22 Saturday, February 18, 2017 SPORTS Phelps Budapest considers dropping 2024 bid to host Olympics to sell Budapest udapest’s mayor said yesterday he is swimwear Bconsidering dropping the bid to host the Olympic Games in 2024, as activists announced they have collected enough signatures to force a Istvan Tarlos referendum on the effort. “If it turns out that enough Budapest residents have signed in favour of a referendum, then I will strongly consider whether the bid should be Michael Phelps withdrawn,” Istvan Tarlos said. His comments came as Momentum Paris Movement (MoMo) confirmed that it has obtained ichael Phelps, the most 266,151 signatures, well in excess of the 138,000 decorated Olympian of signatures necessary to trigger a ballot. Mall time, will take part in the Chelsea’s Italian The referendum would ask Budapest residents if they 2020 Games in Tokyo, but as head coach agreed that City Hall should withdraw its application to an entrepreneur, selling his Antonio Conte host the Games. own-brand swimwear, and not competing in the pool. The legendary American Wolverhampton regular side for the swimmer, who has captured helsea will look to avoid fourth round tie at a record 28 Olympic medals, an FA Cup upset at home to Brentford Arsenal decision looming for retired after the 2016 Rio WolverhamptonC Wanderers yet still emerge Games. today with the mood still comfortable 4-0 under-fire Arsene Wenger Now he has set his sights upbeat despite being held to winners. on success as a businessman, a disappointing 1-1 draw at Pedro was one of London Colney hoping to see the stars of the Burnley last Sunday. those that played against for me at this club and also rsene Wenger said 2020 Olympics and beyond The Londoners hold Brentford and could feature the best moment for the yesterday that he will opt for his swimwear in what an eight-point lead over against Wolves too after whole team since I’ve been Amake a decision on his is a cut-throat commercial Manchester City in the claiming he is now “very here,” he said. Arsenal future “in March or environment. Premier League but the Cup happy” at Stamford Bridge. “I’m very happy here. It’s April” as he vowed to remain “I am finished (as a could give them a chance The Spanish winger a good situation when you in football management competitor),” 31-year-old to rest some of their more came close to a return to are top of the League and come what may next season. Phelps said Thursday in Paris established players even Barcelona in the summer but progressing in the FA Cup. The Frenchman is out where he was launching his against a side that knocked no longer has any plans to We are on the right path. of contract with the north designs. out Liverpool last time. leave following a successful “Last year was a difficult London side at the end of In a partnership with US Certainly manager campaign where he has scored one for me, for the club, for the current campaign and Wenger manufacturer Aqua Sphere, Antonio Conte was able to nine times in 27 appearances. the team, but this year is questions over whether which started in 2014, Phelps make nine changes from his “This is the best moment different. he will stay at Arsenal said he felt reinvigorated by his intensified after the Gunners’ humiliating 5-1 defeat by new career. Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday. “It has become a passion in Los Angeles “No matter what happens I will manage for another which I invest a lot of time and nited States forward Clint Dempsey has season,” Wenger, who has been Arsenal’s manager for more energy. I enjoy being around Dempsey been given the all-clear to return to than 20 years, told reporters at the club’s training ground, sports and swimming. It will be footballU following a six-month layoff due to north of London, on Friday. like this for the rest of my life an irregular heartbeat, US Soccer confirmed. and I love that.” given The Seattle Sounders striker, who had In Rio, Phelps swam in his not played since last August, has already own self-designed gear as he played 30 minutes and a full 45 minutes won five more golds and a silver all-clear during pre-season action for the reigning Iran beats US in wrestling medal to confirm his status as a champions of Major League Soccer. Freestyle World Cup final legend of the Olympics. “Right now the focus is getting through “I was more confident in to return this year, playing (well) again and making Tehran my swimming by wearing an impact on the field,” Dempsey said on s the US and my own gear,” he explained the Sounders website. Iran wrangle having originally retired from “The minutes will keep going up and I’ll Aover sanctions and competitive swimming after keep pushing in training.” missile tests, their the 2012 London Olympics. athletes grappled in His 20 years’ experience of the ring yesterday in the sport will be key to business wrestling’s Freestyle success, he added. Headbutt lands Stokes in trouble World Cup final, “I sit around a table and Dublin Thursday according to Irish in the VIP lounge of the former with the Iranians have meetings with designers rish international striker media. The 28-year-old former Buck Whaley’s nightclub in emerging victorious. Representative picture and engineers -- it’s a crazy Anthony Stokes will have to Celtic star had already received Dublin city centre on June 8, Iran won the experience. payI Elvis Presley impersonator a two-year suspended prison 2013. Stokes, who currently tournament in five “I didn’t have this possibility Anthony Bradley 230,000 sentence earlier this month plays for second-tier English out of eight weight categories following three days of bouts in before of someone listening to euros (£196,000, $246,000) for headbutting strugglers Blackburn Rovers, the Kurdish-majority city of Kermanshah. Iranian wrestlers what I have to say about a for assaulting him in 53-year-old had already agreed to give won the first four lightweight categories, but local fans were product.” a nightclub, a Bradley his victim 30,000 euros for shocked when Iranians then lost the next three rounds. Phelps claims that some Dublin court breaking his nose and two of That piled the pressure on Komeil Ghasemi as he faced a of Australia’s highly-rated ruled on his teeth. showdown with American Nick Gwiazdowski in the final 125- swimmers were interested in kilo (275-pound) weight class. Ghasemi won the round five nil his designs last year but were to deliver the Islamic republic the winner’s prize -- a steel cup unable to use them so as to on a golden sphere. avoid a conflict of interest with Anthony-Stokes an existing sponsor. (AFP)