P15-Sports 2 Layout 1
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2016 SPORTS Russia’s Kuksenkov test F1 defers decision on Former Milan captain positive for meldonium new qualifying system Cesare Maldini dead MOSCOW: European champion gymnast Nikolai Kuksenkov has become the latest SAKHIR: Formula One organizers and teams will vote on an all-new qualifying format on Thursday after a meeting MILAN: Football is in mourning following the death of former AC Milan and Russian sportsman to test positive for the banned drug meldonium, local media Italy legend Cesare Maldini at the age of 84. In a statement yesterday, the club yesterday in which the sport’s governing body, the FIA, and reported yesterday. “The sample which Kuksenkov gave for testing on March 15 remembered Maldini as “a man who was destined for immense achievements commercial chief Bernie Ecclestone ruled out teams’ showed the presence of the traces of meldonium,” the Allsport agency quoted at Milan.” His son Paolo followed his footsteps to play at Milan, while a grand- Russia’s national gymnastics team head coach Valentina Rodionenko as saying. request to immediately return to the old system. The FIA son, Christian, plays for the under-19 team Milan Primavera. Tributes have been Rodionenko added that the gymnast took meldonium last year, before the drug has put forward a new format and while participants in the flooding in from across football. “A great man has left us, a true legend of Italian been included into the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list on meeting wouldn’t publicly confirm what it was, Red Bull football,” Italian Football Federation President Tavecchio said. “He January 1. The 26-year-old Kuksenkov, who competed for Ukraine team principal Christian Horner said one option was for “an made history first as player and then as head coach. “He was the before 2012, finished fourth in the all-round event at London aggregate time of two laps rather than a single lap but it first Italian ever to lift the European Cup; he then contributed to Olympics. He won the 2014 European championship and was the needs to be properly thought out.” the development of countless Azzurri talents as a manager, top Russian gymnast at the 2015 World Championships, finishing The current rolling-elimination format - in which the always fulfilling his position with exemplary professionalism. He sixth in the all-around after joining the Russian team. Meldonium slowest driver is eliminated every 90 seconds - was used in embodied perfectly the essence of the national head was propelled into the headlines last month after Russian tennis star Australia and Bahrain but was heavily criticized due to fan coach role.” There will be a minute’s silence before Maria Sharapova announced she had tested positive for the drug confusion and lack of on-track action. Teams had resolved every league game today, while Milan players are wearing at the Australian Open in January. Since then, a string of black armbands in their match against Atalanta. “He Russian athletes, including Olympic swimmer Yulia after the Australian Grand Prix to return to the 2015 format was one of the greatest figures of Italian football, Efimova and figure skating Olympic champion but when it went to the F1 Commission, they couldn’t Yekaterina Bobrova have admitted to testing positive reach the requisite unanimous agreement to change rules both as a footballer and as a coach,” Italy coach for the drug. —AFP midseason.—AP Antonio Conte said. — AP Day heads stellar cast to set up a Masters special AUGUSTA: If a standout movie is guaranteed 13 starts, and the long-hitting Australian will by a stellar cast, then the Masters is shaping be difficult to beat at Augusta National where up as one of the best in recent memory with he tied for second in 2011 and placed third in all of the game’s leading players having pro- 2013. “It’s been good momentum for me, con- duced superb form over the past three fidence-wise, over the last two weeks,” Day months. said after following his victory at the Arnold World number three Rory McIlroy is the Palmer Invitational with further success at the only player ranked in the top six who has not elite WGC-Dell Match Play in Texas. claimed at least one tournament win so far “But I can’t get comfortable with how I’m this year, though he came close with a tie for playing right now, I can’t get lazy, because third at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in I’ve got to understand that what I’m doing is Miami last month. working. “So I’ve got to keep working on the Second-ranked American Jordan Spieth, things that have caused me to win over the the reigning Masters champion, triumphed at last two weeks, keep doing that and then stay the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in focused and hopefully put on the Green January while red-hot Australians Jason Day Jacket.” and Adam Scott have each landed two PGA Short game wizardry and the ability to Tour titles over the past five weeks. minimise three-putts are musts for any World number four Bubba Watson, a dou- would-be Masters champion at an iconic ven- ble winner at Augusta National, clinched the ue renowned for its lightning-fast, severely Northern Trust Open in February and his contoured greens. A comfort factor at good friend, fifth-ranked fellow American Augusta National is another significant factor Rickie Fowler, won the European Tour’s Abu so expect defending champion Spieth, 2013 Dhabi Championship in January. winner Scott and left-hander Watson, who “Everyone is running in good form,” wound up with the coveted Green Jacket in Northern Irishman McIlroy said while prepar- 2012 and 2014, to flourish next week. ing for the April 7-10 Masters, the first of the “No disrespect to any other event, but I year’s four major championships. “And they’re absolutely love that golf course,” Spieth, 22, all good champions, a few of them are said of Augusta National where he triumphed Masters champions. “You want your game by four shots last year after matching Tiger rounding into form and playing to the best of Woods’ tournament record low of 18-under EAST RUTHERFORD: In a Sunday, April 7, 2013 file photo, wrestler John Cena, top, chokes Dwayne Douglas Johnson, known as The Rock as they your abilities this time of year. I feel like I’m 270 for 72 holes. wrestle during Wrestlemania, in East Rutherford, N.J. WWE bills WrestleMania as its Super Bowl, and is headed to a stadium worthy of a Super close. “I’m probably not quite where they are, “It is my favourite golf course in the world, Bowl. The WWE has lofty expectations of stuffing 100,000 fans inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. — AP and I haven’t had the confidence of getting a it’s just an easy week. The roars, the echoes, win this year, but I feel like it’s close.” Aged the memories, the history from watching it just 26, McIlroy has already claimed four growing up, being on the same golf course. major titles and next week he will be bidding “I expect to play well on a course I feel WWE’s WrestleMania looks for his first Green Jacket at the picturesque very comfortable on,” said Spieth, whose form ‘Cathedral of Pines’ in Georgia, to complete a has been inconsistent since his victory at the career grand slam of golf’s four blue riband Hyundai Tournament of Champions in events. January. American Watson, who is renowned to upstage NCAA Final Four And he likes his progression at the Masters for his prodigious length off the tee and bril- where he tied for eighth in 2014 before finish- liant shot-making, also loves the picture-post- TEXAS: WWE bills WrestleMania as its Super Bowl. contests where the outcome is known in advance. Angle, getting booed out of Madison Square ing a career-best fourth last year. “I’m very card layout at Augusta National. “It’s a special WrestleMania is always the biggest, baddest fight Garden in his final WWE match before a lengthy positive and optimistic going back to place, it’s the perfect golf course,” said night of the year - and tonight, maybe of all time. MEMORABLE MOMENTS hiatus. He was WWE champion last year and lost Augusta because the last few years I’ve Watson. “It gives me goosebumps every time Forget the Final Four. The true extravaganza this For fans watching on TV, WWE makes the show the belt in a convoluted finish where he wasn’t improved my performance there,” said I come down Magnolia Lane (to reach the weekend in Texas is WrestleMania. available on its own network for $9.99 a month - even pinned. “This is a job and I’m not caught up McIlroy. “Last year, I played the golf course clubhouse). It just gets you excited, makes us WWE is headed to a stadium worthy of a Super and for $59.95 on pay-per-view - and new sub- into it like maybe I’m supposed to be,” he said. “I pretty much the way I wanted to. Had a good feel like a kid again. You become energised.” Bowl, and has lofty expectations of stuffing scribers will get WrestleMania for free as part of a approach this as, I’m a skilled worker. I clock in, I weekend. Played the par-fives very well ... it Other likely contenders include long-hitting 100,000 fans inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, monthlong trial at WWENetwork.com.