Celtic boss quits with Rangers cruising to title
LONDON • Celtic manager Neil Lennon has stepped down following a dismal campaign that has left them 18 points behind leaders Rangers, the Scottish Premiership club said yesterday.
The 49-year-old's last game in charge was a 1-0 defeat by lowly Ross County on Sunday, which left Celtic's hopes of a 10th straight league title hanging by a thread.
Arch-rivals Rangers, who are managed by Liverpool great Steven Gerrard, need just seven points from their last eight games to secure their first Scottish league title since 2010-11.
REUTERS
Australia, Qatar to skip Copa over schedule clash
BUENOS AIRES • Australia and Qatar have pulled out of this year's Copa America, South American football's governing body Conmebol said on Tuesday.
Deputy general secretary Gonzalo Belloso confirmed that the two members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), who had been invited, could not participate due to a clash with World Cup qualifying dates.
The Copa starts on June 11 but the AFC has scheduled qualification matches on that date and on June 15.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Most Japanese para athletes not hot on Games
TOKYO • A majority of Japanese Paralympic sporting groups are worried about holding the Tokyo Paralympics this summer due to concerns it might help spread the coronavirus and worries about adequate preventive measures.
Eighty-eight per cent of the 26 sporting organisations surveyed by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily said they were "worried" about the Games - a rise from 77 per cent last August.
A similar opinion poll by NHK broadcaster found 66 per cent of the groups similarly concerned.
REUTERS
Easy for Collins against off-form No. 1 Barty
ADELAIDE • Unseeded American Danielle Collins sent an out-of-sorts Ashleigh Barty crashing out of the Adelaide International in the second round yesterday.
The 27-year-old seized on some poor serving from the Australian top-ranked tennis player to claim a convincing 6-3, 6-4 win in just 65 minutes.
It was the world No. 37's first victory over Barty in three encounters and also her maiden one against a current world No. 1.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
