SPORT Wednesday 21 March 2018 PAGE | 31 PAGE | 32-33 PAGE | 35 SA get Rabada QSL Champions Match Play: reprieve as focus Al Duhail hungry Spieth, Reed in shifts back to cricket for more same group Tri-series: Qatar seek wins as football returns to Iraq RIZWAN REHMAT QATAR SQUAD FOR THE PENINSULA THREE-NATION FRIENDSHIP TOURNAMENT BASRA: Qatar will be aiming to make the most of their opportunity Saad Al Dosari, Hassan to play international football matches when they face hosts Iraq Al-Haydos, Akram Afif, Pedro and Syria in a historic Three-Nation Miguel, Salem Al Hajri, Abdul Friendship Tournament to be played Karim Hassan, Almoez Ali, Karim this week, a team official said Boudiaf, Ismail Mohammed, yesterday. Bassam Al-Rawi and Sultan Coached by Felix Sanchez, Qatar Al Barek, Abdul Aziz Hatem, team arrived in Basra yesterday Youssef Hassan, Assem Madabo, ahead of their matches against Iraq Ahmed Alaa, Moayad Hassan, and Syria. The team was warmly Mohammed Alaa, Mohammed received by Iraq Football Association Al-Bakri, Ahmad Fathi, Ahmed (IFA) officials. Moin and Tariq Sulaiman. “There are two more interna- Coach: Felix Sanchez tional matches on our calendar. We are delighted to get more match Qatar football players and officials pose for a photograph with Iraq Football practice as we prepare for 2019 Asian Association (IFA) officials and fans upon arrival in Basra yesterday ahead Cup to be held in the UAE,” Ali Salat, of their matches against Iraq and Syria yesterday. the team’s media chief, said yesterday. “This is a big opportunity for us series of football matches since FIFA’s Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani. to compete against Iraq, one of the decision to lift ban on hosting of The IFA note said: “On behalf of toughest teams in Asia. Two of the games on Iraqi soil. the members of the Board of best teams in Asia are here,” Salat “We are allowing international Directors of the Iraq Football Asso- said. matches to be staged in the cities of ciation, and Iraqi sports fans, I “Also it will be a very important Arbil, Basra and Karbala,” FIFA pres- extend my thanks and great grat- tournament for us to test our players, ident Gianni Infantino told reporters itude to your efforts and your con- to test their fitness and their form. last Thursday after a meeting of the tinuous and unlimited support of They will be playing tough matches FIFA Council in Bogota. Iraqi football, which culminated in here against Iraq and Syria,” he Two days ago, IFA President the decision of FIFA to allow us to added. Abdul Khaleq Masoud praised the host matches in Basra, Karbala and “The coach thinks thanks Iraq for efforts made by Qatar Football Asso- Erbil. “ their warm welcome. He feels this will ciation (QFA) in convincing FIFA to The three cities had been hosting be a great atmosphere by getting to see lift the ban on holding official friendlies throughout last year as a their own team playing on their home matches in Basra, Karbala and Erbil. test run, reports said on Friday. soil,” Salat said. The QFA received a message This week’s tri-series is the first Qatar take on Iraq on March 21 from IFA who thanked the for Qatar since their first-round exit followed by a clash against Syria on ‘excellent and great support’ at the Gulf Cup held in December in March 24. extended by QFA under the chair- Kuwait. Qatar will host the 2022 FROM LEFT: Syria’s head coach Bernd Stange, Iraqi coach Basim Qasim and Qatar coach The tri-series is the first official manship of Sheikh Hamad bin FIFA World Cup, the region’s first. Felix Sanchez pose for a photograph following a press conference held in Basra yesterday. Top gymnasts eye glory as FIG World Cup begins in Doha FAWAD HUSSAIN a medal in the first interna- A gymnast in action during THE PENINSULA tional competition of the year. last year's FIG Artistic I’ll be competing in Doha with DOHA: Top gymnasts from a lot of confidence after Individual World Cup in around the world are ready to winning a bronze in Baku,” Doha in this file photo. showcase their skills with an Ferhat said ahead of the This World Cup is eye on glory as the FIG Artistic event. Individual World Cup begins Ferhat’s team-mate very special for in Doha today. Ibrahim Colak also had an us as it will also The star-studded line-up impressive outing in Baku, serve as the test taking part at state-of-the-art where he won silver medal in Aspire Dome includes several rings. event for World Olympic and World cham- Colak, who won a bronze Championships pions as gymnasts from as in rings at the 2015 European this year. All the many as 40 countries are Games, will lead his country’s preparations for taking part in the four-day challenge in Doha. annual championship. “I had a mild discomfort on the event have The stellar line-up the knee and a neck injury been completed includes world champion Xiao almost ruled me out, but in the and we are looking Ruoteng of China and Japanese end I could finish second. We forward to a legend Kohei Uchimura, also have bigger goals as a team known as ‘King Kohei’. The this year. We will try our best very successful duo promises thrilling battle to win medals,” said Ibrahim, edition this year: in quest of a gold medal. who had also competed at QGF President In addition, world’s oldest 2014 FIG World Champion- and Chairman of Olympian, Oksana Chuso- ships in Nanning, China. vitina, 43 of Uzbekistan will The Qatar Gymnastics the Organising also be competing in Doha. Federation (QGF) has been Committee Ali Al Ferhat Arican, who hosting the Artistic Gymnastics Hitmi became the first Turkish male World Cup since 2008 but this gymnast after 108 years to year’s edition holds utter compete at the 2016 Rio importance as Doha will also Olympics, will also be seen in be hosting FIG’s showpiece action in men’s parallel bar event - FIG World Champion- Committee Ali Al Hitmi said. blockbuster as it will give us will be looking to impress and competition during the event. ships this year from October “All the preparations for huge confidence ahead of give cheers to home fans who Arican warmed up for the 25 to November 3. the event have been com- World Championships,” the are expected to turn out in Doha showdown with a “This World Cup is very pleted and we are looking QGF President said. good numbers. bronze medal in men’s parallel special for us as it will also forward to a very successful A couple of upcoming The first two days will bar at FIG Artistic World Cup serve as the test event for edition this year,” added Al gymnasts will also represent feature qualifying rounds for in Baku, Azerbaijan, last World Championships this Hitmi. the host country in the World men’s and women’s apparatus Sunday. year,” QGF President and “We will leave no stone Cup. The pair includes Jana while finals will be held over “It’s a great feeling to win Chairman of the Organising unturned to make it a Kiki and Ahmed Nabil, who the last two days. 30 SPORT WEDNESDAY 21 MARCH 2018 Formula One: Hamilton says racing is ‘ridiculously expensive’ in present era REUTERS BANBURY: Britain is on top of the world in Formula One, with Lewis Hamilton beginning his quest for a fifth championship in Australia this weekend, but there is concern at grassroots level. With costs spiralling and some junior kart teams racing on six figure budgets, youngsters hoping to emulate Hamilton’s rise from social housing to stardom are being priced out of contention. Britain’s Motor Sports Asso- ciation says the number of MSA licence holders in karting -- where future champions learn their craft -- has fallen by 30 percent in the decade since Ham- ilton made his grand prix debut in 2007. Less than 12 percent of the total are under the age of 21. “I don’t think it’s an insur- mountable problem but it’s cer- tainly something we need to Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes is seen during pre-season testing at Circuit de Barcelon, address quickly,” David Richards, Catalunya, Montmelo, Spain, in this March 9, 2018, file photo. the former F1 team principal who was appointed chairman of the MSA in January, said. “Otherwise, where will the engineering company runs race road. “If there are such big bar- without money or connections, 10 engines to find the best one,” have activated a break clause in next Lewis Hamiltons come programmes for manufacturers riers to participation that we can’t to come through now. he said. their contract that means a from? including Aston Martin, recog- get the talent in the first place, “Right now racing is just “We can’t have motorsport farewell unless a new deal is “So it’s going to be one of our nised that Britain was still well that means we don’t get the best ridiculously expensive,” said the accessible only to the rich,” added struck. big focuses now over the next off compared to other nations. people in,” he said. 33-year-old. the businessman. “This sport has Richards, who has not been couple of years at the MSA, The country has produced a “I really do believe that at the “I think it’s much harder for got to be accessible to far more involved in negotiations so far, looking at karting and how we string of top drivers, boasts grassroots level today, those bar- anyone from a council estate in people.” said the race was a key asset that can make it more accessible, how world-class engineering and riers do exist.” Stevenage to get to Formula One The former Benetton and BAR the country should not let slip -- we can make it more affordable, most of the Formula One teams Speaking at the launch of his now.