1 minute, 37.502 seconds around the Bahrain Inter

The NBAs life ban for Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling won swift support in Europe but also produced calls for soccer to show similar resolve against racism. FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini, via his spokesman, both voiced approval on Wednesday. Blatter tweeted: "Sport says no to racism. I fully support (at)NBAs decision to ban (at)LAClippers owner for life after his racist words." Patrick Vieira, a 1998 World Cup winner with France, also tweeted: "Well done to (at)NBA, another organisation dealing with racism in exactly the right way. I say again - zero tolerance." NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wants Sterling to sell as part of a series of sanctions brought against the leagues longest-tenured owner in response to racist comments in a recorded conversation. Silver banned Sterling for life, fined him $2.5 million, and said he will press the other team owners to support his desire to make Sterling sell. For some in Europe, the NBAs resolve was in stark contrast to soccer leaders failure to eradicate racism that has dogged stadiums and marred matches for decades. Just last weekend, a Villarreal season-ticket holder racially taunted Barcelona defender Dani Alves by throwing a banana at him. Retired British NBA player John Amaechi noted that players, executives and owners in the American league appeared united in their rejection of Sterling. "If they can do that to respond to a hateful private utterance, why the hell cant football do that to respond to repeated instances of hate-mongering?" Amaechi said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "Its time that we started looking at some of the owners within other parts of sport," outside the NBA, he said. "Theyre exactly the type of plantation mentality people who dont mind having black people working for them ... But God forbid that they want to come up to the big house." Amaechi said he doesnt expect the NBAs exemplary punishment of Sterling will jolt soccer into meaningful change. And Blatters tweet of support for the NBA was "not enough," he added. "If there was a poster-person for the words impotence and apathy, it would have his face on it," Amaechi said. "You know what theyre going to do? Theyre going to produce another pretty poster with platitudes plastered all over it. Theyre going to produce another campaign that has a black player stood next to a white player," he said. "Nothing substantive." FIFA and UEFA, the European authority, have toughened their sanctions for discrimination in the past year and prosecuted cases more quickly. A turning point in awareness of widespread problems with offensive abuse at matches came in January 2013 when Kevin-Prince Boateng, then playing for AC Milan, led teammates walking off the field to protest racist insults during an exhibition against a fourth-tier Italian side. FIFA and UEFA have ordered national and club teams to play matches in empty or partly closed stadiums as punishment for racial abuse incidents, but no World Cup or Champions League team has yet had points deducted or forfeited a match. Among the most severe judgments, FIFA has banned Croatia defender Josip Simunic for 10 matches -- including the 2014 World Cup -- for leading fans in chanting a Nazi-era nationalist slogan after a playoff victory against Iceland last November. Simunic has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Cheap Greg Monroe Jersey . But qualifying for her first Scotties Tournament of Hearts after years of falling short in tough Manitoba provincial championships is as good as consolation prizes get for the 29-year-old from Winnipegs Fort Rouge Curling Club. Cheap Al Horford Jersey . Rockhold." 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The worst ailment of the three, at least optically, is the deep bone bruise suffered by Adam Lind when he fouled a pitch off the top of his right foot in the sixth inning of Saturdays game.SAKHIR, Bahrain -- Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg set the fastest times in Fridays opening practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix, making them once again the team to beat in Sundays race. Hamilton set a best time of 1 minute, 37.502 seconds around the Bahrain International Circuit, a quarter of a second ahead of Rosberg. Fernando Alonso was third fastest in his Ferrari, half a second off Hamiltons time. Mercedes has won the opening two races of the Formula One season and could make it three straight in Bahrain, where the race will be held at night for the first time. Four-time defending world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull was 10th, 1.dddddddddddd seconds off the pace, with the Renault-powered team a long way behind Mercedes in straight-line speed. Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg was fourth fastest, while McLaren driver Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen were fifth and seventh, respectively. Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen separated them. Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat, a 19-year-old rookie, was eighth quickest and Force India driver Sergio Perez was ninth. The session was held in warm and sunny conditions in the afternoon, but the race will start at sunset in cooler ambient conditions. Fridays second practice session is expected to be closer to race simulation. ' ' '