The New Vision, Friday, April 9, 2010 SPORT 41 El Classico could decide

Semenya’s fate still unknown destiny of title Lawyers Real host Barcelona MADRID plead for La Liga Real Madrid’s Portuguese Saturday, 7pm winger Malaga v Sevilla is just as good as Tenerife v Valladolid Semenya Barcelona’s Villarreal v Sporting and he will prove it when Xerez v Getafe JOHANNESBURG the two sides clash this SS3, 11pm weekend, his teammates Real v Barcelona Caster Semenya, the world insisted Thursday. 800 metres champion at the The two teams will meet Sunday, 6pm centre of a gender verifica- in the El Classico on Bilbao v Almeria tion row, should be allowed Saturday. Deportivo v Racing to compete immediately in “These are the two best Osasuna v Zaragoza female events, her lawyers players in the world and SS3, 8pm said on Wednesday. it’s going to be a good Espanyol v Atletico South African Semenya match. Messi is a really SS3,10pm has not competed since last good player, he destabiliz- Mallorca v Valencia August when she won the es, but we have Ronaldo world title in Berlin. who is just as good,” Real’s Athletics South Africa Brazilian defender Marcelo Footballer of the Year (ASA) has made clear told sports daily . award again this year. Semenya is not banned from The confrontation “The two can win match- competition but said she between the two players is es in just one phase of the must wait for the results of highly anticipated after game. Ronaldo is at the her gender tests from the Messi scored all four goals same level, if not better, International Association during Barcelona’s 4-1 win than Messi,” Real Madrid of Athletics Federations over Arsenal on Tuesday Jose Maria (IAAF) which are not which took the Catalan Gutierrez ‘’ said at a expected until June. side into the Champions post-training press confer- Her lawyers from Dewey League semi-finals. ence on Wednesday. and Leboeuf ’s South Africa The 22-year-old’s first “He’s Barca’s most impor- office told television chan- ever four goal haul won tant player but if you ask nel eNews that test results him superlatives from all (Barcelona coach Pep) obtained in February sides, with Arsenal coach Guardiola about Cristiano showed Semenya can com- Arsene Wenger calling him Ronaldo, I am sure he will pete as a woman. “the best player in the tell you the same. “Caster’s medical team world, and by a distance.” “We need to have a strat- have looked at the results “The two players are deci- egy that is anti-Barca not from Berlin and South sive and we expect that only anti-Messi,” he Africa,” Benedict Phiri Cristiano will have the added. said. edge,” Real’s Argentine Messi is the top scorer in “And have also conducted striker Gonzalo Higuain, the Spanish league with 26 their own tests and there the club’s top scorer this goals while 25-year-old was a point in time, I think season in La Liga with 24 Ronaldo is La Liga’s fourth mid-February, where we got goals, told sports daily AS. most prolific scorer with the go-ahead to say we’ve The two previous win- 18 goals. looked at everything now ners of the prestigious Real are on top of the and based on what we’ve Ballon D’Or award –– Messi standings on goal differ- seen, we believe Caster is in 2009 and Ronaldo in 2008 ence from European and entitled to participate in –– have been key to their Spanish champions female athletics competi- side’s wins in recent Barcelona. tions.” matches and are in the Messi’s display in the Champions League tie on Tuesday could be of cause to Read race to win the European AFP

Ganguly guides Kolkata to Nike re-affirms partnership with golfer Woods

WASHINGTON comeback by competing in the US victory in India contest Masters now underway. Disgraced golf superstar Tiger “We support Tiger and his family. MUMBAI Woods on Wednesday appeared in As he returns to competitive golf, the Indian Premier League his first new television ad since ad addresses his time away from the In stark contrast to the silence Kolkata 181-3 embarrassing revelations about game using the powerful words of that accompanied the listless Daredevils 167-8 extramarital affairs emerged. his father,” Nike said in a state- defence against Kings XI Kolkata win by 14 runs An advertisement for Nike ––- air- ment. Punjab, the Eden Gardens ing on the eve of Woods’s much-an- Nike reportedly paid Woods around faithful responded passion- Rajasthan 157-1 ticipated return to competitive golf 40 million dollars a year before the ately to a charged perform- Punjab 153-6 after a five-month layoff –– features scandal. ance from Kolkata Knight Rajasthan win by nine wkts a voice recording of the golfer’s late The 30-second black and white spot Riders, which derailed Delhi father appearing to talk about the aired on the Golf Channel and ESPN Daredevils’ chase to secure Today golfer’s personal woes. on Wednesday and was to run until an invaluable 14-run victory. Punjab v Mumbai “I want to find out what your think- shortly after the star tees-off on At the heart of the turna- Tomorrow ing was; I want to find out what your Thursday. round was Sourav Ganguly. Deccan v Chennai feelings are. Did you learn any- The most anticipated stroke in 150 The experienced batsman thing?” said Earl Woods as a somber- Nike sticks with top golfer Woods years of golf history is scheduled off scored a half-century to build looking Tiger looked directly into Augusta’s first tee at 1:42 pm local a challenging total, after turned the game Kolkata’s the camera. image that made Woods the world’s time. which he fielded like few way. The result took them Woods has acknowledged an adul- first billion-dollar sportsman. Tiger will facing 95 rivals trying to believed he could: the direct level on 10 points with tery scandal that has seen more than Sponsors had sought to distance deny the world’s number one golfer a hit that ran out Gautam Chennai Super Kings and a dozen women claim sexual rela- themselves from the troubled star as 15th major title. Gambhir ended a threatening Royal Challengers Bangalore, tionships with the married father of sordid details of his person life The group includes two-time cham- 99-run partnership and the fourth-placed team. two, destroying the squeaky-clean emerged. Woods was due to make his pion Phil Mickelson.