WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2016 SPORTS Benitez stays en garde to fight for favelas

CARACAS: Venezuelan fencer Alejandra appearance at an Olympics, told reporters in medallist, whose fencing career has spanned fighting for the less fortunate members of her Benitez balances the demands of her sport Rio. “My work in Venezuela is based right there. more than two decades, said she could not community. with her charity work in the favelas of Caracas For me it’s neither dangerous nor complicated, contemplate abandoning her sport, despite “I always liked politics because there is even and a career in politics, yet the 36-year-old has I work the whole time in Venezuelan favelas being urged to do so by the people around more combat than fencing,” she said. no intention of slowing down after this and there are no problems if I help people. her. “Everyone tells me that I’m old, that I’m “I had been for five years a deputy of the month’s Rio Olympics. “My foundation promotes our sport as we already 36 and I should retire from fencing, but Venezuelan congress, the National Assembly, The sabre specialist and former Venezuela organise fencing exhibitions for the kids of the I don’t feel old and I want to go on competing,” and I worked on changing the law of sports in sports minister is instead determined to inspire favelas... We also bring clothes and food. she added. “I’ve been 21 years in the world of Venezuela. After this, Maduro called me to be the next generation of fencers through her “The sport is always good for the kids and fencing competitions but I haven’t had enough the minister of sport. work with the underprivileged in the violent the people who live in those conditions. I want yet.” Benitez, who served as Venezuela’s first- “Even before getting into politics I had shanty towns of the country’s capital. them to look at all the good life that fencing ever female sports minister under President always tried to help my community and the “My first home was in Caracas’s favelas,” can bring them.” Nicolas Maduro in 2013, indicated she would children of Caracas, and the persons who are Benitez, who is making her fourth consecutive The 2015 Pan American championship silver also like to stay involved in politics and keep detained in prison.” —Reuters

STOCKHOLM: In this Aug 24, 2013, file photo, Gwen Jorgensen, of the United States, carries the American flag as she wins the ITUWorld elite race for women in Stockholm, Sweden. -—AP American Gwen Jorgensen big favorite in women’s triathlon

NEW YORK: Gwen Jorgensen, the first “But I came to the realization at a relatively that’s something that I like about the sport, ed in races that were closer to her training to Sweden’s failed attempt to have the Court American to win back-to-back world triathlon young age, in high school, that I would never you go into the triathlon and you have no idea base in Victoria-Gasteiz, Spain. “I have one goal of Arbitration for Sport rule the women’s titles, could have been an accountant. She go to the Olympics in swimming. I just wasn’t what could happen on race day and you have this year and that is the Rio Olympics on Aug. triathlon a dead heat. CAS said the photo gave up on her Olympic dream as a teenager good enough. I wasn’t making any national to be prepared for anything, which I think real- 20,” Jorgensen declared. Other things to know finish ruling was a “field of play” decision by when she realized she couldn’t swim fast teams. I wasn’t even making junior national ly makes it a hard race,” Jorgensen said. about triathlon at the Rio Games. the International Triathlon Union and could- enough and decided she’d go to college. teams. “So, I just thought I would never be an Throw in the massive hype, crowds and n’t be challenged. She spent three years on the swim team at Olympian. And then when the USA Triathlon logistics at the Olympics and it’s even more SPEED BUMP That left Lisa Norden with a silver medal Wisconsin, where she was an All-American and approached me, one of the first things they unpredictable. “Every race is different and the The 1,500-meter swim, a 24.9-mile bike ride and of Switzerland with the Big Ten track champion, and would parlay her said was, ‘You could be an Olympian.’ And I Olympics are more different,” said Jorgensen, and a 6.2-mile run on Copa Cabana Beach fea- gold. Spirig and Norden finished side by side master’s degree and CPA into a job at Ernst & was shocked. I basically laughed at them. I who is a heavy favorite in the women’s race tures a challenging hill that’s sure to slow the and were given the same time at the end of Young upon graduation. said, ‘No, I tried than when I was younger and I Aug. 20 at Copa Cabana Beach, where the competitors and could tucker them out. the race, but officials ruled Spirig crossed Then she got a call from Barb Lindquist, at basically don’t have what it takes.” men’s race will be held Aug. 18. Jorgensen, “The course is really good. It’s tough,” said the tape first. one time the world’s top-ranked triathlete and She gave it a shot in 2010 and realized who’s from Waukesha, Wisconsin, has 17 Jorgensen, who qualified for Rio by winning a former Olympian. She told Jorgensen that Lindquist was right, she was a natural and her career wins and 21 medals on the ITU World the triathlon test event on Aug. 2 on the THE REST she, too, could be a world-class triathlete if she Olympic dream was back - even if triathlon as Triathlon Series circuit. The sport’s two-time course. “There’s a big hill on the bike and I and join took up biking and dedicated herself to the a sport wasn’t that familiar to her. But she was defending world champion, she had an think that makes it an honest course and Jorgensen on the US team, which is by far the sport. Jorgensen thought back to her child- hooked in no time and a few years later quali- unprecedented unbeaten streak stretching everyone is going to be tired. It’s going to be best in the world. Americans Greg Billington, hood dreams of being the next Amy Van fied for the London Games, where she was a from May 2014 to April 2016 that produced a interesting to see how quickly you run after ... Ben Kanute and Joe Maloy are longshots in Dyken or Brooke Bennett. “I was glued to the favorite. That’s where the wheel came off. dozen consecutive first-place finishes. To that really hard bike ride.” the men’s race, where Spain sports the TV when they had Olympic trials on like they A flat tire doomed her to a 38th-place finish ensure maximum energy and optimal condi- world’s top triathletes in Mario Mola and have now. It was just something that I really and fed her fire to make amends in Rio de tion for Brazil, Jorgensen eased up on her ALL TIED UP Fernando Alarza, currently 1-2 in the ITU loved,” Jorgensen said. Janeiro. “Every race is completely different and competition schedule this year and participat- A photo finish at the London Games led rankings. — AP IOC slams anti-doping body as Games loom

RIO DE JANEIRO: International Olympic letes,” Werthein told the meeting. Israeli member Representatives for Morozov and Lobintsev told Committee chief Thomas Bach yesterday demand- Alex Gilady meanwhile added: “I think it is not the Russian news agencies that both had been ed a sweeping overhaul of the World Anti-Doping reputation of the IOC which must be restored, but informed they would be allowed to swim in Rio. Agency (WADA) yesterday as Russian appeals the reputation of WADA.” WADA president Craig “I can confirm that Lobintsev and Morozov are against bans mounted just three days from the Reedie, who had called for a blanket ban on Russia, being allowed to compete in the Games,” opening of the Rio Games. is to address the meeting today. Lobintsev’s agent, Andrei Mitkov, told the Interfax Bach rejected the “nuclear option” of ordering a Russia’s representative, Alexander Zhukov, sug- news agency. complete ban on Russian athletes over accusations gested foreign governments had put pressure on In a separate drugs controversy, British cyclist of widespread state-organised doping. Two swim- the IOC to ban Russia. “We are witnessing direct Lizzie Armitstead has been cleared to race in the mers could be told yesterday whether their interference of politics in sport; an attempt to influ- Olympics after winning an appeal against an anti- demand to be allowed to compete has been suc- ence decision making process for political means. doping rule violation. cessful. The integrity of the Olympic family is all under Armitstead faced a four-year ban after UK Anti- In a strongly-worded speech to the IOC, Bach attack,” Zhukov said. Doping found she had missed three tests in a 12- LONDON: This is a Sunday, July 29, 2012, file photo of Britain’s Lizzie Armitstead called for WADA to be subjected to a thorough month period. But CAS ruled the procedures sur- holds the silver medal as she celebrates during the medal ceremony in the Women’s review, laying bare a growing rift between Olympic LEGAL IMBROGLIO rounding her first whereabouts failure in 2015 had Road Cycling race at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. —AP chiefs and the body responsible for leading the The feud between the IOC and WADA came as not been followed correctly. global fight against doping. the legal imbroglio triggered by the Russian scan- Armitstead is seen as one of the favourites to “Recent developments have shown that we dal continued to dog the build-up to the games. win gold in Sunday’s cycling race and is the reign- Armitstead wins appeal need a full review of the WADA anti-doping sys- The Court of Arbitration for Sport was expected to ing world champion. “I have always been and will tem,” Bach said. “The IOC is calling for a more issue a ruling later Tuesday over whether Russian always be a clean athlete and have been vocal in against doping violations robust and efficient anti-doping system. This swimmers Vladimir Morozov and Nikita Lobintsev my anti-doping stance throughout my career,” she requires clear responsibilities, more transparency, would be able to compete. said in a statement. — AFP more independence and better worldwide har- LONDON: British cyclist Lizzie Armitstead her statement. The 27-year-old Armitstead monisation.” A bombshell report by Canadian won an appeal against an anti-doping viola- won a silver medal in the road race at the lawyer Richard McLaren for WADA released last tion, clearing the world road race champion London Games in 2012 and is one of the month accused Russia of organising state-backed to compete at the Olympics in Rio de favorites in Rio. She won gold at the road doping with the sports ministry using secret servic- Janeiro. Armitstead missed three doping world championships in the United States es to evade drug testers and cover-up positive tests tests in a 12-month period, triggering a in September. stretching back years. charge by U.K. Anti-Doping, a provisional Armitstead’s first missed test came at a suspension and the possibility of a two-year World Cup event in Sweden. The second NO ‘NUCLEAR OPTION’ ban. She appealed to the Court of was an administrative failure on Oct. 5 and Bach and the IOC came under fire after resisting Arbitration for Sport, and a statement the third was a missed test on June 9 fol- calls to ban Russia completely from Rio. The IOC released on Armitstead’s behalf on Monday lowing “an emergency change of plans due ordered individul federations to decide which said the first missed test - from August 2015 to a serious illness within her family.” She Russians should be banned. - was declared void by CAS because UKAD’s was charged by UKAD with three where- At least 117 competitors on a 387 Russian doping control officer had failed to follow abouts failures on July 11. Olympic Committee entry list have been excluded. procedure. On Tuesday, UKAD confirmed Sapstead said Armitstead “chose not to Bach said the “nuclear option” of a blanket ban was the ruling by CAS. “We respect the outcome challenge the first and second unacceptable. “The result is death and devastation. of the CAS hearing,” said UKAD chief execu- Whereabouts Failures at the time they were This is not what the Olympic movement stands for,” tive Nicole Sapstead, who added that the asserted against her.” “At the CAS hearing, Bach told delegates who voted overwhelming. body was awaiting the written decision on Ms. Armitstead raised a defense in relation Members voted overwhelmingly in favor of a why the violation was not upheld. to the first Whereabouts Failure, which was resolution backing the IOC’s decision not to Armitstead said she has “always been accepted by the Panel,” Sapstead said. impose a blanket ban on Russia’s athletes. Several and will always be a clean athlete and have Armitstead did not dispute the last two delegates blasted WADA. Argentine IOC member been vocal in my anti-doping stance faults at CAS. UKAD has a policy of not pub- Gerardo Werthein accused WADA of “grand-stand- RIO DE JANEIRO: International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive member and current presi- throughout my career.” “I am pleased that licly disclosing provisional suspensions, or ing.” “At times WADA has seemed to be more inter- dent of the World Anti-Doping Agency Britain’s Sir Craig Reedie (R) watches the attendees as CAS has accepted my position, having pro- details of cases, until an anti-doping rule ested in publicity and self-promotion rather than IOC executive member China’s Yu Zaiqing raises his hand during a confidence vote during the vided detailed information demonstrating violation has deemed to have been com- doing its job as a regulator, acting with transparen- 129th International Olympic Committee session, in Rio de Janeiro yesterday, ahead of the Rio the situation around my strikes,” she said in mitted. —AP cy, and looking after the best interest of clean ath- 2016 . —AFP