U.S. women ignoring comments from former coach Pia Sundhage

Soccer

U.S. women ignore comments by former coach Sundhage

The U.S. national team is dismissing critical comments that former coach Pia Sundhage made about some of the team’s players.

The United States is preparing to face Sundhage’s current team, Sweden, in a group-stage match Friday at the Women’s World Cup. Sundhage spoke about U.S. players including forward Abby Wambach and midfielder Carli Lloyd to The New York Times in a story published Tuesday.

U.S. coach Jill Ellis was asked about the report before a team practice Wednesday afternoon.

“For me, all I do is focus on my players and my team and our preparation,” Ellis said. “That’s really where my mind is at. I think I’ve made it pretty clear that distractions don’t really creep into my mind when I’m trying to prepare my players.”

Sundhage coached the United States for five years, guiding the team to a pair of Olympic gold medals as well as the final of the 2011 World Cup in Germany, which the United State lost to Japan on penalty kicks.

In the Times, Sundhage said Lloyd was a challenge and suggested that she wouldn’t start Wambach at this point in the popular veteran’s career. She also praised defender Christie Rampone as the best captain she’s ever seen, including herself.

Sundhage said goalkeeper Hope Solo, the former UW star, was one of the most challenging players she’d coached, “especially when it comes to trouble.”

Brazil’s Zico wants FIFA presidency

Former Brazil star Zico says he wants to run for the presidency of FIFA.

The 62-year-old former playmaker said Wednesday that “there’s a possibility now for change.”

FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced his resignation last week, amid separate investigations by the U.S. and Swiss authorities into alleged bribery and corruption involving the 2010, 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

FIFA said Wednesday its executive committee would meet next month to choose an election date.

Galaxy’s Keane agrees to contract extension

Irish forward Robbie Keane extended his contract with the L.A. Galaxy, agreeing to stay with the MLS club into the final years of his playing career.

The defending MLS champions refused to reveal the length or terms of Keane’s contract extension, but the prolific goal-scorer had previously said he intended to stick with the Galaxy for at least a few more years. Keane turns 35 next month

College basketball

Report: Academic wrongdoing alleged at Texas

The Chronicle of Higher Education published a report Wednesday that questioned the academic integrity of the University of Texas’ athletic department, highlighting three specific instances of possible misconduct by former men’s basketball players.

The report cites incidents going back almost a decade. A UT professor questioned who wrote and submitted a paper for former player P.J. Tucker in 2006. Another former player, J’Covan Brown, went from being unable to complete the entrance requirements in 2009 to landing on the honor roll.

Most recently, former player Martez Walker was caught cheating on an exam by taking cellphone photographs of questions and looking for help outside of the class, according to the Chronicle.

Due to federal privacy laws, UT spokesman Gary Susswein told the Austin American-Statesman the university isn’t legally allowed to address what it believes are factual errors made by the Chronicle. No school officials were made available to discuss the report.

Horse racing

American Pharoah could be headed for Breeders’ Cup

Bob Baffert, the trainer of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, said Wednesday during a media gathering at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., that the 3-year-old would run again this year, but no decision has been made about when or where his next race will be.

“Our goal is to get to the Breeders’ Cup,” he said. “All kinds of tracks are calling, ‘Please, could you think of bringing him here?’ ”

American Pharoah will be paraded on the track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on Saturday night as part of a racing card that features the Stephen Foster Handicap. Baffert said American Pharoah was scheduled to return to Santa Anita on June 18 and would also train later this year at Del Mar in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

“Winning a Triple Crown is bringing so much enjoyment to the sport of racing,” Baffert said. “We’re going to share him.”

ELSEWHERE

• Edward Cheserek overtook Oregon teammate Eric Jenkins on the final turn to win the 10,000 meters and give the Ducks a 1-2 finish in their bid to repeat as men’s team champions at the NCAA track and field championships in Eugene.

Cheserek, the defending champion, won in front of a cheering home crowd in 28 minutes, 58.92 seconds. The Ducks lead with 34 points through the first day of competition. Florida is second with 16, and USC third with 15.

• Boris Becker says he enjoys living in Wimbledon so much that he’s going to apply for British citizenship at some point in the future.

Interviewed on BBC television, the German six-time Grand Slam champion said that he and his family “love Wimbledon a lot; people treat us with respect.”

• Sam Groth of Australia rallied to upset third-seeded Feliciano Lopez 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (8-6) in the second round of the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, Germany.