Sports News Roundup: Soccer-Ex-Cardiff player Simpson suspended for racist language towards team mate; Motor racing-Ferrari fastest in Las Vegas after drain damage drama and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Motor racing-Sainz shocked by grid penalty after drain cover drama

Carlos Sainz said he had paid the price for Formula One's shortcomings after a loose drain cover wrecked his Ferrari and triggered a 10 place grid penalty at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Friday. Thursday's first practice lasted only eight minutes before Sainz's car hit the metal cover in a storm of sparks. The second session eventually started at 0230 local time on Friday after safety checks.

Soccer-Ex-Cardiff player Simpson suspended for racist language towards team mate

Former Cardiff City defender Jack Simpson has been suspended for six matches and fined after he admitted using racist language towards a team mate, the English FA said on Thursday. The incident took place during Cardiff's pre-season tour in Portugal. The former Rangers player left Cardiff in August and has since been a free agent.

Motor racing-Ferrari fastest in Las Vegas after drain damage drama

Charles Leclerc led Ferrari team mate Carlos Sainz in a practice one-two on Friday to cap an extraordinary first night at the Las Vegas Grand Prix with the delayed track action ending at 4 a.m and in front of empty grandstands after earlier drama.

Sainz's performance was all the more impressive considering the Spaniard's car had been wrecked by a loose drain cover that forced the cancellation of first practice after just eight minutes' action.

Olympics-France fashions slender Paris 2024 torch from raw steel

It takes only four cars from the scrapyard - or the steel from about 50 washing machines - to make the 2,000 torches needed for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, but the process requires a specific savoir faire. Six tons of steel were melted by manufacturing corporation ArcelorMittal, a Paris 2024 official partner, before being shaped into 0.7-millimetre plates that were shipped to the Normandy factory of French silverware and cutlery company Guy Degrenne.

Olympics-Strikes could mar Paris 2024 run-up if worker demands not met, union says

France's CGT union on Friday called on the government to shift gears in its talks with public sector workers about their labour conditions and pay during the 2024 Olympics and threatened strike action over the next months if its demands are not met. "If we don't have commitments at the beginning of 2024, then in January, February, March, April, we will take action," CGT union representative Celine Verzeletti told Reuters.

Man United nears sale of 25% stake to Jim Ratcliffe for $33 a share -Sky News

Manchester United's American owners, the Glazer family, are set to finalise a $33 per share deal with Jim Ratcliffe that will see the British billionaire acquire a 25% stake in the English soccer club, Sky News reported on Friday. The deal, which could be confirmed later on Friday, will bring to an end a year-long sale process. The Glazer family announced last November that they were exploring "strategic alternatives" for the club, including a possible sale and were open to fresh investment.

Baseball-Ohtani wins second American League MVP award in unanimous vote

Dual-threat Major League Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani was named the unanimous winner of the American League Most Valuable Player award for a second time on Thursday despite suffering injuries that cut his 2023 season short. The Japanese-born Ohtani received all 30 first-place votes in balloting by eligible Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voters to beat out Corey Seager and Marcus Semien of the Texas Rangers.

Athletics-Jamaican Taylor banned for 30 months for doping rule violation

Jamaican sprinter Christopher Taylor has been banned for 30 months for an anti-doping rule violation, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Friday. Taylor, who helped Jamaica to silver in the 4x400 metres relay at the 2022 World Championships, failed to submit to a sample collection in an out-of-competition test roughly a year ago, AIU said.

Games-OCA fined $500,000 by WADA over North Korea flag dispute

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has fined the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) $500,000 for allowing North Korea to fly its flag at the Asian Games in Hangzhou despite it being banned over non-compliance with global anti-doping rules. WADA banned the flag at all major sporting events, outside the Olympic and Paralympic Games, in 2021 after deeming that North Korea had failed to implement an effective testing programme.

NHL roundup: Senators edge Wings in OT in Sweden

Tim Stutzle scored with two seconds remaining in overtime to give the Ottawa Senators a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL Global Series Sweden on Thursday in Stockholm. During a scramble in the Wings' zone, Drake Batherson sent a pass that deflected off a defender's stick. Stutzle took a waist-high whack at the puck as goaltender James Reimer ducked. The puck sailed over Reimer's head and into the net.

(With inputs from agencies.)