18 Established 1961 Sports Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Photo of the Day One Championship cuts staff as MMA shows halted by virus

SINGAPORE: Asia’s largest mixed martial arts pro- motion, One Championship, said yesterday it was cut- ting 20 percent of its staff worldwide after being unable to stage fight cards for almost four months be- cause of the coronavirus pandemic. The Singapore-based organisation, which pro- motes cards across Asia in mixed martial arts, Muay Thai and kickboxing, has between 201-500 employ- ees, according to its LinkedIn profile. One Championship said in a statement it had raised an additional $70 million to its “war chest”, bringing its total capital to $346 million but added it had also “streamlined operations, including a 20 percent re- duction of total worldwide headcount”. and other measures to contain the virus have forced the closure of sporting events worldwide and One Championship’s last event was held behind closed doors in Singapore on February 28, said a spokesman. Four events were planned to be held without fans in Singapore during April and May, but they had to be shelved because of the city’s tough anti-virus rules. Another event on May 29 in Manila was also can- celled because the Philippines remained under lock- down. One Championship chairman and chief executive Chatri Sityodtong has said it is unclear when fights can resume, because of the travel restrictions, quarantine and distancing rules imposed by govern- ments across Asia. Apart from fighters, the company also has to bring in referees, ring girls, coaches, training partners and its own staff into any country hosting an event. Infrastruc- ture such as the fighting cage has to be shipped and Ice climber Will Gadd climbs new routes on Irish sea stacks in Donegal, Ireland. — Photo taken from www.redbullcontentpool.com constructed at each venue, and although local staff are used for installations the company needs to provide its own supervisors, the spokesperson said. — AFP Djokovic breaks down in tears after hosting exhibition Ultimate Tennis Showdown debuts with Sniper beating Underdog

BELGRADE: An emotional Novak match but failed to secure his place in the more streamlined format than what is seen Djokovic could not hold back the tears final after both players and Krajinovic on the main tour, with sets slashed to while hosting a charity event at his tennis ended up with 2-1 win-loss records and best-of-seven games. complex by the Danube River on Sunday. an identical 5-3 set difference in their sec- The second leg of the tour will be held Although the world number one missed tion. in Croatia’s coastal resort Zadar next out on Sunday’s Adria Tour final, in which Krajinovic, who stunned Djokovic on weekend. The third leg due in Montenegro beat Serbian Filip Kraji- Saturday, squeezed through on the basis on June 27 and 28 was scrapped on Sat- novic 4-3 2-4 4-2, the event revived a lot of having the best games differential urday over coronavirus concerns and the of fond memories for the 17-time Grand among the three. final leg is set for Bosnia’s Banja Luka on Slam champion who July 3 and 4. staged the exhibition while Meanwhile, with new rules and new international tennis re- formats, Patrick Mouratoglou, the coach mains suspended due to of Serena Williams, unveiled his Ultimate the COVID-19 pandemic. Tennis Showdown tournament in the “I was very emotional Players alloted south of France on Sunday. on the court today. Child- Targeting a younger audience, the hood memories started nicknames players were alloted nicknames such as flooding back, including the ‘Sniper, ‘Underdog’, ‘Rebel’ and ‘Artist’ those of growing up on and its ambitious host hopes he can these courts and playing launch a parallel circuit to the ATP. here as a young boy,” the Whether it catches on or not remains BELGRADE: Austrian tennis player Dominic Thiem poses for a photo with Serbian 33-year-old told reporters to be seen but the ‘Sniper’, better known tennis player after winning the final match against Serbian tennis after being cheered on by a 4,000-strong However, he was powerless to stop as Australia’s Alexei Popyrin, went down player Filip Krajinovic at the Adria Tour, Novak Djokovic’s Balkans charity tennis capacity crowd. Thiem in the final. “This tournament was as the first match winner beating the ‘Un- tournament in Belgrade on June 14, 2020. — AFP “I was overwhelmed and those were for a good cause and we all gave our derdog’ Elliot Benchetrit, the world 208. tears of joy after the match. “I try to give best,” Thiem said after finishing off the The matches pan out very differently to round-robin final of six. at the weekend. The tournament package back to where I come from and be con- weekend with a 100% winning record. the way tennis is traditionally scored, with Although he was absent this weekend, is sold over the internet and organisers are scious of my childhood and my upbring- “Many high quality matches in a great four quarters, noisy countdowns, time- world number three Dominic Thiem is the hoping to sign up 50,000 subscribers, ing. This tennis was an epicentre of people atmosphere, in front of a full crowd, so it outs, and even bonus cards to prolong a highest-ranked player. paying between 10 and 12 euros to watch from my childhood days getting together was a perfect weekend. service game. Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini the action. for this tournament, including my former “A very big thank you to everyone in- Even the commentators are visible on and David Goffin, who are all in the world There is also potential income from coaches. They were all here.” cluding Novak and his team, you all made a mini-screen. There will be 50 matches in top 10, are also involved. paying fans, but Sunday’s action took Djokovic beat Germany’s Alexander my first trip to Serbia a very special one.” total over five weekends of tennis where Dustin Brown, dubbed the ‘Artist’ for place behind closed doors due to the Zverev on Sunday in his last round robin The eight-man tournament featured a every player faces each other before a his serve-and-volley style, also featured coronavirus restrictions. — Agencies

in regards to using saliva on the ball,” he Sitting 54th in the ICC’s T20I rank- come over here and shown what he can If we were on added. ings, the Czech Republic team does not Roach warns do and I want to wish him all the best in For Javed Iqbal, a 39-year-old Pak- rely solely on expats. “It’s more common his career. the moon, we’d istani-born bowler with the Bohemian than not that we actually have Czechs on Archer of rough “But you will definitely see if we have Cricket Club, the virus restrictions pose the team,” said O’Connor. any words for him on the field when that no problem. “In the past we would be playing comes around.” The West Indies are cur- start cricket “Yesterday it was very hot so we against other European countries and ride for WI snub rently quarantining in Manchester as they

didn’t need saliva, it was enough to wet we’d have three, four, five Czechs and prepare for the start of the three-Test se-

our fingers against the forehead,” said none of the other opposition would have ries in July. PRAGUE: Hit hard by the coronavirus LONDON: the former athlete and basketball player, native members,” the Australian, living in West Indies fast bowler When the action gets underway be- pandemic, cricket resumed in Prague this Kemar Roach has warned Jofra Archer weekend where players shrugged off the who came to Prague in 2014 to get a de- Prague, told AFP. hind closed doors, the West Indies will be gree in forestry. Czech cricket is pinning hope on its not to expect a warm welcome from the looking to emulate last year’s 2-1 Test se- summer rain by declaring: “If we were on players he snubbed in order to represent the moon, we’d start cricket”. “It’s not that difficult, especially here academy which introduces school chil- ries victory against England in the in these wet conditions,” he told AFP as dren to the sport, organises weekly England. Caribbean. That success was inspired by Featuring largely expats, the European Barbados-born Archer is eligible to Cricket Network’s (ECN) Czech Super the organisers cancelled his team’s match games and runs three junior clubs. a fierce West Indies pace attack that left against the United Cricket Club amid “To me the long-term sustainability of play for England because his father was England shell-shocked Roach took five Series is one of the first cricket events born there and the paceman made his worldwide played in the wake of the steady rain. the sport in this country and success at wickets as England were bowled out for Iqbal let his face mask — still manda- the national level is about getting some debut for the team last year. His decision 77 in the first Test and the 31-year-old COVID-19 lockdowns. to reject the West Indies did not go down “We’ve only been able to play here tory in some places in the Czech Repub- of those juniors to keep coming through,” believes they can take the fight to the lic — hang loosely down his neck. O’Connor said. well and fellow Barbadian Roach says hosts again. now because of the way the whole coun- Archer is unlikely to be given a friendly try responded” to the pandemic, said “We keep a distance from one an- While in adult cricket Czechs make up “It’s different conditions to the reception in the forthcoming Test series Terry O’Connor, Czech cricket league other. And we’re like a family and in a only a dozen of 300 players, the propor- Caribbean and the ball will do a bit more between the sides. administrator. family you don’t need to be restricted,” tion is the exact opposite in children’s here but I don’t think our mode of attack It will be the first time Archer, who fea- He pointed out the recent easing of he chuckled. While Iqbal’s native Pak- cricket with just over a dozen foreigners will change much,” Roach said. “We saw restrictions taken by the EU member istan, and other cricket powerhouses are among 400 players. tured for the West Indies Under-19s be- what happened in the Caribbean and country of 10.7 million people in March still taking a break from the sport, Bo- “The best thing is the youngsters, we fore moving to England in 2016, has faced that’s pretty fresh in our minds and if we when the virus began to spread across hemian Cricket Club — relying largely on have really good youngsters who are still the country of his birth in Test cricket. can get stuck into the batsmen we will Europe. Asian students — won their two opening under 14,” said Iqbal. “Czech cricket will “Jofra made his decision and he’s done have a great chance of defeating England. For the event pitting 16 Czech teams, matches on Saturday. be on a high level within a few years — a fantastic job for England so far but there “We have always had a history of fast and spread over five weekends until July “Wherever there are Pakistanis, Indi- if they show the same spirit, the way they will be no friendships during this series,” bowling and we just needed the pitches 12, the Vinor grounds on Prague’s out- ans and Sri Lankans, they will definitely play now.” Roach told reporters in a Zoom press to bowl on which our curators have skirts are divided in three parts to sepa- play cricket because it’s in their blood,” O’Connor predicted the Czech na- conference on Sunday. given us. “Our bowlers have done a rate the players, the crowd and officials. Iqbal said. “Even if they were on the tional team could move to the 40th spot “It’s all about winning and playing hard tremendous job over the last couple of “We’re keeping everyone distanced — Moon they would start cricket there.” in five years, but Iqbal was even more op- cricket. We will devise a plan for our bats- years and if we continue to work hard but cricket is not a contact sport,” said timistic. “We have very close competition men to counter him and I’m looking for- there are some great things ahead of O’Connor. ‘CZECHS ON THE TEAM’ with most teams and maybe in the future, ward to that battle. us.” Roach also revealed the West Indies “There aren’t really any adjustments Iqbal, who sees his future as the Bo- when we have the opportunity to play “I saw him as a youngster in domestic squad are still discussing ways to ac- to play other than following the Interna- hemian Cricket Club manager, has played against them, 30 is very easy to achieve cricket back home in Barbados and al- knowledge the Black Lives Matter cause tional Cricket Council’s (ICC) guidelines for the Czech national team in the past. within a few years,” he said. — AFP ways thought he was talented. “He has when they play. — AFP