Sport THURSDAY 13 MAY 2021 NewN Zealand’s Watling to look at ccoaching after hanging up gloves It’sI something I’m looking at. The next six months or so I’ll justj kind of wing it at this stage and I’ll start to look into what optionso I have after the game. BJ Watling Sport | 14 PREMIER LEAGUE: TODAY'S FIXTURES Aston Villa vs Everton at Villa Park; Manchester United vs Liverpool at Old Trafford IOC confident of successful Tokyo FIFA Arab Cup qualifying Games despite public opposition matches to REUTERS – TOKYO with 78 days to go and fully concen- Another poll conducted at the trated on delivering the Games,” IOC weekend by TBS News found 65% kick off on The International Olympic spokesman Mark Adams told an When the Games happen and wanted the Games cancelled or Committee (IOC) yesterday said it online news conference. postponed again. supported Japanese measures to “When the Games happen and the Japanese people are proud More than 300,000 people have June 19 counter COVID-19 and was the Japanese people are proud hosts hosts of an event that will be an signed a petition to cancel the confident the Tokyo Olympics would of an event that will be an historic historic moment, I think I am Games since it was launched about QNA – ZURICH be a “historic” event, despite wide moment, I think I am very confident very confident we will see public five days ago. public opposition. we will see public opinion hugely in “In terms of Japan and Tokyo we The international football association With less than three months to favour of the Games.” opinion hugely in favour of the understand the caution,” Adams (FIFA) announced that the FIFA Arab go before the Games begin on July His online news conference, Games: IOC spokesman said. Cup Qatar 2021 qualifying matches will 23, Japan is battling a surge in coro- however, ended with a protester, Mark Adams “We are fully in solidarity with be held from June 19 to 25. The FIFA navirus infections. who had signed up as a journalist to them. People are very cautious. We Arab Cup Qatar 2021 will be held from A majority of its population ask a question, unfurling a banner have to fully trust Japanese December 1 to 18, 2021 in Doha. wants the Olympics cancelled or reading “No to Olympics” and authorities.” The 23 participating Arab teams are postponed for a second time, shouting profanities and “No postpone a visit to Japan in May. “There will be ups and downs divided into two categories, the first according to several polls, with Olympics anywhere” before being An opinion survey conducted (in public opinion).We have to take included the nine best-ranked teams in about 70% of the 10,500 athletes cut off. from May 7-9 by the Yomiuri account of public opinion on a the FIFA world rankings, which qual- -- about 7,800 -- already qual- Japan has extended a state of Shimbun daily showed 59% of longer term. As thing stand now ified directly to the group stage, namely: ified for the Games. emergency in Tokyo and three other respondents wanted the Games can- we are moving full ahead. We Tunisia (26), Algeria (33), Morocco (34), “We are now very areas until the end of May as the celled as opposed to 39% who said continue to plan for full Egypt (46), hosts Qatar (58), Saudi much in an imple- number of cases rises daily, forcing they should be held. “Postponement” Games. That’s the way it Arabia (65), Iraq (68), UAE (73), and mentation phase IOC President Thomas Bach to was not offered as an option. has to be for us." Syria (79). The second category that will enter the qualifying round includes 14 teams: Oman (80), Lebanon (80), Jordan (95), Bahrain (99), Mauritania (101), Palestine (104), Libya (119), Sudan (123), Comoros (131), Yemen (145), Kuwait (148), South Sudan (169), Djibouti (183) and Somalia (197). Libya and Sudan will meet on June 19, and Oman will face Somalia on the next day. On June 21, Jordan will play South Sudan, while on June 22, Mauritania will face Yemen, and on June 23, Lebanon will meet Djibouti. On June 24, Palestine will play Comoros, and on June 25, Bahrain will face Kuwait. The second group included the teams of Tunisia, the UAE, Syria, and the winner from match between Mau- ritania and Yemen. In the third group, there are the teams of Morocco and Saudi Arabia, the winner from match A general view during the men’s 3000m steeplechase final during the Tokyo 2020 between Jordan and South Sudan, and Olympic Games Test Event held at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo in this May 9 file photo. the winner from Match between Pal- estine and Comoros. The fourth group includes Algeria and Egypt, the winner from match between Lebanon and Djibouti, and the McGregor winner from match between Libya and tops Forbes’ Sudan. highest-paid Almoez gets athletes list two-match ban REUTERS – LONDON THE PENINSULA – DOHA Irish MMA fighter Conor The Qatar Football Association’s (QFA) McGregor was the world’s Disciplinary Committee, headed by highest-paid athlete over Hassan Al Hammadi, met on Tuesday the last year ahead of to review reports from Amir Cup soccer players Lionel matches. Messi and Cristiano During the meeting, the committee Ronaldo, according to the decided to suspend star striker Almoez annual Forbes list released Ali for two games. yesterday. The decision came after taking into During the 12-month account "his improper action during Al period ending May 1, 2021 Duhail’s Amir Cup match against Al McGregor earned $180m. Xavi renews Al Sadd contract for two more seasons Rayyan on Monday," Qatar Football Barcelona and Al Sadd head coach Xavi Hernandez along with officials poses with team jersey after renewing his contract with the club Association announced on their web Argentina forward Messi for another two seasons. Xavi expressed his delight after signing the contract, saying he is proud to extend his stay at site yesterday. was second on the list and Al Sadd. The Barcelona legend also rebuffed reports that his new contract allows him to leave the club anytime. “I have A fine of QR10,000 was also handed set a record as the highest- following “disgraceful behaviour signed for two more seasons and I respect this contract,” he said. Under Xavi as coach, Al Sadd have won six titles and earning soccer player after towards the competitor”, QFA also qualified for the final of 2021 Amir Cup. bringing home $130m announced. while Portugal and Juventus forward Ronaldo earned $120m to sit third among the top 10 highest- Andalucia Rally: Nasser, Baumel top prologue paid athletes. NFL quarterback Dak Qatar's triple Dakar Rally Prescott ($107.5m) of the champion and four-time Dallas Cowboys and four- winner of the FIA World Cup times NBA champion LeBron James ($96.5m) for Cross-Country Rallies, rounded out the top five. Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah and Forbes said its on-the- his French co-driver Mathieu field earnings figures Baumel on their way to win include all prize money, the prologue of Andalucia salaries and bonuses Rally in Spain, yesterday. More earned during the than 70 riders (bike, quad, 12-month period while SSV) are competing in this off-the-field earnings are year's Andalucia Rally - the an estimate of sponsorship first round of the FIA Cross deals, appearance fees and Country Rallies World Cup, licensing income. as they gear up for the Dakar Rally which will be held later. THURSDAY 13 MAY 2021 SPORT 15 Serena suffers shock loss to Italian Open: Djokovic fumes at umpire in Podoroska in 1,000th match rain-affected opener AP — ROME REUTERS — ROME sent off the court at 5-5 in the second set. Serena Williams’ 1,000th tour- World number one Novak “It’s not the first time or level match ended in defeat as Djokovic was furious with the probably the last that I’m going she marked her return to action chair umpire for not to experience such conditions,” with a 7-6 (6), 7-5 loss to Nadia suspending play as rain trickled Djokovic, who has received an Podoroska yesterday in the down during his Italian Open opening-round bye this week, second round of the Italian second-round match against told Amazon Prime. Open. American Taylor Fritz on “And even with that much The eighth-seeded Wil- Tuesday. experience behind me I still get liams, who hadn’t played since The 33-year-old Serb made upset and lose my cool. But it’s the Australian Open, came from his feelings clear after he was OK. At the end of the day these a break down twice in the broken when serving for are great lessons - I will try and opening set and saved the first victory in the second set. take away some important three set points she faced in the “How much do you wanna things from this day.” tiebreaker before Podoroska play?,” Djokovic yelled at Djokovic was disqualified converted her fourth. The umpire Nacho Forcadell. “I from last year’s US Open after Argentine went on to win in 1 asked you three times, you are accidentally hitting a female hour, 58 minutes. not checking anything.” line judge with a ball during “It’s tough to have a first The match was eventually his fourth-round match match on clay. It was definitely suspended for three hours against Spain’s Pablo Carreno kind of good to go the distance before Djokovic secured a 6-3, Busta.