Digest

SOCCER

Vandals hack down Messi statue again

Argentina's Lionel Messi is used to being hacked down by defenders but his statue in Buenos Aires has suffered even rougher treatment for the second time this year.

The Barcelona forward's bronze sculpture on Paseo de la Gloria was vandalized on Monday, chopped off at the ankles with the body left on the pavement. Appropriately perhaps, given how difficult it is to pry it away from him on the pitch, the ball remained stuck to the statue's left boot.

Since being installed in June 2016 the statue has been a regular target for vandals, and in January it was cut in half at the waist.

NFL

Baltimore's Smith lands doping ban

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith has been given a four-game suspension for an anti-doping violation, the National Football League announced on Monday.

Smith, 29, who suffered a season-ending torn Achilles in Sunday's win over Detroit, will serve the ban while on injured reserve, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.

No details of the doping violation were released.

The suspension will cost Smith $182,352 in lost earnings, ESPN reported.

Gronkowski to sit over Buffalo hit

The NFL suspended New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski one game on Monday for a late, gratuitous hit to the head of Bills defensive back Tre'Davious White.

White was lying face down on the sideline after intercepting a pass in Buffalo on Sunday when Gronkowski bodyslammed him, driving his forearm into White's back and head. Gronkowski was called for unnecessary roughness, but not kicked out of the game.

After the game, Patriots coach Bill Belichick appeared to apologize to Bills counterpart Sean McDermott. Gronkowski also said sorry.

BASKETBALL

Shoplifter Ball set for UCLA exit

The father of UCLA guard LiAngelo Ball said he plans to withdraw his son from school because of concerns related to the freshman's indefinite suspension for his admitted participation in a shoplifting incident during the Bruins' trip to China.

The younger Ball, along with freshmen Jalen Hill and Cody Riley, have been barred from all team activities as part of their suspension for shoplifting from three high-end stores in Hangzhou last month just before UCLA opened its season in Shanghai.

LaVar Ball said on Monday that he's going to explore other options for LiAngelo because he's "not going to let him sit back and not practice".

Warrior Livingston, official suspended

The NBA has suspended Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston for one game and removed official Courtney Kirkland from the officiating rotation for a week because of an altercation during a game Sunday.

Kirkland's suspension runs from Monday night through Sunday.

Livingston and Kirkland bumped heads during the Warriors' win at Miami. Livingston was assessed a technical foul and ejected for making contact with a game official.

(China Daily 12/06/2017 page8)