MANILA, Philippines – Jayson Castro will be giving in to rest for the next few days as he tries to heal a nagging right Achilles injury. 

The veteran Tropang TNT guard aggravated the right Achilles he injured since before the 2014 FIBA World Cup where he played for national team Gilas Pilipinas. He said the pain kept coming back through TNT’s title run last season and until now in the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup. 

“Namamaga siya, may kaunting tear pero hindi naman ganoon ka-grabe (It’s swollen, there’s a slight tear but it’s not that alarming),” he said following TNT’s tough loss at the hands of the Star Hotshots, 96-88, on Sunday, March 6. 

“I’ve been insistent on playing to help the team. But this time I think I really need to rest,” he added in Filipino. 

Pain killers and consistent rehab have allowed Castro to play for TNT and for Gilas during the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship. This time, though, the medication is no longer enough to mask the pain. 

“This time sobrang hindi na kaya yung sakit talaga (I couldn't take the pain anymore),” he admitted. 

When asked if surgery would be an option, Castro said, “Sana wala naman kasi this time iba na yung sakit e. Sana.” (I hope not but this time the pain is different. I hope not.)

Castro will likely also not suit up for Gilas practice on Monday, March 7. 

The 29-year-old finished Sunday’s game with a team-high 18 points and 3 assists as he shot 9-of-17 from the field. He missed two crucial free throws which could have tied the game with two minutes left to play.

Castro, who sat out Saturday’s TNT practice to rest, played for close to 37 minutes but hopped on one foot to the bench inside the final minute after what coach Jong Uichico described as a “misstep” during a play. 

“He’s okay. He’s alright,” Uichico told reporters. 

TNT’s next game is on Sunday, March 13 against the NLEX Road Warriors. Castro is still uncertain whether he’ll be able to play especially as their title defense is in jeopardy with a 2-4 record so far.

“I hope I can play but I was told I really need to rest,” Castro said. “But our record is bad so I really want to play, I want to help the team.” – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Conor McGregor may have suffered a defeat to Nate Diaz at UFC 196, but he’ll have at least a cool million in his bank account to help recover.

The 27-year-old Irish fighter pocketed a UFC record baseline purse of $1 million for his second round submission loss to Diaz at the MGM Grand on Sunday, March 6.

The figures on McGregor’s paycheck do not include pay-per-view incentives and sponsorships.

(READ: McGregor has no regrets about moving up, plans to defend UFC title)

On the other hand, Diaz took home $500,000 for stepping in for Rafael dos Anjos, who pulled due to a foot injury.

Diaz received a total of $100,000 bonus for “Fight of the Night” and “Performance of the Night” citations after accepting the fight on 11 days notice.

Diaz shared the “Fight of the Night” award with McGregor, who likewise bagged an additional $50,000.

McGregor and Diaz went toe-to-toe for the better part of their 9 minutes inside the Octagon, but it paid off handsomely for the 31-year-old native of Stockton, California as he rocked McGregor in multiple exchanges before hammering the final nail in the coffin with a rear-naked choke in the second round.

Meanwhile, Miesha Tate nabbed $92,000 for submitting Holly Holm in the fifth round to capture the UFC women’s bantamweight championship.

Like Diaz, Tate gained a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check for her come-from-behind effort against Holm.

Despite losing to Tate in stunning fashion, Holm earned a flat $500,000 purse. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The slumping Ateneo Lady Eagles suffered their second straight defeat in the UAAP Season 78 women’s volleyball tournament after dropping in 4 sets to the impressive UP Lady Maroons on Sunday, March 6, in front of 3,871 spectators at the San Juan Arena.

Ateneo is now 1-6 in its last 7 sets, a stretch which started when the DLSU Lady Spikers snapped its 24-game winning streak last Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum. 

Their current situation is new territory for Ateneo, which went nearly two years without a loss but has since struggled - mostly on containing opponents’ service and limiting errors. 

What’s the root of the issues?

“We still have unforced errors that kill our momentum,” setter Jia Morado said in Tagalog after the game on Sunday.

But Morado feels the fundamentals of volleyball isn't the only department where they need to improve.

“We’re also too serious on the court that we forget to relax or to play the way we play,” she said.

(READ: UP coach Jerry Yee on how they beat Ateneo)

Ateneo, which has made the mantra “Hearstrong” popular, is also struggling with floor defense. The graduation of last year’s UAAP Best Libero Denden Lazaro has been magnified in the team’s last two games, both where they were out-scored in the spikes category.

Unfortunately for the Lady Eagles, solving that trouble may take some time. Morado, last year’s UAAP Best Setter, had 27 excellent sets on Sunday, but she’s also expending a lot of energy providing floor defense. 

Per TMX Sports, Ateneo is currently last in the league in digging (6.38 average by set), which highlights its libero problem. The Lady Eagles are third in receiving (19.31% efficiency), although they’re closer to number 6 FEU, 11.47%, than they are to number one DLSU, 29.39%.

“I’m really trying my best to set it up, but at the same time I’m not blaming my teammates at all because, imagine, our two liberos converted from setter,” Morado explained the team’s problems. 

“Their entire lives, they were playing setter. Whoever setter you put in that position will have a tough time.

“We can only figure it out in training.”

There was also the question if Ateneo was so eager to put the loss to La Salle behind that it may have been too careless against UP, which actually fell in the first set to the Lady Eagles. 

“We wanted to forget what happened in the past which were negative. We wanted to remember the positive,” Morado said, again talking about the Lady Eagles’ loose and “heartstrong” mentality. “We can’t expect to win all the time, but at least we know we have to train, and we know what weaknesses we have to work on.

“Every year, there’s pressure,” she said, when asked if defending the title is more difficult this year than last as they go for a 3-peat. “What’s different from last year and this year is, the roster is different.

"So what we have to do is, not just the first 6, not just the first 7, everyone on the team has to step up to help out.”

The Lady Eagles don’t have much time to start from scratch. On Wednesday, they face an NU Lady Bulldogs squad coming off a dominant 3-set win against the Adamson Lady Falcons.

Ateneo and La Salle are tied at 6-2 atop the league standings, but unlike last season when the battle for number one was a two-team race between both clubs, this year is a different, much-more competitive scenario. 

UP, which improved to 5-3, holds solo third and is just a hair behind both teams and has already proven they can not only stay at par, but also defeat the defending champions. 

NU actually beat DLSU in their round one meeting and seems to have regained its mojo on Sunday after collapsing at the end of the first round.

FEU is coming off a game where it forced La Salle to 5 sets after falling behind 0-2. Both the Lady Bulldogs and Lady Tamaraws are 4-4, in the hunt for the Final Four - and maybe even a twice-to-beat edge.

Even UST, which has been silently gaining steam following a turbulent start to the season, is now at 4-4 and just swept La Salle this week in 3 sets.

“Whichever team, we don’t dwell on them, whether we win or lose,” Morado said as Ateneo moves forward. “ We always move on to the next opponent, because we scout them. So one game at a time.”

And the Lady Eagles?

“At least as a team, win or lose, we’re still together.” – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines - Both UP students and alumni alike sang the University of the Philippines hymn teary eyed as the game closed in the jam packed FilOil Flying V Arena earlier on Sunday, night, March 6. 

The University of the Philippines finally won the battle of Katipunan after 9 years, having lost every women’s volleyball meeting with Ateneo dating back to its last win on January 17, 2007. It was surreal for the fans who flocked to the arena, the entire university community, and to UP Lady Maroons Team Captain Kathy Bersola.

“Hindi ko maexplain. Sobrang saya. Fourth year na ako pero ngayon lang naming sila natalo. Sobrang worth it lahat ng training namin.” 

(I can’t explain what I feel. I’m very happy. I’m already in my fourth year but this is our first time to defeat them. Everything was worth it.) 

The Lady Maroons dropped their first set against the defending champions but bounced back stronger and dominated the last 3 frames to seal the win. 

Bersola finished with 10 points while Nicole Tiamzon recorded 12. Highly touted rookies Isa Molde, Marian Buitre, and Diana Carlos also finished with double digits. Molde led the pack with 15 points while Buitre and Carlos both submitted 12 markers.

“I think that’s it. You have to work hard for it and we need to believe in ourselves. We got to do that today,” added Bersola in Filipino. 

UP fans a big factor

Bersola recognized the big role all the UP fans played in their win today. More than half of the arena was decked in maroon and all cheered their hearts out.

“Sobrang thank you sa lahat ng sumusuporta sa team lalo na sa mga andito ngayon sa arena. Sobrang nilabanan nila yung crowd ng Ateneo. Rinig na rinig naming yung ‘defense’. Ang ingay kanina. Sobrang nakaka boost,” Bersola thanked them.

(Thank you so much to all of our supporters especially to those who’re present here at the arena. They really fought the crowd of Ateneo. We really heard them cheering us to defend. It was so loud and it boosted us.)

Ateneo is known to have a huge fan base but the UP community showed all out support to the Lady Maroons. Both students and alumni were present in the game, cheering “UP Fight!” all throughout to the loud beating of drums by the UP Pep.  

“They all came out to support us and we’re very grateful to them. We hope that they’re still there in the next games and that they would continue to support us win or lose.” 

Renewed confidence 

Ateneo was fresh from their heartbreaking defeat against the De La Salle Lady Spikers in the first round of eliminations when they came in while the Lady Maroons were riding a two-game winning streak. 

UP knew how to capitalize on their opponent’s weakness. 

“I think we’re more confident now since we came from a win and they came from a loss. Our major advantage also is that we have all positions covered,” said Bersola in Filipino.

This still has something to do with the Lady Eagles’ struggling defense. On the other hand, UP’s one of the best receiving teams in the league with its libero Arielle Estranero topping the list of best receivers.

“We should not put ourselves down and put them on a pedestal,” Bersola added on how they entered today’s game with confidence.

UP is now in third place, just a game behind Ateneo and La Salle. – Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA - Peyton Manning has confirmed his retirement from the National Football League, the Denver Broncos said on Sunday, March 6 bringing the curtain down on a glittering 18-year career just weeks after becoming the oldest quarterback to win the Super Bowl.

The 39-year-old had vowed to take his time over a decision about his future after helping the Broncos to an upset victory over the Carolina Panthers at Super Bowl 50 on February 8.

However Manning, who has passed for more yards than any other quarterback in history, has informed the Broncos he is to retire and will formally announce the decision at a press conference on Monday.

In a statement on the Broncos website confirming the move, Denver general manager John Elway paid tribute to the two-time Super Bowl champion's contribution since arriving in Colorado after leaving the Indianapolis Colts in 2012.

"When you look at everything Peyton has accomplished as a player and person, it's easy to see how fortunate we've been to have him on our team," Elway said. 

"Peyton was everything that we thought he was and even more, not only for the football team but in the community. I'm very thankful Peyton chose to play for the Denver Broncos, and I congratulate him on his Hall of Fame career," Elway added. – Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA – The Los Angeles Lakers posted one of the biggest upsets of the NBA season Sunday, March 6 (Monday, March 7 in Manila) with an unlikely 112-95 victory over the reigning champion Golden State Warriors.

Pre-game hype was all about it being Kobe Bryant's final contest against the Warriors but the crowd of 19,000 at Staples Center arena got more than they bargained for with a rare win by the cellar-dwelling Lakers.

"This helps out our team's growth," Bryant said. "The learning curve comes from trusting our defense."

Jordan Clarkson scored 25 points and D'Angelo Russell tallied 21 as the Lakers handed the Warriors only their sixth loss of the season against 55 triumphs.

The Warriors are chasing the all-time best season in NBA history, the 72-10 campaign of the Chicago Bulls in the 1995-96 season. To match the mark, Golden State must now win 17 of the final 21 games this season.

Bryant, who has been hampered by injuries of late, had 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting in 24 minutes of court time.

Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

It marked Bryant's first game back at Staples Center arena since February 2.

"I feel terrible not being able to be out here for every single game," said Bryant, who is retiring after the regular season. "If I can give it a go I will go out there and try." – Rappler.com

Look at the stars,

Look how they shine for you,

And everything you do,

Yeah, they were all yellow.

I came along,

I wrote a song for you,

And all the things you do,

And it was called "Yellow" 

On Tuesday night Coldplay's anthemic “Yellow” will likely be one of the songs sung by the Sons of Mighty Kaya, the “ultras” supporters group of Kaya FC. Although they aren't the only team in the UFL that wears that color, they are probably the first. In their twentieth year since their founding, this august Filipino footballing institution will host a home game in the AFC Cup for the first time, against Maldivian outfit New Radiant SC at Rizal Memorial on Tuesday night, March 8. Kickoff is at 7:30 pm.  

“It feels great,” says one of the club's founders, Chris Hagedorn, who now sits on the club's board. “It was a vision many of us wanted. I can't believe it's happened, and many of the old players are coming to watch.” 

That vision began in the late eighties and early nineties. The genesis of Kaya Football Club, like almost every club in the world, was a bunch of guys having fun kicking a ball around. The ball was a fuzzy American indoor soccer ball with a tennis ball-like skin. The venue was the wooden basketball court at the old Makati campus of International School Manila, where Century City now stands. The day of the week was usually Wednesday. 

According to Hagedorn, the players even used to bounce the balls off the walls like they did in the states.

Hagedorn says the 4 men who founded Kaya were himself, Bob Kovach, the ISM soccer coach, former national team player Rudy Del Rosario, and John-Rey “Lupoy” Bela-ong. They were formally designated as Kaya FC in 1996.

Kaya played in tournaments like the Globe Super Cup back then, and were one of the members of the first iteration of the UFL in 2002. Kaya was a very strong team then, one that won its share of silverware. But in those days the big 3 of Philippine football, Air Force, Navy, and Army, weren't in the UFL yet. They still were the best teams in the land. (Hagedorn says they had difficulty paying the P15,000 entry fee at that time. But once the soldier teams did enter the UFL around 2009, they were difficult to beat.) 

But by then courier service LBC had invested into Kaya and helped the team become one of the Philippines' finest clubs. Last year they won the UFL Cup that qualified them for this AFC Cup. 

Your skin,

Oh yeah your skin and bones,

Turn into

Something beautiful,

Do you know,

You know I love you so,

You know I love you so.

The list of players who have donned the colors of Kaya is long and illustrious. Apart from Del Rosario, other greats like Ali Go, (now the coach of Ceres-La Salle), Alvin Ocampo, Freddy Gonzalez, Anton Del Rosario, and Christian Lozano also played for the club. 

But one player continues to stand out. During the club's infancy, a lanky, freckled teenager from De La Salle Greenhills honed his craft with the Kaya old-timers. His name was Alexander “Aly” Borromeo. The only Kaya player from those embryonic days still with the side today. 

Borromeo has played in almost every position, from goalkeeper to defender to striker. These days he is a centerback for Kaya, his spot when the Azkals reached the Suzuki Cup semifinals in 2010. Borromeo has 42 senior caps for the Philippines and four goals. Apart from a brief loan spell to Global in 2010-2011, Borromeo has been with Kaya's senior side since 2003.

Just 3 months shy of 33, Borromeo is enjoying an improbable Indian Summer in his footballing career. Once thought to be done and dusted after a second catastrophic ACL injury a few years ago, Borromeo is back in the swing of things with Kaya. He started Kaya's first AFC Cup match away at Kitchee of Hong Kong two weeks ago and was the captain too. Kitchee won 1-0. 

“I will do an ugly cry if Aly scores in the AFC Cup,” says Joel Dabao, one of Borromeo's old Kaya team mates. Dabao has seen Aly courageously bounce back from his setbacks and he nearly needed to loosen the spigot of his tear ducts in the Kitchee match. Borromeo was close to connecting on a header in the second half.

Some of Kaya's iconic players are mestizos like the Lozano and Gonzalez. That might give the impression that Kaya is an upper-class club. But in truth, Kaya has always given talented players from disadvantaged backgrounds a shot. Lupoy Bela-ong, for one, was from Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo's traditional hotbed.

There are two other Ilonggos on this team, Jovin Bedic from Barotac and Shirmar Felongco from Calinog. Bedic, a rangy, creative second striker or attacking mid, nearly scored in Hong Kong. Felongco, a new signing, has been struggling with his fitness. Another player in sick bay is English striker Louis Clark, who was thrown on late in the Kitchee match in an unsuccessful effort to get an equalizer. No doubt Azkals OJ Porteria and Kenshiro Daniels will need to step up their game to get Kaya's maiden AFC Cup goal. 

They will face a stiff challenge against a New Radiant team that gutted out a 2-2 draw against Singapore side Balestier Khalsa with a 93^rd minute equalizer from Rilwan Waleed. Kaya needs a result, preferably a win, to extricate themselves from the bottom of the Group F table.

Your skin,

Oh yeah your skin and bones,

Turn into

Something beautiful,

Do you know,

For you I'd bleed myself dry,

For you I'd bleed myself dry.

“Lupoy was a very friendly and good person. Would never cause harm on anyone. All smiles,” says Hagedorn of Bela-ong, whose brother Randy played for Air Force. 

Bela-ong was a crafty and gifted wide attacking player. But the work he put in for Kaya off the pitch was just as important. Unfortunately he paid a huge price for that eagerness to help. 

Hagedorn recounts that one day in 2002 Bela-ong went to Manila to buy material for Kaya uniforms. He got off a bus in Quezon City at night with the gear and was stabbed to death, his killers running off with the stuff he bought for the team. 

Bela-ong was only 31 years old. As a remarkable gesture of respect, Kaya immortalized Lupoy by inserting a ring of 31 stars in their official crest, one for every year he lived. These days it's Randy, the younger Bela-ong, who answers to the name “Lupoy.”

On Tuesday night when the Kaya starting 11 take the field, it will be a culmination of two decades of hard work, dedication, heartbreak, triumph, tragedy, and glory. This is one chapter of the Kaya story that every Filipino football fan should partake of.

It's true,

Look how they shine for you,

Look how they shine for you,

Look how they shine for,

Look how they shine for you,

Look how they shine for you,

Look how they shine.

Look at the stars,

Look how they shine for you,

And all the things that you do – Rappler.com

The game will be televised live on ABS-CBN Sports+Action with coverage beginning shortly past seven pm. The other Filipino club in the AFC Cup, Ceres-La Salle, will also play that night against Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi of Bangladesh. ABS-CBN Sports+Action will air that match the following evening. 

A week from Tuesday, Kaya has another home game in Rizal Memorial against Balestier Khalsa of Singapore.

Follow Bob on Twitter @PassionateFanPH.

MANILA, Philippines - Sometimes, a person’s destiny is clearly laid out. Such is the case for Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Francisco Diaz.

At the age of 11, unlike other girls her age, Hidilyn already knew what she wanted to do. To be a weightlifter seemed to be the only option she had. At that age, Diaz was exposed to her cousins who were competing in their home province in Zamboanga. Her curiosity led her to take it up as well.

“Mga pinsan ko weighlifter dati, nakita ko lang sila, nagbubuhat sila, actually hindi pa barbell, kahoy lang na parang ipil-ipil.” (My cousins were weightlifters and I saw them lifting, in fact they were not lifting barbells, it was wood that looks like ipil-ipil.)

“Ano kaya ginagawa nila, parang masaya ito, nacurious ako , doon ako nagstart…may summer games, ayun sumali ako.” (What are they doing, it looks like fun, that’s how I started. We had summer games and I joined that.)

And from that time on she got hooked. Her natural ability to lift heavy weights did not escape the watchful eyes of the Philippine Weightlifting Association as she progressed to compete in Batang Pinoy and at the Mindanao Friendship Games in 2003. She became a member of the National team in 2004 through recommendation of her coach and mentor Antonio Agustin.

A reluctant competitor

Diaz first competed for the Philippines as a wild card entry in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics. She shared that she did not fully comprehend what the Olympics were all about then.

She was 17 years old and the youngest competitor at the 58-kg maximum weight. Nevertheless, Diaz lifted 85-kg in the snatch and 107-kg in the clean and jerk for a 192-kg total. This total broke her own Philippine record at the 2007 Southeast Asian Games.

It was here that everyone took notice of her potential. Diaz finally decided to make weightlifting a life commitment because she was not happy with her performance at the Beijing Olympics.

“Medyo naging pangit performance ko noong 2008 kasi may goal kami ni coach Agustin, tapos hindi ko na-meet yung goal.” (I had a bad performance in 2008 because coach Agustin and I had a goal but I did not meet that goal.)

She then set out to prepare early for the next one.

A second chance

Together with her coach, Diaz set yearly goals as part of her preparation for the 2012 London Olympics.

Diaz then became the first Filipina weightlifter to compete in consecutive Olympics. This distinction earned her the opportunity to be the Philippine flag bearer during the Opening Ceremony.

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Although she only found out that she was officially qualified 2 months prior, she successfully lifted a personal best of 97- kg in the snatch. Unfortunately however, she had 3 unsuccessful attempts at 118 -kg clean and jerk, thus posting an official “Did not finish” (DNF) on record.

Third time's the charm?

Diaz will be competing in the Olympics for the third consecutive time.

Diaz claimed a spot for the 2016 Rio Olympics by winning 3 bronze medals for the clean and jerk and snatch events in the 53- kg division of the IWF World Weightlifting Championship late in 2015.

Diaz is now going into the Games with a more strategic approach. She has decided to compete at a much lower weight of 53-kg. Her performance in the IWF qualifiers, and after winning a gold medal at the first Southeast Asian Weightlifting championships, proved that if she can lift as heavy as she does at 53 kg, then that should put her in a fighting position in Rio.

Preparations for Rio

With just over 20 weeks to go before the Rio Olympics, the native of Zamboanga is already deep into training. Although she is still waiting for the official advice, she has already committed herself to do well in her third trip to the Summer Games.

Hidilyn shares a day in her life: “Sa umaga jogging 5:30 am gising na, jogging hangang 6:30 am. Tapos ensayo. TTH morning, heavy lifting. MWF, strength and conditioning. Pag hapon, may recovery and massage.” (I jog in the morning. I wake up at 5:30 am and jog until 6:30 am. TTH mornings, heavy lifting. MWF strength and conditioning. In the afternoons, recovery and massage.)

She is pouring all her time into training.

She began this training regimen in January of 2016. Together with the training program, Diaz committed to a very strict nutrition plan.

Five months before the Olympics, she is focused on bulking up by increasing her protein intake and with a healthy portion of carbohydrates.

She now weighs 58 kg as she continues to focus on heavy lifting. She expects her food intake to change drastically as she tries to make weight at 53 kgs as August approaches.

Family, sacrifice, and dreams

Hidilyn is the fifth child in a brood of 6. Acknowledging that this may be her last Olympic run, she contemplates what will come after.

She longs for the opportunity to use her experience and success in the sport of weightlifting after she retires. She dreams of eventually making a living out of it as a coach and consultant. She is determined to give back to her family by helping them financially, given the sacrifice all of them had to endure for her to pursue her calling.

She believes going abroad will help her a lot but shares that she longs to stay in the country.

“Siguro pagkatapos makakahanap ako ng trabaho sa ibang bansa dahil sa kaalaman ko sa weightlifting pero parang ayaw ko ring umalis kasi sino ang magtuturo sa mga bata dito?" (Maybe after all this, I can find a job abroad that is still related to weightlifting but I feel I do not want to leave the country because no one will be left to teach the youth about the sport.)

Diaz is concerned also about what will come next for Philippine weightlifting. She is fully aware that there needs to be a successor or someone to continue what she has begun. She shares her desire to help the country find that person.

Hidilyn Diaz is one of the few athletes who will be able to represent the country in the upcoming Rio Summer Games. Her sacrifice and dedication like so many of our athletes should not be taken for granted. She found her purpose early in life and has not regretted any of it. She promises to do everything she can to make the country proud and ensure that her sacrifices are not in vain. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Joseph Yeo is perplexed by his sudden benching in Globalport’s last two games as rumors emerge that he is on the trading block once again in the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup. 

The 32-year-old guard did not see action in back-to-back losses to Blackwater and Meralco even as star Stanley Pringle was sidelined with an ankle sprain. Despite his confusion and awareness of the trade rumors, Yeo respects the coaching staff’s decision.

“Ewan ko, wala naman sinasabi coaches sa akin. Curious din ako bakit hindi ako ginagamit. Sabi lang sa akin ni coach Pido (Jarencio) diskarte niya raw yun so ako, okay lang yun. Diskarte niya e. So nire-respeto ko yung desisyon niya,” Yeo said following the Batang Pier’s 115-103 defeat to Blackwater on Sunday, March 6. 

(I don’t know, the coaches did not say anything to me. I’m curious as well why they’re not using me. Coach Pido just told me it’s his strategy so for me that’s okay. It’s his strategy. So I respect his decision.) 

“Sa teammates ko wala naman ako problema e. Ewan ko sa coaches kasi parang weird naman kasi bigla na lang sasabihin nilang diskarte nila, pero kita mo naman wala na kaming players diba.” (With my teammates I don’t have any problems. With the coaches I’m not sure because it’s weird for them to suddenly say it’s a strategy, but you can see we don’t have any players.)

Yeo did not play even as Terrence Romeo injured his calf and returned late in the game. 

“Wala na nga si Stanley. Kaya doon ako nagulat kasi wala si Stanley tapos hindi pa rin ako pinalaro,“ Yeo added. (Stanley didn’t play. It surprised me that Stanley wasn’t playing but they still didn’t let me play.) 

Yeo, a 10-year PBA veteran, shrugged off articles he read on a possible trade saying he is used to dealing with that. It's something he's used to after having played for 7 teams in the PBA already. 

“Until nandyan na, wala pa rin, practice pa rin ako (Until it’s really there, I’ll still practice),” he said. “Professional ako sa team ko. Positive lang ako. Yung iba pinapalaro so sinusuporta ko sila (I’ll be professional with my team. Stay positive. Others are playing so I’m supporting them).” 

Yeo, who was traded from Barako Bull to Globalport at the end of last season, went on to share his supposed “bad” luck with PBA teams and how he’s become a journeyman through the years. 

“Malas siguro sa akin yung mga teams. Every time I’m playing well sa team nagdi-disband yung team. Before I was with Sta. Lucia ganoon nangyari, sa Air21 ganoon din nangyari. Sa Ginebra nandoon ako, nagpalit ng coach, si Frankie Lim hindi ako kursunada nilipat ako,” he explained.

“Tapos biglang sa Barako ganoon din nag-change ng management kaya napunta ako rito. Siguro ganoon talaga. Malas lang sa mga teams na napupuntahan.” 

(Maybe I have bad luck with teams. Every time I’m a bit stable with a team, they disband. Before I was with Sta. Lucia that’s what happened, with Air21 it was the same. With Ginebra they changed coaches and Frankie Lim did not want me so I was traded. And then with Barako there was a change in management so I was shipped here. It’s just the way it is. Bad luck with the teams I go to.) 

Those trade rumors were fueled not only by his benching but by team owner Mikee Romero’s reported Facebook post stating: “With the emergence of Paola Taha, Jonathan Uyloan and new recruit Jeric Fortuna, 1 of our old veteran players who is playing very poorly will spend more time in the bench. I hope he can still find a team that would want him. (clue: we gave away a first round pick to get this player and sad to say we are banging our heads now).” 

The former DLSU Green Archers star said he already knew he wouldn’t be playing upon reading the post. He said he has not spoken to Romero or any other member of team management yet. 

“Parang lahat ng mga players dito kinausap nila pero ako parang cold sila sa akin,” he admitted. “So siguro nga baka malipat nila ako. Kung malipat e di okay, kung hindi e di trabaho pa rin.” (They seem to talk to the other players but they seem cold towards me. So I may be traded. If I get traded that’s okay, if not then I’ll keep working.) 

Reacting to Romero’s post, Yeo said he does not feel like he performed poorly, emphasizing that he played his role of supporting Pringle and Romeo as Globalport reached the semifinals for the first time in franchise history in this season’s Philippine Cup. 

“Sa akin naman as long as nananalo kami wala naman problema sa akin kung maka-score ako, hindi ako maka-score,” said Yeo, who’s been averaging 8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists since his arrival at Globalport. 

“Hindi naman ako nakikipag-compete sa mga teammates ko na ako dapat maka 30 points.” (As long as we’re winning I have no problems if I score or not. I’m not competing with my teammates that I should score 30 points.) 

Globalport’s next game is on Sunday, March 12 against the Alaska Aces. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao may be bent on retirement, but that isn’t stopping promoter Bob Arum from speculating about future fights.

Arum says he’d like to see the winner of Pacquiao’s upcoming third fight with Tim Bradley Jr face Jessie Vargas, the newly crowned WBO welterweight titleholder. Vargas, 26, of Las Vegas won the title Bradley vacated to face Pacquiao, knocking out previously unbeaten US Olympian Sadam Ali in 9 rounds this past weekend. 

“It's up to the winner of the fight but it's definitely the fight I want to make, Vargas vs the winner of Pacquiao-Bradley,” Arum tells BoxingScene. 

{source}<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TTqyn0OF2DI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>{/source}

Arum has been cautious throughout the promotion for this fight about calling it Pacquiao’s last, as retirements rarely stick in boxing. 

Arum also threw cold water on Terence Crawford, the unbeaten junior welterweight champion, facing the winner, saying he had other "other paths" for the 28-year-old.

The 26-year-old Vargas (27-1, 10 knockouts) scored his first knockout in 5 years, dropping Ali twice in the HBO-televised fight. Vargas’ only defeat came in June of last year, when he was outpointed by Bradley for the interim WBO title. 

Vargas hurt Bradley with a left hook in the dying seconds of the twelfth round but failed to stop him before the bell rang. Vargas said after the Ali fight that he wants a rematch with Bradley, whether or not he beats Pacquiao. 

“I only want one fight which I deserve to get, a rematch with Bradley. I don’t care if he beats Pacquiao or not, I want Bradley.” – Rappler.com

BOMBAY, India - Indian police said Monday a man has been charged with murdering his friend after a heated argument over whether Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo is the world's best footballer.

They said the Nigerian national stabbed one of his countrymen to death after the two of them wrangled over whether the Barcelona star or the Real Madrid forward was better.

Police Inspector Kiran Kabadi told AFP an offence of murder had been registered against Michael Chukwuma, 21, over the death of 34-year-old Obina Durumchukwu on Sunday in the northern Mumbai suburb of Nallasopara.

The friends had apparently got together on Saturday night to celebrate Durumchukwu's birthday. The following morning an argument over football turned to tragedy. 

"The two Nigerian youngsters were discussing football players. One is a fan of Messi and the other was for Ronaldo," the inspector said. 

"During the conversation a quarrel has taken place. The deceased threw a glass into the face of the accused person. The glass broke and caused small injuries. 

"After that the accused took the broken glass and assaulted the deceased person who died due to heavy bleeding," added Kabadi.

No one was available for comment at the Nigerian high commission (embassy) in New Delhi. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines — Five-time Ironman World Champion Craig “Crowie” Alexander and two-time Ironman World Champion Caroline Steffen were the fastest finishers of their divisions at the 2016 Century Ironman 70.30 at Subic Bay, clocking in at 03:48:56 and 04:09:40 respectively.

Australia’s Alexander raced past Germany’s Patrick Lange (03:50:45) who came in second, and fellow Aussie and defending champion Tim Reed (03:52:28) who came in third.

Lange who started strong on the swim and bike legs was overtaken by Alexander who snatched the lead during the run, 6 kilometers from the finish line.

Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Caroline Steffen secured first place over Czech Republic’s Radka Vodickova (04:14:51), and Dimity-Lee Duke (04:23:52). It was a tight battle between Steffen and Vodickova who led the female pro division throughout the race.

August Benedicto (04:20:15) won the men’s Filipino elite division, followed by Benjamin Rana Jr. (04:33:23) and Jorry Ycong (04:35:48) while Monica Torres (04:39:45) clinched the top spot of the women's Filipino elite division over Maria Hodges (05:16:20) and Ani Karina Brown (6:46:03).

The podium finishers received jeepney-shaped medals and trophies from SEI president Wilfred Steven Uytengsu and Century Pacific Food Inc. General Manager Greg Banzon during the awards rites.

The first 5 men and women finishers of the pro category of the Century Tuna Ironman 70.3 received prize money as follows:

• 1st place: US$ 3000
• 2nd place: US$ 2000
• 3rd place: US$ 1250
• 4th place: US$ 750
• 5th place: US$ 500

Beyond the achievement of completing a half Ironman, Century Tuna Ironman 70.3 in Subic Bay serves as a qualifying race for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Australia with a total of 40 qualifying slots at stake. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines - Conor McGregor isn’t hiding from the world after his loss to Nate Diaz.

The confident Irish mixed martial artist took to Instagram after submitting to Diaz’s rear-naked choke in the welterweight non-title main event of UFC 196 on Sunday, March 6.

McGregor summed up his loss in two words.

“Shit happens,” said the UFC featherweight champ McGregor, who suffered his first loss in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and his third overall.

“I stormed in and put it all on the line. I took a shot and missed. I will never apologize for taking a shot.”

{source}<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="6" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BCoCsjbLztN/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">I stormed in and put it all on the line. I took a shot and missed. I will never apologize for taking a shot. Shit happens. I&#39;ll take this loss like a man. I will not shy away from it. I will not change who I am. If another champion goes up 2 weights let me know. If your tired of me talking money, take a nap. I&#39;ll still be here when you wake up with the highest PPV and the gate. Still talking multi 7&#39;s. Thank you to the true support and fuck the hate that came out of the woodwork. I love it all. Its still steak for breakfast. I&#39;ve been here many times in my life in some form or another. I&#39;ll eat it all and come back stronger. Aldo you are a pussy. Dos anjos you are a pussy. When the history books are written, I showed up. You showed up on Twitter. To the fans! Never ever shy away from challenges. Never run from adversity. Face yourself head on. Nate I will see you again.</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-03-06T20:52:13+00:00">Mar 6, 2016 at 12:52pm PST</time></p></div></blockquote>
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McGregor, whose brash defiance has seen him challenge retired boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr and virtually everyone under (and not under) the sun, is being humble in defeat.

“I’ll take this loss like a man. I will not shy away from it. I will not change who I am. If another champion goes up 2 weights let me know,” the post continues.

McGregor has much to be happy about despite the loss, becoming the first UFC fighter to make $1 million in disclosed purse money before pay-per-view and sponsorship incentives.

McGregor says he would meet Diaz again, but had a few choice words for Jose Aldo, who called him out for a rematch on Twitter after he lost, and Rafael Dos Anjos, the lightweight champ he was supposed to fight initially before he withdrew with an injury.

“Aldo you are a pussy. Dos anjos you are a pussy,” McGregor continued.

Read the entire post above and let us know what you think in the comments section. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines — Marc Pingris is taking his monicker "Pinoy Sakuragi" seriously. 

The Gilas Pilipinas and Star Hotshots veteran big man dyed his hair red on Monday, March 7 before showing up for national team practice at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center inside Ateneo de Manila University. 

Pingris, 34, is on a mission to complete the look of Japanese anime character Hanamichi Sakuragi, the main protagonist of the well-loved "Slam Dunk" series.

Pingris rocked a Shohoku jersey after Gilas practice on Monday to match his already red hair. He's on to shaving his facial hair next, and even joked he would dye his eyebrow and armpit hair red.

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pingris jokes he&#39;s thinking of dyeing his armpit hair red, like his red head, for the Pinoy Hanamichi Sakuragi look <a href="https://t.co/ic0PpWnHrh">pic.twitter.com/ic0PpWnHrh</a></p>&mdash; Jane Bracher (@janebracher) <a href="https://twitter.com/janebracher/status/706862920940978177">March 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Fans have long requested Pingris to adopt Sakuragi's look and he finally gave in. 

Asked what his wife Danica Sotto thought of his new look, Pingris shared her reaction: "Ang gwapo mo!" (You're handsome!) — Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA (3rd UPDATE) – Five-time Grand Slam tennis champion Maria Sharapova said Monday, March 7, she failed a dope test at the Australian Open, and isn't sure what punishment she'll face for her "huge mistake."

The former world number one from Russia said a change in the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list for 2016 led to an inadvertent violation, for which she will be "provisionally suspended" by the International Tennis Federation.

In a sign of what the affair could mean to Sharapova's mass of money-spinning endorsements, US sportswear maker Nike said it would halt its relationship with her as the case moves forward.

"We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova," Nike said in a statement. "We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues."

Sharapova tested positive for Meldonium, a drug she said she had been taking since 2006 but was only added to the banned list this year. (READ: What is Meldonium, the drug Sharapova tested positive for?)

"I did fail the test and I take full responsibility for it," a sombre Sharapova said at a press conference at a downtown Los Angeles hotel.

"I made a huge mistake. I let my fans down. I let my sport down that I've been playing since the age of four that I love so deeply," added Sharapova, her voice wavering.

"I know that with this, I face consequences and I don't want to end my career this way – and I really hope I will be given another chance to play this game."

The ITF confirmed in a statement that Sharapova had tested positive on January 26 and had accepted the finding when she was notified on March 2.

"Ms Sharapova will be provisionally suspended with effect from 12 March, pending determination of the case," the ITF said.

Sharapova said she was cooperating with the ITF and did not yet know the extent of the sanctions she would face.

Her attorney, John Haggerty, said the positive test could carry a ban of up to four years, but that mitigating circumstances could see a lesser penalty.

Shamil Tarpishchev, head of the Russian tennis federation, told the TASS news agency he believed Sharapova would still have a chance to play at the Rio Olympics in August.

WTA boss 'very saddened'

Sharapova, 28, burst onto the international scene as she giggled and grunted her way to the Wimbledon crown in 2004. (READ: Doping now shadows Maria Sharapova's rags-to-riches story)

She won the US Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008 and the French Open in 2012 and 2014.

Her ferocity on the court, business acumen and glamorous looks have all combined to make her a marketing juggernaut and the overseer of such successful ventures as her Sugarpova line of candy.

She has 35 WTA singles titles, more than $36 million in career earnings and is currently ranked seventh in the world.

"I am very saddened to hear this news about Maria," WTA chief executive Steve Simon said in a statement.

"Maria is a leader and I have always known her to be a woman of great integrity. Nevertheless, as Maria acknowledged, it is every player's responsibility to know what they put in their body and to know if it is permissible."

Sharapova said she originally began taking Meldonium for a variety of symptoms, including a tendency to become ill often, an irregular EKG heart test and a family history of diabetes.

Meldonium is used to treat heart trouble, including angina and heart failure.

In adding it to the banned list, the World Anti-Doping Agency said there was evidence it has been used by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance.

Several sports figures have tested positive for it this year, including Russian ice dancer Ekaterina Bobrova, whose positive test was revealed earlier on Monday.

WADA issued a statement saying officials were aware of Sharapova's case, but would not comment further until the ITF had ruled.

Full responsibility

Sharapova has struggled with injuries during her career and has played just three tournaments since Wimbledon last year.

She pulled out of the 2015 US Open with a leg injury and withdrew from the tournament starting this week in Indian Wells, California with a left forearm injury.

Her most recent match was her Australian Open quarter-final loss to long-time rival Serena Williams.

The short-notice press conference promising a "major announcement" had sparked speculation that she might be preparing to announce her retirement.

"I know many of you thought I would be retiring today, but if I was ever going to announce my retirement it would probably not be in a downtown Los Angeles hotel with this fairly ugly carpet," Sharapova said, trying with little success to inject a lighter tone into the proceedings.

Asked if the doctor who prescribed the drug should have been aware it was now banned, Sharapova refused to shift the blame.

"I have to take full responsibility for it," she said. 

"At the end of day, everything you do is about you." – Rebecca Bryan, AFP / Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA - From the shadow of Chernobyl's nuclear wasteland to international super-stardom; from penniless arrival in the United States, without a word of English, to a fortune nudging the $200 million mark.

It may sound like the stuff of Hollywood dreams, but the story of Maria Sharapova, the world's richest sportswoman, is a testament to the power of one individual to make it, whatever the odds.

The ending of the story is now shrouded in doubt after the Russian-born star announced on Monday she had failed a drug test.

She said she wants to stay in tennis - the sport that has made her rich beyond her wildest dreams even as her talent has arguably gone unfulfilled.

Sharapova has won 5 Grand Slam titles, but her great rival, Serena Williams, has 21 and is still playing.

And when she shot to international fame as a giggly 17-year-old Wimbledon winner in 2004 - the third youngest to conquer the All England Club - no one would have thought that that would remain her only title on the lawns of southwest London.

She would go on to win once in Australia and once at the US Open while claiming two titles at the French Open, despite famously likening her movement on Roland Garros's crushed red brick as a "cow on ice."

Sharapova first picked up a racket at the age of 4 when she was living in Sochi, where her Belarus-born parents had settled after escaping the deadly clutches of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Spotted by Martina Navratilova, Sharapova was encouraged to move to Nick Bollettieri's Florida academy, the proving ground of Andre Agassi and Monica Seles.

Father Yuri and the 7-year-old Maria left for the US in 1994 with just a borrowed $700 to their names.

"I was living a normal, average, everyday life back in Russia and we had a dream and I had a talent and we moved to the US," she recalled.

Yuri took odd jobs like dishwashing to finance his daughter's dreams while visa restrictions meant mother Yelena was back in Russia, separated from her daughter for two years.

When she was 9, the mighty IMG group spotted her talent, funded the $35,000 fees required for the Bollettieri school and the young Maria was on her way.

Wimbledon celebrity

She made her professional debut at 14 in 2001 and by 2003 she reached the top 50. She won her first tour titles in Japan and Quebec.

Then in 2004, her world turned upside down as her Wimbledon final triumph over Williams made her an overnight international celebrity.

One year later, she became the first Russian woman to be ranked at number one in the world while, in 2006, she won her second major at the US Open.

But in 2007 and 2008, she began her long, on-off battle with shoulder trouble. She still had time to win the Australian Open before a second shoulder injury kept her off tour for the second half of the season, including missing the US Open and Beijing Olympics.

A 10-month absence from the sport, as she recuperated from surgery, saw her ranking slip to 126, but she was back in 2012, capturing the French Open to become the 10th woman to complete a career Grand Slam and adding Olympic silver to her resume that year.

Her 2014 French Open title was another high after a dispiriting injury low.

More injury troubles followed before the bombshell announcement of her positive test for the banned heart drug Meldonium at the Australian Open - where she fell in the quarter-finals to Williams.

Serena rivalry

With Williams, she endured her most testing relationship. The two famously exchanged personal barbs over their private lives when Sharapova began a two-year romance with Bulgarian player Grigor Dimitrov, a rumoured previous boyfriend of the American.

Sharapova had previously been engaged to former Los Angeles Laker basketball star Sasha Vujacic.

She may be unlucky in love, but Sharapova has hit the jackpot in her commercial affairs.

She made almost $30 million in 2015, according to Forbes, with $23 million of that coming from endorsements.

Sharapova is a brand ambassador for Porsche, Cole Haan and in 2010 signed a contract extension with Nike worth a reported $70 million.

"Beauty sells. I have to realize that's a part of why people want me. I understand it. It's fine. I'm not going to make myself ugly," she said.

She has two luxury homes - one in Florida, one in California - and is making a lucrative career as an entrepreneur. In 2012, she launched her own line of candy, Sugarpova, selling 30,000 bags in the first 6 months.

She acknowledged in Melbourne that she never expected still to be playing tennis at the age of 28, but said Monday she wasn't ready to leave the game.

"I don't want to end my career this way," Sharapova said. "And I really hope I will be given another chance to play this game." – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines — Jeff Napa, the champion coach of the NU Bullpups in UAAP juniors basketball, has been formally introduced as new head coach of the NCAA's reigning titlists Letran Knights on Tuesday, March 8 at the school's campus in Intramuros. 

Napa, 35, will be taking over for Aldin Ayo, who took a head coaching job for the DLSU Green Archers after steering the Knights to their first NCAA championship in a decade last season. 

Napa is fresh off of his Bullpups' title run in the UAAP juniors last Friday with Nazareth School of National University winning its third championship in 5 years. He will reportedly keep his job ad NU head coach with the NCAA season (July to October) not clashing with the UAAP juniors (January to March).

Aside from leading the Bullpups, Napa also serves as an assistant on coach Eric Altamirano's NU Bulldogs squad. — Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA - Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova's tense admission that she failed a drug test at the Australian Open shone a spotlight on Meldonium, added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list this year.

Sharapova said on Monday she had taken the drug on medical advice since 2006 under the name mildronate for a variety of symptoms.

Although she said she took it for health reasons, and not as a performance enhancer, she became the most high-profile athlete to test positive for the drug used to treat ischemia, a lack of blood flow to parts of the body.

The drug is manufactured in Latvia and prescribed to treat heart disease, although it is not approved by US regulators.

The increase in blood flow it produces could improve endurance and recovery time after exercise and WADA moved it from the "monitored" to the "prohibited" drugs list "because of evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance," the anti-doping body said in a statement.

The ban approved last September came into effect on January 1.

Before Sharapova's shock announcement in Los Angeles, Olympic gold medalist ice dancer Ekaterina Bobrova confirmed she had tested positive for Meldonium at the European Championships in January.

(READ: Doping now shadows Maria Sharapova's rags-to-riches story)

Ukrainian biathletes Artem Tyshchenko and Olga Abramova have also tested positive, Abramova saying she had been prescribed the drug for heart trouble.

This month reports surfaced that Endeshaw Negesse, the Ethiopian winner of last year's Tokyo Marathon, had tested positive for the drug.

In February, Sweden's Ethiopian born Abebe Aregawi, the 2013 women’s 1500m world champion was provisionally suspended for a failed test. – Rappler.com

NEW YORK, USA – US sportswear maker Nike said Monday, March 9, it was halting its relationship with Maria Sharapova, after the tennis star announced she had tested positive for a banned substance.

"We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova," Nike said in a statement. "We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues."

More details soon. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines - Jennifer Capriati, the 3-time Grand Slam winning tennis player, slammed Maria Sharapova on Twitter after news of her failed drug test from this year’s Australian Open became public. 

The 5-time Grand Slam champ Sharapova held a news conference on Tuesday announcing that a drug test had come up positive for Meldonium, a drug she said she had been taking since 2006 but was only included in the list of substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency in January. 

(EXPLAINER: What is Meldonium, the drug Sharapova tested positive for?)

Sharapova asserted that she had been taking the drug to combat an irregular EKG heart test and a family history of diabetes, claims which Capriati, who was forced to retire due to injuries, isn’t buying. 

“Im extremely angry and disappointed. I had to lose my career and never opted to cheat no matter what.i had to throw in the towel and suffer,” Capriati, 39, wrote on her Twitter account. 

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Im extremely angry and disappointed. I had to lose my career and never opted to cheat no matter what.i had to throw in the towel and suffer</p>&mdash; Jennifer Capriati (@JenCapriati) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenCapriati/status/706954883279273984">March 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Capriati argued that there was a double standard with how Sharapova’s failed drug test is being handled, adding “Maybe I should start taking it? Lol I might feel better.” 

Capriati adds that if it’s shown that Sharapova had cheated, “every title should be stripped. This is other people’s lives as well.”

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In my opinion of its all true every title should be stripped. This is other people&#39;s lives as well</p>&mdash; Jennifer Capriati (@JenCapriati) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenCapriati/status/706986855087153152">March 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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“What's the point of someone taking a heart medicine that helps your heart recover faster unless you have a heart condition? Is thataccurate?”

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What&#39;s the point of someone taking a heart medicine that helps your heart recover faster unless you have a heart condition? Is thataccurate?</p>&mdash; Jennifer Capriati (@JenCapriati) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenCapriati/status/706971472506580992">March 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Victor Conte, the founder of the BALCO Laboratory which provided performance-enhancing substances to many top athletes before being convicted in a controversy which rocked the sports world, opined on Twitter that the only reason Sharapova would have taken the substance would be to boost her performance.

“IMO. Sharapova was using this medication as a PED. Why would a doctor prescribe this without a heart condition?,” Conte tweeted. 

(READ: Doping now shadows Maria Sharapova's rags-to-riches story)

Others in the tennis world were more forgiving of Sharapova, like the legendary Martina Navratilova, who tweeted “hope this gets cleared up as it seems 2 me to be an honest mistake.”

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sharapova Announces That She Failed Doping Test, -hope this gets cleared up as it seems 2 me to be an honest mistake <a href="https://t.co/nsfGkxDzGp">https://t.co/nsfGkxDzGp</a></p>&mdash; Martina Navratilova (@Martina) <a href="https://twitter.com/Martina/status/706942552721768449">March 7, 2016</a></blockquote>

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WADA says it is aware of the issue but was awaiting a ruling from the International Tennis Federation before making comment. – Rappler.com