, Ibrahimovic stonewalled questions from reporters about his post-Euro 2016 plans.

“It’s nothing I’ve thought about, nothing I’ve invested any energy in,” he said when asked if he intended to bring his international career to a close.

Sweden’s all-time leading goal scorer did, however, reveal that he was back in full training following a calf muscle injury that caused him to miss the 0-0 draw with Slovenia in Malmo on Monday.

Asked whether he would play football at all next season, he said, “I hope so,” but also insisted he wants to retire at the top of his game.

“Where ever I go I want to perform. If I feel I can’t do that, then someone else has to come in and do it,” Ibrahimovic said. “That’s why I want to quit when I’m at the top.”

With the US State Department issuing a warning about possible attacks in Europe during events like the European Championship, Ibrahimovic said he would not be unduly worried.

“After the tragic events in Paris [last November], the security has been heightened considerably, you see military guys on the street,” he explained.

“Ahead of this championship I know that they have stepped it up a lot. One doesn’t want something to happen. I believe the security will be in place.

“I hope that the people can enjoy the football, the players can enjoy playing football, and even those sitting at home — let them enjoy it. I hope it will be a pleasure,” he said.

Sweden have been drawn in Group E of the June 10-July 10 tournament alongside Belgium, Italy and Ireland, who they play first at the Stade de France on June 13. 

LeBron James and the Cavaliers rested up and waited through a tumultuous Western Conference finals before finding themselves right back where they were last year, going against the Warriors for the NBA title.

James, on a stated mission to bring to Cleveland the city’s first major professional sports team title in 52 years, and the Cavs hit the road to open the best-of-seven against sharpshooter Stephen Curry and Golden State at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, on Thursday.

Cleveland fell in six games in last year’s NBA Finals, but that was an undermanned Cavaliers crew.

They were without injured power forward Kevin Love and lost point guard Kyrie Irving after one game of the finals.

This year, they are at full strength and looking a different team under new coach Tyronn Lue, who has them running and gunning three-pointers as an Eastern Conference version of the Warriors.

James is now surrounded by potent shooters including Irving, Love, J.R. Smith and Channing Frye, who helped Cleveland set three-point records during their 12-2 charge through the play-offs that began with a pair of four-game sweeps.

Despite all this, the Warriors are heavy favourite, according to the early betting markets.

A high octane finals could be in the offing as they match their shooting prowess against Curry and All-Star backcourt mate Klay Thompson, Golden State’s “Splash Brothers”.

Cleveland should be the fresher of the clubs.

“Feeling good right now,” coach Lue said. “Focusing on trying to get better, using each practice, all the time we have to get better.”

It has been a much tougher return trip for the Warriors, who despite their NBA record 73-9 regular season mark, had to endure Curry’s knee injury earlier in the play-offs before a huge challenge from the Thunder.

Oklahoma City not only had a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven, but also double-digit cushions in both Game Six and Seven.

“We weren’t just down 3-1, but we’d been blown out two straight games,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after Game Seven.

“It’s a pretty remarkable comeback. It shows a lot about our guys and their will and their grit.”

James, a four-time league MVP, has of course shown his grit over the years as best all-around player, with defensive skills to match his offensive prowess. This is his sixth NBA finals in a row and seventh overall.

Curry, a unanimous choice in repeating as NBA MVP, is gunning to join Boston Celtics great Bill Russell, Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan and James as the NBA’s only back-to-back MVP, NBA title winners.

The Golden State Warriors’ historic season goes on, with just one left team to beat.

It’s the same one they faced in last year’s NBA finals.

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, looking far more formidable than the team Golden State defeated last year, will be the opponent again for Stephen Curry and the Warriors beginning Thursday night.

The Warriors barely got back, becoming the 10th team to climb out of a 3-1 hole by beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 96-88 on Monday night in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. After winning a record 73 games in 2015-16, they could claim the greatest season in NBA history with four more victories.

They beat Cleveland 4-2 last June, but the Cavaliers will arrive in the Bay Area in much better shape than a year ago as they try to end Cleveland’s 52-year title drought in pro sports.

“It’ll be fun,” Warriors All-Star Draymond Green said. “You know they’re rolling right now, they got a lot of guys going, but looking forward to the challenge.”

Kyrie Irving, who broke his kneecap in Game 1 last year, and Kevin Love, who had already been lost to shoulder surgery, are combining for more than 40 points per game in the postseason, poised to give James the help he didn’t have during his furious but futile one-man show last year.

He averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists, but the Warriors won the final three games after James had carried the Cavs to a 2-1 lead.

James played in the last NBA finals rematch, when his Miami Heat outlasted San Antonio in seven games in 2013 but were beaten in five games a year later.

It’s part of James’ run that has now reached six straight NBA finals. He is 2-4 in the championship round and 0-2 with the Cavs, who were swept in 2007 in his first appearance with a team, like last year’s injury-depleted unit, that was severely undermanned.

This time, he is surrounded by shooters, with Irving, Love, J.R. Smith and Channing Frye all having hot hands for a team that stormed through the Eastern Conference play-offs with a 12-2 record.

“Feeling good right now,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. “Focusing on trying to get better, using each practice, all the time we have to get better.”

It’s been a much tougher return trip for the Warriors, who had to endure Curry’s knee injury earlier in the postseason before a huge challenge from the Thunder, who not only had the 3-1, lead but also double-digit cushions in both Game 6 and 7.

“It took us until the last minute to get it done, but we’re back,” Curry said.

Cleveland would have had home-court advantage in the finals had the Thunder finished off the Warriors. Instead, the Cavaliers will be headed back to California on Tuesday.

Golden State won both meetings during the regular season, a home victory on Christmas and a dismantling in Cleveland a month later in one of the final games before the Cavs fired David Blatt and replaced him with Lue.

The tweaked finals format adds some extra break time and will make it a little longer if it goes the distance. Games 1 and 2 remain Thursday and Sunday, but Games 3 and 4 in Cleveland are on the following Wednesday and Friday. Game 7 wouldn’t be until June 19.

ZURICH — Former Croatia captain Zvonimir Boban was given a high-ranking role at FIFA on Monday when football’s global ruling body named him as one of its two new deputy secretary generals.

Boban, 47, will oversee the “football pillar” of FIFA’s new administration, focusing on developing the game and the organisation of competitions, FIFA said in a statement.

Marco Villiger, currently FIFA’s legal director, was named as the other deputy Secretary General and will be in charge of commercial and administrative operations.

The appointments were announced by FIFA’s new Secretary General Fatma Samoura who confirmed the decision to split the administration of the sport’s governing body into two halves.

Samoura, the first woman to hold the position, was addressing FIFA employees for the first time since her surprise appointment earlier this month.

The event was not open to the media, although FIFA said the Senegalese, who previously had a long career with the United Nations but has no experience in football administration, delivered an “inspiring” speech.

Boban made 51 appearances for Croatia and captained the side which finished third at the 1998 World Cup, their best-ever performance.

He also won four Serie A titles and the Champions League during a nine-year spell with AC Milan. Recently, he has been working as a television commentator in Croatia and Italy.

Corruption scandal

Football’s world ruling body has been embroiled in a corruption scandal over the past year and several dozen officials, including former FIFA executive committee members, have been indicted in the United States.

So far, at least 15 people and two corporate entities have pleaded guilty in the US cases.

Last week, Markus Kattner was fired as deputy secretary general after FIFA said that an internal investigation had “uncovered breaches of his fiduciary responsibilities in connection with his employment contact.”

Samoura said her priority would be to oversees reforms which were passed in February and which FIFA says will avoid a repeat of the previous scandals.

“It is my goal to keep on putting the reforms into action and to help FIFA in its process of being recognised as an institution that is run under the principles of good governance, and one that people may be proud of,” she said.

However, FIFA has been plunged into fresh controversy following a resolution passed by the Congress in Mexico City on May 13 which gives the FIFA Council the power to dismiss members of its watchdog committees.

Domenico Scala, a Swiss businessman who led reforms, quit his post as head of the audit and compliance committee, saying his body had lost its independence.

MILAN — In leading Real Madrid to their 11th European Cup less than five months after inheriting an unhappy team from Rafael Benitez, Zinedine Zidane has cemented his heroic status at the Bernabeu and appears to have assured his immediate future.

Although neither Zidane nor Real’s notoriously trigger happy President Florentino Perez have confirmed whether the French coach would be remain charge, there could be no political capital gained from axing the coach now.

The Frenchman has enjoyed special status since his wondrous volley against Bayer Leverkusen won the 2002 Champions League, although he must know Saturday’s shootout victory over Atletico Madrid does not guarantee him a long future at the club.

He only needs to look at the fate of the last two coaches to lead Real to European glory, Vicente del Bosque and Carlo Ancelotti, both sacked 12 months later, as a reminder of that.

The only Real coach to create any sort of dynasty was Miguel Munoz, like Zidane a European Cup winner as a Real midfielder, who spent 14 years in charge, winning Europe’s top prize in 1960 and 1966 and nine La Liga titles.

Having conquered Europe with Real as a player, coach and assistant, Zidane’s next task is to wrest the La Liga title back from Barcelona, who finished a solitary point above his side.

Zidane picked up more points than Barca and Atletico since succeeding Benitez on January 4, including victories in the last 12 games, although the football his team played lacked the sparkle of Luis Enrique’s championship-winning side.

The most graceful of players, Zidane has proved to be a great pragmatist as a coach, stressing on the eve of the final that his team’s plan was to “run, run and run”.

With Cristiano Ronaldo clearly not match fit, Real’s win owed more to the gutsy determination of defensive midfielder Casemiro and man of the match Sergio Ramos than the flair players Perez loves to recruit.

PITTSBURGH — San Jose Sharks centre Joe Thornton doesn’t hesitate to call himself a great player, which he is.

“I’m real good. I’ll tell you that all day,” said Thornton, whose humour and 1,341 regular-season points negate any perception of arrogance.

It’s difficult to imagine Pittsburgh Penguins centre Sidney Crosby describing himself that way, though he has ample justification with 938 points in 707 regular-season games. He’s not prone to grand statements, though, so Thornton said it for him.

“He’s one of the best to ever play, as far as I’m concerned,” Thornton said. “His speed, the way he sees the game, he’s very elite.”

Both have withstood the ravages of a punishing sport and sharp-tongued critics. On Monday their paths will converge at Consol Energy Centre, with the Stanley Cup and a chance to enhance their reputations at stake.

Crosby, 28, will play in his third Cup Final but first since he led the Penguins to victory in 2009, before their budding dynasty fizzled and his career was jeopardised by multiple concussions.

“It does feel like it’s been a while, but the one thing that doesn’t change is the excitement,” he said Sunday. “I think there’s appreciation after being away. It’s a great opportunity and you just want to make the most of it.”

Thornton, 36, will play in his first Cup Final after 19 NHL seasons and many spectacular playoff disappointments. “I always believed that next year was going to be the year. I really did,” he said. “Even last year, not making the play-offs, I honestly thought, ‘We’re a couple of pieces away,’ and here we are.”

One of those pieces was starting goaltender Martin Jones, who will get his first chance to define himself and his career.

A year ago, Jones, 26, was the backup to durable Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. Jones was about to become a restricted free agent and General Manager Dean Lombardi anticipated Jones would sign an offer sheet with another team, which would have brought the Kings compensation of a second-round draft pick. To head that off, Lombardi traded him to Boston for Milan Lucic. The Bruins sent Jones on to San Jose for a first-round pick and a prospect.

“We knew Boston was flipping him where he was going to end up with an offer sheet, anyway, and Boston would not have done it without getting the asset they wanted from flipping him,” Lombardi said. “That’s why it is ridiculous to assume Boston did something underhanded. Caps do not allow you to keep top goalies in a backup role. They’re like trying to keep a solid backup quarterback.”

Jones, who appeared in two games during the Kings’ 2014 Cup run, welcomed the chance to start for the Sharks. “I was confident I was able to do it,” he said. “It’s a matter of opportunity and playing well at the right time and playing behind a good team.”

He had fine preparation, which included watching Quick up close and getting guidance from goaltending coach Bill Ranford and goaltending development coach Kim Dillabaugh.

“You just watch the guy compete and how he battles on every puck,” Jones said of Quick. “That’s something I’ve tried to put in my game. Obviously we’re very different goalies but he’s a guy that you can definitely learn a lot from.

“Bill and Kim were great. Those are important development years early on in your pro career. We had a great relationship and it worked well.”

Jeff Zatkoff, the Penguins’ backup goalie, alternated with Jones for the Kings’ farm team in Manchester, then in the American Hockey League. They still keep in touch, though their friendship is on hold.

“He’s been great all year,” Zatkoff said of Jones, who was 37-23-4 with a 2.27 goals-against average and .918 save percentage in 65 regular-season games. “I know he’s won with LA, but to see him get a chance to actually carry a team on his own and get that opportunity, I’m glad to see him make the most of it. I’m happy for him, but I don’t want him to play too well in the final.”

Sharks coach Peter DeBoer was impressed when he coached Jones with Canada at the 2015 World Championships. “I noticed how calm and composed he was and how fluid he was in the net,” DeBoer said.

AMMAN — Jordan on Wednesday will join 161 countries and millions of runners around the world in taking a pledge to run as part of the Global Running Day celebrated around the globe June 1.

Run Jordan, the sole entity dedicated to bringing together different marathon events and races under one organising umbrella invited Jordanian runners to join this global campaign which coincides with the Kingdom’s celebration of the Great Arab Revolt Centennial.

Lina Al Kurd, Run Jordan deputy general manager told The Jordan Times that the event is truly a global run.

“We have been invited by the Association of International Marathons to join the world in making a pledge on June 1 and we are inviting all Jordanians to join us on Wednesday for a marathon which coincides with the Kingdom’s celebration of the Great Arab Revolt centennial,” she said.

The free marathon targeting all families is 1.865 kilometres long and for all ages.

“It is like the whole world joining hands to run a marathon and we welcome all families who enjoy running to join the event where medals will be distributed to winners,” she added.

Kurd stated that all those who are interested to make the pledge can go to globalrunningday.org and make their pledge to run.

According to Kurd, Global Running Day aims to have 1 million kids running on June 1.

“We, as Jordanians, have to be part of the world and this day, which started in 2009 by leading running organisations and races throughout the US, has been held annually on the first Wednesday of June ever since,” she said.

“It is all about inspiration and giving hope to many, Run Jordan has always been a supporter of leading a healthy life through its activities and we would like to see families enjoying a day of sports,” she added.

Run Jordan headed by HH Prince Firas has been very active in their programmes which target youths to lead healthy lifestyles.