Sports Briefs

Guyana's sports minister slams Shiv move

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

Guyana's Minister with responsibility for Sport Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has described as "distressing" the axing of Shivnarine Chanderpaul from the West Indies squad for the upcoming tour against Australia and says the veteran left-hander should have been allowed to leave "in a dignified way".

Roopnaraine, also the education minister, said the way Chanderpaul was treated did not reflect the yeoman service he had given to West Indies cricket and the region.

"The manner of his going, really, does no justice to the manner of his performance over the years and what he has meant to us," Roopnaraine said.

"I think that the response of the Guyana Cricket Board was robust. It clearly is a decision that we in Guyana feel distressed about. Chanderpaul has for so long been a Titan on the cricketing scene in the Caribbean, and it is difficult right now to even imagine a West Indian team without Chanderpaul."

The GCB on Monday lambasted the selectors' decision to discard Chanderpaul, calling it a "matter of gross disrespect."

Bulls fire coach Tom Thibodeau

CHICAGO (AP):

The Chicago Bulls fired Tom Thibodeau yesterday, saying a change was needed from the strong-willed coach who took his team to the play-offs in each of his five seasons.

Thibodeau went 255-139 with the Bulls, good for a .647 winning percentage that ranks seventh in NBA history among coaches with at least 200 games. He led the Bulls to the top seed in the play-offs his first two seasons and was the NBA's Coach of the Year in 2011 - the same year Derrick Rose became the league's youngest MVP.

Chicago advanced to the Eastern Conference finals that season, but it's the only time the Bulls have made it past the second round under Thibodeau, whose relationship with the front office was under constant scrutiny.

Putin accuses US of meddling

in FIFA affairs

MOSCOW (AP):

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States of meddling in the affairs of football's governing body and hinted that its corruption investigation is part of an attempt to take the 2018 World Cup away from his country.

Putin said in televised comments yesterday that he found it "odd" that the FIFA probe was launched at the request of US officials for crimes that do not involve its citizens and did not happen in the United States.

Corruption charges in the US were announced Wednesday against 14 people, at least two of whom have American citizenship. Seven of the 14 were arrested Wednesday morning in Zurich ahead of a FIFA meeting and today's presidential election in which Sepp Blatter is expected to win a fifth term. Much of the money that allegedly changed hands went through US banks, which is why US officials were able to bring charges.