-
REUTERS – TOKYO
Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori said that the Olympic Games,
already postponed to 2021, would be “scrapped” if they could not
take place then, according to an interview published yesterday.
The International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government
last month post-poned the Games until July 2021 because of the
impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
With the epidemic’s worldwide infection rate climbing and
experts suggesting a vaccine is still a long way off, questions are
being asked about whether the huge setpiece event might need to be
delayed further.
“No. In that case, the Olympics will be scrapped,” Mori said in
the interview with Japanese sports daily Nikkan Sports, when asked
if the Games could be postponed again until 2022.
However the former prime minister remained confident the they
would go ahead in 2021.
“We have delayed the Olympics until next summer after we will
have won the battle,” he was quoted as saying.
“The Olympics would be much more valuable than any Olympics in
the past if we could go ahead with it after winning this battle. We
have to believe this otherwise our hard work and efforts will not
be rewarded.” Asked about Mori’s comments, Tokyo 2020 spokesman
Masa Takaya
emphasised organisers were focusing on next year.
“New dates for the Tokyo 2020 Games have been set and our
mission is to deliver the Games next year,” he told a news
briefing.
Mori “mentioned this comment in his own thoughts,” Takaya
added.
During the interview, Mori also suggested the Olympics and
Paralympics might share opening and closing cere-monies instead of
holding their usual separate ones. Mori said this would cut costs,
though the idea is further complicated by tickets already being
sold for all four ceremonies.
Takaya said that this option had been mentioned but that no
concrete plans had been made.
“(But)... due to the impact of coronavirus, the situation next
year will be completely different,” he said.
“(So)...we have to review key areas, including the
ceremonies.”
Tokyo 2020 and the IOC are still assessing how much rear-ranging
the Games will cost.
The budget was set at $12.6bn before the post-ponement and
Japanese media reports have said the delay may add a further ¥300bn
($2.8bn).
Takaya said extra costs were still being finalised, adding that
organisers had never mentioned “this con-crete number of 300
billion yen.”
There have been more than 3 million documented coronavirus cases
glo-bally, with more than 210,000 deaths.
SPORT | 10
De Kock growing into South Africa
captaincy
SPORTI miss racing every day: F1 world champion Hamilton
SPORT | 11
WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL 2020
The Olympics would be much more valuable than any Olympics in
the past if we could go ahead with it after winning this battle. We
have to believe this otherwise our hard work and efforts will not
be rewarded: Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori
QOC promotes healthy living through activities on social
mediaQNA – DOHA
The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) is providing multiple
activities and sports events on its social media platforms to
encourage the public and followers to exercise sports activities at
home, abiding by quarantine measures, and adopting social
distancing guidelines.
Through this initiative, QOC is encouraging the individual sport
as the best method to maintain the health of the indi-viduals and
society physically and psychologically.
Among QOC’s vital events and activities is Team Qatar Virtual
Run which takes place
every Thursday and Friday for 5km, 10km and 21km, along with
2020 Qatar Olympic Committee E-Tournament (FIFA & Pro Evolution
20), as well as “ Think with Qatar team” program which offers
questions to the public on events organized by the QOC on its
social media platforms, ultimately the winners in these events
shall get valuable prizes.
At local media level, the Al Kass TV’s broadcaster Mishaal
Shakir delivers show at 11 pm titled “Live with Qatar team” during
the holy month of Ramadan, the show hosts athlete from Qatar team
on every Wednesday and Friday
t o focus light on the careers of Qatar team athletes and their
achievements. The show on its
first day has hosted t h e Qatari rally driver and sport
shooter, Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah
who focused light on his sports career and achievements in both
Rally and shooting sports.
In another collective effort, many Team Qatar stars from
different sport disci-plines are providing online - tips and
training sessions to help public people to maintain fitness during
the home quarantine.
QOC’s social media plat-forms also provide online short video
clips to encourage the public and followers to maintain
self-physical fitness.
In another scene, the diet expert, Mohammed Al Ahraq presents a
55-minute show (Stay Health with Team Qatar) via the QOC’s social
media plat-forms to highlight topics encouraging the child
nutrition system.
UEFA set May 25 deadline for leaguesREUTERS – MANCHESTER
European football leagues have been given a May 25 deadline to
inform governing body UEFA of their plans to restart their domestic
competitions.
Football has ground to a halt in all major leagues in Europe and
none have yet to resume. But UEFA is keen to start planning for
next season’s European club tournaments.
In a letter to the 55 federations in UEFA, President Aleksander
Ceferin wrote that any league cancelling its season would need to
produce a list of teams that have qualified for European club
competitions, also by May 25.
“National Associations and/or Leagues should be in a position to
communicate to UEFA by 25 May 2020 the planned restart of their
domestic competitions including the date of restart and the
relevant competition format,” Ceferin wrote.
“In the event that a domestic competition is to be prematurely
terminated for legitimate reasons... UEFA would require the
National Association to explain by 25 May 2020 the special
circum-stances justifying such premature termination and to select
clubs for the UEFA club competitions
2020/21 on the basis of sporting merit in the 2019/20 domestic
competitions,” he added.
The sport has been brought to a standstill by the pandemic, with
the Euro 2020 competition post-poned until next year and both
national leagues and continental club competitions on hold.
UEFA has made it clear that it wants its member associations to
complete their domestic seasons rather than abandon them. It also
hopes to finish the Champions League and Europa League
competitions.
While leagues such as the German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and
English Premier League say they want to finish their seasons, the
Dutch Eredivisie cut short its season on Friday and said there
would be no title awarded and no relegations or promotions - a
decision strongly criticised by some of the affected clubs.
Olympic Games chief rules out further delay
French football, rugby seasons off until September
AFP – PARIS
French professional sports leagues including football and rugby
cannot restart before September because of coronavirus
restric-tions, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said yesterday.
Philippe made the announcement as part of a gradual plan to lift
the lockdown in France.
He said no event where more than 5,000 people gather would be
allowed until at least September.
The news is also likely to affect the Tour de France, due to
embark from Nice on August 29 and where huge crowds would be
expected to gather at the start and finish lines.
“The 2019-2020 professional sports leagues, notably football,
cannot yet restart,” Philippe told a televised address to French
parliament at the National Assembly.
“I would like to be precise here, no large sports gathering or
any gathering of 5,000 people or more, needing the permission of
the local police and long prior arrangements, will be allowed
before September,” Philippe said.
The announcement appears to scupper the plans of French
football’s top division Ligue 1 to start again in June with players
being recalled as of May 11.
France is currently under a nationwide lockdown until May 11 and
around 23,000 people have died so far of coronavirus linked
illnesses in the country.
A woman wearing a protective face mask, walks past the Olympic
rings in front of the Japan Olympics Museum, in Tokyo, in this file
photo.
A general view of the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Britain.
UK wants Premier League back 'as soon as possible'REUTERS –
LONDON
The UK government’s cabinet minister responsible for sport said
he has been in talks with the Premier League with the aim of
getting football back on the field as quickly as possible.
Speaking at a parliamentary ques-tions session, Oliver Dowden,
Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, said: “I per-sonally have been
in talks with the Premier League with a view to getting football up
and running as soon as pos-sible in order to support the whole
football community.
“But of course, any such moves would have to be consistent with
public health guidance,” he said.
The Premier League, which has been on hold since March 13,
remains suspended until at least April 30 while
lockdown measures are in place in the United Kingdom until May
7, when the government is set to review the current restrictions in
place.
But three London clubs, Arsenal, West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur,
along with Brighton, have already re-opened their training grounds,
allowing limited return to training while observing social
distancing protocols.
Those clubs say that players will only be using outdoor field
facilities for individual work and will not take part in team
activities.
Premier League clubs will hold their latest conference call on
Friday as they continue to evaluate various options for finishing
the season but a re-start of matches is not expected until June at
the earliest.
Football has ground to a halt in all major leagues in Europe and
none have yet to resume. But UEFA is keen to start planning for
next season’s European club tournaments.
ponement and Japanese mediareports have said the delay may add a
further ¥300bn ($2.8bn).
Takaya said extra costswere still being finalised, adding that
organisers hadnever mentioned “this con-crete number of 300 billion
yen.”
There have been more han 3 million documented
coronavirus cases glo-bally, withmore than 210,000deaths.
President Yoshiro Mori
-
09WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL 2020 SPORT
A $500,000 fund set to support athletesREUTERS – MONACO
World Athletics and the Inter-national Athletics Foundation
(IAF) have come together to launch a $500,000 fund to help athletes
in financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global
governing body said yesterday.
The coronavirus outbreak has brought sporting events worldwide
to a halt, leading to a loss of income for athletes.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe will chair a group
assessing applications for assistance. The group will meet this
week and also look into how to raise additional funds.
“I am in constant contact with athletes around the world and I
know that many are experiencing financial hardship as a consequence
of the shutdown of most inter-national sports competition in the
last two months,” Coe said in a statement.
“Our professional athletes rely on prize money as part of their
income and we’re mindful that our competition season, on both the
track and road, is being severely impacted by the pandemic,” he
said.
The Diamond League, the elite track and field compe-tition, was
forced to postpone events in seven cities scheduled between April
and June due to the outbreak.
The next scheduled meet is in London on July 4 followed by
Monaco on July 10.
Brighton players collect £264,000 for charitiesREUTERS –
BRIGHTON
Brighton & Hove Albion’s players and directors have come
together to collect £263,939 ($328,472) which will be donated to
assist charities that have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic,
the Premier League club said yesterday.
The club said Sussex char-ities for hospices, sick children,
domestic abuse victims, bereavement care, food banks and more would
benefit from the fund and the club has also asked staff and fans to
donate if they are in a position to do so.
The club’s players donated a “significant portion” of their
April wages while club chairman Tony Bloom and other directors also
contributed.
“There’s a collective desire from everyone within the squad and
the club to do something for local charities
suffering as a result of the crisis,” Brighton striker Glenn
Murray said in a statement.
“The people of Brighton & Hove and across Sussex have always
been there for this football club going back a long way... We want
to show the same support we’ve had from our community, week in,
week out for so long.”
Earlier this month, Brighton boss Graham Potter and senior
members of the club’s man-agement took a pay cut for three months
to ease the financial burden on the club during the crisis.
Professional soccer in England has been suspended indefinitely
since mid-March. The British government’s lockdown measures are in
place at least until May 7, when the government is set to review
the restrictions.
Brighton were 15th in the standings before the league was
suspended.
Korean FA Cup to kick off on May 9
REUTERS – SEOUL
The Korean FA Cup will kick off on May 9, a day after the
top-flight K-League begins its 2020 season which was delayed by the
COVID-19 pandemic, Yonhap news agency reported yesterday.
The tournament, originally scheduled to begin on March 14, will
be held without spectators in attendance during the early rounds,
the agency quoted the Korean Football Association (KFA) as
saying.
The first round will feature 32 semi-pro and amateur clubs from
the lower divisions. The 16 winners will meet six more teams from
the K3 League and 10 clubs from the K-League 2 in the second round
from June 6.
The quarter-finals will be held July 29 and the semi-finals are
scheduled for October 28.
The date of the two-legged final will be decided later, the
report said, adding that fixtures could change depending on the
situation with the outbreak which has infected more than 10,000
people and killed nearly 250 people in the country.
Major decisions taken by English clubs during COVID-19
pandemicREUTERS – LONDON
Following is a list of decisions taken by English Premier League
clubs since the COVID-19 pandemic suspended the season in
March.
Some clubs used the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention
Scheme where employers can claim 80% of furloughed employees’
monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 ($3,102) per month.
All 20 teams are set to discuss plans for a potential restart in
June via a conference call on May 1.
ARSENAL� Players and coaching staff have agreed a 12.5%
salary
cut which came into effect in April with “agreed amounts” set to
be repaid if specific targets linked to success on the pitch were
met in the seasons ahead.� Will continue paying employees and
casual workers
full salaries until the end of May.� Reopened London Colney
training facility to first
team players for individual sessions on April 27 but con-tinued
to observe social distancing protocols.
ASTON VILLA� Players, first team coaches and senior
management
have agreed to defer 25% of wages for four months, after which a
review will take place.� Villa Park repurposed to become a clinic
providing
maternity care to support an NHS hospital trust.BOURNEMOUTH� The
club’s chief executive Neill Blake, first team
technical director Richard Hughes, manager Eddie Howe and his
assistant Jason Tindall have taken voluntary pay cuts.� Staff were
furloughed for at least three weeks but
the club reversed their decision on April 14 after Premier
League clubs were criticised for applying to the gov-ernment
scheme.
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION� Senior management took voluntary
three-month
pay cuts to help protect staff jobs.� Will pay matchday staff
until the end of the season.� Amex Stadium converted into a
drive-through
COVID-19 testing centre to assist the NHS.� Opened training
ground for individual training ses-
sions on April 27. BURNLEY� Chairman Mike Garlick said the club
could run out
of money by August if the season does not resume by then.� Club
did not furlough staff but will reconsider their
position if the season does not resume by July.CHELSEA� First
team did not take a pay cut or deferrals but the
club urged them to continue supporting charitable causes.�
Full-time staff continue to be paid 100% of their
wages.CRYSTAL PALACE� Chairman Steve Parish said all employees
would
receive full pay during the pandemic and they would not be
placed on sick pay for issues related to COVID-19.
LIVERPOOL� Furloughed some of their non-playing staff but
reversed the decision and apologised after it drew sharp
criticism from the British government and supporters.� Expansion of
their Anfield Road stand has been post-
poned by a year due to delays caused by lockdown measures.
MANCHESTER CITY� Confirmed they would not make use of the
govern-
ment’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.� Committed to paying
casual matchday staff for the
rest of the season.MANCHESTER UNITED� Informed staff that they
would be paid in full during
the pandemic and confirmed club would not make use of the
furlough scheme.
NEWCASTLE UNITED� Non-playing staff on temporary leave but they
will
be paid their full salaries until the end of April.NORWICH CITY�
Furloughed staff unable to work but will receive
usual salary in full with club topping up money received from
the government scheme.
SHEFFIELD UNITED� Players agreed to defer part of their salaries
and
bonuses until the end of the year.� Manager Chris Wilder, his
senior coaching staff and
CEO Stephen Bettis, agreed to defer part of their pay and
bonuses for six months.
SOUTHAMPTON� First Premier League club to announce that
their
players and coaching staff will defer part of their salaries.�
Staff not already deferring part of their salaries will
receive full pay until at least June 30.TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR�
Imposed a 20% pay cut on 550 non-playing staff in
April and May and planned to use the government’s furlough
scheme where appropriate.� Reversed their decision to furlough
staff on April 13
amid criticism from supporters spearheaded by the Tottenham
Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST).
WATFORD� Players agreed a wage deferral but details of the
deal are private.� Club has opened doors to the Watford General
Hos-
pital and are offering beds, food and training areas to support
NHS staff.
WEST HAM UNITED� Second Premier League club to announce wage
deferrals for players.WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS� Chairman Jeff Shi
confirmed all staff would be paid
while the club was closed due to the pandemic.
REUTERS – TORONTO
The National Basketball Asso-ciation announced yesterday it is
modifying guidance on player training, which could allow team
facilities to open as early as May 8 in US states easing
stay-at-home orders put in place to fight the novel coro-navirus
outbreak.
The opening of facilities would be the first step towards
restarting the league, which has been shuttered since March 11
after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus.
“The purpose of these changes is to allow for safe and
controlled environments for players to train in states that allow
them to do so, and to create a process for identifying safe
training options for players located in other states,” the NBA said
in a statement.
The changes would allow teams to make facilities available to
players for workouts or injury treatment on a voluntary basis.
For teams based in states or cities where government
restrictions remain in place, the NBA will work with them to find
alternative arrangement. As part of the guidelines no more than
four players will be permitted at a facility at any one time and no
coaches can participate.
Clubs open doors for training as PL's ‘Project Restart’ gathers
pace
AFP – LONDON
Tottenham became the latest Premier League club to open their
doors to players yesterday as part of the “Project Restart” plan to
finish the English top-flight season.
The Premier League has been suspended since March 13 due to the
coronavirus crisis but there is growing belief the campaign can be
concluded over the summer months.
Resuming matches on June 8 is reportedly among the ideas set to
be discussed when the Premier League’s key stakeholders meet on
Friday.
That would require full training to begin by May 18 and Premier
League clubs are starting to work towards that date by giving
players the option of using their training grounds.
Tottenham have followed Arsenal, West Ham and Brighton in
allowing players to use facilities for individual sessions that
conform to social-distancing guidelines.
“No more than one player per pitch will be permitted at any one
time to undertake on-pitch exercise, with only a restricted number
of the squad coming to the training centre each day,” a Tot-tenham
statement said.
“Each player will travel independently and arrive at the
facilities already dressed in training wear before returning home
immediately after they have concluded their session.” After weeks
of lockdown in Britain, min-isters believe the return of football
would b o o s t morale.
Culture s e c r e t a r y O l i v e r Dowden who is responsible
for sport, said he had been in talks with the Premier League “with
a
view to getting football up and running as soon as possible” but
stressed any moves would have to be consistent with public health
guidance.
The clubs remain committed to ending the 2019/20 campaign and
there are compelling financial and legal reasons to play the
remaining 92 games.
The Premier League’s medical adviser, Mark Gillett, and the
Football Associ-ation’s head of m e d i c i n e , C h a r l o t
t e
C o w i e , a r e u n d e r -stood to be part of a group
o f
officials who will meet on a weekly basis with government and
public health representatives.
Regular virus testing of all players and key staff would be a
crucial part of the restart plan and the cost of those tests would
be met centrally by the Premier League, according to reports.
All clubs will be working to the same protocols in terms of
training sessions, which will be designed to minimise the risk of
infection.
Matches would almost cer-tainly be played behind closed doors
and clubs have reportedly been told that only approved sta-diums
could be used, with higher health certification than normal.
The Professional Footballers’ Association are involved in
discus-sions and have raised the issue of players not wanting to be
put at risk by returning too soon.
“We have reiterated that players are not just footballers but
partners, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters who share the same
health concerns as everyone else during this pandemic,” said PFA
deputy chief executive Bobby Barnes.
“We have been assured of the intentions of all that there would
be no resumption unless guar-antees of safety could be given to the
players.” The return of football remains controversial, with
Britain still battling the pandemic.
Watford chief executive Scott Duxbury said: “Football, for
me
now, just needs to be put to one side. I feel
uncomfortable at this stage even
talking about football as a
narrative, b e c a u s e there are
p e o p l e d y i n g e ve ry
day.
NBA sets guidelines for reopening facilities
underrrtake oon pittch with oonnly a rereestricteedthe squuaadd
cominngng to thhe e
enentre eeachh d ay,” aaa T ot-atememennt saidd.
playeerr w ill dependdeently
at the faccilities esesses d in
weeaareturniinng
mmediateelyhavave e cooncluluded on.” AAAfAfter wew ekks wn in
BBritainin, miminn-ve the reteturn n of wwouo ldd
ee y
e r who sible aiaid d heein talklkkksPremieeerwith aa
Footbaalll Association’’s head of m e d ii c i n e ,C h a r l o
t t e
C oo w i e , a r eu n dd e r -stoodd to be parrt of a grooup
o f
ave been assured of theWe has of all that there would
intentionssumption unless guarbe no res -safety could be given to
antees of ss.” The return of footballthe playersontroversial, with
Britainremains cong the pandemic.still battlinrd chief executive
Scott Watforsaid: “Football, for me Duxbury s
non w, just needs to beput to one side. I feel
uncomfortable atthis stage even
talking aboutfootball as a
narrative,b e c a u s e there are
p e o p l ed y i n g ev e ry
day.
Newly appointed Croatian Head coach of Dinamo Zagreb Igor
Jovicevic (second left), French defender Kevin Theophile (left),
Croatian defender Marin Leovac (third left) and Austrian defender
Emir Dilaver (right) attend the first training session of Dinamo
Zagreb in small groups of 5 players after the break due to the
coronavirus crisis in Zagreb, Croatia, on Monday after Croatia
started easing virus lockdown.
The Premier League has been suspended since March 13 due to the
coronavirus.
Resuming matches on June 8 is reportedly among the ideas set to
be discussed when the Premier League’s key stakeholders meet on
Friday.
Tottenham have followed Arsenal, West Ham and Brighton in
allowing players to use facilities for individual sessions that
conform to social-distancing guidelines.
-
10 WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL 2020SPORT
Fate of Hundred in balance as English cricket chiefs meetAFP -
LONDON
England cricket chief Tom Harrison says the controversial
Hundred has become “even more important” due to the economic damage
from coronavirus ahead of a meeting that will decide the fate of
the new competition.
Last week, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) further
delayed the start of the 2020 season until July 1 at the earliest
but said the inaugural Hundred would be on the agenda this
today.
The new 100-balls-per-side format, to be played by eight
franchises rather than English cricket’s established 18 first-class
counties, is meant to start in July.
ECB officials have long insisted it will attract a new audience
vital to safeguarding cricket’s future, with some matches set to be
broadcast live on terrestrial television.
But public health restrictions, the problems of bringing in
overseas stars and the issue of launch costs at a time of economic
crisis mean a delay appears inevitable.
“We’ll look at how the situation impacts the Hundred, which was
envisaged as being a tour-nament that enabled us to widen the
audience for the game,” said Harrison.
“With an in-stadia environment, with inter-national players,
it’s going to be very, very difficult.”
Many voices within English cricket have been opposed to the
Hundred from the outset, arguing there is no space for a new format
in an already congested calendar.
They say many of the ECB’s aims could be achieved with better
support for the existing Twenty20 Blast.
But Harrison, one of the key movers behind the competition, said
current conditions made it more important than ever.
“If anything this crisis and the implications, long-term or
medium-term, mean the case for the Hundred is even more important,”
he said.
“So I don’t think this in any way dilutes the case for the
Hundred, it absolutely accelerates it and makes it something
cricket needs to get behind.”
Even before the pandemic, the ECB had itself forecast the
Hundred would make a loss in its first five seasons.
Costs in the first year, including the £1.3m ($1.6m) paid to
each county, were estimated at
£58m, against an income of £51m. Not playing the Hundred could
potentially save the ECB mil-lions at a time when it has launched a
£61m virus aid package for the domestic game.
But Harrison is convinced it will make money in the long run --
and help preserve the existing county set-up.
“It will help us achieve one of our priorities, which is keeping
the lights on through the network -- making sure county cricket is
really healthy and strong long, long into the future,” he said.
“And it will help broaden the audience for the game. There will
be a huge clamour for audience coming out of this crisis, for all
sport.
A file photo of players set to appear in the first edition of
The Hundred competition.
De Kock growing into South Africa captaincyREUTERS - CAPE
TOWN
Quinton de Kock (pictured) says he has eased into the South
African captaincy in limited-overs formats and feels the Twenty20
side is on the right track for this year’s World Cup in
Australia.
De Kock has taken over leading the side from Faf du Plessis in
white-ball cricket, and had a baptism of fire with three one-day
internationals and three Twenty20 matches each against England and
Australia in the last few months.
They secured a 3-0 ODI series victory over the touring
Australians and De Kock feels there has been progress.
“I took it pretty slowly, I am still trying to get a feel of how
to go about things. I have learnt quite a bit and I didn’t do too
badly,” he said in audio released by Cricket South Africa
yesterday.
“It was more about taking it step-by-step, not just throwing out
what I think straight away to the team. We are busy rebuilding as a
limited overs team, especially ODIs. Twenty20 I think we know what
is going on.
“The series against Australia... we had quite a young team and
they had a powerhouse side, so for
us to beat them 3-0 was a highlight.”
De Kock has emerged as South Africa’s most accomplished batsman
in all forms of the game in the past two seasons and they have
become heavily reliant on his runs.
He admits, however, that his goal is to convert more good starts
into hundreds.
“I played decently, there was a time when I was starting to get
grumpy at not converting my starts into big scores, espe-cially in
the Test series against England,” De Kock said.
“I want to get better, to start scoring big hundreds for the
team, that is the most important thing to get going now.”
South Africa are
scheduled to tour the West Indies for two Test matches and five
Twenty20 internationals in late July and August, but that, and the
World Cup in October, is subject to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m not sure what will happen, every country has their
regu-
lations they must adhere to. It is just a matter of waiting for
this to go past and then we can get on
with the game again,” De Kock
said.
Decision to ban Akmal for 3 years is right, says Raja IANS -
LAHORE
Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja has welcomed PCBs decision
to ban Umar Akmal on corruption charges, saying the batsman has
offi-cially made it to the “list of idiots” and that people like
him should be put in jail.
Umar has been banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board from all
forms of cricket for three years after pleading guilty to failing
to report match-fixing approaches.
“So, Umar Akmal officially makes it to the list of idiots!
Banned for three years. What a waste of a talent! It’s high time
that Pakistan moved towards passing a legislative law against match
fixing. Behind bars is where such jack a**** belong! Otherwise
brave for more!!” Raza said in a tweet.
PCB informed about the ban imposed on Akmal on Monday on Twitter
and said: “Umar Akmal handed three-year ban from all cricket by
Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel Mr Justice (retired)
Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan.”
Umar, who has played 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20Is for
Pakistan, had earlier stated in an interview that he was offered
money to skip matches against India. He had also revealed that he
was asked to leave two deliveries in a match by the bookies.
“I was once offered $200,000 for leaving two deliveries. I was
also offered to skip matches against India,” Akmal was quoted as
saying by GeoTV.
Umar’s brother Kamran reacted to the three-year ban, saying that
he was shocked to hear the decision.
“We will reach out to every platform for justice and will
definitely exercise our right to appeal,” Kamran was quoted as
saying by GeoTv, adding that there are instances when punishments
of lower degrees were allotted for similar charges.
“It is incomprehensible that why Umar Akmal is penalised so
severely,” he objected, adding that a detailed decision is awaited
in this regard.
Umar had not requested for a hearing before the Anti-Corruption
Tribunal after he was charged.
Sachin reveals interesting McGrath anecdote from '99 TestIANS -
NEW DELHI
Former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar spoke regarding an
interesting story from the 1999 Adelaide Test featuring former
Australia speedster Glenn McGrath. Tendulkar revealed how he
managed to win a game of chess on the field against the player of
McGrath’s quality.
The ‘Master Blaster’ explained how he first remained calm and
patient when McGrath was in full flow but cut loose the next
morning and put pressure back on the bowler.
“In 1999, in our first match at Adelaide... the first innings
there was hardly 40 minutes to go in the day’s play. Glenn McGrath
comes and bowls five or six maiden overs to me,” Tendulkar told
Star Sports during a video chat that was tweeted by BCCI.
“That was their strategy... ‘let’s frustrate Sachin. 70 per cent
of the ball should go to (wicket-keeper) Adam Gilchrist and 10 per
cent close to his bat. If he plays or chases deliveries outside the
off-stump we have succeeded’.
“So I kept leaving as many deliveries as possible. There were
some good deliveries where I was beaten as well. But I said ‘well
bowled and now go back and bowl again as I am still here’,” he
added.
“I remember hitting him for a few boundaries the next morning
because it was a fresh day and we both were at the same level. They
had a strategy but I knew their strategy was to frustrate me.
“I thought this evening I am patient but tomorrow morning I am
gonna play the way I want. You won’t control how I want to play but
I would control where you are going to bowl.”
Tendulkar also had a word of advice for current cricketer as to
how to keep themselves mentally fit during lockdown.
Due to coronavirus pandemic, all cricket across the world has
been postponed for the time being and Tendulkar stated sometimes it
is good to stay away from the game for a brief period.
“First of all I would like to tell them to recharge their
respective batteries. It is important to have some off time. When
you are playing regularly it is not easy to be at the top of your
game. It is good to move away from cricket for a while to recharge
your batteries,” he said.
India’s Sachin Tendulkar holds the trophy at the Taj hotel, the
day after India defeated Sri Lanka in the ICC Cricket World Cup
final, in Mumbai on April 3, 2011.
Lynn says T20 World Cup could be a ‘logistical nightmare’
REUTERS - MELBOURNE
Hard-hitting Australian batsman Chris Lynn (pictured) has poured
cold water on the nation’s hopes of hosting the Twenty20 World Cup
in October and November, saying it would be a “logistical
nightmare” due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The International Cricket Council, the sport’s global governing
body, said last week it was still planning for the tour-nament
according to its Oct. 18 - Nov. 15 schedule, despite a global
shutdown of sport to contain COVID-19.
Lynn, who has played 18 T20 interna-tionals, said he could not
see it going ahead due to the complications of hosting
international teams in the 16-side tournament.
“My personal opinion is no,” he told local broadcaster Fox
Sports yesterday. “Obviously we’re praying for it to go ahead but
we’ve just got to play what’s in front of us.
“Having teams come from all over the world is going to be a
logistical nightmare.
“Hotels, travel, keeping the teams in the hotels for a number of
weeks before the tournament is going to be tough work moving
forward.”
Cricket Australia has said it is planning for the tour-nament to
start in October but Chief Executive Kevin
Roberts conceded last week that the entire international
schedule in 2020 is up in the air due to the virus.
Cancelling or postponing the T20 World Cup would put further
pressure on CA’s finances, with the board having already lost tens
of millions of dollars due to the shutdown.
Players are expected to be hit with pay cuts when CA releases
their annual list of national contracts this week, having already
postponed them by a month.
Lynn, who is captain of Brisbane Heat in Australia’s Big Bash
League (BBL) T20 tournament, said domestic players should be
prepared to take pay cuts to ensure the
BBL could go ahead in the home summer.“No-one likes to take pay
cuts but I think for the lon-
gevity of the game you’ve got to be realistic,” said the
30-year-old.
“It is a tough one, but if it means that the BBL is no longer
going ahead because the players want to take full pay then I
believe that’s ridiculous. So, yes, we have to come to an
understanding to make sure the BBL goes ahead.”
In his last active match, Lynn smashed an unbeaten 113 off 55
balls for Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars in
March. Lynn hit eight sixes in his feisty knock.
Vaughan bats for shortened county season without overseas
players
REUTERS - LONDON
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) should consider a
shortened County Championship season without overseas players for
two years to offset the financial impact of the coronavirus
outbreak, former England skipper Michael Vaughan said.
The ECB has extended its suspension of the pro-fessional game
until July 1 due to the COVID-19 pan-demic, which means nine rounds
of County Cham-pionship fixtures will be lost.
Counties face losses of up to £85m ($105.5m) if the season is
scrapped altogether, the BBC said citing a report from financial
advisory firm Oakwell Sports.
“You have to look at every area where you can save a few quid,”
Vaughan, who captained Eng-land’s Test team between 2003 and 2008,
told the BBC.
“Traditionalists will go mad at this, but these are
unprecedented times. In the next two years, could you look at not
having overseas players for the four-day game?”
Some counties, including Yorkshire and Essex, have cancelled or
deferred contracts of overseas players. The virus has infected
three million people globally causing more than 205,000 deaths.
Vaughan said reducing the number of fixtures in the County
Championship from 14 to 10 would do no harm in the short term.
“Four-day cricket costs the game... it is a cost that could,
just for a couple of years, be worth reducing,” he added. “If you
reduced it from 14 to 10 games, you’d miss the games but I don’t
think it would be a huge problem for a couple of years.”
0 was a
d as South mplished the game and they ant on his
that his e good
therearting ertingespe-gainst
er, tods for most oing
are
ppevery country has their regu-
lations they must adhere to. It is just a matter of waiting for
this to go pastand then we can get on
with the gameagain,” De Kock
said.
t
mcy
cd
tTf
totfh
I want to get better, to start scoring big hundreds for the
team, that is the most important thing to get going now: Quinton de
Kock
-
11WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL 2020 SPORT
Andre Agassi, the American tennis star, turns 50REUTERS —
LONDON
Heading into his maiden Grand Slam final on the red clay of
Roland Garros in 1990, Andre Agassi said a prayer.
One of the game’s greatest entertainers, Agassi had sought
divine intervention not for major success that had eluded him since
he exploded onto the scene in the 1980s but for his unkempt,
shoulder-length mane to remain undisturbed.
The Las Vegas showman with a big forehand was har-bouring a
bigger secret -- the wig that he had been wearing for years to hide
his thinning hairline had come apart a day earlier and had been
hastily repaired with several pins.
“My wig was like a chain and the ridiculously long strands in
three colours like an iron ball which hung on it,” Agassi, who
turns 50 today, wrote in his auto-biography “Open”, originally
published in 2009.
“With each leap I imagine it falling into the sand... I imagine
millions of spectators move closer to their TV sets, their eyes
widening and, in dozens of dia-lects and languages, ask how
Andre Agassi’s hair has fallen from his head.”
Agassi’s anxiety threw him off his game and handed Ecua-dor’s
Andres Gomez his only major title, while the American would end the
year trailing
younger rival Pete Sampras, who had opened his Grand Slam
account at the 1990 US Open.
But the player who drew a new generation of fans to tennis with
his rebellious nature and flashy style was just getting started,
capturing his first major at Wimbledon in 1992 after
shunning the event from 1988-1990 due to its all-white dress
code.
He went on to lift the US Open title in 1994 and, after shaving
his head on the advice of his then actress girlfriend Brooke
Shields, the Australian Open crown in 1995 before
adding an Olympic gold at Atlanta 1996.
HIGHS AND LOWS Agassi’s marriage to Shields
in 1997 and his loss of form due to wrist injuries meant he
played only a handful of matches that year, as his ranking dropped
to a dismal 141.
It was a period, as he can-didly wrote in his autobiog-raphy,
during which he used the recreational drug crystal meth and lied to
the governing body of men’s tennis to escape a ban. No action was
taken by the ATP at the time.
Following a spell on the second-tier Challenger circuit to
rediscover his form, a more mature Agassi climbed back up the
rankings and in 1999 -- having gone through a divorce -- sealed a
career Grand Slam by winning the French Open.
Life had come full circle and the success moved Agassi into the
elite club comprising Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver and Roy
Emerson as only the fifth man to win all four majors.
Success eluded the American when he lost to great
rival Sampras in the 1999 Wim-bledon final but he ended the year
ranked number one after beating compatriot Todd Martin to win the
US Open.
Playing his best tennis, Agassi captured the Australian Open
three times between 2000 and 2003 to take his career Grand Slam
tally to eight, overtaking John McEnroe and Mats Wilander.
Agassi’s rise coincided with his blossoming romance with
Germany’s former women’s number one Steffi Graf, who he married in
2001 and has two children with.
At 33 Agassi became the oldest man to hold the sport’s top
ranking, a record that has since been broken by Roger Federer, and
won his 60th ATP crown in 2005 in Los Angeles.
A chronic back injury meant his flamboyant career would end a
year later at the US Open.
Agassi briefly coached Ser-bia’s Novak Djokovic from 2017 to
early 2018 but he now spends much of his time involved in
edu-cational initiatives and his char-itable foundation in
Nevada.
Andre Agassi holds the trophy after his win over Rainer
Schuettler of Germany during the men’s final at the Australian Open
in Melbourne, in this January 26, 2003 file photo.
I miss racing every day: HamiltonAFP — LONDON
World champion Lewis Hamilton (pictured) said Formula One’s
coronavirus suspension had left a “big void” in his life as the
sport waits to see if it can return in July.
Hamilton, who began go-karting as a child and has risen through
the ranks of motor-sport, said he misses racing daily after the F1
season failed to get underway.
“I miss racing every day. This is the first time since I was
eight that I haven’t started a season,” the British Mercedes driver
p o s t e d o n Instagram.
“When you live and breathe something you love, when it’s gone
there’s definitely a big void. But there’s always positives to take
from these times.”
T h e f i r s t p r a c t i c e
session of the year was just hours away when the season-opening
Australian Grand Prix was scrapped in March, trig-gering a
succession of cancellations.
F1 bosses are now hoping to start the delayed season at the
Austrian Grand Prix on July 5, while fans will be barred from the
British Grand Prix on July 19.
However, Hamilton said the virus shutdown -- which has
all but closed down profes-
sional sports and dra-matically
slowed economic activity -- was not all bad news.
“Right now, we all have time in the world to reflect on life,
our decisions, our goals, the people we have around us, our
careers,” said Hamilton.
“Today, we see clearer skies all over the world, less animals
being slaughtered for our pleasure simply because our demands are
much lower and everyone is staying in. “Let’s not come back the
same as we went
into this tough time, let’s come out of it with better knowledge
of our world, changing our personal choices and habits.”
When you live and breathe something you love, when it’s gone
there’s definitely a big void. But there’s always positives to take
from these times: Lewis Hamilton
daily after the F1 season failed to get underway.
“I miss racing every day. This is the first time since I was
eight that I haven’t started a season,” the British Mercedes driver
p o s t e d o nInstagram.
“When you live and breathe something you love, when it’s gone
there’s definitely a big void. But there’s always positives to take
from these times.”
T h e f i r s tp r a c t i c e
virus shutdown -- which has all but closed
down profes-sional sports
and dra-matically
slowed ecwas not all
“Right time in thelife, our decpeople we careers,” s
“Todayall over thebeing slapleasure sdemands aeveryone iscome
back
into this tout oknowlchangchoicchoic
positivethese tiHamilto
Formula One extends shutdown period for second time
REUTERS — LONDON
A factory shutdown for Formula One teams and engine makers has
been extended for a second time to a period of 63 consec-utive days
due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the governing FIA said yesterday.
It said in a statement that its World Motor Sport Council had
approved an extension, running potentially into June depending on
when teams started their clo-sures, from the previous 35 days.
The shutdown, first announced in March when the sport was hoping
to race in May, was initially for 21 days but that was extended on
April 7.
Teams normally take most of August off, but that period has now
been freed up to give Formula One room to reschedule a string of
races postponed due to the new coronavirus.
The season is on hold, with the sport targeting an opening
double-header in Austria in July, without spectators if the
gov-ernment gives the green light.
A revised calendar has yet to be issued, and there are still
considerable difficulties to overcome, with much of Europe
remaining in lockdown and some countries banning mass events until
September.
Five of the seven British-based teams have furloughed employees
under a government scheme where employers can claim for 80% of
employees’ usual monthly wage costs, up to $3,100 per month.
The FIA said teams could seek permission 50 days into their
shutdown period for a maximum of 10 personnel to be allowed to work
remotely on long lead time projects.
The shutdown for power unit manufacturers was extended from 35
to 49 days.
Engines off: Cancelled iconic Grand Prix dents Monaco’s
prestigeAP — PARIS
Formula One’s raucous circus won’t be coming on May 24 for the
iconic Monaco Grand Prix. The race was cancelled on March 19
because of the coro-navirus outbreak, with the jewel in F1's crown
removed for the first time in 66 years.
It’s a blow to the tiny princi-pality’s huge prestige and its
finances. Lost revenue comes to about $150m when you factor in
early May’s Historic Monaco GP - an event featuring old racing cars
and also cancelled.
Monaco’s F1 race has been part of the principality’s image since
1929. Ask people what Monaco represents and answers can range from
Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier to the casino and fast cars, when
roaring engines set off a weekend of revelry and excess.
In glitzy Monaco, being seen can seem as important as actually
seeing the race. More than 200,000 people flock there from
Thursday-Sunday, and nearly half won’t watch the race.
Monaco’s Institute for sta-tistics and economic studies
esti-mates that 40% of people present during the Grand Prix “don’t
have any visual access.”
Up to 65,000 people attend on one day, all within a sardine-can
radius which sees
millionaires crammed together with cap-wearing F1 fans from
around the world. Stands are packed, and so are balconies and the
hill which slopes sharply up to Prince Albert’s fairytale-like
palace.
Everyone wants to sample the elixir of an event which
tran-scends motorsport.
FAMOUS FACES Famed members of the film
industry, like George Lucas and Michael Fassbender, often come.
The race shares a sunny spot-light on the French Riviera with the
nearby Cannes Film Festival. Some hop in by helicopter -
seven minutes over the Medi-terranean sea from Nice.
The first 10 races of 22 this season have been postponed or
canceled. Some could be rescheduled but Monaco, staged every year
since 1955, won’t be.
NO CHOICE Michel Boeri, the president
of Monaco’s Automobile Club, said it was not realistic to hold
the race later this year.
“Try asking 1,500 volunteers to put their whole of August on
hold or businesses, some who are far from here, to come and build
the circuit later on,” Boeri said. “It was impossible.”
Because Monaco is a street circuit, all the crash barriers and
stands are installed in the weeks before the race: 45 days to build
and 25 days to dismantle.
“The epidemic was gaining ground,” Boeri told newspaper
Nice-Matin.
“We had no choice.” The 80% of tickets already sold have to be
refunded.
Seasonal workers also missed out, because the bars and
restaurants dotted around tightly-woven streets need them to cope
with huge demand.
The Monaco GP was can-celed from 1938-47 and during
post-war economic hardship in 1949, ’51, ’53 and ’54.
UNIQUE RACE Monaco’s race forms mot-
orsport’s Triple Crown along with the Indianapolis 500 and 24
Hours Le Mans. Fernando Alonso wants to complete the triple.
The Monaco GP stands alone in F1 because it has a day off.
Practice sessions start a day earlier so fans can enjoy the Friday
off.
Drivers appreciate much-needed practicality as much as the
prestige. Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton and rising star
Charles Leclerc can walk to the track since they are residents.
Leclerc, who is from Monaco, lives a stone’s throw from the harbor
and first watched the race as a small boy.
It starts on a short straight alongside the harbor, then cuts a
right and goes sharply upward past Monaco’s glitzy yacht club
before winding past the casino, cutting through a nearby tunnel and
curving back down to the harbor.
Cars then zoom past the iconic La Rascasse. The upmarket bar’s
balcony perches over the track, offering fans a unique view of cars
flinging around the corner and acceler-ating upward past them.
Lewis Hamilton (centre) celebrates after winning the pole
position for Monaco GP, in this May 25, 2019 file photo.
Carlin fully supports double-header planREUTERS — LONDON
Formula Two team owner Trevor Carlin fully supports plans to
start the Formula One season with back-to-back races in Austria
followed by a closed-doors double at Brit-ain’s Silverstone
circuit.
“What I heard is this Red Bull Ring double-header, Sil-verstone
double-header plan and they would try to incor-porate F2 and F3
into that,” Carlin said.
“I think it’s a great idea if its achievable. That’s the bottom
line. Hopefully it is,” added the Briton, whose teams also compete
in Formula Three and the US IndyCar series.
The plan is for 15-18 F1 races between July and December,
pandemic permitting.
“If everyone’s just had two months off they should be fresh and
raring to go,” said Carlin, whose past racers include F1 champions
Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg as well as Lando Norris, Carlos
Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo.
“When people are moaning about three (race weekends) on the
trot, I don’t get it.”
MotoGP boss ‘optimistic’ of July season startAFP — PARIS
MotoGP chief Carmelo Ezpeleta said he was hopeful the season
would start in July after having to cancel or postpone the opening
eight races due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Right now we are opti-mistic to make a season between July and
November,” Ezpeleta, the CEO of MotoGP promoter Dorna, told
broad-casters BT Sport.
“If it’s possible then we will be able to but it depends on the
situation because we need to take care about dif-ferent things,” he
added.
Ezpeleta said the two other options being considered are
commencing in September as well as starting later in the year.
Six of the of the season’s 12 races not to be postponed or
cancelled are set to be held in Europe.
Ezpeleta said if the cam-paign is to start then the races will
be held behind closed doors.
