IOC urging Sochi to sort out hotel problems

The IOC is urging Russian Olympic organizers to move quickly to resolve the issue of accommodations that are not ready for accredited media personnel in the mountains outside Sochi.According to the Sochi organizing committee, only six of the nine media hotels in the mountain area are fully operational.Some media have arrived and found they had no place to stay, and thousands of journalists are expected to arrive Monday.The matter was being examined Sunday at a meeting of the International Olympi

Olympic GamesFeb. 2, 2014

Arsenal’s Park joins Watford

Arsenal’s South Korean striker Park Chu-young has signed with Watford on a loan deal until the end of the season, subject to English Premier League clearance, the London-based football club said Saturday.The 29-year-old played for FC Seoul and AS Monaco before joining the Gunners, and he spent the last season on loan at Celta Vigo in Spain. While the South Korean has scored 23 goals in 61 international matches for his country, the talented but much-maligned forward has made only seven appearance

SoccerFeb. 2, 2014

Manning wins fifth MVP award

NEW YORK (AP) ― Peyton Manning’s record-setting season earned him his fifth Associated Press NFL MVP award Saturday night in a landslide.No other player has won more than three.Denver’s record-setting quarterback, who threw for 55 touchdowns and 5,477 yards in leading the Broncos to the AFC’s best record, earned 49 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. New England quarterback Tom Brady got the other vote.Manning won his other MVPs with Indianapolis in

More SportsFeb. 2, 2014

S. Korea blanked by U.S. in football friendly

South Korea dropped to the United States 2-0 in their friendly football match in California on Saturday, in another uninspired performance in the buildup to the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.Forward Chris Wondolowski scored both of the U.S. goals at StubHub Center in Carson as South Korea suffered its second straight loss. Last Wednesday, South Korea was embarrassed by Mexico in a demoralizing 4-0 loss in San Antonio.South Korea's record dropped to four wins, six losses and three draws under head coa

SportsFeb. 2, 2014

Arsenal's Park Chu-young joins Watford on loan

Arsenal's South Korean striker Park Chu-young has signed for Watford on a loan deal until the end of the season, subject to English Premier League clearance, the London-based football club said Saturday.The 29-year-old played for FC Seoul and AS Monaco before joining the Gunners, and he spent the last season on loan at Celta Vigo in Spain.While the South Korean has scored 23 goals in 61 international matches for his country, the talented but much-maligned forward has made only seven appearances

SoccerFeb. 1, 2014

Five more Koreans qualify for Sochi Winter Olympics

Five more South Korean athletes have qualified for the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics, officials announced Tuesday, adding to the record number of athletes to compete at a Winter Games.The Korean Olympic Committee said two snowboarders and three freestyle skiers have been added to the delegation, which will now have 71 athletes and 49 officials for the Feb. 7-23 Winter Olympics.The previous record for the largest number of athletes at a Winter Games was 48 at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.Acc

Olympic GamesJan. 28, 2014

Hong hopes Park story won’t distract team

LOS ANGELES (Yonhap) ― Addressing the potential return of former captain Park Ji-sung to the men’s national football team, head coach Hong Myung-bo said he hopes to resolve the issue before it becomes a distraction for his squad.Speaking to reporters in Los Angeles, where the national team has been training since last week, Hong said he hasn’t changed his mind about wanting to speak to Park, 32, about joining him for the big tournament in Brazil.Park, who retired from international play in Janua

SoccerJan. 28, 2014

Asian Cup expansion sparks debate

A proposal to expand the Asian Cup to 24 teams has sparked a debate among the region’s football bodies, with commercial and developmental considerations on one side, and on the other a fear that it will dilute the quality of the competition.The Asian Football Confederation’s Competitions Committee recommended on the weekend that the quadrennial tournament be expanded from 16 to 24 teams.Advocates say it will increase the likelihood that big commercial markets like China, India and Southeast Asia

SoccerJan. 28, 2014

Olympic badminton champion Lee Yong-dae suspended for violating int'l anti-doping procedures

Former Olympic badminton champion Lee Yong-dae has been suspended for one year for violating international anti-doping procedures, officials said Tuesday, putting his availability for this year's Asian Games at home in jeopardy.The Badminton World Federation announced on its website that Lee and another South Korean player, Kim Ki-jung, have been suspended for a year for "violating the requirements relating to filing whereabouts information and resulting missed tests under the BWF Anti-Doping Re

More SportsJan. 28, 2014

Chelsea rolls past Stoke 1-0

LONDON (AP) ― A superb free kick from Oscar gave Chelsea a 1-0 win over Stoke in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday while Fulham needed an equalizer 15 minutes from time to draw 1-1 with third-tier strugglers Sheffield United, who were down to 10 men.The Brazil midfielder scored in the 27th minute at Stamford Bridge with a curling 20-meter shot that ended in the top corner as Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic dived in vain.Dangerous on the break and dominant in midfield, Chelsea almost double

SoccerJan. 27, 2014