SPORTS

Beijing, China | AFP | Chinese athletes who use performance-enhancing drugs will receive criminal punishments and jail terms from next year, as China cracks down on doping ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, state media reported. China’s sports administration and top judicial authority are drafting rules that would apply …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has restored Manchester United’s attacking elan in the short space of time he has been caretaker manager said defender Luke Shaw. Solsjkaer will be seeking a third successive victory — when they host out of form Bournemouth on Sunday — since …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri says the time has come for star playmaker Eden Hazard to make up his mind as to whether he will sign a new contract. The 27-year-old Belgian — who has been at Chelsea since 2012 — is a target for …

Liverpool, United Kingdom | AFP | Halfway towards ending a 29-year wait to win the Premier League, the next seven days will test Liverpool’s title credentials to the fullest, starting with Arsenal’s visit to Anfield on Saturday. For a long time a new year visit to Manchester City on January …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Arsenal manager Unai Emery has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association after kicking a water bottle into the crowd during the 1-1 Premier League draw at Brighton on Boxing Day. A Football Association spokesman said Thursday: “Arsenal manager Unai Emery has …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Eden Hazard offered Chelsea fans hope his future may remain with the Londoners by stating he wants to become a club “legend” like former team-mates Frank Lampard, John Terry and Didier Drogba. Hazard scored his 100th and 101st Chelsea goals as Maurizio Sarri’s men …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | English champions Manchester City slumped to a third shock defeat in four Premier League games at Leicester on Boxing Day to slip to third in the table and seven points adrift of unbeaten leaders Liverpool. Just a few weeks ago City seemed unstoppable as …

Zagreb, Croatia | AFP | Luka Modric added to his collection of awards after a successful 2018 when he was named Croatian sportsman of the year on Wednesday. Sandra Perkovic, five times European champion in discus, won the women’s award. The football squad, runners-up in the World Cup, were named …

Milan, Italy | AFP | Cristiano Ronaldo came off the bench to score a late equaliser as 10-man Juventus salvaged a 2-2 draw at Atalanta on Wednesday to move nine points clear of Napoli at the top of Serie A. Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli visit third-placed Inter Milan later in the …

Brighton, United Kingdom | AFP | Arsenal’s top-four bid suffered a setback as Jurgen Locadia’s equaliser gave Brighton a 1-1 draw at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday. Unai Emery’s side had taken an early lead through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s fine first half strike. But Locadia levelled for Brighton before half-time and …