Pique, Shakira trapped in sex-tape blackmail: Reports

Madrid 

FC Barcelona's Gerard Pique and his superstar wife Shakira are reportedly facing a blackmail plot by a former employee over an alleged sex video. Spanish football is already reeling under a major blackmail with Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema being probed for extortion of international teammate Mathieu Valbuena over another sex tape. Spanish media has reported that Pique and Shakira have been threatened with the leak of an intimate video if the high-profile pair did not pay a significant sum of money. The footballer and his pop star wife have not confirmed or denied the reports, says the Mirror. Shakira, 38, met Pique, 10 years her junior, when the Spanish star appeared in her music video for the single Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), the official song for 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Manila 

Jeev, Chawrasia lead Indian challenge at Manila

Chiragh Kumar, India's latest winner on Asian Tour, EurAsia Cup captain Jeev Milkha Singh and SSP Chawrasia, the highest-ranked Indian in the field, will lead a strong challenge at the USD 1 million Resorts World Manila Masters starting tomorrow. The trio is among the 13 Indians who will tee up at the richest event in the history of Philippines golf at the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club. The field also includes 

S Chikka, who came close to his maiden Asian Tour triumph, before fading away in the final round at World Classic Championships at Laguna last week.

Noida 

Vani grabs lead on day 1 

Delhi golfer Vani Kapoor carded a level par 72 to grab the early lead on Day One of the 17th leg of the Hero Women's Professional Golf Tour on Wednesday. Trailing her in second position by three strokes is Kapurthala's Gursimar Badwal. Vani started the pursuit of her fifth title of the season cautiously, playing a bogey-free front nine. The Hero Order of Merit leader, however, grew in confidence as the day progressed and carded her first birdie on the 10th hole. She dropped a shot on the 13th, but followed it up with a birdie on the 15th. She could have ended the day with an under-par score but for a bogey on the 16th hole.

Bellevue (US)

Ghosal bows out  

Saurav Ghosal bowed out of the men's World Championships after going down to England's James Willstrop in the second round. Ghosal's run ended after an 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 drubbing at the hands of the former finalist. This was the ninth meeting between the two, who have trained a lot together in Leeds, with Ghosal having lost all. Willstrop is ranked 24th while Ghosal is 17th but the difference in ranking mattered little as early leads helped the Englishman's cause. Ghosal made too many unforced errors during the match which lasted a little over 40minutes.

Wellington

Kiwi rugby legend Lomu dies aged 40 

New Zealand rugby legend Jonah Lomu, who revolutionised wing play to become the sport’s first global superstar, died on Wednesday in Auckland at the age of 40, prompting a global outpouring of grief. Lomu had suffered from kidney disease for two decades and had a transplant in 2004 but former All Blacks doctor John Mayhew said his death was a complete shock. “Jonah and his family arrived back from the United Kingdom last night and he suddenly died this morning,” Mayhew said. Lomu, who was awaiting another transplant and undergoing dialysis treatment, had undertaken commercial obligations at the recent Rugby World Cup in England, won by New Zealand. Lomu’s record of 37 tries in 63 Tests was an impressive haul, all the more so considering he played much of his career with nephritic syndrome, the disease that attacked his kidneys. 

Monchengladbach

Altenburg named Germany hockey team coach till Rio

The German hockey association (DHB) has named Valentin Altenburg as the national team’s chief coach till the 2016 Rio Olympics, replacing Markus Wiese, who departed to work for the national football federation (DFB). Altenburg, 34, former head coach of the German under-21 side, will have his first assignment in charge of the 2008 and 2012 Olympics champions at the HWL Final. Hamburg-based Altenburg will return as the under-21 coach after the Olympics. — Agencies