WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015 SPORTS Trouble hasn’t slowed down for NFL in 2015 NEW YORK: Commissioner Roger Goodell declared street, noting that several instances of owner mis- “The one thing that we have to be careful about In Kansas, police are investigating a domestic at the Super Bowl that the NFL made “enormous conduct went unpunished last year, raising ques- is to think it’s all of a sudden gotten worse or these abuse claim against Cowboys running back Joseph progress” on social issues after last year’s incessant tions about the congruity of Goodell’s discipline. guys are different,” Dungy said. “I think we can get Randle made by an ex-girlfriend a day after his barrage of disturbing developments, led by the Ray The union cited the cases of the Vikings’ Ziggy Wilf, lost in ‘Oh yeah, we had 10 or 12 incidents and for- arrest at a Kansas hotel on a drug charge that’s Rice domestic violence and Adrian Peterson child the Cowboys’ Jerry Jones and the Browns’ Jimmy get that the other 1,790 guys are doing quite well.” been dropped. The probe continues. Browns receiv- abuse crises. Haslam. “Anytime there are off-field incidents by Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president for er Josh Gordon was suspended for violating the That bombardment hasn’t much abated in 2015, players, we are disappointed, but we need to put football operations, said: “Our young men are pre- league’s substance-abuse policy. Steelers running with at least eight players arrested, a star suspend- things in some perspective,” NFLPA president Eric sented with the greatest platform in the world and back Le’Veon Bell received 15 months’ probation in ed, an agent indicted and a Hall of Famer fired. Winston said. how they carry that responsibility determines pub- a first-offender’s program following his August Also enmeshed in the headlines are Johnny “These incidents are exceptions and not reflec- lic perception. Our efforts are focused every day on arrest on marijuana charges. Cardinals running back Manziel checking himself into a treatment program tive of our membership. This union is focused on raising the standard of excellence. We take the Jonathan Dwyer pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and the murder trial of Aaron Hernandez getting supporting players, educating players, fighting for approach of shared responsibility and personal and was placed on probation in a case stemming under way. due process and fairness. We are not opposed to accountability in that we have resources and men- from alleged assaults on his wife last year. All of this against the backdrop of the league’s discipline as we believe everyone should be held tors in place to assist these young men where they And Warren Sapp was fired as an NFL Network investigation into whether the Super Bowl champi- accountable for their actions, but there is so much are challenged. It is their responsibility to utilize analyst after his arrest on suspicion of soliciting a on Patriots surreptitiously provided under-inflated attention on discipline that the other areas tend to them. “We continue to work each day to bring out prostitute and allegedly assaulting two women. footballs for their AFC championship win. get ignored in the public. We not ignore them.” the best in all who are associated with the game of Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy faces possi- “It’s a discouraging start to the new year,” said Former NFL coach Tony Dungy suggested the football.” ble NFL discipline even though prosecutors Richard Lapchick, director of the Institute for players’ alleged misdeeds are reflective of society at A steady stream of arrests and charges since Jan. Monday dismissed domestic violence charges Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of large, commonplace when young players go from 1 include: against him after the accuser couldn’t be found. Central Florida. “But my hope is it’s an anomaly for strict schedules to offseason freedom. • Colts linebackers Josh McNary (rape), D’Qwell Finally, there’s the specter of Florida State quar- 2015.” That will hinge on whether discipline and dis- “It’s always a dangerous time and it kind of hap- Jackson (assault) and Andrew Jackson (drunken terback Jameis Winston going No. 1 in the draft honor - “the players aren’t going to want to be men- pens every year,” Dungy said. “If you just read the driving); despite a history of questionable off-field behavior. tioned in the same story as Ray Rice or Adrian local paper every day you’re going to read about • Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion (drugs); Dungy said he didn’t think most teams would Peterson” - serve as deterrents to further transgres- DUIs, speeding tickets, incidents at nightclubs. But • Saints pass rusher Junior Galette (assault); place a higher priority this year on character given sions, he said. it wouldn’t be anybody’s name you would recog- • Jets running back Chris Johnson (weapons); all that’s transpired, insisting, “Guys with talent are The players’ union maintains it’s not a one-way nize.” Not so when it’s an NFL player. • Bears cornerback Tim Jennings (drunken driving). always going to have a place to play.” —AP Austrians join forces to chase team gold

BEAVER CREEK: Austria have monopo- you may have some good news in the lized the podium at the alpine ski world next couple of months,” International championships and will try to underscore Olympic Committee President Thomas their status as the sport’s superpower Bach said during a visit to the champi- when they join forces in late yesterday’s onships. “I hope very much we can team event. With six medals from six finalise this together with FIS before the events, including three golds, the mighty IOC session in Kuala Lumpur in July.” Austrians have ruled the Beaver Creek The competition will feature the 16 slopes but head to Vail looking to defend top-ranked nations in a knockout format the team title they won on home snow at with skiers going head-to-head on a par- the 2013 worlds in Schladming. allel slalom course. Introduced into the championship Each country is allowed a maximum of program in 2005, Austria are the only six skiers (at least two women) with four nation to medal in the team event at taking part in each round with the top- every worlds and will be a red-hot seeded nation facing the lowest seed. favourite to add to that collection at Austria topped the podium in 2013 and Golden Peak Stadium. While the team 2007 while Germany grabbed gold in event is not yet on the Olympic schedule 2005 and France in 2011. The event was that could soon change in time for the not held in 2009 due to bad weather. 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games. Sweden has won three team medals, sil- “We are discussing the program for vers in 2013 and 2007 and bronze in 2018 and already for 2022 with FIS and 2011. — Reuters

JAPAN: A McLaren MP4/4 (left) and other exhibition models are displayed at an entrance of Honda Motor’s headquarters in Tokyo. Honda Motor held a press conference in the run-up to the of the FIA World Championship (F1), which will take place on March 13 to 15. — AFP Qatar set to host Formula One race

DOHA: Qatar is close to signing a contract to host said Bahrain and Abu Dhabi would not allow Mercedes units last year. McLaren and Honda a Formula One Grand Prix within the next two Qatar to join the Grand Prix racing circuit. But it enjoyed a dominant period from 1988 to 1992, years, the president of the country’s motor sport now appears any problems have been ironed out. with Brazilian triple champion and federation has told AFP. Qatar is ploughing billions of pounds into sport- French four-times champion winning Nasser bin Khalifa al-Attiyah, who is also the ing events and has won the right to host the 2022 15 of 16 races in 1988. The team won 44 grands Vice- President of the International Automobile World Cup and was also recently awarded the prix, from 80 starts, during that five-year partner- Federation (FIA), said the race would be held in 2019 World Athletics Championships. Qatar is also ship. “We are ready for the challenge and we will 2016 or 2017, adding to the growing list of high- expected to make a bid at some point to host a have success. Because history shows that Honda profile international sporting events hosted by Summer Olympics. Meanwhile, McLaren have a always succeeds and the Honda-McLaren part- the tiny Gulf state. mountain to climb with Honda in Formula One nership in the ‘80s is something that we intend to “We are about to sign contracts to organise a this season, with plenty of challenges along the reproduce,” Dennis said. McLaren, who last won a Formula One race,” he said. “We have completed way but they will get there in the end, group race in 2012, had a difficult start to testing with all the steps and there are only a few details head said on Tuesday. the new car in Jerez, southern Spain, this month. before the official signature.” “You don’t expect to be at the top of the Spaniard and Britain’s Jenson Al-Attiyah added that Qatar would offer the mountain the day you start climbing. It takes time Button both managed only six laps each on the choice of two circuits on which to race, either in and you also have to prepare well,” the Briton told first two days of the test but completed more on Lusail which has already hosted Moto GP and a news conference at Honda’s global headquar- the remaining two. “I think the first thing we World Superbike events, or a specially-designed ters in Tokyo. “We are very much preparing for the should emphasise is that the first Grand Prix street course through the capital Doha. climb, and it’s going to be a challenging climb but where we are going to be measured is in fact There have previously been question marks it’s a climb that both Honda and McLaren have Australia,” Dennis said. “The first test clearly wasn’t over whether Qatar could host a Grand Prix made several times together.” Honda, who quit as smooth as we would like but nevertheless we because it relied on the approval of Bahrain and Formula One as a manufacturer in 2008, are have to stay very disciplined and focus on gather- Abu Dhabi, which already host races. In returning this season as engine partner to former ing the data.” The season starts in Australia on December, Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone champions McLaren, who were powered by March 15. — Reuters

BEAVER CREEK: Slovenia’s Tina Maze clears a gate to win the 2015 World Alpine Ski Kuwait hosts ‘Made From Gold’ seminar Championships women’s combined. — AFP By Nawara Fattahova Maze bags KUWAIT: The International Relations Club of the American University of Kuwait (AUK) held a sports seminar titled ‘Made From Gold’ yester- combined gold day at its premises. The seminar hosted three Kuwaiti popular sports champions - Yousef Al- Rubayan, Waleed Ali and Abdullah Al-Mzayen. BEAVER CREEK: Tina Maze has been near “I was really nervous before the slalom, I The main purpose of this seminar was to impregnable at the alpine ski world cham- did a solid run in downhill but not my best encourage the youth to follow their dream, to pionships, yet she succumbed to a bout of run. Still winning on that run, it’s amazing. I be optimistic and work hard till they achieve nerves before pushing out of the start hut couldn’t wish for more,” said the Slovenian, their goals. en route to victory in the women’s super who won silver in the combined at the Rubayan is a Formula 1 racing boat champi- combined on Monday. worlds in 2011 and 2013. on who ranked first at the F1 powerboat racing Twice before, the smooth-skiing Maze is on track to join Norway’s Lasse championship. He has more than 150 podium Slovenian had to settle for silver in the two- Kjus as the only skiers to win medals in all finishes and won various international titles, leg event at the worlds after being billed as five alpine disciplines at a single world including the Continents Championship. a favorite and she did not want to contem- championships. Kjus accomplished the feat “I started my sports career with jet ski rac- plate the thought of ending up as the in 1999. “I am not thinking about medals at ing in 1995, then I joined the F2 powerboat bridesmaid once again. the start,” Maze said of her expectations racing in 2005, and since 2011 I’m internation- Exhausted though she was after win- coming into Beaver Creek. “Now that we ally racing with the F1 powerboat racing. I was ning gold in the blue riband downhill and are here (having won three medals), of a child when I was watching the boat racing. I finishing second in the Super-G, Maze course, I can think about that. was wondering if I ever would be one of these pocketed her second gold at Beaver Creek “It would be awesome to make that and champions. And today, the former world by winning the combined with an overall I really hope I can do that because I know I champion is manufacturing the powerboats time of two minutes 33.37 seconds. can be in each event on the podium. Of and he is manufacturing it for me. I admit that and I don’t do this job as I’m training with the Kuwait world champion in Squash Abdullah “This is special because I was always one course, it’s not easy and you need to be it was a hard way to the victory and though soccer team, yet I’m not considered a profes- Al-Mzayen also complained that they don’t of the favourites and I never managed to focused on your run on the hill. But why without getting support from the government, sional player and I never receive my salary as a receive any support from the government. “In win it,” the 31-year-old said after claiming not?” Maze, who won gold medals in the I represented Kuwait and ranked the first in the teacher, as they always deduct part of my order to get training I had to live abroad for her ninth career medal at the worlds. downhill and giant slalom at last year’s last world championship,” said Rubayan during salary because I’m out playing sports. The play- some time in Egypt and other countries. My “Today I was a favorite and if I wouldn’t Winter Olympics in Sochi, will next turn her the seminar. ers in other GCC countries have much better stay abroad for training was covered by private win today, I wouldn’t have felt good so it attention to tomorrow’s giant slalom. “Of Ali, a soccer player at the Kuwait national conditions than us. Even our kits for the cham- company. At the end my dream came true and was putting a lot of pressure on me. I felt course, I need to relax a bit and get some football team complained of the bad condi- pionship are not branded and are of bad quali- I won the gold medal in ASIAD last year in that I have to do this and it’s not easy to recovery first, then let’s go on,” she tions of sportsmen in Kuwait. “I’m a teacher, ty, which is shameful,” he noted. Korea,” he pointed out. race like that. smiled.—Reuters