CHINA DAILY SPORTS MONDAY MARCH 5, 200711 INBRIEF Olympic champion SOCCER Lyon derby win marred by crowd trouble banned for criticism PARIS: Olympique Lyon took a decisive step towards a record in the future.” sixth consecutive title when Speed skater Wang Meng pays It has not been determined they thrashed bitter rivals St when the 21-year-old will re- Etienne 3-1 in a Ligue 1 derby price for comments about coach turn to the national team. marred by crowd trouble on By Chen Xiangfeng “She is still young and has Saturday. arrangements of the coach are a great future,” said coach Li. The match was halted for 20 not suitable for me,” she said at “The target of my coming to minutes after a fl are was fi red Olympic champion speed skater the time. coach China is the 2010 Winter from a section packed with Wang Meng has been banned Li was coach of American Olympics. Wang’s absence will Lyon fans towards St Etienne from competing at the World short track star Apolo Anton give more opportunities to other supporters, one of whom sent Short Track Speed Skating Ohno, and she began working teenager skaters.” it back. Championships and World with the team last May. The ban on Wang, the 500m Police then moved in and Team Championships later short track speed skating gold sprayed tear gas, which this month. medalist at the 2006 Turin prompted referee Tony Chap- The punishment, announced My mistakes Winter Olympic Games and ron to send the players back on Saturday by the Winter top skater on the team, is a to the dressing rooms in the Sports Administrative Center, tarnished the image blow to China’s prospects at 52nd minute. came in response to Wang’s at- of the team. I’m so the Worlds. tack on new team coach Li Yan But officials insist it is a ATHETICS during the Asian Winter Games sorry. I accept the moderate punishment. in January. punishment imposed “I don’t think it is a harsh Greek sprinter booed “Wang Meng’s improper com- on me. punishment,” said Tong Lixin, in winning comeback ments about the team’s head director of the Center’s Short BIRMINGHAM, England: coach during the Asian Games WANG MENG Track Speed Skating Depart- Controversial Greek sprinter had a negative effect on the whole Olympic champion ment. Katerina Thanou qualifi ed for team. The center has asked her “The center took proper the fi nal of the 60 metres at to refl ect deeply on the mistakes measures to deal with the the European indoor cham- and make a written apology,” said “I have to pay for my unwise problem. I hope Wang will pionships, fi nishing second a statement from the Center. behavior during the Asian grow up after the punishment to defending champion Kim Wang threatened to quit the Games. It was irresponsible to and achieve better results in Gevaert on Saturday. team after winning a bronze make such remarks. My mis- the future.” Britain’s Jason Gardener re- in the women’s short track takes tarnished the image of the China will send fi ve men and mained on course for a fourth 1,500m, blaming Li for a lack team. I’m so sorry. I accept the women skaters to the World successive men’s title with of race tactics. punishment imposed on me,” Championships, which take victory in his semi-fi nal. “I will apply for training said Wang in her apology. place in Italy from March 16- Thanou, 32, making her Wang Meng back in my local team after “I will learn lessons from the 18, and World Team Champion- international comeback after the Winter Asiad, since the mistake and work even harder ships in Hungary from 25-26. a two-year suspension for doping violations, was greeted by a small amount of booing from the sell-out crowd at the National Indoor Arena. The 2000 Olympic 100 meters Australian clubs proud ahead of AFC Champions League debut silver medalist clocked 7.22 seconds to equal her season’s SOCCER While the Australian nation- Melbourne, will not be included Asian club titles although best. al team is one of the favorites to until next season. Middle East teams have won 2007 AFC Champions League groups SYDNEY: The inclusion of two win the Asian Cup this year, the three of the past four with Al TENNIS Australian teams has added a two club teams are just happy Tough draw Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) triumph- Defending champions: Chon- Al Ain (United Arab Emirates) new dimension to this season’s to be playing in the Champions The two Australian teams ing in 2004 and 2005 and Al buk Motors (South Korea) Al Ittihad (Syria) Henin wins Qatar Open AFC Champions League, which League. are also drawn in the tough- Ain (United Arab Emirates) (Defending champions ad- Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia) to complete Gulf double kicks off with 13 matches in 12 “It’s an historic event for est half of the draw, alongside in 2003. vance straight to quarterfi nals. Sepahan (Iran) DOHA: Belgium’s Justine different countries on Wednes- Australian football,” Sydney other teams from Asean and The defending champions, The seven group winners all Group E: Henin defeated Russia’s day. captain Mark Rudan told the East Asia, who make up three Chonbuk Motors of South qualify for quarterfi nals.) Persik Kediri (Indonesia) Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-2 Sydney FC and Adelaide Sydney Morning Herald. of the seven groups. Korea, have been given Group A: Shanghai Shenhua (China) to win the Qatar Open and United will both make their “All of the Sydney players The remaining four groups an automatic place in this Al Arabi (Kuwait) Sydney FC (Australia) complete a Gulf double on debuts in Asia’s premier club involved will be able to look are made up of teams from year’s quarterfinals, with Al Rayyan (Qatar) Urawa Reds (Japan) Saturday. competition, which will be back on their careers and say West and Central & South the seven remaining spots Al Wahda (UAE) Group F: Henin, who had beaten contested over eight months we, along with Adelaide United, Asia. to be awarded to the group Al Zawra’a (Iraq) Arema Malang (Indonesia) Kuznetsova in the semi-fi nal by 28 teams from 15 coun- were the fi rst to represent Aus- Sydney, who qualified by winners. Group B: Bangkok University (Thailand) before she won the title in tries. tralia in this event. winning the inaugural A- The competition has already Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) Chunnam Dragons (South Dubai last week, continued Australia’s decision to ditch “The players realise only too League championship in 2006, attracted controversy after Al Kuwait (Kuwait) Korea) her mastery over the Russian, Oceania and join Asia in search well how important an occasion were drawn in Group E along Esteghal Tehran, champions in Pakhtakor (Uzbekistan) Kawasaki Frontale (Japan) extending her head-to-head of better competition has drawn it is.” with teams from China, Japan 1970 and 1991, were disquali- Group C: Group G: lead to 14-1. criticism from some parts of Most of Australia’s top inter- and Indonesia while Adelaide fi ed for failing to fulfi l player Al Karama (Syria) Adelaide United (Australia) Henin took home $222,000 Asia, but many senior offi cials nationals are based in Europe are in Group F with clubs registration requirements, leav- Al Najaf (Iraq) Dong Tam Long An (Vietnam) while Kuznetsova pocketed including FIFA President Sepp and because the Champions from China, South Korea and ing one of the seven groups a Al Sadd (Qatar) Seongnam Chunma (South $117,000. Blatter believe the move will League draw was finalised Vietnam. team short. Neftchi (Uzbekistan) Korea) Despite her win, Henin will improve standards of Asian before the end of the 2007 sea- Asean and East Asian clubs Group D: Shandong Luneng (China) remain No 2 in the WTA rank- soccer. son, the country’s leading club have won nine of the last 13 Agencies ings, but she has closed in on Russian Maria Sharapova. GOLF Haig sinks birdie to win Federer moves closer to more records, hits out at ATP trial format Johnnie Walker playoff TENNIS “I had a bit of a rough start Federer also remains on situation” over the incorrect the ATP’s experimental round- not try to change and mix it up PHUKET: South African Anton here, and struggled in the early course to equal Guillermo reinstatement of a player at the robin system which led to the and try too many things at the Haig kept his cool in the DUBAI: Roger Federer com- rounds. And Mikhail made a Vilas’s all-time record of 46 ATP tournament in Las Vegas, confusion and to the reinstate- same time. And now he’s burned scorching Thai heat to win the pleted an almost perfect week good start and I had to react,” successive victories at the next and alleged that the ATP chief ment of Evgeny Korolev, the his hand on this that’s for sure. Johnnie Walker Classic after a by winning back the Dubai said Federer, referring to an tournament, in Indian Wells, executive Etienne de Villiers Russian player, would be aban- “I doubt that it is going to hap- three-way playoff yesterday. Open title he lost to Rafael early 0-2 defi cit. starting next week. had “burnt his fi ngers.” doned by the end of this year. pen next year - the round-robin Haig, 20, who birdied the last Nadal last year.