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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2017 SPORTS

Pioli takes over Czech FA chief submits Zobnin latest Russian at Fiorentina resignation from prison ruled out of Confed Cup

MILAN: Former Inter Milan and Lazio coach Stefano Pioli has agreed terms PRAGUE: Miroslav Pelta has stepped down as the head of the Czech MOSCOW: Midfielder Roman Zobnin became the fifth Russian player to to take over at Fiorentina on a two-year deal, the Serie A club announced Football Federation (FACR), sending his letter of resignation from cus- be ruled out of the Confederations Cup because of injury yesterday. The yesterday. Pioli was sacked three games before the end of a rollercoaster Russian Football Union said Zobnin damaged cruciate and lateral liga- Serie A campaign with Inter that saw a quality-packed Nerazzurri side go tody where he is being held on embezzlement charges. “The FACR con- ments in his right knee during Monday’s 3-0 friendly win over Hungary. from Champions League qualification contenders to missing out on firms that Miroslav Pelta’s resignation reached its office on Monday,” the European football altogether. But Fiorentina, where Pioli played 156 times federation said in a statement yesterday. Two deputy chairmen will The RFU said he was heading to Rome for treatment and “will not take between 1989 and 1995, were quick to make the 51-year-old coach an offer now oversee activities until a general meeting later this year to appoint part in the Confederations Cup.” Knee ligament injuries can following the departure of Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa. a successor. Pelta, 52, was arrested and charged in connection with the take more than six months to heal. The 23-year-old Zobnin has started Russia’s last seven games and was a key player “Fiorentina announces the club has reached agreement with embezzlement of public money in early May, along with two civil ser- Stefano Pioli, who will take over as first team coach,” said a in Spartak Moscow’s run to the Russian league title this vants including a deputy education minister. The scandal hit Czech season. Out of its original 30-man provisional squad, statement by Fiorentina yesterday. “The new coach will sign football hard as the online insurance server ePojisteni.cz quit as the top a two-year deal, with the option of a third.” Fiorentina fin- Russia has also lost midfielder Alan Dzagoev, forward ished eighth in Serie A, three points adrift of the Europa flight’s main sponsor while other sponsors have also threatened to Artyom Dzyuba, naturalized Brazilian right back Mario League qualification places. Pioli’s appointment means fans withdraw their support too. Education Minister Katerina Valachova has Fernandes and goalkeeper Andrei Lunyov to various will be hoping for a return to qualifying for Europe. He tendered her resignation over her ministry’s role in the affair, and she injuries. Russia starts its Confederations Cup cam- led Lazio to a third-place finish in his first season also temporarily halted sport subsidies. Around 372 million euros paign in St. Petersburg against New Zealand on with the club in 2014-2015, only to be sacked in ($408m) is attributed annually by the Czech government for sport with June 17, followed by group games against April 2016 after a 4-1 derby defeat to Roma.—AFP 19.6 million euros given to football. —AFP Portugal and Mexico. — AP

LE MANS: Japan’s pilot on his TS050 Hybrid N∞7 (R) drives next to New Zeland’s pilot Earl Bamber on his 919 Hybrid N∞2 during a free practice session of the Le Mans 24 hours endurance race, on June 4 in Le Mans, northwestern France. Toyota TS050 Hybrid N∞7 driven by England’s pilot was the fastest, with the best time in 3’18.132 of teammates Japan’s pilot Kamui Kobayashi. Sixty cars with 180 drivers will participate on June 17 and 18 at the 85th “Le Mans 24-hours” endurance race. — AFP Racing needs all Lexus wins Super GT300 class at the personalities TOKYO: Lexus secured its first victory of stops, the No. 51 Lexus RC F GT3 pursued CHARLOTTE: Kyle Larson lost a race he probably the season in the Super GT300 class as a different strategy of holding off longer should have won because of a late caution. Larson did- the No. 51 Lexus JMS P MU L Mcorsa RC F and delaying the stop-off. Once in the n’t pout Sunday about the outcome at Dover GT3 driven by Yuichi Nakayama and lead after the first and second-placed International Speedway. He had a win in sight, a cau- ShoTsuboi sealed a thrilling win in the cars had made their pit stop, Nakayama tion bunched the field and Jimmie Johnson beat second round of the 2017 AUTOBACS made a hard spurt to gain ground on the Larson on the restart. As disappointing as it was to SUPER GT series held at the Fuji leading pack and it was not until the 41st Larson, he was professional in defeat. Speedway. Held under a clear bright sky, lap that he brought his car into the pit. “Jimmie is the best of our time, probably the best of the Fuji 500-km race, round 2 of the all time,” Larson said. “He just has obviously a lot more series, is the second longest race of the MIDDLE STINT experience than I do out on the front row late in races, SUPER GT season, running for more than When all of the cars had finished their and executed a lot better than I did. I’ve got to get bet- ter at that and maybe get some more wins.” three hours, and also the most popular first routine pit stop, the No. 51 Lexus RC For those keeping score at home, Johnson won at event on the calendar. F GT3 was still in third and 19 seconds off Dover for the 11th time and his 86th career victory tied “This has been a great performance the pace. In this middle stint of the race, him with Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough on NASCAR’s by the No. 51 RC F GT3 team and is testi- it was the rookie Tsuboi, having taken all-time win list. Larson is in the midst of a breakout mony to the capability of the Lexus RC F over from Nakayama, who showed out- season, but has just two Cup career wins. and the racing prowess of the entire standing driving and fast laps to slowly The entire post-race scene was a stark contrast to team. I congratulate the drivers and sup- close the gap to the second-placed car. just one week ago, when a cranky Kyle Busch faced port staff for putting on such an excel- On the 60th lap, a left-front tire burst defeat at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He thought he lent race,” said Takayuki Yoshitsugu, Chief on the 300R curve forced the car leading had the Coca-Cola 600 won, only to learn Representative, Middle East and North the charge to make an earlier-than- had stretched his fuel mileage to the victory. It was Africa Representative Office, Toyota scheduled pit stop, allowing the car Dillon’s first career Cup victory, and denied Busch his Motor Corporation. placed just behind to pull into the lead, first victory in a Cup car in a points race at Charlotte. “Motorsports is an important medium with the No. 51 Lexus RC F GT3 following He’d won a week earlier in the $1 million All-Star race for Lexus to convey the excitement of about five seconds back in second place. for his first Cup win at Charlotte in a race that doesn’t driving. It provides us with significant As the new front runner pulled up for a allow him to check Charlotte off his Cup resume. insights into our cars and their perform- second routine pit stop on the 70th lap, So as Busch met his required post-race media obli- ance under extreme conditions on race- Tsuboi, with no one in front of him now, way to the checkered flag, giving the ing tires for us. The result in yesterday’s gation, the exchange went like this: Question: “Were tracks. Through these activities, we will ran consecutive super-fast laps to close new Lexus RC F GT3 and the rookie qualifying was disappointing, but today you surprised that Austin could stretch it on fuel? What continue to develop our human the gap until he brought the car in for its Tsuboi a momentous first win. we had the performance we needed and does it mean for Austin to get his first win?” resources and leverage our ‘know-how’ second pit stop on the 80th lap. With the Lexus LC 500 having already we were able to run a good race.” Busch: “I’m not surprised about anything. to make ‘ever-better cars.’ We thank our The team pulled off some fast pit won the Super GT500 race held earlier in ShoTsuboi said: “I drove the second Congratulations.” Moderator: “Kyle, thanks for your fans for their support and look forward work, adding just enough fuel to finish time.” Busch dropped the microphone and walked out the day, the RC F GT3’s maiden victory stint and my job was to get the car back to providing them with more thrills as the short remaining laps, enabling the completed a double win for the Lexus in good position for (Yuichi) Nakayama- of the room. Fans blasted him for behind boorish. Dale the season unfolds,” Yoshitsugu added. No. 51 Lexus RC F GT3 to get out of the Earnhardt Jr. publicly encouraged Busch to never team on their home track of Fuji. san for the last stint. That was all I was Trailing in fourth in the early stages of pit and back into the race in just 39 sec- change. Brad Keselowski, who does not get along with “I am very happy that we were able to thinking about. So, I pushed hard from Busch, waxed poetic about sportsmanship and class. the race, the No. 51 Lexus RC F GT3 with onds. As a result, the No. 51Lexus RC F win here at Lexus’ home track,” said the beginning of my stint and the tires Busch was not unprofessional during his visit to the Yuichi Nakayama behind the wheel GT3, with Nakayama back behind the Yuichi Nakayama. “In the opening round and the machine kept performing well media center. He simply lacked graciousness in defeat. jumped up one place into third to chase wheel, was able to keep the lead, and we lacked speed, so we thought that we without fail. That enabled me to run at a He was asked a question, he answered it curtly and the two frontrunners at the same pace as although the chasing car pulled up to would have a difficult time here at Fuji if good pace and turn the car over to summed up his frustration over a winless season with theirs. As the cars in the first and second within one second of its tail, Nakayama something didn’t change. But, Nakayama-san again with more of a lead. Joe Gibbs Racing and an inability to knock Charlotte places pulled up for their routine pit hung strong to pull away and blitz his Bridgestone developed some outstand- It was really great.” off his wish list. No one asked Busch a single follow-up question, either; he was excused after his mic drop because no one dared poke the bear. There were many times in ’s career where he was angrily took things out on reporters or even fans. “Smoke’s in a bad mood,” the thinking went, and everyone turned a blind eye. Why the difference in reaction between Stewart and Busch? Probably because Stewart has a charming side that he uses to disarm his critics. He would even- tually come around (sometimes it took a while) and have an entire room laughing at his wicked humor and self-deprecating wit. Busch is not Stewart. That doesn’t mean he’s a bad person. It takes all kinds to make NASCAR go round. Sports, at its heart, is entertainment. Johnson wasn’t popular during his record run of titles because fans found him too boring. Busch and, to a larger degree, his brother, Kurt, are often criticized because they are far more like Greg Popovich than, say, Steve Kerr. Look, has never taken losing well. Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, Ryan Blaney and many of the newcomers have shown signs of prickliness following defeat. Larson, Johnson, Keselowski are part of a group that can still be candid and polite even when disap- pointed.—AP