Olympics: The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics made an operating profit of 3.25 billion roubles ($53.15 million), officials announced. The International Olympic Committee said it was planning to give its share of the profits back to the Russian organisers. “The IOC has already decided to transfer its 20 per cent... to the Russian Olympic Committee,” spokesperson Mark Adams told reporters. The 2016 Summer Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro.
Cricket: AB de Villiers confirmed his status as the most destructive batsman in cricket with a magnificent unbeaten 162 from just 66 balls to lead South Africa to a record 257-run victory over West Indies in the World Cup yesterday. South Africa’s tally of 408 for five was the second highest posted in a World Cup match and a shell-shocked West Indies could only manage 151 in reply, Chris Gayle backing up his record 215 against Zimbabwe on Tuesday with a paltry three. It was the joint fourth largest margin of victory by runs in an one-day international and also equalled the largest margin in a World Cup match, matching India’s 257-run win over Bermuda in 2007.
Motor Racing: Carmen Jorda has joined Lotus F1 as a development driver, becoming the second female to hold a Formula One back-up position after Williams’ Susie Wolff. The 26-year-old daughter of former driver Jose Miguel Jorda has been on the professional circuit for more than a decade and competed in last year’s GP3 feeder series. She will join Lotus for a year, working with their simulator programme, as well as attending Grands Prix and tests. Like Wolff, who was promoted from a similar role to that of test driver earlier this year, Jorda will also have the chance to earn a drive in the F1 car.
Basketball: Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in the NBA, died on Thursday at the age of 86, the league said on its website. The cause of death was not disclosed. Lloyd paved the way for black players when he made his NBA debut with Washington Capitols in 1950. He missed the 1951-52 season due to military service but later won a championship with the Syracuse Nationals and also played for Detroit Pistons before retiring in 1960. According to basketball-reference.com, Lloyd, a small forward, scored 4,682 points in 560 games.