Digest

SOCCER

Lewandowski exit talk 'nonsense', says Kahn

Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn has dismissed as "nonsense" reports that its top-scoring striker Robert Lewandowski could leave when the season finishes next month.

Lewandowski chalked up his 47th goal this season in Tuesday's 1-1 draw at home to Villarreal which saw Bayern knocked out of the Champions League after a 2-1 aggregate defeat in the quarterfinals.

However, Lewandowski, who turns 34 in August, is out of contract next year.

Bayern is taking its time offering him an extension, fueling reports he may leave with Barcelona touted as one possible destination, which irks Kahn.

"Apparently there's a competition out there: who can tell the biggest nonsense story about Robert Lewandowski?" Kahn fumed after Tuesday's Champions League exit.

Kahn insists the runaway Bundesliga leader is "not crazy and is now discussing the transfer of a player who scores between 30 and 40 goals with us every season".

Kahn insists Lewandowski won't leave at the end of the current campaign. "We will definitely have Robert with us for another season."

Women's coach sorry for sexist comments

The coach of Northern Ireland's women's team apologized Wednesday for saying girls and women are susceptible to conceding multiple goals in a short space of time because they are "more emotional than men".

Kenny Shiels provoked criticism for the remarks he made after his team's 5-0 loss to England on Tuesday which ended Northern Ireland's chances of qualifying for next year's Women's World Cup.

"In the women's game, you'll have noticed, I'm sure you will if you go through the patterns," the 65-year-old Shiels said in the post-match news conference, "when a team concedes a goal, they concede a second one within a very short period of time.

"Right through the whole spectrum of the women's game, because girls and women are more emotional than men. So, they take a goal going in, they don't take that very well."

In a statement released Wednesday, Shiels said he was "sorry for the offense that (the comments) have caused".

Li expected to vacate Team China position

Li Xiaopeng is likely to resign as head coach of China's men's national soccer team following his side's dismal FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, Chinese media reported on Wednesday.

China, whose failed World Cup qualification campaign culminated in a 2-0 loss to Oman on March 29, drew once and lost three times under Li, who took over from previous incumbent Li Tie in December.

When Li Xiaopeng took the reins with the national team, he treated the final four World Cup qualifiers as a test in which he failed, according to a report in Guangzhou-based Soccer News.

"With circumstances conspiring against him, in all likelihood he will tender his resignation," the report added. Following the loss to Oman in March, when asked if he had the confidence to transform his team which he accused of being resigned to defeats, Li conceded that it would be difficult.

Team China's sole men's World Cup appearance was at the 2002 finals.

BASKETBALL

Campazzo suspended for shoving incident

The NBA has suspended Denver Nuggets guard Facundo Campazzo for Game 1 of a first-round playoff series against Golden State for a shoving incident in the regular-season finale.

Campazzo forcefully pushed down Los Angeles Lakers guard Wayne Ellington in the second quarter Sunday. Campazzo was assessed a flagrant foul 2 and ejected from the game.

The NBA also announced Wednesday that Ellington received a $20,000 fine for what the league said was escalating the incident by posting a threatening comment on social media after the game.

Campazzo will sit out when the Nuggets begin their series Saturday at Chase Center against the Warriors. He averaged 5.1 points, 3.4 assists and 18.2 minutes this season.

"It's unfortunate," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said after practice. "Facu sent me a message the other day apologizing for what happened in that Lakers game."

Campazzo helped the Nuggets to beat Portland in the postseason a year ago, before they were swept by Phoenix.

Agencies