• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 3 CCYCLINGYCLING | Page 7 Spurs’ Kane Froome to denies diving start season in aft er Anfi eld Spain under penalty row doping cloud Tuesday, February 6, 2018 AMERICAN FOOTBALL Jumada I 20, 1439 AH Eagles soar past GULF TIMES Patriots for first Super Bowl title SPORT Page 5 RALLYINGSPOTLIGHT No Pyeongchang TOKYO OLYMPICS invite for Russians cleared by CAS, THE NEXT GOAL FOR says Olympic body QATAR’S U-23 PLAYERS Members of the Qatar U-23 football team along with the coaching and technical staff were honoured yesterday by Qatar Football Association President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani for their excellent show at the recent Asian U-23 Championship in China. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, centre, poses with members of the Canadian Olympic Team during a tour of Olympics. Ahmed al-Thani is one of the reasons for the By Sports Reporter the Pyeongchang Olympic Village yesterday. Doha “I hope they will win the next Asian U-23 team’s success.” championship and qualify for the Olympics. The He also asked the players of the Olympic team AFP among 42 Russians — bobsleigh- achievement in China has been the result of the to continue with their diligence and commit- Pyeongchang, South Korea ers, cross-country skiers, com- hard work and eff ort of the technical and admin- ment to Qatar and make the country proud at petitors in the skeleton and ice atar Football Association (QFA) Presi- istrative staff as well as the players.” the international level. hockey players — to appeal their dent Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Sheikh Hamad said the performance of the play- Coach Sanchez added that the QFA President’s port’s top court CAS yes- bans. Ahmed al-Thani has urged Qatar’s U-23 ers was even more creditable because many of words of encouragement will boost the morale terday overturned Olym- In addition to clearing the 28, pic life bans on 28 Rus- CAS also lifted the life bans of an- Qfootballers to dream big and qualify for them had taken part in the high profile Gulf Cup of the players as they embark on their future the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. sians accused of doping, other 11 Russians but barred them in the preceding week. endeavours. Sa decision hailed by Moscow but from competing at Pyeongchang. Sheikh Hamad was speaking at a function yes- “They were under tremendous pressure but “The good words spoken by the President will terday to felicitate the team which finished third a major embarrassment for the Delivering its judgement CAS they still challenged for the Cup and unluckily surely encourage the players to do better. We in the recent Asian U-23 Championship in China. International Olympic Com- said: “In 28 cases, the evidence finished third. Many of them had gone directly are touched by his concern and enthusiasm for The ceremony was attended by Ivan Bravo, mittee just days away from the collected was found to be insuf- to China after taking part in the Gulf Cup. There- the team.” Director General of Aspire Academy, Saeed al- start of the Winter Games in fi cient to establish that an anti- fore, they deserve a lot of credit.” The Spaniard said it was unfortunate that the Pyeongchang. doping rule violation was com- Misnad, Technical Adviser of the National Teams He said coach Sanchez was doing a great job team lost to Vietnam via penalties in the semi- The Court of Arbitration for mitted by the athletes concerned. Department of QFA, Talal al-Kaabi, Project with the senior as well as the Olympic team and finals. Sport ruled that the there was “The evidence put forward by Manager of the European Project for Players at there was no need to change that. “It sure hurts but we must accept the result and “insuffi cient” evidence that the the IOC in relation to this matter Aspire Academy, the technical staff led by Span- “I don’t see that changing now. He has been do- move on. The players have great potential but athletes had benefi ted from a sys- did not have the same weight in ish coach Felix Sanchez, Ali Salat, QFA Head of ing a fine job and will continue in his dual role.” they will surely keep their focus. We will keep tem of state-sponsored doping at each individual case.” Media, and others. the 2014 Winter Games, hosted CAS’s decision was warmly He added that some of the Olympic team play- pressing with our plans in our bid to qualify for Sheikh Hamad said: “Our Olympic team did their by Russia. welcomed by Russian President ers will be inducted into the national team soon. the Tokyo Olympics,” he added. best and earned third place in the champion- The cleared 28, which in- Vladimir Putin. “These youngsters will form the basis of Qatar’s Saeed al-Misnad also thanked the QFA President ship. The bronze medal is the beginning of the cludes Sochi cross-country gold “We are very glad for our ath- national team that will play for the country in for his support for the team and his interest in road and not the end of it. medallist Alexander Legkov, are letes,” Putin’s spokesman Dmitry the 2022 FIFA World Cup,” he said. this distinguished group of players. “There are a large number of players in the Ol- now eligible to compete in the Peskov told reporters. Aspire Academy Director General Bravo thanked He said: “The players of the Olympic team have Pyeongchang Olympics starting “The information about the ympic team, who we will depend on, along with the President of QFA for honouring the Olympic made a great eff ort to achieve glory for their next week, but their participation decision of the Court of Arbitra- the youth team players who will take part to the team, saying: “The support of the QFA under country, but at the same time they must keep is by no means certain. tion for Sport proves that en- next AFC U-23 Championship, which will allow the leadership of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin improving,” he said. “Not being sanctioned does ergetic work to stand up for our them to potentially qualify for the Tokyo 2020 not automatically confer the rights in court and elsewhere — it privilege of an invitation” to the is justifi ed, it can be eff ective and 2018 Games in South Korea, the it should continue,” Peskov add- IOC explained in a statement. ed. And we are hoping that this Russia are banned from work will certainly continue.” Pyeongchang over the doping He said it was unclear whether scandal but 169 Russian competi- the 28 who had their appeals up- tors have been cleared to take part held would now compete in South as neutrals. Korea. The IOC warned that CAS’s “It is a diffi cult question,” the verdict “may have a serious im- Kremlin spokesman added, not- pact on the future fi ght against ing Russian offi cials would con- doping”. tinue talking to the IOC. “Therefore, the IOC will ana- Last week’s mass CAS hearings lyse the reasoned decisions very were as a result of allegations of a carefully once they are available vast state-sponsored doping pro- and consider consequences, in- gramme contained in the report cluding an appeal to the Swiss into Sochi authored by sports law Federal Tribunal.” professor Richard McLaren for The exonerated group were the World Anti-Doping Agency. London to host new World Cup event London: London will host a man and one woman from each new World Cup event this sum- nation in each event. mer featuring eight top nations Each nation will be competing including the United States for a $2mn prize pot over two and Jamaica, British Athletics evening sessions of athletics announced yesterday. under the lights. Britain, the United States, “It’s great to see such an Poland, China, Germany, France, exciting head-to-head event Jamaica and South Africa will confirmed to be taking place compete at the London Sta- in London this summer — the dium on July 14-15. concept is one that will excite The tournament follows last everyone in athletics and is year’s world athletics champi- sure to attract new fans to onships in the British capital, the sport,” said Olympic and which also hosted the Olympics world 400m champion Wayde in 2012. The competition format van Niekerk. Sebastian Coe, QFA President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani (L) lauded the eff orts of Qatar coach Felix Sanchez (right) and the U-23 team for their performance in the will feature all field events and president of athletics’ world Asian Championship. track events up to and includ- governing body the IAAF, hailed ing the 1500m, with just one the “innovative” event. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, February 6, 2018 FOOTBALL QNB STARS LEAGUE Ferreira, Laudrup tactical battle adds spice to Qatar Clasico Both coaches have been with their sides for some time now and know how to bring the best out of their players By Sports Reporter Doha he second Qatar Clasico match of the QNB Stars League 2017- 18 season between Al Rayyan and Al Sadd on Thursday at the TAl Sadd Stadium is sure to be a high- stake encounter in every sense of the word. Justifi ably so, considering the teams’ strength, reputation, history, performance, popularity, fan support, etc. Al Sadd are second in the table with 37 points, two behind Al Duhail and as many more than third-placed Al Rayyan.

Load more

  8

Copy Link