FOOTBALL | Page 3 GGOLFOLF | Page 5 Captain McIlroy looks Milligan to regain secures draw momentum for Australia at Travelers Friday, June 23, 2017 SPOTLIGHT Ramadan 28, 1438 AH Kohli says he won’t GULF TIMES reveal dressing room secrets SPORT Page 2 BASKETBALL 3x3 has Qatar to thank for Olympic inclusion the sport and especially for Qatar’s ies”, Niang had added. medal chances,” he added. FIBA 3x3 director Alex Niang had The IOC said earlier this month that said that it was Qatar which helped 3x3 64 athletes (32 men and 32 women) will basketball create more “media noise” be part of the Olympic basketball pro- which raised the profi le of the game. gramme at the Tokyo Olympics. “Qatar is a good example for any FIBA Secretary General and IOC other federation when it comes to the member Patrick Baumann said. “It is promotion of a game,” Alex Niang had the recognition of 10 years of hard work said. to codify the rules of 3x3 and to inno- In 2007, FIBA decided to propose to vate with a unique 3x3 digital platform the IOC to add 3x3 to the 2010 Youth and player ranking system that bring Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore, together athletes with private and in- which ended up being the fi rst offi cial stitutional organisers in a worldwide 3x3 event, with resounding success network of FIBA organised or sanc- there and at the 2014 edition in Nanjing, tioned 3x3 events.” China. 3x3 basketball thus becomes the Qatar’s huge involvement in basket- fi rst-ever new YOG discipline to be in- ball’s abridged format, in which only cluded in the Olympic program. three players represent one team on a FIBA President Horacio Muratore half-sized court with only one hoop, said: “The intensity and skill level of the did not escape the attention of FIBA, 3x3 game is such that there are no tradi- the sport’s governing body. tional 3x3 powerhouses and new coun- “Qatar has been one of the biggest tries have emerged since the fi rst YOG Qatar’s senior and junior basketball players sport T-shirts expressing solidarity with His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at a training session promoters of 3x3 basketball. The facili- experience in 2010. This was our main at the Al Gharafa Sports Club yesterday. ties they provided and the standard of objective back in 2007. The decision the tournaments held in Doha over the provides FIBA with a renewed, strong By Anil John the Olympics beginning with Tokyo in to make a good fi rst impression in the promoting the 3x3 format in basketball years have been mind-blowing,” FIBA incentive to continue in this direction Doha 2020. Japanese capital. and our eff orts have been rewarded,” a Vice-President Hamane Niang told and grow the game of basketball by de- With Qatar boasting one of the top The Olympic decision, made earlier Qatar Basketball Federation offi cial told journalists in Doha last November. veloping new young skilled basketball teams in the world – they were world this month in Switzerland, comes after the Gulf Times yesterday. Niang, who was in Qatar to witness talents in both genders across the globe atar have already started champions in 2014 and quarter-fi nal- years of campaigning with Qatar play- “It’s a historic occasion for basket- the FIBA 3x3 All Stars event, said it was from small islands to large countries in planning for a medal fol- ists at the ongoing 2017 World Cham- ing a key role by hosting several 3x3 ball. The 3x3 format has captured the Qatar which fi rst saw the tremendous every continent.” The competition for- lowing the International pionships in Nantes, France – the high profi le competitions and giving imagination of the basketball loving potential the 3x3 format had in terms of mat, qualifi cation system and the loca- QOlympic Committee (IOC)’s Qatar Basketball Federation are keen the format a fi llip. people worldwide and its inclusion in worldwide popularity and appeal. tion of the 3x3 venue in Tokyo will be decision to include 3x3 basketball in on devising a comprehensive strategy “Qatar has been at the forefront of the Olympics is defi nitely a boost for In that sense “you are true visionar- announced at a later stage. CRICKET SPOTLIGHT India’s share Afghanistan, Ireland hiked to $405mn AFP given full Test status London ndia’s share of world cricket rev- Both countries were confirmed as full members after a unanimous vote at an International enues was increased from $293 to $405mn yesterday, under a new Cricket Council (ICC) meeting during its annual conference in London yesterday deal agreed among other wide- Iranging reforms at a meeting of the AFP gees fl ed to Pakistan to escape the So- game’s global governing body in Lon- London viet invasion. don. The ICC announced the establish- The deal came after India protested ment of cricket’s 11th and 12th Test a decision in April to divide revenues reland and Afghanistan were nations with a statement via its Twit- more equitably among members of the awarded Test match status yes- ter feed saying: “@ACBoffi cials and @ International Cricket Council (ICC) — terday, taking the number of Irelandcricket confi rmed as Full Mem- a move which would have cost the In- countries playing at the pinnacle bers after a unanimous vote at ICC Full dian board a large chunk of its funding Iof cricket from 10 to 12 in a decision Council meeting. over the next eight years. described as “fantastic” and “remark- “Both will now be eligible to play In the new model, England will re- able”. Test cricket following a recommenda- ceive $139mn, while Australia, Paki- Both countries were confi rmed as tion that their applications met newly stan, the West Indies, New Zealand, full members after a unanimous vote approved member criteria.” Sri Lanka and Bangladesh would get at an International Cricket Council ICC chief executive David Richard- $128mn and Zimbabwe $94mn. (ICC) meeting during its annual con- son paid tribute to the eff orts of the The Associate Members along with ference in London. two new Test countries. Ireland and Afghanistan, the two new- Now Ireland and Afghanistan’s “I’d like to congratulate Afghanistan ly-promoted full members who were men’s teams will be eligible to play and Ireland on their Full Membership awarded Test status yesterday, will col- fi ve-day Test cricket, widely regarded status which is the result of their dedi- lectively receive funding of $240mn. as the sport’s supreme format. cation to improving performance both India had threatened to withdraw Bangladesh were previously the last off and on the fi eld resulting in the sig- from the Champions Trophy that began country to be granted Test status in nifi cant development and growth of in England on June 1 unless the reve- 2000. cricket in their respective countries,” nue-sharing deal was restructured. But Afghanistan and Ireland have said Richardson. The deal drawn up in April was now joined an exclusive club that also “Both have clearly demonstrated aimed at curbing the dominance of includes founder members Australia they meet the new criteria and as such cricket’s wealthiest nations — India, and England, who played the fi rst Test Members of the Afghanistan team celebrate their win over the West Indies in a T20 international earlier this month. They have made the progression to Full Australia and England — with more match at Melbourne in 1877, South will now get to play Test cricket, joining an elite group of 12 teams. Membership,” the former South Africa money fl owing to minor Test nations Africa, New Zealand, the West Indies, wicket-keeper added. and associate members. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimba- match for the fi rst time. is a huge and remarkable achievement, for nearly 200 years but it wasn’t un- Last year, Afghanistan’s national “The ICC Board also unanimously bwe. “We’ve all played in World Cups the entire nation will be celebrating. til 1969 that they made the rest of the team shifted its base from Sharjah in agreed a new fi nancial model, thereby “It’s fantastic news for all involved and achieved some memorable results world game take true notice when they the United Arab Emirates to Noida, reversing the 2014 resolutions and giv- with Irish cricket and I’d like to thank along the way, but to play in a Test ‘DARED TO DREAM’ bowled out the West Indies for just 25 Delhi, while India’s former batsman ing greater equality in the distribution the ICC and the members for the posi- would be a bit special.” “Afghanistan cricket has gone from at Sion Mills in a match recorded by Lalchand Rajput replaced Pakistan’s of ICC income,” said a release, terming tive outcome,” said Cricket Ireland Ireland international Gary Wilson strength to strength and we dared to television. Inzamam-ul-Haq as their national the revenue distribution cycle between chief executive Warren Deutrom in a tweeted: “Let’s not forget the tireless dream that this would happen and to- Ireland have since established team coach. 2016-2023. statement. volunteers who worked so many years day it has become a reality.” themselves during the course of sev- Questions remain, however, about ICC chairman Shashank Manohar, “Test cricket is the pinnacle of the to get us where we are. Afghanistan international Moham- eral World Cups, recording one-day how well Afghanistan and Ireland, former BCCI chief, called it the “fi rst sport and it’s what we’ve all been aim- “Men who played for free and man- ed Nabi took to his own Twitter feed international wins over Pakistan, the now coached by former New Zealand step towards the ICC improving its ing for.” aged for free...As well as for us, this is to say: “Finally our hard work pays off West Indies and England.