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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017 SPORTS Jesus delighted by Japan club ‘baffled’ Oscar shows golden flying City start over sexism row touch for Shanghai TOKYO: The chairman of the Japanese golf club set to host SHANGHAI: Megabucks import Oscar began repaying some of his hefty price LONDON: Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus said yesterday he had been the sport at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics said they are bewil- tag when he scored on his competitive debut for Shanghai SIPG, helping them “surprised” by his extraordinary start to life in the Premier League. The 19-year- dered by requests to lift its ban on women becoming full seal a spot in the AFC Champions League group stage. The Brazil midfielder, old rising star arrived in England last month after City agreed a members. Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama, north of who quit Chelsea in a 60 million euro ($64 million) deal, rolled in SIPG’s opener in deal with Brazilian side Palmeiras in pre-season. While some Tokyo, postponed a decision to review its membership policy Tuesday’s 3-0 play-off victory over Thailand’s Sukhothai FC. overseas players take time to adjust to the physicality and following a board meeting on Tuesday after the club came Fellow Brazilian Elkeson also got on the scoresheet as SIPG pace of the Premier League, Jesus has settled in immedi- under fire from Tokyo’s female governor Yuriko Koike. The took their place in Group F alongside FC Seoul, Urawa Red ately with three goals in four appearances, including a governor said she felt “uncomfortable that women cannot Diamonds and Western Sydney Wanderers. It means that double in Sunday’s 2-1 win at home to Swansea. Such become full members in the 21st century,” while the SIPG, coached by ex-Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss has been his impact, he has has kept Argentina ace International Olympic Committee also expressed concerns Andre Villas-Boas, get a shot at Asia’s club crown, won twice Sergio Aguero out of the side for the last two matches, about the rule. Tokyo organisers have also filed a written by Chinese rivals Guangzhou Evergrande in recent seasons. which has in turn led to speculation about the request to the golf club to change the rule, a Tokyo 2020 offi- Oscar’s deal with Shanghai SIPG is thought to be 24 million Argentine striker’s future at Eastlands. “Yes, I am very cial told AFP yesterday. A meeting to discuss requests to drop euros a season — which would put him above Real Madrid’s surprised,” Jesus told mancity.com when asked how its ban on full female members ended with no firm decision, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi of Barcelona in a list of the things had gone since he joined the club. “Although I according to public broadcasters NHK. “It’s extremely annoy- world’s best-paid players. It is still below the 38 mil- work a lot every single day, with everyone’s support, in ing the situation has evolved into what it is so quickly,” board lion euros reportedly paid by city rivals order for that to happen. “I am very happy. Each day I feel chairman Kiichi Kimura told local media. “There was no deci- Shanghai Shenhua to Argentine striker Carlos that I am adjusting really well, with the support of sion and we will discuss it further. “We are baffled, that’s our Tevez, which rates him as the highest paid everyone in the club. —AFP situation right now,” he said. — AFP footballer on the planet. —AFP OLYMPICS Tokyo 2020 bid chief quizzed over payments TOKYO: Japanese prosecutors have ques- of laws nor bribery, I have told (prosecu- tioned Japan’s Olympic chief and other offi- tors) the same explanation I’ve given (pre- cials over millions of dollars in payments viously),” Takeda told the Yomiuri. Private made during Tokyo’s successful bid to host broadcaster Nippon TV carried a similar the 2020 Olympics, reports said yesterday. story. A JOC investigation reported last Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) September that it had found no evidence president Tsunekazu Takeda, who also led of bribery by Japanese officials in the case. the Tokyo bid, was among those quizzed in Diack, whose son Papa Massata Diack recent weeks at the request of French has denied receiving the money, was an investigators, the Yomiuri Shimbun report- International Olympic Committee (IOC) ed. French authorities said in May last year member at the time of the Tokyo bid. that they were investigating the 2.8 million The Tokyo prosecutors office declined to Singapore dollar (1.8 million euros, $2 mil- comment, while JOC officials and Tokyo lion) payments to a Singapore-based con- 2020 organisers could not immediately sultancy. confirm the reports. Japanese officials have consistently “The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee denied wrongdoing and have said that the has no means of knowing the bid commit- payments were for consulting services. tee’s activities,” the organising committee The two payments, linked to a son of said in an email to AFP. disgraced ex-world athletics chief Lamine Allegations the payments were improp- Diack, were made either side of Tokyo win- er were first reported by Britain’s Guardian ning the hosting rights at a vote in Buenos newspaper in last May. Tokyo beat Istanbul Aires in September 2013. and Madrid for the right to host the 2020 “Having no recognition of the violation Games. —AFP ‘Ghost skier’ leads Winter ST MORITZ: From left to right, Silver medalist Kjetil Jansrud of Norway, Gold medalist Erik Guay of Canada and Bronze medalist Manuel Osborne-Paradis of Canada, celebrate on the podium during the flower ceremony after the men’s Super-G at the 2017 Alpine SkiingWorld Games data revolution Championships in St Moritz, Switzerland, yesterday. — AP ST. MORITZ: A “ghost skier” hurtling down those patches be attached, what relevant the slope, an athlete’s glucose levels flash- information can we get out of them. “A lot ALPINE SKIING ing across the screen along with his heart of athletes are obviously suspicious of rate-it is all part of an Olympic data revolu- releasing data and that is something we tion awaiting television viewers. need to work through with federations. With the one-year countdown to the “But the direction is very clear we should Emotional Guay trumps Pyeongchang Winter Games starting today, be able over the next year to see more and European broadcaster Eurosport along more analysis that says this person is gen- with counterparts in North America and erating more power than that person,” said Japan are racing to get their gadgets ready the veteran television sports executive. “If Jansrud in super-G upset and approved by the International Olympic we can provide real information that edu- Committee and athletes. cates people about what is going on in an Peter Hutton, chief executive of athlete’s body then we are really doing ST MORITZ: Canada’s Erik Guay capped his of it well that would be it,” he said. “It’s the beau- energy, it was pretty cool.” Eurosport, said 2018 Games viewers next something interesting.” Broadcasters still return from an injury nightmare to claim an ty of racing. “It feels so good... To share it with Osborne-Paradis edged out a second “attack- year would see a “major jump” in the vol- need to get the IOC and international fed- emotional second world title when he surprised Erik, I think I was able to get third because he ing Viking” in the shape of Aleksander Aamodt ume of data compared to Sochi in 2014. erations to sign off on the data revolution. the field to win the men’s super-G in St Moritz won, I was so jazzed at the start, I had so much Kilde by three-hundredths of a second. — AFP “The amount of data on screen will be rev- But Hutton said the International Ski yesterday. The 35-year-old, the 2011 world olutionary,” he said. Broadcasters want the Federation wants change. “They are clearly downhill champion in Garmisch, timed 1min “ghost skier” on the screen to show how far ambitious to integrate more data into what 25.38sec down the 1.9km-long Corviglia course a competitor is in front, or behind, the lead- they do.” in overcast conditions and admitted to tears Stuhec tops women’s ing time. Just as the super-imposed line For athletes, performance patches after streaking into the finish area. Norway’s that showed the world record time has would be voluntary. But the broadcaster Kjetil Jansrud, the reigning Olympic super-G improved TV viewing of swimming, Hutton has already won over cycling with cameras gold medallist and winner of three super-Gs this downhill training and others believe the Winter Games is also on bikes. This has also been voluntary, but season, claimed silver, at 0.45sec, with another ripe for reform. Hutton said riders are now asking to be the Canadian, Manuel Osborne-Paradis, taking ST MORITZ: Slovenia’s Ilka Stuhec laid down a in Friday’s alpine combined event. The swimming line was simple but camera-carrier as it brings them more bronze on his 33rd birthday (+0.51sec). “It’s marker for Sunday’s world championship added clarity, Hutton said. “If you can use attention. “It makes them centre stage and incredible,” said Guay, who best mastered the flat downhill by topping times in yesterday’s train- SHORT NIGHT ghost skiers or have a line to say where is athletes like being centre stage.” Eurosport light and at-times rolling course that saw a ing in St Moritz.