SPORTS BRIEFS

India’s field hockey teams are to return to their traditional blue jerseys at this month’s Asian Games after criticism of their orange kits at the World Cup. The color change at the tournament in Belgium and the Netherlands drew the ire of Hockey India officials and former players. The bright orange saffron color is associated with Hindu nationalism, espoused by India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The men’s and women’s national teams would now have blue as their primary color at the Asian Games. “Before the World Cup as well, I was asked about it ... and at that time I said this was not a permanent decision,” Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said at an Asian Games send-off event in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Photo: EPA

GOLF

LIV Gold files for bankruptcy

LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday in New Jersey with more than US$500 million in debt, part of its goal to revive the league without Saudi funding. The move was widely expected after the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia abruptly ended its financial support after the final event of this year’s season. LIV said it has agreed to a restructuring plan with BC Partners as the primary source of its capital. “This process gives us the structure and time to pursue a landmark transaction and begin the next chapter of LIV Golf,” chief executive officer Scott O’Neil said in a news release. O’Neil has said “LIV Golf 2.0” would feature players as majority owners in a reduced schedule.

RUGBY

All Blacks tighten discipline

New Zealand have been told to tighten their discipline ahead of the fourth and final test against South Africa this weekend after a stern review of Saturday’s defeat in Johannesburg, said loose forward Wallace Sititi. The All Blacks gave away a penalty try in an overall count of 12 penalties in the 29-24 defeat by the Springboks in the third test, and also had flyhalf Ruben Love yellow carded at a crucial juncture before halftime. “Anywhere you give away penalties, it’s always an issue,” Sititi said on Monday in Washington ahead of the last test in “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry” series in Baltimore. Conceding tries from set pieces was one issue highlighted by coach Dave Rennie. “It is never nice for any team when you concede tries like we did at the weekend and it’s something that we don’t take lightly. We are focusing on getting better there and making sure it doesn’t happen again,” Sititi added.

SOCCER

Mbappe and Haaland strike

Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are off the mark in the Champions League as Real Madrid and Manchester City kicked off their campaigns with wins on Tuesday. Mbappe gave record 15-time champion Madrid an early lead en route to 2-1 victory over Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu. Haaland scored both goals as 2023 winner City beat Porto 2-0. Madrid and City are expected to be among the main challengers to back-to-back defending champion Paris Saint-Germain this season and would be relying on their star strikers. Mbappe’s goal after 14 minutes was his 71st in European club soccer’s top competition, and Haaland took his tally to 59 in 59 appearances in the Champions League.