FIFA: No plans to cancel Confed Cup amid protests
FIFA: No plans to cancel Confed Cup amid protests
RIO DE JANEIRO — Soccer’s governing body has no plans to cancel the Confederations Cup in Brazil despite the violent anti-government protests spreading across the country.
An estimated 1 million protesters took to the streets in more than 80 cities on Thursday night in the biggest show of anger yet against the government, which is being accused of corruption, high prices and a lack of investment in public services.
FIFA spokesman Pekka Odriozola told a news briefing the eight teams involved in the tournament were being kept updated about the security situation in Brazil.
Lindy Ruff hired to coach Dallas Stars
DALLAS — Lindy Ruff had one stipulation when he agreed to meet with the Dallas Stars about their coaching vacancy.
“We can’t meet in the crease,” Ruff said about his joking conversation with new Stars general manager Jim Nill.
Ruff was hired Friday the new coach of the Stars, 14 years after Dallas clinched its only Stanley Cup championship on a goal he has always questioned — Brett Hull’s shot with his skate in the crease late in the third overtime of Game 6 that beat the Ruff-coached Buffalo Sabres.
“It’s a long time ago,” Ruff said after his introduction. “I’ve had some great memories. I’ve gotten past that. I’m a coach, I want to coach, and this is an unbelievable opportunity. … It all worked out great for Dallas.”
The Stars, who have missed the playoffs the past five seasons, gave the 53-year-old Ruff a four-year contract. He is the 22nd coach in franchise history and seventh since the team moved to North Texas in 1993.
Before being fired by Buffalo in February, Ruff had been the Sabres coach for 15 seasons and was the NHL’s longest active-serving coach with one team.
US qualifier
Hampton reaches Eastbourne final
EASTBOURNE, England — American qualifier Jamie Hampton reached the first final of her career when she defeated 2009 champion Caroline Wozniacki 6-7 (8), 7-5, 6-3 at Eastbourne on Friday.
She will attempt to become the first American to take the title since Chanda Rubin beat Conchita Martinez in 2003 when she faces Elena Vesnina of Russia in today’s final.
Vesnina beat Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium 6-2, 6-0 in 51 minutes and will be bidding for her second title of the year after winning Hobart in January.
In the men’s semifinals, Feliciano Lopez of Spain defeated Igor Dodig of Croatia 7-6 (3), 6-1 and second-seeded Gilles Simon of France beat seventh-seeded Andrea Seppi of Italy 6-4, 6-3.
Halep, Flipkens reach final in Netherlands
ROSMALEN, Netherlands — Simona Halep reached her second final in a week by defeating third-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 6-2 Friday at the Topshelf Open.
She’ll face Kirsten Flipkens in the final Saturday on the grass courts. Flipkens beat Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 6-1 in the other semifinal.
Last week, Halep won her first WTA title by beating Andrea Petkovic on clay in the final of the inaugural Nurnberger Versicherungscup.
Putin: Gift could counter Super
Bowl ring flap
MOSCOW — Facing what he drolly called a “complicated international problem,” Vladimir Putin says he’s ready to give the New England Patriots’ owner custom jewelry to compensate for the Super Bowl ring that some imply the Russian president pocketed.
The Super Bowl ring changed hands in 2005 when Robert Kraft was visiting Putin with a business delegation. At the time, he said he gave it as a gift, but last week he was quoted by the New York Post as saying Putin just took it.
Putin said at an economic forum Friday he didn’t remember Kraft or the ring. But “if it is so valuable to him,” Putin would order a piece of jewelry of precious metal and stones be made for Kraft.
From wire sources