Digest

WINTER SPORTS

Beijing's 'Ice Cube' opens to the public

Beijing's "Ice Cube", the venue for curling at the 2022 Winter Olympics, began trial operation this week.

More than 800 junior-school students on Monday experienced the four curling tracks at the venue, which has been converted from the National Aquatics Center, aka the "Water Cube".

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign technicians were unable to come to China, so the on-site ice production was completed by domestic teams.

By the end of March next year, the public will be able to buy tickets to experience curling at the Ice Cube. For 30 yuan ($4.5), people can slide four to six stones. Discounts will be available for teenagers, the disabled and professional soldiers, with group rates also on offer.

After the 2022 Beijing Games, the center will host water sports in spring, summer and autumn, and ice sports in winter, becoming a model of sustainability for Olympic facilities.

It's all right on the night for Kristoffersen

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen set a blistering pace in the second run to win the men's night slalom at Madonna di Campiglio in Italy on Tuesday.

Kristoffersen had been 12th after the first run but powered back in the second to finish 0.33 seconds ahead of compatriot Sebastian Foss-Solevaag, who had led the way earlier.

Italy's Alex Vinatzer finished third at 0.34 sec, for just the second podium finish of his career.

"I don't think I've ever been so emotional after a victory," said Kristoffersen after his 22nd career win and 64th podium.

The 26-year-old's last success was the slalom in Schladming, Austria, in January this year. "I've already had difficult times in my career but I have always come back. Skiing is my life: I have skiing, my family and that's it," he said. The men's World Cup continues with the downhill in Bormio next Monday.

SOCCER

Luxemburgo beats COVID for second time

Former Brazil and Real Madrid manager Vanderlei Luxemburgo was discharged from hospital on Tuesday after overcoming COVID-19 for a second time.

The 68-year-old was admitted to the Sirio-Libanes hospital in Sao Paulo on Dec 11 after complaining of severe body and head aches.

"I'm going home. I beat the virus. Thanks to the doctors and this marvelous hospital for taking care of me," Luxemburgo said in a video posted on social media.

The veteran coach was asymptomatic during his first bout of the virus in July.

Luxemburgo is the only manager to win five Brazilian Serie A titles. He was Brazil's national team boss from 1998 to 2000 and had an 11-month spell in charge of Madrid in 2005.

His most recent head-coaching role was with Palmeiras, with whom he parted ways in October.

Juventus title hopes suffer double whammy

Ten-man Juventus crashed to its first Serie A defeat of the season on Tuesday－a 3-0 loss to Fiorentina.

The home defeat came hours after the champion－which had Juan Cuadrado sent off in the 18th minute－learned it must play the match against Napoli which was canceled on Oct 4 after the southern side refused to travel to Turin because of coronavirus cases.

On Tuesday, Napoli won its appeal to the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) after being handed a 3-0 defeat and a one-point deduction.

As a result Juventus, which had started the day with 27 points, finished it with 24. Ahead of Wednesday's action, Juve was fourth, tied on points with Napoli and Roma, and seven behind leader AC Milan.

"It's not a problem for us to play the Napoli game, but it seems unfair on the other teams who traveled, and perhaps lost points, with absences due to COVID," said Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo.

Lyon striker Dembele breaks arm in training

Lyon striker Moussa Dembele, off to a slow start with just one goal this season, broke his arm during a training session, coach Rudi Garcia said on Tuesday.

The injury ruled Dembele out of second-place Lyon's home match against Nantes on Wednesday.

"We'll see what the course of action is, but for now he is unavailable," Garcia said, without giving a timetable for Dembele's return.

The former Fulham and Celtic player has scored just once－on Nov 29 in a 3-0 win over Reimsafter netting 24 times in all competitions last season, including a double in a 3-1 Champions League upset of Manchester City.

Lyon, which was level on points with Ligue 1 leader Lille and a point ahead of third-place Paris Saint-Germain before Wednesday's game, extended its unbeaten run to 13 games on Saturday by defeating Nice 4-1.

"We will have to play a 14th game in a row without defeat," Garcia said. "No points are won in advance."

TABLE TENNIS

ITTF's team worlds fall victim to pandemic

The ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships have been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The championships were originally scheduled for March in the South Korean city of Busan but were then postponed three times.

The International Table Tennis Federation said in a statement that it hoped to hold the event in February 2021 but was forced to cancel "due to the worsening situation in South Korea and with the pandemic still problematic in many regions of the world".

South Korean authorities are trying to limit social gatherings following a recent surge in virus cases. The ITTF said it was informed the measures would make it impossible to host international sports events in the near future.

The ITTF executive committee approved an event schedule for the first part of 2021 leading up to the Olympic Games, and said the WTT Grand Smash events will have equal world-ranking points to the Olympics and world championships.

Xinhua - Agencies