IOC grants full Olympic recognition to Kosovo

MONACO (AP) -- Athletes from Kosovo will be able to compete at the 2016 Summer Games after being granted full recognition on Tuesday by the International Olympic Committee.The full IOC formally ratified a decision made in October by the executive board that clears the way for Kosovo to compete as an independent nation.Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, becomes the 205th national Olympic committee recognized by the IOC.``This is one big day, one historical day for athletes o

Olympic GamesDec. 9, 2014

KBO to have wild card game starting in 2015

The nation’s top baseball league announced Tuesday it will introduce a wild card game for teams to battle for the final playoff berth starting in 2015.The Korea Baseball Organization said the fourth- and fifth-ranked teams after the regular season will clash for the right to compete in the first round of the postseason.The decision was reached at a board meeting of team presidents.In July, team officials had proposed to hold a one-and-done wild card game between No. 4 and No. 5 seeds only if the

BaseballDec. 9, 2014

Man United beats Southampton 2-1

SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) ― Two clinical finishes from Robin van Persie gave Manchester United a 2-1 victory against Southampton in the Premier League on Monday, despite the visitors being pegged back for much of the game at St. Mary’s.Van Persie scored with United’s only two efforts on target to give Louis van Gaal’s side its fifth win a row and overtake Southampton in third place. Southampton dropped to fifth behind West Ham after its third straight loss against the teams it hopes to challenge

SoccerDec. 9, 2014

Nexen ace Andy Van Hekken surprised by landslide Golden Glove win

Andy Van Hekken, the left-handed starter for the Nexen Heroes, on Tuesday grabbed his first Golden Glove Award in the Korea Baseball Organization in a landslide.Van Hekken, the league's only 20-game winner who finished second with 178 strikeouts and third with a 3.51 ERA, was a well-deserving winner. The only foreign winner this year said afterward he wasn't surprised by the win itself, but by how handily he claimed the trophy.Van Hekken earned 278 out of 321 votes for his first Golden Glove. Ri

BaseballDec. 9, 2014

Nexen produces four Gold Glovers in baseball while veteran breaks record

The Nexen Heroes on Tuesday produced four winners of the Golden Glove Awards, presented to the best overall players at each position in the top South Korean baseball league, while Samsung Lions' slugger Lee Seung-yuop bagged his record-setting ninth Golden Glove.Nexen second baseman Seo Geon-chang, voted MVP of the Korea Baseball Organization  last month, led a list of four winners for the Heroes at a ceremony held in Seoul. Seo collected 292 out of 321 possible votes for his second Golden Glove

BaseballDec. 9, 2014

Four Koreans earn full LPGA privileges

Four South Korean golfers have earned full-time status on the LPGA Tour for next season.At the LPGA Qualifying Tournament held at the LPGA International course in Daytona Beach, Florida, Korean LPGA members Kim Sei-young and Jang Ha-na led the South Korean contingent in a three-way tie for sixth place.The top 20 players out of 70 in the fifth and final round on Sunday earned full-time playing privileges on the LPGA Tour for 2015. Kim and Jang both finished at seven-under 353.Jang had the lead go

GolfDec. 8, 2014

IOC eyes 12 alternate sites for sliding venue

MONACO (AP) ― A dozen different bobsled and luge tracks around the world could step in to host events for the 2018 Winter Games if the sliding venue is moved out of South Korea, Olympic officials said Sunday.International Olympic Committee officials said they remain in talks with organizers of the PyeongChang Games about relocating the sliding sports to another country to save money and avoid leaving South Korea with a venue that has little after use.The move was requested by the IOC as part of

More SportsDec. 8, 2014

Olympics: Pyeongchang says no plan to shift events to Japan

Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics organisers said Monday they had no intention of moving any events outside South Korea, following reports that some competitions may be shifted to Japan in an effort to save costs."All necessary preparations are underway ... on the assumption that all competitions will be held as planned," a Pyeongchang organising committee spokeswoman told AFP."We are not considering the idea of holding some competitions elsewhere," she added.The statement followed reports that t

Olympic GamesDec. 8, 2014

Gwangju FC earns promotion to first-division soccer league

South Korean soccer club Gwangju FC on Saturday earned a promotion to the first division K League Classic for next season.In the second leg of the promotion playoff, Gwangju played Gyeongnam FC to a 1-1 draw on the road at Changwon Football Center in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, about 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul.Gwangju got the promotion on the superior aggregate score after two matches. In the opening leg Wednesday, Gwangju had prevailed 3-1.Gwangju has played the past two seasons

SoccerDec. 7, 2014

Asian soccer body disciplines N.K. player, coach

A North Korean soccer player and team coach have been suspended for six to 12 months for their misconduct during an Asian Games match in South Korea, according to the website of the Asian football governing body on Sunday.The disciplinary committee of the Asian Football Confederation decided at its November meeting to penalize North Korean team’s head coach Yun Jong-su with a 12-month suspension, barring him from all AFC competitions. He is still allowed to register as a team official, attend tr

SoccerDec. 7, 2014

IOC wants sliding events out of Korea

MONACO (AP) ― The International Olympic Committee is urging South Korean organizers of the 2018 Winter Games to move bobsled and luge events to another country to save money, according to an IOC official with knowledge of the situation.The IOC asked the South Koreans to halt construction of a new sliding venue for the PyeongChang Games and agree to relocate the events to an existing venue in Asia, Europe or North America, the official told the Associated Press on Saturday.The official spoke on c

More SportsDec. 7, 2014

Asian football governing body disciplines NK player, coach for misconduct during match

A North Korean football player and team coach have been suspended from six to 12 months for their misconduct during an Asian Games match in South Korea, according to the Web site of the Asian football governing body on Sunday.The disciplinary committee of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decided at their November meeting to penalize North Korean team's head coach Yun Jong-su with a 12-month suspension, barring him from all AFC competitions. He is still allowed to register as a team officia

SoccerDec. 7, 2014

Hanwha Eagles acquire two American pitchers

South Korean baseball club Hanwha Eagles announced Friday they’ve acquired two veteran American pitchers with prior playing experience in the top domestic competition.The Korea Baseball Organization team said they’ve signed left-hander Shane Youman and right-hander Mitch Talbot.Youman will make $375,000, along with a $100,000 signing bonus. Talbot has signed for a $390,000 salary with a signing bonus of $210,000. Foreign players may only sign one-year deals in the KBO.Youman, 35, pitched the pas

BaseballDec. 5, 2014