MLB
Angels’ Hamilton in hot water with league office
ANAHEIM, Calif. – Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton met with Major League Baseball officials about a disciplinary issue.
Angels’ spokesman Tim Mead confirmed the Los Angeles Times’ initial report Wednesday that Hamilton went to New York to meet with baseball officials. The team declined to give any more specific information.
Hamilton hasn’t reported to spring training in Arizona after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder earlier this month. He is expected to be out until after the regular season begins.
The 2010 AL MVP will enter the third season of a five-year, $125 million contract. Hamilton has been a disappointment for the Angels, batting just .255 with 31 homers and 123 runs batted in in two seasons.
Hamilton also has a well-chronicled history of drug addiction and alcohol abuse, leading to previous suspensions.
Olympics
IOC head quizzed about water shortages in Rio
RIO DE JANEIRO – IOC President Thomas Bach was pressed Wednesday about the severe water shortages in Brazil by a group of 100 university students during a town hall meeting.
Bach was asked repeatedly to justify building a golf course and a canoeing venue for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.
Southeastern Brazil, which includes Rio, is going through the worst drought in 80 years.
A new $20 million golf course is being built for the games. The city also is building an artificial canoeing venue, which a student described as being the equivalent to “10 swimming pools.”
Bach said he’d been told by Rio Olympic officials that heavy rain in February had resolved the problem, and he seemed surprised to hear otherwise.
The IOC ended a three-day inspection tour of Rio on Wednesday, with Bach being briefed by the inspectors. He will remain in Rio for more meetings until Saturday.
He acknowledged that people being deprived of water and linking it to the Olympics was bad for the IOC.
Rio is spending about $14 billion on the Olympics, and Brazil spent about $12 billion on last year’s World Cup.
Skiing
German police help Vonn travel without passport
MUNICH – German police said they helped American skier Lindsey Vonn get to Bulgaria for a World Cup event after she forgot her passport in Austria.
Munich airport police say Vonn realized after arriving Wednesday for a flight to Sofia that she had left her passport in Salzburg, more than 1½ hours away.
They say officers at the airport issued an emergency travel document for the 30-year-old American that allowed her to take her flight.
A World Cup super-G and a combined event will be held in Bansko, Bulgaria, this weekend.
Soccer
No FIFA pay to club teams for 2022 date switch
DOHA, Qatar – FIFA will not compensate European clubs for disrupting their season by rescheduling the 2022 World Cup, according to the governing body’s secretary general.
Jerome Valcke also ruled out apologizing for a November-December tournament that avoids Qatar’s summer heat and shuts down top national leagues for several weeks.
Compensation was demanded Tuesday by European Club Association chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who said his members would not bear the costs, including losing lucrative match days.
Valcke also revealed UEFA supports playing the 2022 World Cup final on a Friday, Dec. 23.
Every World Cup final since 1970 was played on Sunday. Dec. 18 is also an option for 2022.
Associated Press
