Football Rayyan Keep Winning

P 6 | FOOTBALL P 22 | MOTORSPORT RAYYAN KEEP WINNING QATARI ACE ALL4 RACING! Leaders Al Rayyan continue from where they Leading Qatari driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah left off in the Qatar Stars League’s first phase stays fully confident of defending his title at with a laboured victory over Al Sailiya. the Dakar Rally, which starts on January 2.

WEDNESDAY, DECEmBER 23, 2015 | Vol X | No.47 | QR 2.00 www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com Follow us on

It sounds ironic that FIFA boss Sepp Blatter becomes the biggest catch of the Ethics Committee appointed by him as he is banned for eight years along with UEFA chief Michel Platini. PAGES 4-5

UK ...... £1 UAE ...... Dh 5 Europe ...... €2 Yemen...... 75 Riyals P 24 | CHESS Oman ...... 200 Baisas Sudan ...... 1 Pound Bahrain ...... 200 Fils KSA ...... 2 Riyals P 20 | POSTER Egypt ...... LE 2 Jordan ...... 500 Fils Lebanon ...... 3,000 Livre Iraq ...... $1 Carlsen, the Kuwait ...... 250 Fils Palestine ...... $1 EXCLUSIVE FC BARCELONA Morocco ...... Dh 6 Syria ...... LS 20 INTERVIEW people’s player! www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 3 EXCITEMENT NOW OPINION

» The writer can be contacted at: JUST A TOUCH AWAY Editor-in-Chief Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi [email protected] Managing Editor Kumar Ravi Senior Editor/Writer Aswin Abraham Senior Sports Writer N Ganesh Sports Writers Sajith B Warrier Mohammad Amin-ul Islam Sarath Pookkat Photographers Mohan Blending sports with culture Vinod Divakaran Fadi Al Assaad Mohammed Dabboos A K BijuRaj seems to be a great idea Graphic Designers Abhilash Chacko Gopakumar K ULTUrE reflects the soul of a nation and mega showcase our culture to the rest of the world. most of Joice Michael sports events vividly portray it on the world stage the national sports federations have been focusing on Technical support Shaheen Mohammed Cthrough images captured from the arenas as this aspect for quite some time now and I’m sure it has Abdul Naser M we’ve often seen during major competitions like the helped remove some misconceptions about us from Olympics, World cup, Tour de France etc. Nowadays, a the minds of those who had preconceived notions. great deal of attention is being paid to a city’s cultural Nowadays, no sportsperson or official who comes offerings when it’s considered as a venue for a major to Qatar doesn’t go back without visiting the ASPIrE tournament. Academy and Katara cultural village. Last week’s cycling P.O. box: 24598, Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 44138065, Fax: +974 44138597 blending sports with culture seems to be a great race, the Tour of Al Zubarah, was also a classic example www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com idea. A recent study shows sports and culture have of an effort aimed at showcasing the Qatari culture to Editorial: Tel: +974 44138522, Fax: +974 44138593 intrinsic value to people and places as well as the world. e-mail: [email protected] promoting health and wellbeing, cultural enrichment, The Qatar cycling Federation should be lauded for Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 and prestige and branding. International competitions its innovative thinking to chart out the Tour’s route e-mail: [email protected] Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 help develop cross-border understanding among featuring the Zubarah Fort, oil town of Dukhan and e-mail: [email protected] participants and also enable them to maintain their camel race track at Shahaniya, giving the participants cultural identities. and world media a glimpse of our past, culture and The Qatar Olympic committee (QOc) and various heritage. www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus national federations affiliated to it are becoming busier remember, people without the knowledge of their www.facebook.com/dohastadiumplusqatar and busier as Doha has become a major sports hub not past history, origin and culture is like a tree without only in the region, but also on the continent. The QOc, roots. www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar headed by HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, isn’t sparing any effort in further enhancing our country’s position on the global map ahead of the 2022 FIFA Publishers: ASPIrE Printing, Publishing and Distribution World cup. Printed at ASPIrE Printing Press Hosting world-class events not only inspires a Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi whole new generation to take up sports, but will also Editor-in-chief

INSIDE P 10 | FOOTBALL P 18 | CYCLING P 29 | VOLLEYBALL Player of acumen Hasnaoui riding high Arabi, Jaish lose and elegance Tunisian rider meher Hasnaoui shows Form book goes for a toss as his class and determination en route to fancied teams Al Arabi and PSG’s Swedish forward Zlatan winning the Third Tour of Al Zubarah. Ibrahimovic talks about his El Jaish suffer reversals in role at the French club, Euro the Qatar League. 2016 hopes and much more. P 26 | CRICKET P 28 | ATHLETICS Looking for a Ready to rock Publishers: ASPIRE Printing, Publishing and Distribution P O Box: 24598, Doha, Qatar. doosra chance! Stars will descend on Doha for the Seventh Asian Indoor Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal, e-mail: [email protected] championships, to be held struggling to find form following Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 at the Aspire Dome from e-mail: [email protected] a correction for suspect action, February 19 to 21. hopes to make a comeback. www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus www.facebook.com/dohastadiumplusqatar www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 3

OPINION

» The writer can be contacted at: Editor-in-Chief Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi [email protected] Managing Editor Kumar Ravi Senior Editor/Writer Aswin Abraham Senior Sports Writer N Ganesh Sports Writers Sajith B Warrier Mohammad Amin-ul Islam Sarath Pookkat Photographers Mohan Blending sports with culture Vinod Divakaran Fadi Al Assaad Mohammed Dabboos A K BijuRaj seems to be a great idea Graphic Designers Abhilash Chacko Gopakumar K ULTUrE reflects the soul of a nation and mega showcase our culture to the rest of the world. most of Joice Michael sports events vividly portray it on the world stage the national sports federations have been focusing on Technical support Shaheen Mohammed Cthrough images captured from the arenas as this aspect for quite some time now and I’m sure it has Abdul Naser M we’ve often seen during major competitions like the helped remove some misconceptions about us from Olympics, World cup, Tour de France etc. Nowadays, a the minds of those who had preconceived notions. great deal of attention is being paid to a city’s cultural Nowadays, no sportsperson or official who comes offerings when it’s considered as a venue for a major to Qatar doesn’t go back without visiting the ASPIrE tournament. Academy and Katara cultural village. Last week’s cycling P.O. box: 24598, Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 44138065, Fax: +974 44138597 blending sports with culture seems to be a great race, the Tour of Al Zubarah, was also a classic example www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com idea. A recent study shows sports and culture have of an effort aimed at showcasing the Qatari culture to Editorial: Tel: +974 44138522, Fax: +974 44138593 intrinsic value to people and places as well as the world. e-mail: [email protected] promoting health and wellbeing, cultural enrichment, The Qatar cycling Federation should be lauded for Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 and prestige and branding. International competitions its innovative thinking to chart out the Tour’s route e-mail: [email protected] Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 help develop cross-border understanding among featuring the Zubarah Fort, oil town of Dukhan and e-mail: [email protected] participants and also enable them to maintain their camel race track at Shahaniya, giving the participants cultural identities. and world media a glimpse of our past, culture and The Qatar Olympic committee (QOc) and various heritage. www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus national federations affiliated to it are becoming busier remember, people without the knowledge of their www.facebook.com/dohastadiumplusqatar and busier as Doha has become a major sports hub not past history, origin and culture is like a tree without only in the region, but also on the continent. The QOc, roots. www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar headed by HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, isn’t sparing any effort in further enhancing our country’s position on the global map ahead of the 2022 FIFA Publishers: ASPIrE Printing, Publishing and Distribution World cup. Printed at ASPIrE Printing Press Hosting world-class events not only inspires a Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi whole new generation to take up sports, but will also Editor-in-chief

INSIDE P 10 | FOOTBALL P 18 | CYCLING P 29 | VOLLEYBALL Player of acumen Hasnaoui riding high Arabi, Jaish lose and elegance Tunisian rider meher Hasnaoui shows Form book goes for a toss as his class and determination en route to fancied teams Al Arabi and PSG’s Swedish forward Zlatan winning the Third Tour of Al Zubarah. Ibrahimovic talks about his El Jaish suffer reversals in role at the French club, Euro the Qatar League. 2016 hopes and much more. P 26 | CRICKET P 28 | ATHLETICS Looking for a Ready to rock doosra chance! Stars will descend on Doha for the Seventh Asian Indoor Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal, championships, to be held struggling to find form following at the Aspire Dome from a correction for suspect action, February 19 to 21. hopes to make a comeback. 4 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 5

FIFA investigators used special software for financial watchdogs to catch the $2m Special software transfer that led to the ban on Sepp blatter and michel Platini, a source said. The software flags the names of people who have an account but he or she is not caught ‘disloyal’ the primary holder. A similar version is also used by Germany’s Federal Financial MIXEDPICK OF ZONE THE WEEK | QATAR | FOOTBALL payment Supervisory Authority. “It can analyse thousands of accounts very quickly and flag up any suspect transactions,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.

“We know very “I think this is “I’m sure at some well that punishment point there’ll be COVER STORY FIFA’s Ethics enough, a huge amount committee because it of change at has been means they FIFA. No matter close to Sepp can never what corruption blatter... who’s come back. I feel is going on perhaps dragging no sense of victory, at the highest down with him the man he but I think I’ve been proven level, it’ll never be as big expected to be his successor right in hindsight. All I remarked as the game itself. but who wasn’t always the on, all I fought for, I’ve not done David Beckham, English man he wanted to see take in vain. The truth will always football icon. his place. I regret this because come out eventually — and it HOW THEY REACTED HOW michel Platini is in a sense being has done so now. Otherwise, I hounded. feel no satisfaction. Guilty! Patrick Kanner, France’s sports minister. Lennart Johansson, ex-UEFA president.

and move on, but the challenge rise, only to come crashing down to appeal. With UEFA General Secretary IT SOUNDS IRONIC THAT FIFA BOSS SEPP BLATTER BECOMES facing both organisations can’t be earth. Gianni Infantino, Platini’s No.2, THE BIGGEST CATCH OF THE ETHICS COMMITTEE APPOINTED under-estimated. If either man is to win his appeal, catapulted into the FIFA election race, For scandal-battered FIFA, it’ll have to happen soon since FIFA what happens at European level is BY HIM AS HE IS BANNED FOR EIGHT YEARS ALONG WITH UEFA whoever takes over from blatter election rules state all candidates suddenly of paramount importance. CHIEF MICHEL PLATINI, WRITES ANDREW WARSHAW. on election day on February 26 — have to be finalised one month Like blatter, Platini isn’t surplus to and it won’t be Platini if the UEFA beforehand. Having already refused requirements quite yet and he has president’s ban sticks — the task of to lift Platini’s 90-day suspension, it also pledged to fight to the end to restoring pride, transparency and would take a brave man to predict clear his name. And like blatter, he HEN Sepp blatter deliberate conspiracy against agreement” over the notorious credibility will be unenviable. Five that the cAS will be more lenient has always protested his innocence. announced a new-look them. In blatter’s case, to bring an two million Swiss franc payment candidates are in the running, with given the Ethics committee’s hard- but to suggest, as he has, that WFIFA Ethics committee inglorious end to an era his critics exchange and blatter’s 2011 election Asian football chief Shaikh Salman hitting ruling which cited conflict of the Ethics committee handed down back in march, 2012, he did so to feel went on far too long; in Platini’s victory, both he and Platini would’ve bi Ibrahim Al Khalifa now installed as interest and other key breaches of a verdict “which is just a pathetic weed out corruption within his to stop him from running for been barred for far longer. In that favourite. None have so far given the its code. camouflage of a will to eliminate me already-tarnished organisation president next may. sense, there’s an argument to say impression they can bring something from football” is misguided. Platini and make sure the cheats never I’m not so sure that’s the reality. they got off lightly. fresh to the table, but one of them may’ve been naive in the extreme prospered again. Has blatter conveniently forgotten An unshaven blatter, looking will ultimately be charged with THERE’S NOW A MASSIVE over the already infamous ‘disloyal’ Little did he know at the time that it was the Swiss ministry of remarkably frail and with a plaster implementing the comprehensive VOID AT THE HELM OF payment, but he has been treated that he would end up being the below his right eye, the tribulations reform package recently approved EUROPEAN FOOTBALL’S the same way as others who’ve body’s biggest catch. of the past months having taken including the introduction of term GOVERNING BODY. similarly transgressed. As reaction to blatter’s eight- BOTH BLATTER AND their toll, clearly didn’t see it that way limits and the scrapping of the all- Having said that, should he fail year ban poured in from across the PLATINI THINK THERE as he took one last opportunity to powerful Executive committee. with his appeals, the 60-year- globe, much of it from sympathetic WAS A CONSPIRACY throw the kitchen sink at those who No longer, under the reform UEFA are now in just as awkward old’s fate will represent one of supporters incredulous that it AGAINST THEM. had, he said, unjustly condemned proposals, will the president be a position as FIFA. The reality is the greatest personal tragedies in had come to this, the irony of him. able to dictate to his subordinates, that there’s now a massive void football, considering that Platini had the veteran Swiss being cast It was classic blatter, but the taking on more of a figurehead role at the helm of European football’s been one of the greatest players of aside by the very committee he justice, not the Ethics committee, stark fact remains that by the time than was the case under blatter’s governing body. UEFA’s top brass his era. helped create was worthy of any which first opened criminal the bans meted out to him and autocratic reign. but given FIFA’s are desperate to have a president Tellingly, neither he nor blatter Shakespearean plot. proceedings against him? And does Platini expire , the Swiss veteran dysfunctional state, it’ll take years in place by the time next summer’s have convincingly explained Plot is very much the optimum Platini really think Hans-Joachim who has ruled FIFA for the best of a rather than months to bring about Euros get under way. how or why their verbal word. both blatter and michel Eckert and his fellow judges give generation will be 87 and his would- proper, meaningful change. Despite the diplomatic language arrangement was not “The decision is Platini, his would-be successor a fig about who’s and who isn’t be successor 69. UEFA’s problems are more short- used in defence of their visionary communicated to the no surprise to me: the who was also banned for eight running for blatter’s job? Unless the friends-turned-foes- term, but just as pressing. While last leader, the fact is they’re already relevant FIFA bodies, as procedure initiated against years, seem to think there was a The ruling meted down to the turned friends again somehow monday’s ruling effectively brought having to prepare for life without it should’ve been. me by FIFA’s Ethics committee two most powerful officials in world manage to win their respective the curtain down on blatter’s often him. That, sadly, looks is a pure masquerade. It has football may’ve sent shockwaves appeals at the court of Arbitration tempestuous 18 years at the top, the UEFA has already scrapped their set to be how this been rigged to tarnish my through the sport, but it could for Sport (cAS) in the coming weeks, future is in a way bleaker and more march congress in budapest and unsavoury affair name by bodies I know well actually have been far worse the legacy left behind by the two tragic for Platini. rescheduled it for may 3, which now will always be and who for me are bereft of if corruption charges had most powerful officials in world blatter, under unbearable pressure seems certain to become an electoral remembered casting all credibility or legitimacy. I’ll ‘I’ll fight for me and FIFA’ stuck. If it could’ve been football, just like that of so many in the wake of the twin US and Swiss summit after giving potential permanent suspicion fight this to the end. proved there was a other banned administrators, will be corruption probes, was stepping candidates to succeed Platini the on the outgoing FIFA “I’m sorry for the 400-plus FIFA members who work there. firm link between one of ignominy. chances are, their down anyway in a few weeks’ time. necessary time to campaign should president and the man who Michel Platini I’m sorry. I’m sorry about how I’m treated in this world of the “gentleman’s respective organisations will survive conversely Platini’s star was on the the Frenchman fail to win any wanted so much to be king. humanitarian qualities. I’m sorry for FIFA. but I’m also sorry about me, how I’m treated in this world. This committee (ethics) has no right to go against the president “Neither in his written statement nor in his personal “mr blatter found himself in a situation of conflict of “mr blatter’s actions didn’t show commitment “mr Platini failed to act with complete who can only be released from his activities by the congress... hearing was mr blatter able to demonstrate another legal interest, despite which he continued to perform his to an ethical attitude, failing to respect all credibility and integrity, showing otherwise you can’t elect another president. I’ll fight for me and basis for this payment. His assertion of an oral agreement related duties, failing to disclose said situation and the applicable laws and regulations as well as unawareness of the importance of his FIFA. This has nothing to do with ethics. It’s just about financial was determined as not convincing and was rejected by existence of personal interests linked to his prospective FIFA’s regulatory framework to the extent duties and concomitant obligations and the chamber. activities. applicable to him and demonstrating an responsibilities... and administrative duties. There was an error, but this wasn’t abusive execution of his position as President Platini’s actions also demonstrated “an something to do with the ethics regulations. You can’t condemn On Blatter’s claims that the two million Swiss francs On Blatter’s conflict of interest, a possible reference of FIFA. abusive execution of his position as vice- payment was legitimate following an oral contract. to the fact that the FIFA leader authorised the Platini president of FIFA and member of the FIFA somebody without valid reasons and now I’m condemned to The same finding was made with respect to Michel payment as he was campaigning for a new term for On Blatter’s abuse of office. KEY POINTS Executive committee”. being suspended, and mr Platini as well, so it’s not finished. I’ll Platini. which he needed Platini’s support. FROM VERDICT FROM fight, and I hope michel (Platini) will do the same. Hans-Joachim The same finding was made in Platini’s case. On Platini’s abuse of office. Eckert Sepp Blatter www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 5

FIFA investigators used special software for financial watchdogs to catch the $2m Special software transfer that led to the ban on Sepp blatter and michel Platini, a source said. The software flags the names of people who have an account but he or she is not caught ‘disloyal’ the primary holder. A similar version is also used by Germany’s Federal Financial payment Supervisory Authority. “It can analyse thousands of accounts very quickly and flag up any suspect transactions,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.

“We know very “I think this is “I’m sure at some well that punishment point there’ll be FIFA’s Ethics enough, a huge amount committee because it of change at has been means they FIFA. No matter close to Sepp can never what corruption blatter... who’s come back. I feel is going on perhaps dragging no sense of victory, at the highest down with him the man he but I think I’ve been proven level, it’ll never be as big expected to be his successor right in hindsight. All I remarked as the game itself. but who wasn’t always the on, all I fought for, I’ve not done David Beckham, English man he wanted to see take in vain. The truth will always football icon. his place. I regret this because come out eventually — and it HOW THEY REACTED HOW michel Platini is in a sense being has done so now. Otherwise, I hounded. feel no satisfaction.

Patrick Kanner, France’s sports minister. Lennart Johansson, ex-UEFA president. and move on, but the challenge rise, only to come crashing down to appeal. With UEFA General Secretary facing both organisations can’t be earth. Gianni Infantino, Platini’s No.2, under-estimated. If either man is to win his appeal, catapulted into the FIFA election race, For scandal-battered FIFA, it’ll have to happen soon since FIFA what happens at European level is whoever takes over from blatter election rules state all candidates suddenly of paramount importance. on election day on February 26 — have to be finalised one month Like blatter, Platini isn’t surplus to and it won’t be Platini if the UEFA beforehand. Having already refused requirements quite yet and he has president’s ban sticks — the task of to lift Platini’s 90-day suspension, it also pledged to fight to the end to restoring pride, transparency and would take a brave man to predict clear his name. And like blatter, he credibility will be unenviable. Five that the cAS will be more lenient has always protested his innocence. candidates are in the running, with given the Ethics committee’s hard- but to suggest, as he has, that Asian football chief Shaikh Salman hitting ruling which cited conflict of the Ethics committee handed down bi Ibrahim Al Khalifa now installed as interest and other key breaches of a verdict “which is just a pathetic favourite. None have so far given the its code. camouflage of a will to eliminate me impression they can bring something from football” is misguided. Platini fresh to the table, but one of them may’ve been naive in the extreme will ultimately be charged with THERE’S NOW A MASSIVE over the already infamous ‘disloyal’ implementing the comprehensive VOID AT THE HELM OF payment, but he has been treated reform package recently approved EUROPEAN FOOTBALL’S the same way as others who’ve including the introduction of term GOVERNING BODY. similarly transgressed. limits and the scrapping of the all- Having said that, should he fail powerful Executive committee. with his appeals, the 60-year- No longer, under the reform UEFA are now in just as awkward old’s fate will represent one of proposals, will the president be a position as FIFA. The reality is the greatest personal tragedies in able to dictate to his subordinates, that there’s now a massive void football, considering that Platini had taking on more of a figurehead role at the helm of European football’s been one of the greatest players of than was the case under blatter’s governing body. UEFA’s top brass his era. autocratic reign. but given FIFA’s are desperate to have a president Tellingly, neither he nor blatter dysfunctional state, it’ll take years in place by the time next summer’s have convincingly explained rather than months to bring about Euros get under way. how or why their verbal proper, meaningful change. Despite the diplomatic language arrangement was not “The decision is UEFA’s problems are more short- used in defence of their visionary communicated to the no surprise to me: the term, but just as pressing. While last leader, the fact is they’re already relevant FIFA bodies, as procedure initiated against monday’s ruling effectively brought having to prepare for life without it should’ve been. me by FIFA’s Ethics committee the curtain down on blatter’s often him. That, sadly, looks is a pure masquerade. It has tempestuous 18 years at the top, the UEFA has already scrapped their set to be how this been rigged to tarnish my future is in a way bleaker and more march congress in budapest and unsavoury affair name by bodies I know well tragic for Platini. rescheduled it for may 3, which now will always be and who for me are bereft of blatter, under unbearable pressure seems certain to become an electoral remembered casting all credibility or legitimacy. I’ll in the wake of the twin US and Swiss summit after giving potential permanent suspicion fight this to the end. corruption probes, was stepping candidates to succeed Platini the on the outgoing FIFA down anyway in a few weeks’ time. necessary time to campaign should president and the man who Michel Platini conversely Platini’s star was on the the Frenchman fail to win any wanted so much to be king.

“Neither in his written statement nor in his personal “mr blatter found himself in a situation of conflict of “mr blatter’s actions didn’t show commitment “mr Platini failed to act with complete hearing was mr blatter able to demonstrate another legal interest, despite which he continued to perform his to an ethical attitude, failing to respect all credibility and integrity, showing basis for this payment. His assertion of an oral agreement related duties, failing to disclose said situation and the applicable laws and regulations as well as unawareness of the importance of his was determined as not convincing and was rejected by existence of personal interests linked to his prospective FIFA’s regulatory framework to the extent duties and concomitant obligations and the chamber. activities. applicable to him and demonstrating an responsibilities... abusive execution of his position as President Platini’s actions also demonstrated “an On Blatter’s claims that the two million Swiss francs On Blatter’s conflict of interest, a possible reference of FIFA. abusive execution of his position as vice- payment was legitimate following an oral contract. to the fact that the FIFA leader authorised the Platini president of FIFA and member of the FIFA The same finding was made with respect to Michel payment as he was campaigning for a new term for On Blatter’s abuse of office. Executive committee”. Platini. which he needed Platini’s support. The same finding was made in Platini’s case. On Platini’s abuse of office. 6 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 7

FOOTBALL | QATAR

QSL WEEK 14 | SHORT TAKES

AL SADD 5 MESAIMEER 1 AL AHLI 0 EL JAISH 1 Act 2, Scene 1 Former champions Sadd began the second phase moroccan striker Abderrazzak Hamdallah struck the with a demolition of bottom-placed mesaimeer. all-important goal as early as the fourth minute as Hamza Sanhaji (third), mashaal Qassim (24th), Jaish defeated Ahli. The win increased the Armymen’s muriqui (41st), Khalfan Ibrahim (43rd) and tally to 29 points and helped them remain second in mohammed Kassola (51st) found the target for the table while Ahli, who are struggling because of Sadd while Erivelto Silva (82nd) struck mesaimeer’s injuries to key players and lack of form, slumped to consolation goal. 11th.

RayyanFTEr an incredible run in heroesSailiya’s skilful bahrain international shortlived as mirghani, who gained while former champions Sadd the Qatar Stars League’s first Faouzi Ayesh wisely used to create possession after Nathan ribeiro did not sweat much in seeing off LEADERS AL RAYYAN CONTINUE Aphase, where they won all play, especially along the wings. made a hash clearance, shot home bottom-placed mesaimeer 5-1. but one of the 13 matches, leaders Sailiya defended in numbers to from 25 yards out. Elsewhere, Al Wakrah shocked FROM WHERE THEY LEFT Al rayyan started the second with contain rayyan’s moves and set- With time running out, Fossati first Al Arabi 1-0 and Al Kharaitiyat put OFF IN THE QATAR STARS a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Al pieces, and surprised rivals with some brought on nimble-footed babou LEAGUE’S FIRST PHASE WITH A Sailiya last monday. swift counter-attacks, with forward Sidiki and later young striker Fahad Sailiya, who had not tasted defeat Abdulkader Ilyas twice coming close Khalfan. And rayyan found the RODRIGO TABATA WON A LABOURED VICTORY OVER for a month and had Al Sadd as well in the first 10 minutes. breakthrough when mirghani felled PENALTY AND CONVERTED UMM SALAL 0 AL KHOR 0 AL SAILIYA, WRITES N GANESH. as Al Arabi among their scalps, were Fossati, who did not dwell much on Tabata inside the box and referee IT HIMSELF IN THE 85TH. resilient once again, but rodrigo caceres’s absence but said he would Abdulrahman Abdou pointed to the Ivorian striker Yannick Sagbo, who has saved Umm Salal’s blushes many a time this season, wasted a Tabata gave rayyan a second win like to have all players available, spot. Tabata made no mistake and penalty as they settled for a goalless draw with Khor. over them this season. The brazilian added it was tough for them. the rayyan captain, currently the top it past Qatar Sc 3-2. The match Umm Salal remained sixth in the table while Khor, won a penalty and converted it “It was a difficult game. Sailiya scorer, took his tally to 14. between Umm Salal and Al Khor who have lost half of the 14 matches so far, stayed 12th. himself in the 85th after Sailiya are strong and they defended deep. Holders Lekhwiya continued ended goalless. captain mirghani Alzain (66th) The field wasn’t good and that to impress as they trounced The competition will resume on cancelled out Sergio Garcia’s (64th) affected our speedy possession underperforming Al Gharafa 4-0 January 2. effort. game involving precise passes. LEKHWIYA 4 AL GHARAFA 0 The Lions thus took their tally to 39 Sailiya’s tactic was to foul our players STANDINGS TOP SCORERS points, 10 clear of second-placed El Al rayyan 14 13 0 1 44 13 39 14 rodrigo Tabata Al rayyan champions Lekhwiya piled more misery on misfiring El Jaish 14 9 2 3 32 14 29 13 Youssef msakni Lekhwiya Gharafa. The latter held the cops goalless close to the Jaish, who put it past Al Ahli 1-0. hour mark, but floodgates were opened once Ismail Lekhwiya 14 9 1 4 39 17 28 12 Abderazak Hamdallah El Jaish rayyan coach Jorge Fossati was IT’S GOOD TO START THE mohammed broke the deadlock in the 55th. Youssef Al Sadd 14 8 3 3 33 21 27 11 muriqui Al Sadd elated. Yahia Kebe Al Kharaitiyat msakni (67th and 80th), and Nam Tae-Hee (77th) SECOND PHASE WITH A Al Arabi 14 7 2 5 21 20 23 10 Yannick Sagbo Umm Salal were the other scorers for Lekhwiya, coached by “If anybody had told me that VICTORY. IT’S EARLY TO Umm Salal 14 5 7 2 19 16 22 Sardor rashidov El Jaish Djamel belmadi. we would drop only three points Al Sailiya 14 6 1 7 20 23 19 SPEAK ABOUT THE TITLE. 9 Paulinho Al Arabi Al Wakrah 14 5 2 7 19 24 17 in the first 13 matches, I would’ve Sebastian Saez Al Wakrah called him crazy. but that’s what we Al Kharaitiyat 14 5 2 7 22 28 17 romarinho El Jaish AL SAILIYA 1 AL RAYYAN 2 Al Gharafa 14 4 3 7 10 19 15 achieved. It’s good to start the second whenever we tried to build an attack. 8 Sergio Garcia Al rayyan Al Ahli 14 3 5 6 16 22 14 Nam Tae-Hee rayyan were not their usual fluent self against an phase with a victory. The league is still All these made things tough for us. Lekhwiya Al Khor 14 3 4 7 12 18 13 Vladimir Weiss organised and fighting Sailiya, yet managed to put it long, it’s early to speak about the title, but in games like this, we should look Qatar Sc 14 2 3 9 13 37 9 7 Sebastian Soria Al rayyan past them, thanks to an 85th-minute goal by brazilian but we’re progressing in a good way,” more at points than performance,” mesaimeer 14 1 1 12 10 38 4 mouhcine Iajour Qatar Sc playmaker rodrigo Tabata. Former Espanyol captain said Fossati. he said. Sergio Garcia had opened rayyan’s account in the 64th while mirghani Alzain equalised in the 66th. If anything threatened to hinder In fact, it was Sailiya who were that progress, it was the absence of more organised in attack and Kharaitiyat ready defensive midfielder Victor caceres, defence in the first half. rayyan who tore his right calf muscle in the looked determined after the break to tame the Lions big clash against Sadd and yet again and tried to play quicker, but the watched the action from the stands. deadlock continued even after the L KHArAITIYAT, who defeated Qatar His replacement, Abdulrahman Al hour mark. Sports club 3-2 last monday, will be up AL WAKRAH 1 AL ARABI 0 Korbi, was found wanting in physique Garcia finally broke it. Koh did the against leaders Al rayyan on January 2. A Wakrah scored an upset win over a fighting Arabi. and fitness, putting his South Korean spadework when he ran up to the left Kharaitiyat‘s Football Head Mansour Musa midfielder Abdulrahman mohammed, who is on şşAl rayyan’s partner Koh myon-Jin under pressure. byline and pulled the ball back for the knows rayyan will be too hot to handle. rodrigo Tabata loan from Lekhwiya, scored in the 10th minute and exults after scoring more importantly, rayyan left a lot Spaniard, who slotted it home with “Everyone knows how strong Al rayyan that turned out to be the winner. It was Wakrah’s fifth against Al Sailiya. of space in the middle, something a curling shot. but rayyan’s joy was are at the moment. We know it’ll be a QATAR SC 2 AL KHARAITIYAT 3 victory in this season’s Qatar Stars League while Arabi suffered their fifth defeat even though they stayed tough fixture for us, but we’re confident of fifth in the table. giving a good account of ourselves,” said Kharaitiyat defeated Qatar Sports club. burkinabe striker Yahia Kebe netted a brace (seventh, 45th) mansour. for the winners while midfielder mohammed Qatar Stars League leaders Al rayyan are He said everyone at the club was fully Abdulrab (67th) too found the back of the net. Haroon assessing the fitness of defender Mousa happy with the win over Qatar Sc, which mousa Al Allaq (22nd) and mouhcine Iajour (53rd) Haroon, who pulled out after suffering a scored for Qatar Sc. injured knock during their match against Al Sailiya last was achieved in the absence of regular monday. forwards Hassan Abdelfattah and Abdulaziz Haroon will undergo tests at Qatar’s Al Ansari who were injured. orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital “It was an exciting game, full of ups and Aspetar in order to determine the extent of downs. but we took our chances and that his injury. However, he is unlikely to play their was pleasing. We were disappointed to have next game against Al Kharaitiyat. conceded two goals due to lack of concentration centre-back Haroon has been a regular starter in rayyan’s five-man defence and and poor positional play. We hope to correct they have conceded the least number of those mistakes before the rayyan game,”

DSP/Mohan goals (13) among all teams this season. he said. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 7

QSL WEEK 14 | SHORT TAKES

AL SADD 5 MESAIMEER 1 AL AHLI 0 EL JAISH 1

Former champions Sadd began the second phase moroccan striker Abderrazzak Hamdallah struck the with a demolition of bottom-placed mesaimeer. all-important goal as early as the fourth minute as Hamza Sanhaji (third), mashaal Qassim (24th), Jaish defeated Ahli. The win increased the Armymen’s muriqui (41st), Khalfan Ibrahim (43rd) and tally to 29 points and helped them remain second in mohammed Kassola (51st) found the target for the table while Ahli, who are struggling because of Sadd while Erivelto Silva (82nd) struck mesaimeer’s injuries to key players and lack of form, slumped to consolation goal. 11th.

Rayyan heroesshortlived as mirghani, who gained while former champions Sadd possession after Nathan ribeiro did not sweat much in seeing off made a hash clearance, shot home bottom-placed mesaimeer 5-1. from 25 yards out. Elsewhere, Al Wakrah shocked With time running out, Fossati first Al Arabi 1-0 and Al Kharaitiyat put brought on nimble-footed babou Sidiki and later young striker Fahad Khalfan. And rayyan found the RODRIGO TABATA WON A breakthrough when mirghani felled PENALTY AND CONVERTED UMM SALAL 0 AL KHOR 0 Tabata inside the box and referee IT HIMSELF IN THE 85TH. Abdulrahman Abdou pointed to the Ivorian striker Yannick Sagbo, who has saved Umm Salal’s blushes many a time this season, wasted a spot. Tabata made no mistake and penalty as they settled for a goalless draw with Khor. the rayyan captain, currently the top it past Qatar Sc 3-2. The match Umm Salal remained sixth in the table while Khor, scorer, took his tally to 14. between Umm Salal and Al Khor who have lost half of the 14 matches so far, stayed 12th. Holders Lekhwiya continued ended goalless. to impress as they trounced The competition will resume on underperforming Al Gharafa 4-0 January 2. LEKHWIYA 4 AL GHARAFA 0 STANDINGS TOP SCORERS Al rayyan 14 13 0 1 44 13 39 14 rodrigo Tabata Al rayyan champions Lekhwiya piled more misery on misfiring El Jaish 14 9 2 3 32 14 29 13 Youssef msakni Lekhwiya Gharafa. The latter held the cops goalless close to the hour mark, but floodgates were opened once Ismail Lekhwiya 14 9 1 4 39 17 28 12 Abderazak Hamdallah El Jaish mohammed broke the deadlock in the 55th. Youssef Al Sadd 14 8 3 3 33 21 27 11 muriqui Al Sadd Yahia Kebe Al Kharaitiyat msakni (67th and 80th), and Nam Tae-Hee (77th) Al Arabi 14 7 2 5 21 20 23 10 Yannick Sagbo Umm Salal were the other scorers for Lekhwiya, coached by Umm Salal 14 5 7 2 19 16 22 Sardor rashidov El Jaish Djamel belmadi. Al Sailiya 14 6 1 7 20 23 19 9 Paulinho Al Arabi Al Wakrah 14 5 2 7 19 24 17 Sebastian Saez Al Wakrah Al Kharaitiyat 14 5 2 7 22 28 17 romarinho El Jaish AL SAILIYA 1 AL RAYYAN 2 Al Gharafa 14 4 3 7 10 19 15 8 Sergio Garcia Al rayyan Al Ahli 14 3 5 6 16 22 14 Nam Tae-Hee rayyan were not their usual fluent self against an Lekhwiya Al Khor 14 3 4 7 12 18 13 Vladimir Weiss organised and fighting Sailiya, yet managed to put it Qatar Sc 14 2 3 9 13 37 9 7 Sebastian Soria Al rayyan past them, thanks to an 85th-minute goal by brazilian mesaimeer 14 1 1 12 10 38 4 mouhcine Iajour Qatar Sc playmaker rodrigo Tabata. Former Espanyol captain Sergio Garcia had opened rayyan’s account in the Kharaitiyat ready 64th while mirghani Alzain equalised in the 66th. to tame the Lions

L KHArAITIYAT, who defeated Qatar Sports club 3-2 last monday, will be up AL WAKRAH 1 AL ARABI 0 against leaders Al rayyan on January 2. A Wakrah scored an upset win over a fighting Arabi. Kharaitiyat‘s Football Head Mansour Musa midfielder Abdulrahman mohammed, who is on knows rayyan will be too hot to handle. loan from Lekhwiya, scored in the 10th minute and “Everyone knows how strong Al rayyan that turned out to be the winner. It was Wakrah’s fifth are at the moment. We know it’ll be a QATAR SC 2 AL KHARAITIYAT 3 victory in this season’s Qatar Stars League while Arabi suffered their fifth defeat even though they stayed tough fixture for us, but we’re confident of fifth in the table. giving a good account of ourselves,” said Kharaitiyat defeated Qatar Sports club. burkinabe striker Yahia Kebe netted a brace (seventh, 45th) mansour. for the winners while midfielder mohammed He said everyone at the club was fully Abdulrab (67th) too found the back of the net. happy with the win over Qatar Sc, which mousa Al Allaq (22nd) and mouhcine Iajour (53rd) scored for Qatar Sc. was achieved in the absence of regular forwards Hassan Abdelfattah and Abdulaziz Al Ansari who were injured. “It was an exciting game, full of ups and downs. but we took our chances and that was pleasing. We were disappointed to have conceded two goals due to lack of concentration and poor positional play. We hope to correct those mistakes before the rayyan game,” he said. 8 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 9 FOOTBALL | QATAR Trabelsi to quit Sailiya in May

behind on Abdulrahman Harazi. to his credentials. Trabelsi DSP/Mohan training-plan strategies, match an open discussion session participants will benefit from “We’ve invited Zwanziger to come to Qatar, so and training recovery, integrated between the visiting experts and fresh thinking and innovation he can gain an understanding of the efforts we’re training methodology and academy’s student-athletes gave inin relationrelation toto developingdeveloping theirtheir making to improve the environment for workers ššAl Sailiya’s Abdulkarim prevention of soft tissue injuries. training methodologies. Through inin thethe country.country. UnlikeUnlike somesome GermanGerman expertsexperts Ali heads the Al Khor trust Fernandez Qatar Under-23 team’s mohammed muntari tries to ward off the challenge from a Serbian defender during their friendly at During the gathering, this programme, we hope to who’ve visited Qatar to form their own opinion of ball ahead of Jerez, Spain. Qatar lost 0-3. participants shared and examined THE EVENT COMPRISED A collectively make significant our construction sites, he has never visited Qatar,” Al rayyan’s participants shared and examined THE EVENT COMPRISED A collectively make significant our construction sites, he has never visited Qatar,” L KHOr look determined to We’ve to determine what’s needed Abdulrahman the training methods and NUMBER OF WORKSHOPS, progress towards the broader he said. stick with Jean Fernandez as by the coach,” he said. Al Korbi. approaches they adopt to nurture DISCUSSIONS AND development of the game”. Qatar also dismissed as “groundless” a claim Acoach for the time being, but Asked about the performances talents and explored ways in TRAINING SESSIONS. The ASPIrE Academy, launched that as many as 7,000 people would die working will wait for the January transfer of overseas players, Al merikhi said, which they can support young elite inin 2004,2004, isis consideredconsidered toto bebe oneone ofof for World cup projects. window to bring in reinforcements, “brazilian madson has no issues footballers to develop and enhance the leading sports institutes in the “The International Trade Union confederation’s the club’s General Secretary since he has performed steadily. His their performance. them the opportunity to share middleiddle East.East. ItIt offersoffers anan integratedintegrated claim that ‘by the time the ’22 World cup kicks Mohamed Meqled Al Merikhi said. compatriot Julio caesar has started The event comprised a number their experiences of training and educational programme of sports off in seven years’ time, based on new data, more “Jean Fernandez is a big to regain his old touch whereas the of workshops, discussions and competing at the academy. development, sports science and than 7,000 workers could’ve died in Qatar’ is coach with big credentials third brazilian, marco Antoniou, training sessions including a The event concluded with a academic learning to boys aged groundless and represents a deliberate and experience. He’s is injured. presentation by prominent football friendly between the 12 to 18. The school develops distortion of the facts,” said an official functioning well as “Korean Lee Yong has sports psychologist Dr Gloria experts at the Aspire Dome. well-educated champions and statement. a coach. I renew my started to adapt to the balague. It shed light on the commenting on the two-day aims to become the world’s leading meanwhile, the ScDL named confidence in him and I team’s needs. currently, effects of psychology on athletic gathering, ASPIrE Academy’s sports academy for young athletes Arab Engineering bureau as believe he’ll lead the team it’s difficult to find stability. performance. Football Performance and by ’20. Design consultant for the 2022 to a better position in the Some eight clubs are FIFA World cup’s proposed venue coming period,” Al merikhi said. competing to stay away from inin AlAl Thumama.Thumama. TheThe SportsSports cityity Top officials including Qatar Football body that’ll look after the interests of “It’s possible to perform better and the relegation zone, not just Khor,” Stadium will have a minimum Court plans Association (QFA) President Sheikh Hamad professional athletes. We believe such a Stadium will have a minimum win more. We’ve lost games as a said Al merikhi. discussed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani and Qatar project will contribute to improving the of 40,000 seats. result of some individual errors. The “Winning two or three games will discussed Players Association Head Salman Al Ansari environment of sports in the country and Al Khor, Al rayyan, team overall had to pay for those get us closer to the sixth or seventh attended the one-day workshop organised raise the level of transparency.” Qatar Foundation, lapses,” he said. position,” he said. lastlast weekweek toto highlighthighlight thethe formationformation ofof thethe Sheikh Hamad added Qatar’s court Khalifa International, court of arbitration. of arbitration would be the first of its The official said he was hoping for Asked about the tie against Arabi, court of arbitration. of arbitration would be the first of its Al Wakrah, Losail and Sheikh Hamad said the body would kind, providing justice and safeguarding a better performance from the players Al merikhi said, “Arabi are one of the ras Abu Aboud are the be established in line with sports rules the interests of athletes. He urged other during the second phase. good teams with high-quality players other venues for the stipulated by FIFA and court of Arbitration countries in the region to follow suit. other venues for the “We’re waiting for the conclusion as they’re competing to be among for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. QFA Legal Affairs Director Ettore mazzilli tournament.

of our next game against Al Arabi. the top four.” Al Assaad DSP/Fadi “We’re working to create an independent explained the court’s structure. 8 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 9 FOOTBALL | QATAR Trabelsi to quit Sailiya in May

“The players were fantastic, last season, from the wing to the moved to the centre of the backline N Ganesh but the referee spoiled our plans. middle, giving him more defensive partnering romanian Dragos Games should be won on the pitch. duties. It all worked well as Trabelsi Grigore and has given it a solid look. We deserved at least a draw from could leave underperforming but, Trabelsi’s strategies revolve AmI Trabelsi, who has once this match,” said Trabelsi, a former brazilian striker Edinho, who was mainly around Faouzi Ayesh, the again transformed Al Sailiya rayyan defender. handed the No.10 shirt, on the bahrain international of moroccan Sinto a formidable unit, would Sailiya, who finished a bench. Edinho is expected to be descent. He has been the fulcrum not be staying at the Qatari club disappointing 11th last season, replaced in the winter transfer of their midfield, perfectly linking beyond may. had struggled at the start of the period. the defence and attack, switching “I would leave Sailiya once my season as well, but Trabelsi rebuilt cameroonian sides of play and coming up with contract ends in may. I haven’t the team. The arrival of left-back raoul Loe, some deadly set-pieces. A steady decided on my future plans yet,” Abdulkarim Ali and midfielder who joined tormentor. Trabelsi, who won the Qatar Football Sayaf Al Korbi (both from rayyan) as a defensive “He’s the son of Sailiya, our ššAttendees at the Aspire in the World Association’s best-coach award in and Abdulkadir Ilyas (from El Jaish) midfielder, key player,” said Trabelsi, when Aspire in the World Fellows Gathering. his debut season in 2013-14, told a helped him effectively work on the asked about Faouzi’s impressive World gathers at Aspire Qatar is improving Qatari television channel following formation. He also performance against rayyan. moved captain Prior to last week’s defeat, Sailiya OmE of the leading coaches “All sessions were insightful and thought- workers’ facilities mirghani beat Qatar Sports club 5-0, Sadd and experts came together and experts came together provoking, and we’re confident participants I WOULD LEAVE SAILIYA Alzain, 2-1, Khor 2-0 and Arabi 2-0. And at the two-day Aspire in HE Supreme committee for Delivery Sat the two-day Aspire in will benefit from fresh thinking and HE Supreme committee for Delivery ONCE MY CONTRACT who was they are now seventh in the table. the World Fellows Gathering to and Legacy (ScDL) rejected the criticism the World Fellows Gathering to innovation in relation to developing their and Legacy (ScDL) rejected the criticism ENDS. I HAVEN’T DECIDED hardly used but continuing that would be share the best practices, develop made by former FIFA Excom member and training methodologies. We also hope to T ON MY FUTURE YET. difficult. The management must recommendations for training German football association chief Theo Zwanziger recommendations for training make significant progress towards the broader German football association chief Theo Zwanziger ensure those on loan at the club methodologies and support make significant progress towards the broader against Qatar, saying he had never visited the development of the game. are retained. management of young players. development of the game. country. last monday’s 1-2 loss to Al rayyan “I can only pray for that. We’ve The group of experts represented Valter Di Salvo, ASPIASPIrE Academy’s Football Performance and Science Director. Zwanziger had said Qatar should be stripped of in the Qatar Stars League. been developing players at our the world’s leading clubs, the cup because of human rights violations. Trabelsi fumed at the post- club by giving them chances, but federations and leagues like real ScDL Secretary General Hassan Al Thawadi match Press conference, constantly the big clubs have been benefiting madrid, Juventus and Everton. Dr Donna O’connor, an expert in Science Director Valter Di Salvo said the country had announced changes to the pointing his finger at referee from that in the long run,” said The gathering explored in optimising performance from the said, “We’re delighted to have kafala system,system, whichwhich limitslimits thethe rightsrights ofof workersworkers Abdulrahman Abdou and Trabelsi. greater detail a number of key University of Sydney in Australia, welcomed experts from all around changing jobs. questioning many of his decisions, The 47-year-old former Tunisia topics discussed during the ASPIrE also gave a lecture that showcased the world to Qatar. All sessions “We reject comments made by Theo Zwanziger especially for not giving a red card coach is already on the wish list of Academy Global Summit in methods of developing learning were insightful and thought- that’re misleading and not based on firsthand to babou Sidiki for a tackle from big clubs. His good work has added Sami berlin in October. Topics included opportunities for players. moreover, provoking, and we’re confident knowledge of Qatar,” said Al Thawadi. behind on Abdulrahman Harazi. to his credentials. Trabelsi DSP/Mohan training-plan strategies, match an open discussion session participants will benefit from “We’ve invited Zwanziger to come to Qatar, so and training recovery, integrated between the visiting experts and fresh thinking and innovation he can gain an understanding of the efforts we’re training methodology and academy’s student-athletes gave inin relationrelation toto developingdeveloping theirtheir making to improve the environment for workers ššAl Sailiya’s Abdulkarim prevention of soft tissue injuries. training methodologies. Through inin thethe country.country. UnlikeUnlike somesome GermanGerman expertsexperts Ali heads the Al Khor trust Fernandez Qatar Under-23 team’s mohammed muntari tries to ward off the challenge from a Serbian defender during their friendly at During the gathering, this programme, we hope to who’ve visited Qatar to form their own opinion of ball ahead of Jerez, Spain. Qatar lost 0-3. participants shared and examined THE EVENT COMPRISED A collectively make significant our construction sites, he has never visited Qatar,” Al rayyan’s participants shared and examined THE EVENT COMPRISED A collectively make significant our construction sites, he has never visited Qatar,” L KHOr look determined to We’ve to determine what’s needed Abdulrahman the training methods and NUMBER OF WORKSHOPS, progress towards the broader he said. stick with Jean Fernandez as by the coach,” he said. Al Korbi. approaches they adopt to nurture DISCUSSIONS AND development of the game”. Qatar also dismissed as “groundless” a claim Acoach for the time being, but Asked about the performances talents and explored ways in TRAINING SESSIONS. The ASPIrE Academy, launched that as many as 7,000 people would die working will wait for the January transfer of overseas players, Al merikhi said, which they can support young elite inin 2004,2004, isis consideredconsidered toto bebe oneone ofof for World cup projects. window to bring in reinforcements, “brazilian madson has no issues footballers to develop and enhance the leading sports institutes in the “The International Trade Union confederation’s the club’s General Secretary since he has performed steadily. His their performance. them the opportunity to share middleiddle East.East. ItIt offersoffers anan integratedintegrated claim that ‘by the time the ’22 World cup kicks Mohamed Meqled Al Merikhi said. compatriot Julio caesar has started The event comprised a number their experiences of training and educational programme of sports off in seven years’ time, based on new data, more “Jean Fernandez is a big to regain his old touch whereas the of workshops, discussions and competing at the academy. development, sports science and than 7,000 workers could’ve died in Qatar’ is coach with big credentials third brazilian, marco Antoniou, training sessions including a The event concluded with a academic learning to boys aged groundless and represents a deliberate and experience. He’s is injured. presentation by prominent football friendly between the 12 to 18. The school develops distortion of the facts,” said an official functioning well as “Korean Lee Yong has sports psychologist Dr Gloria experts at the Aspire Dome. well-educated champions and statement. a coach. I renew my started to adapt to the balague. It shed light on the commenting on the two-day aims to become the world’s leading meanwhile, the ScDL named confidence in him and I team’s needs. currently, effects of psychology on athletic gathering, ASPIrE Academy’s sports academy for young athletes Arab Engineering bureau as believe he’ll lead the team it’s difficult to find stability. performance. Football Performance and by ’20. Design consultant for the 2022 to a better position in the Some eight clubs are FIFA World cup’s proposed venue coming period,” Al merikhi said. competing to stay away from inin AlAl Thumama.Thumama. TheThe SportsSports cityity Top officials including Qatar Football body that’ll look after the interests of “It’s possible to perform better and the relegation zone, not just Khor,” Stadium will have a minimum Court plans Association (QFA) President Sheikh Hamad professional athletes. We believe such a Stadium will have a minimum win more. We’ve lost games as a said Al merikhi. discussed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani and Qatar project will contribute to improving the of 40,000 seats. result of some individual errors. The “Winning two or three games will discussed Players Association Head Salman Al Ansari environment of sports in the country and Al Khor, Al rayyan, team overall had to pay for those get us closer to the sixth or seventh attended the one-day workshop organised raise the level of transparency.” Qatar Foundation, lapses,” he said. position,” he said. lastlast weekweek toto highlighthighlight thethe formationformation ofof thethe Sheikh Hamad added Qatar’s court Khalifa International, court of arbitration. of arbitration would be the first of its The official said he was hoping for Asked about the tie against Arabi, court of arbitration. of arbitration would be the first of its Al Wakrah, Losail and Sheikh Hamad said the body would kind, providing justice and safeguarding a better performance from the players Al merikhi said, “Arabi are one of the ras Abu Aboud are the be established in line with sports rules the interests of athletes. He urged other during the second phase. good teams with high-quality players other venues for the stipulated by FIFA and court of Arbitration countries in the region to follow suit. other venues for the “We’re waiting for the conclusion as they’re competing to be among for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. QFA Legal Affairs Director Ettore mazzilli tournament. of our next game against Al Arabi. the top four.” Al Assaad DSP/Fadi “We’re working to create an independent explained the court’s structure. 10 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 11 FOOTBALL

INTERVIEW

This calendar year has been a really, really good year for PSG. but halfway through the season, records don’t mean much to me. The record (half-season Player of points tally of 50 set by Olympique Lyon in ’06) fell, but the mid-term records aren’t what I prefer. I hope that in ’16, we’ll have the same motivation and the same mindset that we had in ’15, because when we’ve got that mindset, we’re very difficult to beat. acumen&elegance Laurent Blanc, PSG coach. LATAN Ibrahimovic has been a trophy that has eluded you. How ЃЃI’ve been to Doha a few times Decision on Ibra’s maverick player, who has added much do you want to secure that? and I find it very nice. We had a good Zvalue as well as beauty to the ЃЂI still have the possibility to win it. preparation every time we were in future in February game with his amazing acumen and I’ve a great team and the dream is to Qatar. It also brought luck because artistic elegance. win the champions League for this we’ve been winning trophies and we ArIS Saint-Germain President Nasser The Swedish forward knows he club and that’s one of my objectives, want to continue with this tradition. Ghanem Al Kholaifi was less concrete on the is not getting younger. The to win of course. but if it wouldn’t I’m happy for Qatar that it’ll welcome Pfuture of star forward and the club’s record 34-year-old has one last chance happen and my career is full, packed two big teams, PSG and Inter, so good scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose contract runs out to win a Euro in France next June anyway, so the museum is huge and for the people there. Let us make at the end of the season. while with Paris Saint-Germain, he I’m happy for that. I had the luck to them enjoy the game. “He puts his heart into this club. We’ll discuss in will be eyeing one final shot at the play with great players who won February what he wants to do,” said Al Kholaifi of Paris Saint-Germain go into the winter champions League title, one which trophies for me. I’ve been winning, Ђ Could you spell out your plans the 34-year-old Swede. Ѓ A wonder break with a Ligue 1 record points haul of has eluded his crowded trophy but let’s see what happens this year with Sweden as well as PSG? 51 after a 3-0 away win at caen last week In an interview with French daily Le Figaro, Al cabinet. and, if not, I’ll still be happy with what ЃЃWhen it comes to the goal and was lit up by a thrilling Zlatan Ibrahimovic Kholaifi also ruled out bringing in new faces during In a conference call with I’ve achieved. national team, I’ve the European record strike. the January transfer window. Gulf-based journalists, Ibrahimovic championship and I don’t think Already 1-0 up from an early Angel “Our team is very strong, therefore we won’t speaks about PSG, his Euro hopes ЂЂHow excited are you about the beyond that. I’m happy we reached di maria goal, Ibrahimovic produced a need new players; we need every player (already) and much more. prospect of facing Chelsea again in finals of the continental event. stunning 25-yard snap-shot, which flew in this team, so we won’t be selling anyone,” he into the top corner of the goal on 36 the Champions League and how I’ll enjoy it and I don’t know what said. minutes. ЂЂHow do you see your PSG career? surprised have you been by Jose happens after that, it’s too early to say Di maria found the target in the second PSG have a huge lead at the top of Ligue 1 and Is this your best time at the club? Mourinho’s plight there? something. half as well to complete the rout. are unbeaten in a club record-equalling 28 league ЃЂI feel good. I’ve a lot of ЃЂTo play against chelsea isn’t easy When it comes to the club, I think matches. responsibilities. before I came here, even if they’re struggling a little bit. it’s a new situation for me. Normally, Al Kholaifi said he wanted to keep coach Laurent I knew it would be a big challenge I had a contract over many years and the group and then in the play-off, World cup in Qatar because I feel blanc at the Parc des Princes and that he was for me because the management then I changed the club. but now, but we played two fantastic games and I think it’ll be an amazing thing, looking to extend the former France boss’ contract, wanted to do something big and I’VE A GREAT TEAM AND my contract will end. I’m free to do and finally achieved our objective. so this is something I don’t want to suggesting he was not in the market to hire Jose build a club that makes it to the top. THE DREAM IS TO WIN whatever I want, which is something For me personally, it’ll be fantastic miss. mourinho, who was sacked by chelsea. I was here at the start because THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE totally new to me. For the moment, to be a part of the tournament hosted Al Kholaifi hit out at the club’s fans for being too it’s easy now to come here where FOR THIS CLUB. I’m enjoying my football, I feel very by France as I’m currently playing ЂЃWould you like to do coaching “well-behaved”. everything is settled down. good physically and mentally. I enjoy with a Paris-based club. when your career ends? Is there any “We need more atmosphere in the stadium. When I came, it wasn’t like that every time I come out on the field We’re there now and we’ll enjoy chance that you would ever play in Sometimes, our fans are a bit too well-behaved,” because I joined from Ac milan They’ve great players, champions and try to do what I can do. I feel every game we play. All three the English Premier League? he said. “We give our time, and our heart, our and it was a different world League experience. I’ve to be honest, I’m doing it more than good, so just opponents will be equally tough. ЃЃAs an active player, I don’t have passion for the fans. I would like them to be compared to what it’s today. I haven’t seen mourinho (who was want to keep going and see what any thoughts of becoming a coach constantly behind us, from the first minute to the I was one of the first players sacked by chelsea last week) in this happens. or trainer. I’ve big experience after last.” to be here and bring it to the situation. Normally, not only me, IT’LL BE FANTASTIC TO playing under some great, fantastic Al Kholaifi was last week voted as Ligue 1’s top. I knew I would do history I think the whole world is used to ЂЃSweden are drawn along with BE A PART OF THE EURO coaches. I’ve been lucky to win big favourite president in an online poll conducted by with this club, so that’s what I’m seeing him battle for the first or Belgium, Italy and Ireland for Euro HOSTED BY FRANCE. trophies under them. They’ve taught www.francefootball.fr. doing. So when I change club second place. ’16. Who do you think are your me a lot of things. Let’s see what or stop playing, I’ll sit down, lean toughest opponents? What’s going happens when my playing career back and say I was a part of that ЂЂAre PSG favourites for the tie? to be your strategy? They’re there because they’ve a ends. I’ve another five-six months project. I’m very happy. ЃЂI think in this game, you don’t ЃЃWe’re very happy to have reached possibility to do something good and until my contract ends. I’m trying to ‘Middle East’s have any favourites because we the finals. We had struggled a bit in also to win. focus on my time in PSG, do my best investment vital’ ЂЂHow would played two times before, one time but we’ll make it difficult for every and deliver like I’ve done before. In you describe your chelsea progressed and other time IBRAHIMOVIC FACT FILE team we play. We want to go further, my present thoughts, I don’t have Zlatan Ibrahimovic said the middle East’s relationship with the we progressed. I see both teams are Full name Zlatan Ibrahimovic that’s our mentality and philosophy any destination. investment in European football was very vital. club owners? How equal and it’ll be two fantastic games Date of birth October 3, 1981 — to go as far as possible. Let’s see “I think it’s very important. You’ve the traditional Place of birth malmo, Sweden well have they been especially for the supporters. The one what happens. With the French ЂЃWould you look to play for a clubs that’re always favourites to win major trophies, Height 195cm and then with this investment coming in, you’ve a motivating factor who makes less mistakes will pass. Playing position Forward people and Swedish people behind Qatari club at some point in your newcomers that become good, play at a high level, for the success of the That’s the way it’s in the champions YOUTH CAREER us, I’m pretty sure we can do fantastic career? and then start challenging the big clubs,” said team? League, but I’m looking forward to the malmo bI, FbK balkan, malmo FF things. ЃЃI don’t know what’ll happen next SENIOR CAREER Ѓ Ibrahimovic. ЂI find them very game. We’re really preparing in the 1999-01 malmo season. I’ve a good relationship with “It’s like a domino effect, there comes in passionate about best way. We’re better than last year 2001-04 Ajax ЂЃAre you looking forward to the our club president Nasser (Ghanem new money and the big players choose to football. They want the and hopefully we can show it also in 2004-06 Juventus World Cup as well, in ’18 and ’22. Al Kholaifi) and the people from go to different destinations and not only to 2006-09 Inter milan best and really want PSG these two games. You won’t be playing in the ’22 Qatar. It’s a difficult question because the biggest clubs that exist out there 2009-11 barcelona in Europe. I think it’s only positive,” to be the best team in the 2010-11 milan (loan) edition in Qatar, but will you be I don’t know what’ll happen and he added. world. That’s why they bring ЂЂFor a few years, PSG have been 2011-12 milan associated with Sweden or the host how I’ll feel physically and mentally. I 2012- PSG the best players from across the coming to Qatar. How do you look nation as coach? think that’s something I’ve to decide ŠЃNasser Ghanem NATIONAL TEAM Ѓ Al Kholaifi celebrates world to the club. forward to your trip this time and 1999 Sweden U-18 ЃI don’t plan my future, I take it as it when the moment is there, but let’s Zlatan with players after the friendly against Inter Milan on 2001 Sweden U-21 comes and probably I’ll be there say I’ve a good relationship and that winning last Ibrahimovic ЂЂThe Champions League is one December 30? 2001- Sweden to see the games and enjoy the it can be a possibility. season’s Ligue 1. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 11

This calendar year has been a really, really good year for PSG. but halfway through the season, records don’t mean much to me. The record (half-season points tally of 50 set by Olympique Lyon in ’06) fell, but the mid-term records aren’t what I prefer. I hope that in ’16, we’ll have the same motivation and the same mindset that we had in ’15, because when we’ve got that mindset, we’re very difficult to beat. elegance Laurent Blanc, PSG coach. ЃЃI’ve been to Doha a few times Decision on Ibra’s and I find it very nice. We had a good preparation every time we were in future in February Qatar. It also brought luck because we’ve been winning trophies and we ArIS Saint-Germain President Nasser want to continue with this tradition. Ghanem Al Kholaifi was less concrete on the I’m happy for Qatar that it’ll welcome Pfuture of star forward and the club’s record two big teams, PSG and Inter, so good scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose contract runs out for the people there. Let us make at the end of the season. them enjoy the game. “He puts his heart into this club. We’ll discuss in February what he wants to do,” said Al Kholaifi of Paris Saint-Germain go into the winter Ђ Could you spell out your plans the 34-year-old Swede. Ѓ A wonder break with a Ligue 1 record points haul of with Sweden as well as PSG? 51 after a 3-0 away win at caen last week In an interview with French daily Le Figaro, Al ЃЃWhen it comes to the goal and was lit up by a thrilling Zlatan Ibrahimovic Kholaifi also ruled out bringing in new faces during national team, I’ve the European record strike. the January transfer window. championship and I don’t think Already 1-0 up from an early Angel “Our team is very strong, therefore we won’t beyond that. I’m happy we reached di maria goal, Ibrahimovic produced a need new players; we need every player (already) finals of the continental event. stunning 25-yard snap-shot, which flew in this team, so we won’t be selling anyone,” he into the top corner of the goal on 36 I’ll enjoy it and I don’t know what said. minutes. happens after that, it’s too early to say Di maria found the target in the second PSG have a huge lead at the top of Ligue 1 and something. half as well to complete the rout. are unbeaten in a club record-equalling 28 league When it comes to the club, I think matches. it’s a new situation for me. Normally, Al Kholaifi said he wanted to keep coach Laurent I had a contract over many years and the group and then in the play-off, World cup in Qatar because I feel blanc at the Parc des Princes and that he was then I changed the club. but now, but we played two fantastic games and I think it’ll be an amazing thing, looking to extend the former France boss’ contract, my contract will end. I’m free to do and finally achieved our objective. so this is something I don’t want to suggesting he was not in the market to hire Jose whatever I want, which is something For me personally, it’ll be fantastic miss. mourinho, who was sacked by chelsea. totally new to me. For the moment, to be a part of the tournament hosted Al Kholaifi hit out at the club’s fans for being too I’m enjoying my football, I feel very by France as I’m currently playing ЂЃWould you like to do coaching “well-behaved”. good physically and mentally. I enjoy with a Paris-based club. when your career ends? Is there any “We need more atmosphere in the stadium. every time I come out on the field We’re there now and we’ll enjoy chance that you would ever play in Sometimes, our fans are a bit too well-behaved,” and try to do what I can do. I feel every game we play. All three the English Premier League? he said. “We give our time, and our heart, our I’m doing it more than good, so just opponents will be equally tough. ЃЃAs an active player, I don’t have passion for the fans. I would like them to be want to keep going and see what any thoughts of becoming a coach constantly behind us, from the first minute to the happens. or trainer. I’ve big experience after last.” IT’LL BE FANTASTIC TO playing under some great, fantastic Al Kholaifi was last week voted as Ligue 1’s ЂЃSweden are drawn along with BE A PART OF THE EURO coaches. I’ve been lucky to win big favourite president in an online poll conducted by Belgium, Italy and Ireland for Euro HOSTED BY FRANCE. trophies under them. They’ve taught www.francefootball.fr. ’16. Who do you think are your me a lot of things. Let’s see what toughest opponents? What’s going happens when my playing career to be your strategy? They’re there because they’ve a ends. I’ve another five-six months ЃЃWe’re very happy to have reached possibility to do something good and until my contract ends. I’m trying to the finals. We had struggled a bit in also to win. focus on my time in PSG, do my best but we’ll make it difficult for every and deliver like I’ve done before. In IBRAHIMOVIC FACT FILE team we play. We want to go further, my present thoughts, I don’t have Full name Zlatan Ibrahimovic that’s our mentality and philosophy any destination. Date of birth October 3, 1981 — to go as far as possible. Let’s see Place of birth malmo, Sweden what happens. With the French Ђ Would you look to play for a Height 195cm Ѓ Playing position Forward people and Swedish people behind Qatari club at some point in your YOUTH CAREER us, I’m pretty sure we can do fantastic career? malmo bI, FbK balkan, malmo FF things. ЃЃI don’t know what’ll happen next SENIOR CAREER 1999-01 malmo season. I’ve a good relationship with 2001-04 Ajax ЂЃAre you looking forward to the our club president Nasser (Ghanem 2004-06 Juventus World Cup as well, in ’18 and ’22. Al Kholaifi) and the people from 2006-09 Inter milan You won’t be playing in the ’22 Qatar. It’s a difficult question because 2009-11 barcelona 2010-11 milan (loan) edition in Qatar, but will you be I don’t know what’ll happen and 2011-12 milan associated with Sweden or the host how I’ll feel physically and mentally. I 2012- PSG nation as coach? think that’s something I’ve to decide ŠЃNasser Ghanem NATIONAL TEAM ЃЃI don’t plan my future, I take it as it when the moment is there, but let’s Al Kholaifi celebrates 1999 Sweden U-18 with players after 2001 Sweden U-21 comes and probably I’ll be there say I’ve a good relationship and that winning last 2001- Sweden to see the games and enjoy the it can be a possibility. season’s Ligue 1. 12 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 13 FOOTBALL | INTERNATIONAL

HOW THEY REACTED Chance for Hiddink “Thank you “The players “Previously, (Jose) for should he was to redeem himself all you’ve be held perceived as done for me. accountable. intelligent, HEN experienced and talented football I owe you What charming managers suffer a run of failure, they tend The a lot and we’ll happened in and witty, Wto want one more job to prove their worth. miss you. Good some of the but with some of his antics For chelsea’s new interim boss Guus Hiddink, luck in the future. games isn’t all down to this season he has really let disappointments with russia, Turkey, his native mourinho. There was a himself down... Netherlands and russian club Anzhi makhachkala Cesc Fabregas, chelsea midfielder. lack of desire and have hurt and prompted the desire for what at 69 commitment. Alan Shearer, former England captain. years of age could be one last hurrah. It is the third time that the vastly- “They needed Graeme Souness, former Liverpool “Nobody can experienced Dutchman, who was a change manager. predict the announced last week to have been Fallen appointed until the end of the season, THE FALL FROM GRACE OF CHELSEA MANAGER to spark a future but as reaction, “He won’t be taking a things stand has gone back to work for a previous JOSE MOURINHO, WHO HAS A BAD REPUTATION but they’ve sabbatical, he isn’t tired, he no (talk of employer. FOR BLAMING EVERYONE BUT HIMSELF, WAS HIS sacked the doesn’t need it, he’s very mourinho First time around at PSV Eindhoven OWN MAKING, WRITES ANDREW WARSHAW. best manager positive and is already returning to from 1987-90, he won a hat-trick of in their history and the best looking forward. real madrid). national titles and the European cup, then manager in the game. defied the old adage “never go back” by securing three CAA Sports Management, Jose Florentino Perez, real madrid more Dutch championships from 2002-06. One! Theirry Henry, former Arsenal striker. mourinho’s representative. President. A second stint in charge of the Netherlands proved FTEr the most staggering for the common cause, not least for an unwise move, however. Having taken them to capitulation in the history of the club’s fans. but to lay the blame ‘Mourinho fourth place in the ’98 World cup and become a Athe Premier League, never for chelsea’s humiliating implosion will come clear that respect for the manager given a new four-year contract only MOURINHO FACT FILE ŢŢLeicester city’s hero in South Korea and Australia over the course of has the phrase ‘The Special One’ entirely on players who used to walk drained away almost from the last summer, was dispensed with Full name Jose mario dos Santos riyad mahrez the next two World cups, Hiddink could not resist a back strongly’ mourinho Felix gets the ball past sounded so hollow. through brick walls for him, but start. Title-winning players don’t far too soon, especially with only a Age 52 Everton’s Tom second go with his home country. As Jose mourinho exited chelsea who’ve been under-performing so Portuguese coach become poor performers overnight. handful of coaches out there with Place of birth Setubal, Portugal cleverley. but the result was shambolic. last week following the worst half woefully was a stark illustration of but mourinho’s constant jibes at the same credentials or success CAREER Jesualdo Ferreira, who TEAMS season of his managerial career, mourinho’s arrogance and conceit was Jose mourinho’s everyone and his inability to keep record. benfica (POr/2000), Uniao de Leiria football pundits everywhere were verging on self-delusion. teacher at the Lisbon his comments to himself won Neither he nor Abramovich have (POr/2001-02), Porto (POr/2002-04), chelsea left incredulous as to how a team many take the view that it all goes Superior Institute for him a string of enemies. He may ever been ones to accept failure, (ENG/2004-07), Inter milan (ITA/2008- Physical Education, 10), real madrid (ESP/2010-13), chelsea with the same players who ran away back to the very start of the season be great for the airwaves and for but since the owner wasn’t about (ENG/2013-15) said the sacked chelsea with the title in may could implode when mourinho, much to the newspaper headlines with some to leave, there was only one option HONOURS manager would come so dramatically and become virtually disgust of both the footballing and of his outlandish remarks, but that left. Ten managers in as many years PORTO back strongly. Primeira Liga 2002-03, 2003-04 unrecognisable as they plummeted medical profession, lambasted first- Ferreira, presently only works when you can back it says much for chelsea’s lamentable Taca de Portugal 2002-03 Supertaca candido de to within one point of the relegation team doctor Eva carneiro in public with Qatar’s Al Sadd, up with results. Otherwise lack of lack of loyalty. but this was the 2003 zone after losing nine of their first 16 for going on to the pitch, without told Doha Stadium Plus, cruellest cut of all, with Abramovich’s Oliveira UEFA champions “mourinho is a big coach 2003-04 league matches. his permission, to treat belgian judgement coming under immediate League Whether or not mourinho and he’ll wriggle out of TEN MANAGERS IN AS scrutiny. UEFA cup 2002-03 the current situation. It’s genuinely attempted to hide his MANY YEARS SAYS With the massively-experienced CHELSEA

true he’s having a bad 2004-05, 2005-06, Brough Craig Premier League identity by pulling his coat over THE FINAL STRAW SURELY time, but don’t forget MUCH FOR CHELSEA’S former Netherlands boss Guus 2014-15 face as he was sped away from CAME FOLLOWING THE 1-2 he was sacked once by LACK OF LOYALTY. Hiddink becoming chelsea’s interim FA cup 2006-07 2004-05, 2006-07, chelsea’s training ground following chelsea in 2007 and he boss until the end of the season, an League cup REUTERS/ LOSS AT THE HANDS OF 2014-15 his sacking (some reports suggest HIGH-FLYING LEICESTER. easily overcame that,” element of calm now seems bound community Shield 2005 it was a decoy), his swift departure said the 69-year-old. proper judgement can bite you in to be restored. INTER MILAN after apparently attending a the backside, which is exactly what The 69-year-old has already had Serie A 2008-09, 2009-10 Italian cup 2009-10 Fairytale continues christmas lunch said everything playmaker Eden Hazard. happened as mourinho’s players one spell at the club, winning the Italian Super cup 2008 about how his pride was hurt. but mourinho described carneiro as showed no stomach for the fight. FA cup in 2009. Long term, chelsea champions League 2009-10 Premier League era, the team leading also about how someone with a bad “naive” and relieved her of first-team chelsea owner roman have been linked with the likes of REAL MADRID Ian Chadband at christmas has gone on to win the reputation for blaming everyone duties. She then left chelsea and has Abramovich, knowing he couldn’t Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone, La Liga 2011-12 title but the ever-cautious ranieri was copa del rey 2010-11 but himself had lost the dressing now brought a legal case against fire a whole squad, instead targeted but unless Hiddink can win the Spanish Super cup 2012 still more preoccupied with reaching room so spectacularly. Don’t just take them for constructive dismissal. the man he had brought back for a champions League or chelsea INDIVIDUAL FrESH chapter in Leicester the 40-point target he believes will FIFA World coach of my word for it. chelsea’s technical It’s perhaps no coincidence that second time — and sacked him a miraculously climb into the top four, 2010 city’s unlikely fairytale was guarantee Premier League safety. the Year director michael Emenalo revealed ever since then, Hazard, the Premier second time. many believe it was an whoever takes over permanently Primeira Liga written last week as they Leicester, five points clear at the 2002-03, 2003-04 A there had been a “palpable discord League’s player of the year last accident waiting to happen. next summer will not be involved manager of the Year ensured they would sit on top of the top, visit Liverpool on boxing Day between manager and players”. season, has been prominent among As one former international in Europe’s most prestigious and Premier League 2004-05, 2005-06, Premier League tree on christmas with the comfort of knowing that no manager of the Year 2014-15 The final straw surely came those who’ve performed so poorly. defender put it, “You can’t be the lucrative club competition next Serie A manager of Day exactly a year after languishing side leading the league at christmas 2008-09, 2009-10 following the 1-2 loss to high-flying As fall from graces go, there’ve been people’s mate one minute and their season. the Year at the foot of the table. has finished lower than sixth. UEFA manager of Leicester city when mourinho said few starker examples. enemy the next.” Hardly the best legacy for the 2002-03, 2003-04 Their 3-2 victory at Everton, After each match, though, they the Year his work had been “betrayed” by his For a combination Yet there’s a strong body of self-styled Special One to have left bbc Sports Personality fashioned with the now-familiar seem to harden their resolve. 2005 players. It was the most incendiary of of reasons, it was opinion that believes mourinho, behind. of the Year coach speed and elan that has characterised After Leicester went two goals accusations, the kind the outspoken claudio ranieri’s dramatic reign, up, Everton striker romelu Lukaku Portuguese coach may’ve got away continued an extraordinary makeover fired home from six yards for the bookmakers were busy slashing “We know that it isn’t good with when his team was winning Pressure the odds on Louis van Gaal to be enough for us, the players from relegation certainties last season seventh successive league game — but not when the blues were in the replaced in the manchester United know that, I know that, to genuine title contenders. four behind England forward Vardy’s throes of their worst-ever start to mounts on hot seat by Jose mourinho after the board knows that A double for riyad mahrez from record set earlier this season. a Premier League campaign. Van Gaal a 1-2 home defeat to struggling and the fans know that,” the penalty spot, ensuring that Vardy again proved to be a pivotal No one would deny that Norwich city in the Premier former barcelona and bayern with the Algerian on 13 goals figure. Having been brought down chelsea’s expensive array of League. munich manager Van Gaal and Jamie Vardy on 15 Leicester by Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard international stars — some That may be a knee-jerk reaction, told Sky Sports. now have the league’s two top for the second penalty, he then set but after going six games without Asked if he would be given might describe them a victory in all competitions and time to turn around United’s marksmen, set up the latest win up the unmarked Shinji Okazaki to as prima donnas — suffering a third defeat in a row, season, he added, “It’s not in a success story which is fire home Leicester’s third. Kevin should’ve done more Jose the spotlight is intensifying on up to me I think to answer that enchanting all neutrals. mirallas’s late reply was merely a Mourinho Dutchman Van Gaal. question, but we shall see.” Eleven times in the consolation. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 13

2004-05, 2005-06, Brough Craig Premier League MUCH FOR CHELSEA’S former Netherlands boss Guus 2014-15 LACK OF LOYALTY. Hiddink becoming chelsea’s interim FA cup 2006-07 2004-05, 2006-07, boss until the end of the season, an League cup REUTERS/ 2014-15 element of calm now seems bound community Shield 2005 proper judgement can bite you in to be restored. INTER MILAN the backside, which is exactly what The 69-year-old has already had Serie A 2008-09, 2009-10 Italian cup 2009-10 Fairytale continues happened as mourinho’s players one spell at the club, winning the Italian Super cup 2008 showed no stomach for the fight. FA cup in 2009. Long term, chelsea champions League 2009-10 Premier League era, the team leading chelsea owner roman have been linked with the likes of REAL MADRID Ian Chadband at christmas has gone on to win the Abramovich, knowing he couldn’t Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone, La Liga 2011-12 title but the ever-cautious ranieri was copa del rey 2010-11 fire a whole squad, instead targeted but unless Hiddink can win the Spanish Super cup 2012 still more preoccupied with reaching the man he had brought back for a champions League or chelsea INDIVIDUAL FrESH chapter in Leicester the 40-point target he believes will FIFA World coach of second time — and sacked him a miraculously climb into the top four, 2010 city’s unlikely fairytale was guarantee Premier League safety. the Year second time. many believe it was an whoever takes over permanently Primeira Liga written last week as they Leicester, five points clear at the 2002-03, 2003-04 A accident waiting to happen. next summer will not be involved manager of the Year ensured they would sit on top of the top, visit Liverpool on boxing Day As one former international in Europe’s most prestigious and Premier League 2004-05, 2005-06, Premier League tree on christmas with the comfort of knowing that no manager of the Year 2014-15 defender put it, “You can’t be the lucrative club competition next Serie A manager of Day exactly a year after languishing side leading the league at christmas 2008-09, 2009-10 people’s mate one minute and their season. the Year at the foot of the table. has finished lower than sixth. UEFA manager of enemy the next.” Hardly the best legacy for the 2002-03, 2003-04 Their 3-2 victory at Everton, After each match, though, they the Year Yet there’s a strong body of self-styled Special One to have left bbc Sports Personality fashioned with the now-familiar seem to harden their resolve. 2005 opinion that believes mourinho, behind. of the Year coach speed and elan that has characterised After Leicester went two goals claudio ranieri’s dramatic reign, up, Everton striker romelu Lukaku continued an extraordinary makeover fired home from six yards for the bookmakers were busy slashing “We know that it isn’t good Pressure the odds on Louis van Gaal to be enough for us, the players from relegation certainties last season seventh successive league game — replaced in the manchester United know that, I know that, to genuine title contenders. four behind England forward Vardy’s mounts on hot seat by Jose mourinho after the board knows that A double for riyad mahrez from record set earlier this season. Van Gaal a 1-2 home defeat to struggling and the fans know that,” the penalty spot, ensuring that Vardy again proved to be a pivotal Norwich city in the Premier former barcelona and bayern with the Algerian on 13 goals figure. Having been brought down League. munich manager Van Gaal and Jamie Vardy on 15 Leicester by Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard That may be a knee-jerk reaction, told Sky Sports. now have the league’s two top for the second penalty, he then set but after going six games without Asked if he would be given a victory in all competitions and time to turn around United’s marksmen, set up the latest win up the unmarked Shinji Okazaki to suffering a third defeat in a row, season, he added, “It’s not in a success story which is fire home Leicester’s third. Kevin the spotlight is intensifying on up to me I think to answer that enchanting all neutrals. mirallas’s late reply was merely a Dutchman Van Gaal. question, but we shall see.” Eleven times in the consolation. 14 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 15 FOOTBALL | INTERNATIONAL

RESULTS SPFL EPL HIGHLIGHTS celtic 18 13 3 2 45 14 42 EPL Aberdeen 19 13 2 4 32 18 41 Swansea drew West Ham 0-0 Hearts 18 9 5 4 29 18 32 Red-letter day in man through and through who right-foot shot that curls inside left- Watford bt Liverpool 3-0 St Johnstone 19 9 4 6 35 29 31 HEADLINES gave the game so much in so many hand post to give Palace victory in chelsea bt Sunderland 3-1 ross county 19 7 3 9 28 27 24 • Norwich condemn man Utd to ways. the 88th minute. Everton lost to Leicester 2-3 Dundee 19 5 8 6 27 30 23 Partick Thistle 18 6 5 7 19 23 23 third straight defeat Former England striker Gary man United lost to Norwich 1-2 Newcastle drew Aston Villa 1-1 Hamilton 18 6 4 8 22 29 22 Lineker pays tribute to Jimmy Hill, MOMENT Inverness 18 5 6 7 21 25 21 • Interim manager Hiddink sees Southampton lost to Tottenham 0-2 chelsea beat Sunderland player, manager, union leader, chelsea’s festive jeer (in their 3-1 motherwell 18 6 3 9 18 25 21 Watford’s history club chairman, television pundit Stoke city lost to crystal Palace 1-2 Kilmarnock 19 4 5 10 19 36 17 win over Sunderland) A glittering gift on • Leicester sink Everton to secure and innovator, who died from West bromwich lost to bournemouth 1-2 Dundee United 19 2 4 13 15 36 10 christmas top spot Alzheimer’s disease aged 87. With new interim manager Guus added some of the new recruits to SPFL LA LIGA EPL TOP SCORERS Hiddink watching on, chelsea fans celtic lost to motherwell 1-2 barcelona 15 11 2 2 36 15 35 Steve Tongue last season’s winning blend. the wish list of all 15 Jamie Vardy Leicester city QUOTE STAT jeer their own players over sacking Dundee bt Hamilton 4-0 Atl madrid 16 11 2 3 22 8 35 Above all, he has played to the romelu Lukaku Everton of Jose mourinho, with one fan real madrid 16 10 3 3 42 15 33 13 Inverness drew Dundee Utd 2-2 riyad mahrez Leicester city “Jose mourinho, he’s taking your job! strengths of strikers Troy Deeney, Watford’s impressive 3-0 win holding up a banner calling cesc Kilmarnock lost to Aberdeen 0-4 celta Vigo 16 9 4 3 28 22 31 Ian Chadband 12 Odion Ighalo Watford Villarreal 16 9 3 4 21 15 30 N THIS most unpredictable of the club captain, and Nigerian Norwich city fans taunt manchester over Liverpool gave them a fourth Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Diego Partick Thistle bt ross county 1-0 Olivier Giroud Arsenal Deportivo 16 6 8 2 25 16 26 English Premier League seasons, international Odion Ighalo, who 9 United manager Louis van Gaal, consecutive top-flight success for costa “rats”. St Johnstone drew Hearts 0-0 Harry Kane Tottenham the first time in 28 years. Athletic club 16 7 3 6 24 18 24 a small club from a dormitory scored 41 league goals between who admits he is “worried” about I Sergio Aguero man city LA LIGA Sevilla 16 6 5 5 21 19 23 his future after his side’s 2-1 defeat ND then there was one... After the spectacular town just outside London are them last season. 7 Georginio Newcastle PLAYER Athletic bilbao bt Levante 2-0 Valencia 16 5 7 4 21 14 22 at Old Trafford sees them drop out Eibar 16 5 6 5 19 19 21 implosion of the Jose mourinho regime at adding to the sense of romance. Those who doubted the pair Wijnaldum United GOAL riyad mahrez (Leicester city) Granada lost to celta Vigo 0-2 of the top four. real betis 16 5 5 6 13 19 20 chelsea, there is now just one world-beating Last Sunday, Watford scored a would succeed at the higher level Lee chung-Yong (for crystal Palace malaga bt Atl madrid 1-0 A The Algeria winger scores two Espanyol 16 6 2 8 16 26 20 against Stoke city) real madrid bt r Vallecano 10-2 coach left in the global game with a glittering cV 3-0 victory over five-time European claimed justification after Watford 21, with each having scored in four penalties, his 12th and 13th goals of malaga 16 4 5 7 10 14 17 TWEET r Sociedad lost to Villarreal 0-2 unsullied by the stain of any striking failure. champions Liverpool, nicknamed successive games at one time or After Damien Delaney’s shot is the season, to earn Leicester a 3-2 r Sociedad 16 4 4 8 17 22 16 Deportivo bt Eibar 2-0 Step forward then Pep Guardiola, whose the reds, for the first time since another. “Deeply saddened to hear that blocked, South Korea international win at Everton that keeps claudio Getafe 16 4 4 8 18 26 16 announcement last Sunday that he plans to leave 1986 to move just a point off the WATFORD BEAT FIVE-TIME “Of course, we want to dream, Jimmy Hill has left us. A football Lee lets fly from 30 yards with a ranieri’s side top. Espanyol bt Las Palmas 1-0 Sporting Gijon 15 4 3 8 15 23 15 real betis drew Sevilla 0-0 Granada cF 16 3 5 8 17 27 14 bayern munich at the end of the season simply four champions League places in EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS but we want to remain humble,” Valencia drew Getafe 2-2 r Vallecano 16 4 2 10 18 37 14 makes him Europe’s most wanted, the one man that seventh place. LIVERPOOL FOR THE FIRST said Sanchez. Las Palmas 16 3 4 9 12 23 13 every major club in the world who could afford him “I don’t want to talk about that TIME SINCE 1986. Supporters are dreaming of SERIE A Levante 16 2 5 9 12 29 11 WEEKLY ROUND-UP AS roma bt Genoa 2-0 will have on their christmas wish list. possibility,” said Watford’s Spanish bringing European football back to SERIE A Ata bergamo lost to Napoli 1-3 After spells at barcelona and bayern that have been coach Quique Sanchez Flores, who Vicarage road, where the two main Inter milan 17 11 3 3 23 11 36 carpi lost to Juventus 2-3 Fiorentina 17 11 2 4 33 15 35 laden with trophies and decorated with performances only took over in the close-season failed to score in four successive stands are named after the men Fiorentina bt chievo 2-0 Napoli 17 10 5 2 31 13 35 which have identified them as two of Europe’s most and had to integrate more than a games early in the new campaign. behind the most successful period Real Bale for Benitez! Frosinone lost to Ac milan 2-4 Juventus 17 10 3 4 28 14 33 exceptional teams of their generation, Guardiola dozen new players into a squad that Then Deeney, 27, who once in the club’s history some 30 years Inter milan lost to Lazio 1-2 AS roma 17 9 5 3 32 18 32 wants a new challenge — and England is calling. had just won promotion. served three months in prison after ago. EAL madrid closed to within Sampdoria bt Palermo 2-0 Ac milan 17 8 4 5 24 21 28 Sassuolo 16 7 6 3 20 15 27 Actually, make that manchester shouting the Having taken his first job in a conviction for affray, was moved With the financial support of rock two points of La Liga leaders Torino lost to Udinese 0-1 Empoli 17 8 3 6 23 22 27 Verona drew Sassuolo 1-1 loudest. England when successful manager to a position slightly behind Ighalo superstar Elton John — owner from barcelona after demolishing Ata bergamo 17 7 3 7 19 19 24 R bologna lost to Empoli 2-3 Expect manchester United, currently suffering a Slavisa Jokanovic left the club in and the partnership took off again. 1976-87 and now life president — nine-man rayo Vallecano 10-2 Lazio 17 7 2 8 20 26 23 thousand agonies under the prosaic leadership of apparent turmoil by failing to agree They now have 17 goals manager Graham Taylor was able last Sunday while Atletico madrid BUNDESLIGA Torino 16 6 4 6 21 20 22 Louis van Gaal, to start belatedly making eyes at the a new contract, Flores has cleverly between them out of the team’s to build a team that rose within missed a chance to seize top spot b m’gladbach bt SV Darmstadt 3-2 chievo 17 6 4 7 21 18 22 Hertha berlin bt mainz 2-0 Udinese 17 6 3 8 15 24 21 Spaniard as discontent with the autocratic former six seasons from the fourth tier outright by losing Sampdoria 17 5 5 7 24 26 20 cologne bt b Dortmund 2-1 schoolteacher rumbles ever louder. ŠOdion Ighalo to finish runners-up in the 1-0 at malaga. bologna 17 6 1 10 19 24 19 Š E Frankfurt bt Werder bremen 2-1 So far, United have shown, publicly at least, no celebrates top division to Liverpool, Gareth bale landed the first Palermo 17 5 3 9 17 26 18 Ingolstadt lost to b Leverkusen 0-1 interest in the 44-year-old as they stand by their not- after scoring qualifying for the UEFA four-goal haul of his career as real Genoa 17 4 4 9 15 23 16 Watford’s third Hamburg lost to Augsburg 0-1 Frosinone 17 4 2 11 17 34 14 so-flying Dutchman. goal against cup. bounced back in style from the Hanover lost to bayern munich 0-1 carpi 17 2 4 11 15 33 10 Liverpool. Yet, now Guardiola is free and rumour continues After Taylor left 0-1 defeat at Villarreal, with Karim Vfb Stuttgart bt VfL Wolfsburg 2-1 Verona 17 0 8 9 12 27 8 to spread that he supposedly has United, arguably in ’87, going on to benzema netting a hat-trick and Schalke bt Hoffenheim 1-0 BUNDESLIGA the world’s biggest club, at the top of his wish list, manage Aston Villa cristiano ronaldo scoring twice. LIGUE 1 bayern munich 17 15 1 1 46 8 46 b Dortmund 17 12 2 3 47 23 38 that could change as swiftly as United’s fortunes and England, Watford Atletico had captain Gabi sent Ajaccio bt Oly Lyon 2-1 Hertha berlin 17 10 2 5 26 18 32 deteriorate. were relegated and off 11 minutes into the second half G bordeaux drew Oly marseille 1-1 Gareth Bale b m’gladbach 17 9 2 6 34 30 29 Especially with Van Gaal’s old veneer of have returned on only at the rosaleda and malaga made St Etienne bt Angers ScO 1-0 b Leverkusen 17 8 3 6 25 20 27 self-confidence gradually beginning to evaporate. two subsequent occasions, the breakthrough three minutes caen lost to PSG 0-3 Schalke 04 17 8 3 6 23 23 27 Asked after United’s 1-2 defeat at home to Norwich finishing bottom each melo giving away a penalty and bayern, on track for a record Guingamp lost to Stade rennes 0-2 VfL Wolfsburg 17 7 5 5 26 21 26 city last week if he feared for his future, he said, “Yes time. being sent off. fourth consecutive title, have ES Troyes drew monaco 0-0 mainz 17 7 3 7 23 23 24 Fc Lorient drew Nantes 0-0 cologne 17 6 6 5 18 21 24 of course I’m worried about that because I know that The victory meant BENITEZ AND HIS SQUAD Napoli and Fiorentina, in joint 46 points with second-placed bastia bt Stade de reims 2-0 Hamburg SV 17 6 4 7 19 23 22 belief in a manager is very important.” Sanchez’s team has already HAVE STILL TO PROVE second position, both won to close borussia Dortmund stuck on 38 Ingolstadt 04 17 5 5 7 11 18 20 Toulouse drew Lille 1-1 THEMSELVES AGAINST Augsburg 17 5 4 8 21 26 19 Across town manchester city and their Abu Dhabi matched the 28 points from the gap on Inter. after conceding two late goals to Nice bt montpellier 1-0 owners have been courting Guardiola for so long the whole of the last top level QUALITY TEAMS. AS roma eased the pressure on slump to a 1-2 defeat at cologne. Darmstadt 98 17 4 6 7 17 26 18 E Frankfurt 17 4 5 8 21 28 17 and so assiduously that it would be no surprise if an campaign in just 17 games. coach rudi Garcia with their first Surprise package Hertha berlin Vfb Stuttgart 17 4 3 10 22 37 15 agreement has already been put in place for him to Whether they maintain win in eight games, beating Genoa tightened their hold on third place STANDINGS Werder bremen 17 4 3 10 17 32 15 As of Sunday join their money-no-object project next season. the current momentum will from time when a charles volley 2-0. champions Juventus registered with a 2-0 victory over mainz 05, Hanover 96 17 4 2 11 18 29 14 Even manuel Pellegrini, the current manager, be tested in the next fortnight deflected into the net off Diego their seventh straight victory, their fifth win in six matches. EPL Hoffenheim 17 2 7 8 17 25 13 Leicester 17 11 5 1 37 24 38 sounds, from recent pronouncements, as if he with fixtures against chelsea, Godin. coming from behind to down carpi LIGUE 1 Arsenal 16 10 3 3 29 13 33 PSG 19 16 3 0 48 9 51 supports the idea of Guardiola as his successor. Tottenham and manchester city. barca and Atletico are on 35 3-2 in the first ever Serie A meeting PSG blank Caen man city 16 10 2 4 32 17 32 monaco 19 8 8 3 25 23 32 “Pep Guardiola will work here (in England), I don’t Deeney, however, is in no points, with the Spanish and between the clubs. Inter have 36 In France, Paris Saint-Germain sunk Tottenham 17 7 8 2 28 14 29 Angers ScO 19 8 7 4 17 11 31 know if it’s next season here (at city) or at another doubt. “bring it on!” he laughed European champions having points, Napoli and Fiorentina are on caen 3-0 to head into the winter man United 17 8 5 4 22 14 29 caen 19 9 3 7 21 22 30 club. Some day he’ll come here,” said Pellegrini, who immediately after helping create played one game fewer. real are 35 and Juventus 33. break with 51 points, breaking crystal Palace 17 9 2 6 23 16 29 Nice 19 8 5 6 32 23 29 Watford 17 8 4 5 21 16 28 has 18 months left on his contract. another small piece of history with third on 33. the record for the most amassed St Etienne 19 9 2 8 22 22 29 Bayern strengthen position West Ham 17 6 7 4 25 21 25 Stade rennes 19 6 9 4 25 21 27 “I hope he’ll have the option to work at manchester the club’s biggest-ever victory over real have romped to some during the first half of the season Liverpool 17 6 6 5 20 22 24 Fc Lorient 19 6 8 5 27 26 26 city. I say that because I love this club and I hope, in Liverpool. massive wins against lowly In Germany, champions bayern set by Olympique Lyon in ’06. Everton 17 5 8 4 31 24 23 Oly Lyon 19 7 5 7 23 23 26 the future, he can work here also. I’m sure he’ll be For Juergen Klopp, the opponents this season, but coach munich go into the winter break Lyon lost 1-2 at Ajaccio, thanks Stoke city 17 6 5 6 14 16 23 Oly marseille 19 6 7 6 28 21 25 very important for the club.” honeymoon enjoyed by any new rafa benitez and his expensively- with an eight-point lead at the top to a mohamed Wael Larbi double Southampton 17 5 6 6 21 21 21 Lille 19 5 9 5 15 13 24 West bromwich 17 5 5 7 17 23 20 GFc Ajaccio 19 6 6 7 20 22 24 If that makes it sound almost a done deal, then manager is now over, with Liverpool assembled squad have still to prove of the bundesliga after winning while Angers’ good run came to an Nantes 19 6 6 7 14 17 24 bournemouth 17 5 4 8 22 32 19 mourinho’s departure from chelsea may have only one place higher in the table themselves against quality teams. 1-0 at Hanover 96, but they will end with a 0-1 defeat at St Etienne. G bordeaux 19 5 8 6 23 28 23 chelsea 17 5 3 9 21 27 18 montpellier HSc 19 6 4 9 22 25 22 clouded the picture. than when brendan rodgers was spend the second half of the PSG are 19 points clear of Norwich 17 4 5 8 20 29 17 Inter drop point bastia 19 6 4 9 20 24 22 media reports suggest that blues owner roman sacked. season knowing that coach Pep second-placed monaco who have Newcastle 17 4 5 8 19 32 17 Stade de reims 19 5 6 8 19 24 21 Abramovich will see Guardiola as the perfect To his credit, the German In Italy, Inter milan’s lead was cut to Guardiola has decided to hand over 32 after drawing 0-0 at 10-man Swansea 17 3 6 8 15 24 15 EA Guingamp 19 5 4 10 17 27 19 replacement for his favourite stop-gap Guus Hiddink, acknowledged a “deserved win” for one point as they lost 1-2 at home the reins wto carlo Ancelotti in the Troyes. Angers, in third, have 31 Sunderland 17 3 3 11 18 33 12 Toulouse 19 3 8 8 21 33 17 who last week signed a deal until the season’s end. Watford. to Lazio, the home team’s Felipe summer. and caen are on 30. Aston Villa 17 1 4 12 14 31 7 ES Troyes 19 0 8 11 10 35 8 www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 15

RESULTS SPFL EPL HIGHLIGHTS celtic 18 13 3 2 45 14 42 EPL Aberdeen 19 13 2 4 32 18 41 Swansea drew West Ham 0-0 Hearts 18 9 5 4 29 18 32 man through and through who right-foot shot that curls inside left- Watford bt Liverpool 3-0 St Johnstone 19 9 4 6 35 29 31 HEADLINES gave the game so much in so many hand post to give Palace victory in chelsea bt Sunderland 3-1 ross county 19 7 3 9 28 27 24 • Norwich condemn man Utd to ways. the 88th minute. Everton lost to Leicester 2-3 Dundee 19 5 8 6 27 30 23 Partick Thistle 18 6 5 7 19 23 23 third straight defeat Former England striker Gary man United lost to Norwich 1-2 Newcastle drew Aston Villa 1-1 Hamilton 18 6 4 8 22 29 22 Lineker pays tribute to Jimmy Hill, MOMENT Inverness 18 5 6 7 21 25 21 • Interim manager Hiddink sees Southampton lost to Tottenham 0-2 player, manager, union leader, motherwell 18 6 3 9 18 25 21 chelsea beat Sunderland chelsea’s festive jeer (in their 3-1 Stoke city lost to crystal Palace 1-2 club chairman, television pundit win over Sunderland) Kilmarnock 19 4 5 10 19 36 17 • Leicester sink Everton to secure and innovator, who died from West bromwich lost to bournemouth 1-2 Dundee United 19 2 4 13 15 36 10 christmas top spot Alzheimer’s disease aged 87. With new interim manager Guus SPFL LA LIGA Hiddink watching on, chelsea fans celtic lost to motherwell 1-2 barcelona 15 11 2 2 36 15 35 QUOTE STAT jeer their own players over sacking Dundee bt Hamilton 4-0 Atl madrid 16 11 2 3 22 8 35 of Jose mourinho, with one fan Inverness drew Dundee Utd 2-2 real madrid 16 10 3 3 42 15 33 “Jose mourinho, he’s taking your job! Watford’s impressive 3-0 win holding up a banner calling cesc Kilmarnock lost to Aberdeen 0-4 celta Vigo 16 9 4 3 28 22 31 Villarreal 16 9 3 4 21 15 30 Norwich city fans taunt manchester over Liverpool gave them a fourth Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Diego Partick Thistle bt ross county 1-0 Deportivo 16 6 8 2 25 16 26 United manager Louis van Gaal, consecutive top-flight success for costa “rats”. St Johnstone drew Hearts 0-0 the first time in 28 years. Athletic club 16 7 3 6 24 18 24 who admits he is “worried” about LA LIGA Sevilla 16 6 5 5 21 19 23 his future after his side’s 2-1 defeat PLAYER Athletic bilbao bt Levante 2-0 Valencia 16 5 7 4 21 14 22 at Old Trafford sees them drop out Eibar 16 5 6 5 19 19 21 GOAL riyad mahrez (Leicester city) Granada lost to celta Vigo 0-2 of the top four. real betis 16 5 5 6 13 19 20 Lee chung-Yong (for crystal Palace malaga bt Atl madrid 1-0 The Algeria winger scores two Espanyol 16 6 2 8 16 26 20 against Stoke city) real madrid bt r Vallecano 10-2 penalties, his 12th and 13th goals of malaga 16 4 5 7 10 14 17 TWEET r Sociedad lost to Villarreal 0-2 After Damien Delaney’s shot is the season, to earn Leicester a 3-2 r Sociedad 16 4 4 8 17 22 16 Deportivo bt Eibar 2-0 “Deeply saddened to hear that blocked, South Korea international win at Everton that keeps claudio Getafe 16 4 4 8 18 26 16 Jimmy Hill has left us. A football Lee lets fly from 30 yards with a ranieri’s side top. Espanyol bt Las Palmas 1-0 Sporting Gijon 15 4 3 8 15 23 15 real betis drew Sevilla 0-0 Granada cF 16 3 5 8 17 27 14 Valencia drew Getafe 2-2 r Vallecano 16 4 2 10 18 37 14 Las Palmas 16 3 4 9 12 23 13 WEEKLY ROUND-UP SERIE A Levante 16 2 5 9 12 29 11 AS roma bt Genoa 2-0 SERIE A Ata bergamo lost to Napoli 1-3 Inter milan 17 11 3 3 23 11 36 carpi lost to Juventus 2-3 Fiorentina 17 11 2 4 33 15 35 Fiorentina bt chievo 2-0 Napoli 17 10 5 2 31 13 35 Real Bale for Benitez! Frosinone lost to Ac milan 2-4 Juventus 17 10 3 4 28 14 33 Inter milan lost to Lazio 1-2 AS roma 17 9 5 3 32 18 32 EAL madrid closed to within Sampdoria bt Palermo 2-0 Ac milan 17 8 4 5 24 21 28 Sassuolo 16 7 6 3 20 15 27 two points of La Liga leaders Torino lost to Udinese 0-1 Empoli 17 8 3 6 23 22 27 Verona drew Sassuolo 1-1 barcelona after demolishing Ata bergamo 17 7 3 7 19 19 24 R bologna lost to Empoli 2-3 nine-man rayo Vallecano 10-2 Lazio 17 7 2 8 20 26 23 last Sunday while Atletico madrid BUNDESLIGA Torino 16 6 4 6 21 20 22 missed a chance to seize top spot b m’gladbach bt SV Darmstadt 3-2 chievo 17 6 4 7 21 18 22 Hertha berlin bt mainz 2-0 Udinese 17 6 3 8 15 24 21 outright by losing Sampdoria 17 5 5 7 24 26 20 cologne bt b Dortmund 2-1 1-0 at malaga. bologna 17 6 1 10 19 24 19 E Frankfurt bt Werder bremen 2-1 Gareth bale landed the first Palermo 17 5 3 9 17 26 18 Ingolstadt lost to b Leverkusen 0-1 four-goal haul of his career as real Genoa 17 4 4 9 15 23 16 Hamburg lost to Augsburg 0-1 Frosinone 17 4 2 11 17 34 14 bounced back in style from the Hanover lost to bayern munich 0-1 carpi 17 2 4 11 15 33 10 0-1 defeat at Villarreal, with Karim Vfb Stuttgart bt VfL Wolfsburg 2-1 Verona 17 0 8 9 12 27 8 benzema netting a hat-trick and Schalke bt Hoffenheim 1-0 BUNDESLIGA cristiano ronaldo scoring twice. LIGUE 1 bayern munich 17 15 1 1 46 8 46 b Dortmund 17 12 2 3 47 23 38 Atletico had captain Gabi sent Ajaccio bt Oly Lyon 2-1 Hertha berlin 17 10 2 5 26 18 32 off 11 minutes into the second half G bordeaux drew Oly marseille 1-1 Gareth Bale b m’gladbach 17 9 2 6 34 30 29 at the rosaleda and malaga made St Etienne bt Angers ScO 1-0 b Leverkusen 17 8 3 6 25 20 27 the breakthrough three minutes caen lost to PSG 0-3 Schalke 04 17 8 3 6 23 23 27 melo giving away a penalty and bayern, on track for a record Guingamp lost to Stade rennes 0-2 VfL Wolfsburg 17 7 5 5 26 21 26 being sent off. fourth consecutive title, have ES Troyes drew monaco 0-0 mainz 17 7 3 7 23 23 24 Fc Lorient drew Nantes 0-0 cologne 17 6 6 5 18 21 24 BENITEZ AND HIS SQUAD Napoli and Fiorentina, in joint 46 points with second-placed bastia bt Stade de reims 2-0 Hamburg SV 17 6 4 7 19 23 22 HAVE STILL TO PROVE second position, both won to close borussia Dortmund stuck on 38 Ingolstadt 04 17 5 5 7 11 18 20 Toulouse drew Lille 1-1 THEMSELVES AGAINST Augsburg 17 5 4 8 21 26 19 the gap on Inter. after conceding two late goals to Nice bt montpellier 1-0 QUALITY TEAMS. AS roma eased the pressure on slump to a 1-2 defeat at cologne. Darmstadt 98 17 4 6 7 17 26 18 E Frankfurt 17 4 5 8 21 28 17 coach rudi Garcia with their first Surprise package Hertha berlin Vfb Stuttgart 17 4 3 10 22 37 15 win in eight games, beating Genoa tightened their hold on third place STANDINGS Werder bremen 17 4 3 10 17 32 15 As of Sunday from time when a charles volley 2-0. champions Juventus registered with a 2-0 victory over mainz 05, Hanover 96 17 4 2 11 18 29 14 deflected into the net off Diego their seventh straight victory, their fifth win in six matches. EPL Hoffenheim 17 2 7 8 17 25 13 Leicester 17 11 5 1 37 24 38 Godin. coming from behind to down carpi LIGUE 1 Arsenal 16 10 3 3 29 13 33 PSG 19 16 3 0 48 9 51 barca and Atletico are on 35 3-2 in the first ever Serie A meeting PSG blank Caen man city 16 10 2 4 32 17 32 monaco 19 8 8 3 25 23 32 points, with the Spanish and between the clubs. Inter have 36 In France, Paris Saint-Germain sunk Tottenham 17 7 8 2 28 14 29 Angers ScO 19 8 7 4 17 11 31 European champions having points, Napoli and Fiorentina are on caen 3-0 to head into the winter man United 17 8 5 4 22 14 29 caen 19 9 3 7 21 22 30 played one game fewer. real are 35 and Juventus 33. break with 51 points, breaking crystal Palace 17 9 2 6 23 16 29 Nice 19 8 5 6 32 23 29 Watford 17 8 4 5 21 16 28 third on 33. the record for the most amassed St Etienne 19 9 2 8 22 22 29 Bayern strengthen position West Ham 17 6 7 4 25 21 25 Stade rennes 19 6 9 4 25 21 27 real have romped to some during the first half of the season Liverpool 17 6 6 5 20 22 24 Fc Lorient 19 6 8 5 27 26 26 massive wins against lowly In Germany, champions bayern set by Olympique Lyon in ’06. Everton 17 5 8 4 31 24 23 Oly Lyon 19 7 5 7 23 23 26 opponents this season, but coach munich go into the winter break Lyon lost 1-2 at Ajaccio, thanks Stoke city 17 6 5 6 14 16 23 Oly marseille 19 6 7 6 28 21 25 rafa benitez and his expensively- with an eight-point lead at the top to a mohamed Wael Larbi double Southampton 17 5 6 6 21 21 21 Lille 19 5 9 5 15 13 24 West bromwich 17 5 5 7 17 23 20 GFc Ajaccio 19 6 6 7 20 22 24 assembled squad have still to prove of the bundesliga after winning while Angers’ good run came to an Nantes 19 6 6 7 14 17 24 bournemouth 17 5 4 8 22 32 19 themselves against quality teams. 1-0 at Hanover 96, but they will end with a 0-1 defeat at St Etienne. G bordeaux 19 5 8 6 23 28 23 chelsea 17 5 3 9 21 27 18 montpellier HSc 19 6 4 9 22 25 22 spend the second half of the PSG are 19 points clear of Norwich 17 4 5 8 20 29 17 Inter drop point bastia 19 6 4 9 20 24 22 season knowing that coach Pep second-placed monaco who have Newcastle 17 4 5 8 19 32 17 Stade de reims 19 5 6 8 19 24 21 In Italy, Inter milan’s lead was cut to Guardiola has decided to hand over 32 after drawing 0-0 at 10-man Swansea 17 3 6 8 15 24 15 EA Guingamp 19 5 4 10 17 27 19 one point as they lost 1-2 at home the reins wto carlo Ancelotti in the Troyes. Angers, in third, have 31 Sunderland 17 3 3 11 18 33 12 Toulouse 19 3 8 8 21 33 17 to Lazio, the home team’s Felipe summer. and caen are on 30. Aston Villa 17 1 4 12 14 31 7 ES Troyes 19 0 8 11 10 35 8 16 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DECEMbER 23, 2015 17 FOOTBALL | INTERNATIONAL Ancelotti to replace Suarez shines Guardiola at Bayern EP Guardiola will leave bayern has yet to comment on his decision Munich at the end of the to quit the club and has already left Pseason after the Spaniard Munich for a winter holiday, took decided not to extend his contract over after bayern’s treble-winning in Barca bash at the German champions, who season under Jupp Heynckes in almost every attack. saved by barcelona goalkeeper announced last Sunday that 2012-13. Brian Homewood messi, Neymar and Suarez claudio bravo. multiple Champions League winner He has maintained their domestic seemed to take it in turns to run at “We had a game plan that we Carlo Ancelotti had signed a dominance with back-to-back the bewildered river defence and executed for 36 minutes until messi’s three-year deal to replace him. league titles and a German Cup in ArcELONA swept to the club the brazilian, in particular, first goal, from then on we started bayern Chief Executive Karl-Heinz his first two seasons in charge, while World cup title by outclassing over-elaborated in his attempt to to lose our shape,” said river coach Rummenigge confirmed the also overhauling the playing squad. BSouth American champions get on the score sheet. marcelo Gallardo. “We’re upset we much-anticipated change in Carlo river Plate 3-0 last Sunday, with The match emphasised the gap couldn’t give the supporters this manager, thanking Guardiola for his Ancelotti Luis Suarez scoring twice after Lionel between the two continents in club satisfaction (of winning). work and confirming that a deal for BAYERN HAD REPEATEDLY messi had broken the deadlock in a football with nearly all top South messi had already been denied by Italian Ancelotti, who has been out SAID THEY WANTED ANCELOTTI FACT FILE one-sided contest. American players now based in marcelo baravero before scoring the of a job since leaving Real Madrid in GUARDIOLA TO STAY PLAYING CAREER There was a hint of handball Europe. opener, although replays suggested close season, had been completed. AT THE CLUB. Position: Midfielder about messi’s goal although it did river, made up mainly of the ball may have touched his arm “We’re thankful to Guardiola for Clubs: Parma (1976-79), Roma (1979-87), AC not appear to be intentional, as the journeymen with only a smattering as he brought it under control. all he gave our club and hope to Milan (1987-92) International appearances for Italy: 26 (one Argentinian brought down Neymar’s river enjoyed some possession celebrate more success in the current Home-grown talents like club icon goal) pass and cleverly flicked the ball past after half-time, but only until Sergio season,” said Rummenigge. “I’m bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni International debut: On January 6, 1981, vs marcelo barovero. THE MATCH EMPHASISED busquets sent Suarez clear of the convinced that Pep and the team will Kroos have left on Guardiola’s watch the Netherlands (1-1) Uruguay forward Suarez, who THE GAP BETWEEN THE rival defence to score the second four work harder to reach the big sporting while Spaniards Thiago Alcantara PLAYING HONOURS scored a hat-trick in the semifinal TWO CONTINENTS minutes into the second half. aims of the club.” and Xabi Alonso have been among UEFA Intercontinental Cup: 1989, ’90 win over over Asian champions IN CLUB FOOTBALL. The third goal in the 68th was bayern had repeatedly said they the arrivals. bayern, however, have European Cup/Champions League: 1989, ’90 European Super Cup: 1989, ’90 Guangzhou Evergrande, took his a gem as Neymar planted a wanted Guardiola to stay at the club, maintained their stranglehold on Serie A: 1983, ’88, ’92 tally in the tournament to five cross on Suarez’s head and but his departure had been widely the bundesliga, winning titles and Italian Cup: 1980, ’81, ’84, ’86 goals. He has 24 goals in as many of international caps between them, he placed the ball past predicted, with media breaking records in Italian Super Cup: 1988 games this season. cost around €5m in transfer fees, barovero. reports saying a move to the the process. COACHING CAREER The European champions, compared to an estimated €80m Premier League was on the Clubs: Reggiana (ITA/1995-96), Parma fielding six South that barcelona paid for Suarez cards. (ITA/1996-99), Juventus (ITA/1999-01), AC Milan (ITA/2001-09), Chelsea (ENG/2009- American players, alone. A number of top English 11), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA/2011-13), were especially backed by 15,000 fanatical clubs are likely to be eyeing Real Madrid (ESP/2013-15) dominant in the supporters who had made the the 44-year-old, who has COACHING HONOURS second half when trip from Argentina, they made a consolidated his standing as Club World Cup: 2007 Champions League: 2003, ’07 they repeatedly promising start as rodrigo mora one of Europe’s top coaches UEFA Super Cup: 2003, ’07 sliced through the and Lucas Alario both got into good since joining bayern in 2013 after AC Milan Serie A: 2004 river defence looking shooting positions, only to produce winning a remarkable 14 titles Italian Cup: 2004 as if they could score with weak efforts which were easily in four years at barcelona. Italian Super Cup: 2004 The Spaniard, who English Premier League: 2010 English FA Cup: 2010 Chelsea English Community šşbarcelona’s Shield: 2009 Luis Suarez scores Paris Saint- French Ligue 1: 2013 against river Plate. Germain Counting their losses and titles Champions League: 2014 şşFrom left, Lionel Spanish Cup: 2014 messi (Silver ball), Real Madrid Club World Cup: 2014 Luis Suarez (Golden HILE barcelona in the River side, is bound for professional football abroad, more Pep ball) and Andres pondered how to jam Mexico’s Monterrey. than any other country apart from Guardiola UEFA Super Cup: 2014 Iniesta (bronze ball) If there’s something that more silverware into “Apart from the sadness and brazil. with the awards. W these players and this their trophy cabinet, River Plate the bitterness for having lost this barcelona fielded six Spain coach Vicente del bosque says club have shown, it’s their were counting their losses after match, I want to thank the players South Americans, all of them Spain coach he plans to step down from the post unlimited hunger to win the Club World Cup final defeat. for their great efforts this year,” accomplished internationals, after Euro 2016 in France, according titles and the style with Success for a big European club said Gallardo. including Javier Mascherano, who Del Bosque to extracts from his new book which they win them... tends to breed more success as “The match was almost the end began his career at River. wants to published last week. Usually, people like to be they cash in on prize money and The stellar cast helped barcelona “If everything goes as expected, associated with teams television rights. to yet another title, their fifth in step down after Euro 2016, I’ll leave the national Success for a South American SUCCESS FOR A SOUTH the six competitions they were team and Spanish football federation. that win, but I believe in It’s also a question of health,” Del side, however, usually sparks a AMERICAN SIDE, involved in this year, the only the case of barca, it’s also bosque wrote in the book Winning because of the way in player exodus to bigger, richer HOWEVER, USUALLY failure being the Spanish Super and losing: Emotional Strength. which we win titles. clubs and the breakup of a team. SPARKS A PLAYER EXODUS. Cup loss to Athletic bilbao. “I’ve been the national team coach Coach Marcelo Gallardo, who While most countries do not for eight years and I don’t intend to Luis Enrique, barcelona coach. has transformed River since taking look beyond domestic league cling to the post,” he adds, according over 18 months ago, was already of an era, because there’re players as well as cup competitions and to the extracts published in the online contemplating the departure who’re leaving. It was the cherry European campaigns, Spain adds edition of sports daily Marca and other newspapers. of Carlos Sanchez and Matias on the cake and we deserved to one-off matches to the tally. Del bosque, who took over from Kranevitter, two of his most get here, but we weren’t at Spanish sports daily AS the late Luis Aragones after Spain’s influential players. our best in football terms and that concluded barcelona had won 26 triumph at Euro 2008, is a hugely Kranevitter was playing his makes me a little upset,” he said. trophies in the last decade — four popular figure in the country, having last game for the club before the According to a report by Champions Leagues, three Club guided them to a maiden World 23-year-old moves to Atletico Swiss-based CIES Football Worlds, European Super Cups and Cup triumph in ’10 and a second Madrid while Uruguayan Sanchez, Observatory in October, 929 Spanish Cups, seven La Liga titles, consecutive European Championship two years later. the only regular international Argentinians currently play and six Spanish Super Cups. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DECEMbER 23, 2015 17

Ancelotti to replace Guardiola at Bayern

EP Guardiola will leave bayern has yet to comment on his decision Munich at the end of the to quit the club and has already left Pseason after the Spaniard Munich for a winter holiday, took decided not to extend his contract over after bayern’s treble-winning at the German champions, who season under Jupp Heynckes in announced last Sunday that 2012-13. multiple Champions League winner He has maintained their domestic Carlo Ancelotti had signed a dominance with back-to-back three-year deal to replace him. league titles and a German Cup in bayern Chief Executive Karl-Heinz his first two seasons in charge, while Rummenigge confirmed the also overhauling the playing squad. much-anticipated change in Carlo manager, thanking Guardiola for his Ancelotti work and confirming that a deal for BAYERN HAD REPEATEDLY Italian Ancelotti, who has been out SAID THEY WANTED ANCELOTTI FACT FILE of a job since leaving Real Madrid in GUARDIOLA TO STAY PLAYING CAREER close season, had been completed. AT THE CLUB. Position: Midfielder “We’re thankful to Guardiola for Clubs: Parma (1976-79), Roma (1979-87), AC all he gave our club and hope to Milan (1987-92) International appearances for Italy: 26 (one celebrate more success in the current Home-grown talents like club icon goal) season,” said Rummenigge. “I’m bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni International debut: On January 6, 1981, vs convinced that Pep and the team will Kroos have left on Guardiola’s watch the Netherlands (1-1) work harder to reach the big sporting while Spaniards Thiago Alcantara PLAYING HONOURS aims of the club.” and Xabi Alonso have been among UEFA Intercontinental Cup: 1989, ’90 bayern had repeatedly said they the arrivals. bayern, however, have European Cup/Champions League: 1989, ’90 European Super Cup: 1989, ’90 wanted Guardiola to stay at the club, maintained their stranglehold on Serie A: 1983, ’88, ’92 but his departure had been widely the bundesliga, winning titles and Italian Cup: 1980, ’81, ’84, ’86 predicted, with media breaking records in Italian Super Cup: 1988 reports saying a move to the the process. COACHING CAREER Premier League was on the Clubs: Reggiana (ITA/1995-96), Parma cards. (ITA/1996-99), Juventus (ITA/1999-01), AC Milan (ITA/2001-09), Chelsea (ENG/2009- A number of top English 11), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA/2011-13), clubs are likely to be eyeing Real Madrid (ESP/2013-15) the 44-year-old, who has COACHING HONOURS consolidated his standing as Club World Cup: 2007 Champions League: 2003, ’07 one of Europe’s top coaches UEFA Super Cup: 2003, ’07 since joining bayern in 2013 after AC Milan Serie A: 2004 winning a remarkable 14 titles Italian Cup: 2004 in four years at barcelona. Italian Super Cup: 2004 The Spaniard, who English Premier League: 2010 English FA Cup: 2010 Chelsea English Community Shield: 2009 Paris Saint- French Ligue 1: 2013 Germain Counting their losses and titles Champions League: 2014 Spanish Cup: 2014 Real Madrid HILE barcelona in the River side, is bound for professional football abroad, more Pep Club World Cup: 2014 pondered how to jam Mexico’s Monterrey. than any other country apart from Guardiola UEFA Super Cup: 2014 Wmore silverware into “Apart from the sadness and brazil. their trophy cabinet, River Plate the bitterness for having lost this barcelona fielded six Spain coach Vicente del bosque says were counting their losses after match, I want to thank the players South Americans, all of them Spain coach he plans to step down from the post the Club World Cup final defeat. for their great efforts this year,” accomplished internationals, after Euro 2016 in France, according Success for a big European club said Gallardo. including Javier Mascherano, who Del Bosque to extracts from his new book tends to breed more success as “The match was almost the end began his career at River. wants to published last week. they cash in on prize money and The stellar cast helped barcelona “If everything goes as expected, television rights. to yet another title, their fifth in step down after Euro 2016, I’ll leave the national Success for a South American SUCCESS FOR A SOUTH the six competitions they were team and Spanish football federation. It’s also a question of health,” Del side, however, usually sparks a AMERICAN SIDE, involved in this year, the only bosque wrote in the book Winning player exodus to bigger, richer HOWEVER, USUALLY failure being the Spanish Super and losing: Emotional Strength. clubs and the breakup of a team. SPARKS A PLAYER EXODUS. Cup loss to Athletic bilbao. “I’ve been the national team coach Coach Marcelo Gallardo, who While most countries do not for eight years and I don’t intend to has transformed River since taking look beyond domestic league cling to the post,” he adds, according over 18 months ago, was already of an era, because there’re players as well as cup competitions and to the extracts published in the online contemplating the departure who’re leaving. It was the cherry European campaigns, Spain adds edition of sports daily Marca and other newspapers. of Carlos Sanchez and Matias on the cake and we deserved to one-off matches to the tally. Del bosque, who took over from Kranevitter, two of his most get here, but we weren’t at Spanish sports daily AS the late Luis Aragones after Spain’s influential players. our best in football terms and that concluded barcelona had won 26 triumph at Euro 2008, is a hugely Kranevitter was playing his makes me a little upset,” he said. trophies in the last decade — four popular figure in the country, having last game for the club before the According to a report by Champions Leagues, three Club guided them to a maiden World 23-year-old moves to Atletico Swiss-based CIES Football Worlds, European Super Cups and Cup triumph in ’10 and a second Madrid while Uruguayan Sanchez, Observatory in October, 929 Spanish Cups, seven La Liga titles, consecutive European Championship two years later. the only regular international Argentinians currently play and six Spanish Super Cups. 18 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 19

blending sports with culture seems to be a fabulous idea. The recent Tour of A blend of Al Zubarah was a classic example of an effort aimed to showcase the Qatari culture to the world. For history lovers, Al Zubarah is a favourite topic — cycling and the fort stands on the remnants of Al Zubarah, which once flourished as a CYCLING culture! pearling and trading centre in the late 18th century and early 19th before it was destroyed in 1811 and abandoned in the early 1900s.

WHAT THEY SAID

“It wasn’t an easy win. The last stage Sheikh Khalid bin was very difficult. Ali Al Thani I was 4sec behind when we started the stage. I was lucky ‘Right to host the it was windy and that proved good Worlds an honour’ for me. It was a big achievement for us. I’ll OP riders from around the world will come to TUNISIAN RIDER MEHER HASNAOUI DISPLAYS HIS CLASS AND DETERMINATION EN ROUTE come back next year Doha for the international cycling union (UcI) to defend the title. Troad World championships, to be held from TO WINNING THE THIRD TOUR OF ZUBARAH, WRITES MOHAMMAD AMIN-UL ISLAM. Meher Hasnaoui, October 9 to 16 next year. Skydive Dubai Team rider. Qatar will be the first middle East nation to organise the championship and the second Asian country after Japan, who hosted it in 1990. The first- ššcyclists cross UNISIAN rider meher finishing second. HONOURS cycling Federation’s (QcF) effort to Algeria’s Azzedine Lagab did not cycling tradition. We’ve drawn a the finishing line ever edition was held in Denmark in 1921. at Al Zubarah. Hasnaoui of Skydive Dubai Hasnaoui perfectly implemented INDIVIDUAL CLASSIFICATION promote the sport at Al Zubarah, take part this time. roadmap for the future. The number “Hosting the Worlds is an honour the world TTeam showed his class and his team’s strategy in the final stage, Yellow jersey meher Skydive one of country’s historical sites “We’re happy the tournament of riders is increasing and the governing body has given us. The Doha edition will fighting spirit in abundance to which placed him in the 18-rider (by time) Hasnaoui Dubai which was included in the was appreciated by the participants. awareness is growing. Next year’s be an unforgettable experience as it’ll be totally red jersey Skydive emerge as the Tour of Zubarah’s main group along with Palini, who Andrea Palini UNEScO Heritage list in 2013. Every year we try to make it World championship will be a real different from the previous ones. We’re confident (points) Dubai overall winner last week. won the red Jersey for winner of the Light blue mohammed Qatar fielded two teams competitive and also give our own test for us,” said Al Kuwari. we can host some exciting races,” said Organising Pishgaman jersey (best chaichi Stage 1 winner Hasnaoui finished points classification. Giant Team — Qatar National Team and cyclists the opportunity to compete According to the international “I’m satisfied with my committee chairman and Qatar cycling Federation third in the third and final stage to “It was a good race. Our team took young rider) raghimi carbon Wheels. Abdullah with the best,” said QcF Assistant cycling union’s classification, President Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al Thani. TEAM CLASSIFICATION riding. The Tour of clock an overall time of 9:15:21sec. both the Yellow and red Jerseys. I’m PKY Pishgaman Giant Team 27:48:09 Afif of Qatar National Team General Secretary Khaled bin Tour of Zubarah is a class 2.2 The Arabian hospitality, windy weather and Gulf Eugen Wacker of Kuwait cycling finished 23rd in general Arhama Al Kuwari. event, where the participants Zubarah was a well- surroundings will add more charm to next year’s Kuwait cycling Team 27:48:50 organised one and the Project, who claimed Stage 3 in Sharjah Team 28:06:08 classification, one place above The former Formula 1 Powerboat earned points both nationally and championships. 2:45:08sec, was 15sec behind THE TOUR OF ZUBARAH compatriot Ahmed bassam racing head at the reconstituted individually. roads were good. It’s “courses for the 253km men’s and 138km women’s Hasanoui in overall classification. WAS WELL ORGANISED Al bourdainy, who Qatar marine Sports Federation said The prologue, held at the Aspire a perfect destination races, 40km men’s and 24km women’s time trials “It wasn’t an easy win. It was a AND THE ROADS Zubarah was well organised and the represented the Sharjah he was honoured to join the QcF. Zone on the first day, covered a for cycling. I enjoyed include trips to the desert and around the man-made big achievement for us. We’ll come WERE FANTASTIC. roads were fantastic. It’s a perfect Team. “I want to share my distance of 3.3km. Stage 1, held racing here. island The Pearl to showcase Doha’s modernity as back next year to defend the title,” destination for cycling.” The event, which was managerial and team- from Al Thakira to Al Shamal, Andrea Palini, well as culture and tradition, with city skyscrapers in 26-year-old Hasnaoui told Doha PKY Pishgaman Giant Team’s started with the aim of building experiences with covered 129.1km while Stage 2, Skydive Dubai Team rider. the background at the finish line,” he added. Stadium Plus. satisfied with my race here as I got mohammed chachi raghmi topped providing home-grown talents the QcF. We’ve a big from camel race Track to Dukhan, In line with the ’30 Qatar National Vision, the “I’ll be going back with happy the red Jersey. We’ll go back home the Under-23 classification with an more opportunities to race at challenge of preparing a was 119.8km long. The 119.86km country has been promoting sports and using it as memories. It was a difficult race as it and rest, before preparing for the overall time of 9:16:10sec to grab the high-profile events, included team that can compete Stage 3 was run from Simaisma to means of communication and strengthening ties was windy. We also had to overcome next race,” said 26-year-old Palini, light blue jersey. a prologue (a short individual nations who’ve a strong Al Zubarah Fort. with different nations by hosting multiple regional the challenges in the last 10km. We who is one of the top riders in the As many as 100 top cyclists, time trial) and three stages and international events in recent years. really had to sprint to the finish line,” Asian UcI Tour rankings. “The Tour of representing 14 teams from 20 with many intermediate RESULTS “We received the right to host the Worlds in ’12. I said Wacker. “I’m happy to win this countries, competed in the four-day sprints. 1. Jacob Tipper Team Giant rbS 04:18sec hope the championship will enhance Qatar’s position stage which turned out to be lucky event. “The prologue gave us a PROLOGUE 2. Hamid beikkhormizi Pishgaman Giant Team +8 to host more events and it’ll underline our ability to 3. Koos Jeroen Kers Wilton cycling Team +8 as our team finished second overall.” besides Qatar, teams from the first look on how the riders do it,” added Sheikh Khalid. 1. meher Hasnaoui Skydive Dubai Pro cycling Team-Al Ahli 3:10:52 “I’m happy to win Naser rezavi of PKY Pishgaman other middle East countries, are prepared for the race,” STAGE 1 2. Jacob Tipper Team Giant rbS +12 “We’ve been working closely with the UcI to Giant Team finished second in the Asia and Europe competed in said Tournament Director 3. Koos Jeroen Kers Wilton cycling Team +12 the blue Jersey. It’ll make the event successful. Thanks to the support third stage. the third edition of the event. Andrej Filip. 1. michael Schweizer Team rose NrW 3:15:01 definitely give me a of the government and national partners and as a Earlier, michael Schweizer The tour was a part of Qatar The UAE’s mohamed STAGE 2 2. Andrea Palini Skydive Dubai Pro cycling Team - Al Ahli club 3:15:01 lot of confidence for part of our national agenda where sport occupies a 3. Koos Jeroen Kers Wilton cycling Team 3:15:01 my future events. of Team rose NrW won the Yousif mirza, the winner of 1. Eugen Wacker Kuwait cycling Project 2:45:08 privileged position, we’ve been able to choose second stage, with Hasnaoui’s the inaugural edition in ’13, STAGE 3 2. Naser rezavi Pishgaman Giant Team 2:45:08 Mohammed Chachi the best venues and roads for racing tracks which has team-mate Andrea Palini and defending champion 3. meher Hasnaoui Skydive Dubai Pro cycling Team- Al Ahli club 2:45:08 Raghmi, Pishgaman Giant been accredited by UcI officials,” he added. Team rider.

TEAMS COMPETED Qatar I knew field would be tough:Tipper carbon Wheels bahrain Saudi National EAm Giant rbS rider Jacob (4.27sec) of Wilton cycling Team Tipper had finished sixth at the Kuwait National Tipper won the prologue of came third. Sharjah International Tour last Giant rbS Third Tour of Zubarah at the “It was a pleasant surprise to win month. şşFrom left, T bahrain National mohammed Aspire Zone last week. as I wasn’t expecting it. The course “The conditions were really tough chaichi raghimi, Kazakhstan Track Astana Tipper clocked 4:18.3sec after was nice and it suited me,” said here as it was too much windy. We Eugen Wacker Wilton cycling starting third from last in a 3.3km the 24-year-old british rider, who had a new team and competing and meher Pishgaman Giant Hasnaoui on NrW individual time trial to beat Iran’s finished fifth overall. “It was my first with some of the very best really ŠšTeam Giant rbS the podium rider Jacob Tipper Achieve Northside Skinnergate Hamid beikhormizi (4:26sec) outing in Qatar and I was hoping to helped us,” added Tipper who with Khaled with QcF General bin Arhama Al Skydive Dubai Meher of Pishgaman Giant Team. The finish among the top-10 as I knew finished second in the first stage in Secretary Ahmed Al Sharjah Kuwari. Hasnaoui DSP/Mohan Netherlands’ Jeron Koss Kers the field would be tough.” madinat Al Shamal. Hemaidi. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 19

blending sports with culture seems to be a fabulous idea. The recent Tour of A blend of Al Zubarah was a classic example of an effort aimed to showcase the Qatari culture to the world. For history lovers, Al Zubarah is a favourite topic — cycling and the fort stands on the remnants of Al Zubarah, which once flourished as a culture! pearling and trading centre in the late 18th century and early 19th before it was destroyed in 1811 and abandoned in the early 1900s.

WHAT THEY SAID

DSP/Mohan Netherlands’ Jeron Koss Kers the field would be tough.” madinat Al Shamal. Hemaidi. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com FC BARCELONA FC BARCELONA 22 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 23

MOTORSPORT

Argentinian city of rosario. chile, schedule to meet the intense LEADING QATARI DRIVER NASSER SALEH which was a part of the route last demands of the Dakar rally,” said year, does not feature this time. Nasser. ‘We’ve a genius who AL ATTIYAH STAYS FULLY CONFIDENT OF Nasser and his French co-driver “Sometimes, we’ve to cover DEFENDING HIS TITLE AT THE DAKAR RALLY, mathieu baumel will again drive 400-500km a day and it can be has won four titles’ a mINI All4 racing for the X-raid very demanding. You should WHICH STARTS IN BUENOS AIRES ON team. also bear in mind the fact that S NASSEr Saleh Al Attiyah heads for South JANUARY 2, WRITES SAJITH B WARRIER. Nasser, competing in Dakar for temperatures inside and outside America eyeing his third Dakar rally crown, the 12th time, will be up against the car are vastly different and Athe Qatar motor and motorcycle Federation former World rally championship if you aren’t in the best of your Nasser-Loeb duel (QmmF) is backing him to the hilt. drivers Sebastien Loeb and mikko health and spirit, you can’t do a key sub plot QmmF President Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah, ArELY 12 months after Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel Hirvonen — both making their Dakar. I’ve been working hard on who often refers to Nasser as the ‘Superman’, winning his second Dakar (’12 and ’13) are the only drivers to Dakar debut — besides the usual this aspect,” he added. One of the key sub plots of 2016 hopes the Qatari icon will be triumphant in Dakar Brally crown, Nasser Saleh have won the Dakar twice on the challenge from familiar foes like While Hirvonen and roma will Dakar rally will be Nasser Saleh yet again for a record third time. Al Attiyah returns to Argentinian continent. also drive mINI All4 racing, Loeb Al Attiyah’s duel with former “Nasser’s achievements speak for himself. He capital buenos Aires full of “I’m really proud to have won will lead the Peugeot challenge citroen team-mate Sebastien won four titles this year. He is once-in-a-lifetime Loeb. confidence. two editions of Dakar in South THIS IS NEVER GOING along with Peterhansel and Sainz. sportsman who continues to defy logic with his TO BE AN EASY RACE, The Frenchman will be Nasser is eyeing an America. It’s something only Nasser has had a very frosty driving a Peugeot on his Dakar amazing feats. I hope he conquers the Dakar unprecedented third Dakar title in Stephane (Peterhansel) and I BUT I RELISH THE relation with ex-Volkswagen debut. again. We wish him good luck,” Al South America, where the rally is have done so far. The plan is to go CHALLENGE. team-mate Sainz, especially Loeb dominated the World Attiyah said. held since 2009. back and win again. It would be during the Spaniard’s triumphant rally championship (Wrc), Nasser’s 2015 Dakar triumph, set Nasser (’11 and ’15) and something really special to become campaign in ’10 during which winning a record nine titles in a the tone for the season as he went on the first driver to win three Dakars,” former champions Peterhansel, both drivers accused each other of row from 2004. to win three more titles — middle East However, at Dakar, Nasser is Nasser told Doha Stadium Plus Nani roma and carlos Sainz. unsportsmanlike conduct. championship, FIA World cup for cross- the king having won it twice. before heading to Argentina. “It’ll be interesting this time. “I’m not the guy who keeps The duo raced together in the country and World rally championship’s The 37th edition of the more competitors are in the fray something in mind over what final round of World Touring car support category events. Dakar, which begins and the route is different. This is happened years ago. As a championship in Qatar. “There’re people who find it in buenos Aires on never going to be an easy race, sportsman, you’ve to give your As the Peugeot driver is new tough to win even a single January 2, crosses but I relish the challenge. I’ve been best, especially when your rival is to Dakar, Nasser has a word of title a year and here we’ve through Uyuni training hard for this event for the a fierce competitor. Anyway, past caution for the French legend. a genius who has won “cross-country rallying is very in bolivia and last couple of months by driving is past and it’s time to move on. I four! Nasser is really a specific; it isn’t like the Wrc. ends in the up the harsh mountains and desert can’t wait for the Dakar to start,” Sebastien has a lot to learn, but rare talent. We take pride terrains. I’ve also altered my fitness Nasser concluded. I’m sure he’ll figure it out pretty in supporting him,” Al quickly,” said Nasser. Attiyah added. Baumel, the perfect navigator cO-DrIVEr’S job is a twice on the trot. The first thing to consider is the very tricky one. The “It’s great to be Nasser’s navigator. altitude because we’ll be more than Mathieu understanding between He’s a champion driver. I discover 3,000m above sea level for three or Baumel A him and the main driver is very a lot of things during each rally four days. crucial in rallying. after giving the notes to Nasser. We “It becomes challenging from a Frenchman mathieu baumel, get better after each race we do navigational point. The best thing Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah’s go-to man together,” said baumel. to help cool off after each stage at this year’s Dakar, is proving to and release a bit of pressure is to be an apt replacement for the listen to some music during the Qatari’s long-time Italian I DISCOVER A LOT OF liaison route back to the bivouac. co-driver Giovanni THINGS DURING EACH We’ll use the first kilometres of the bernacchini. RALLY AFTER GIVING THE route to organise our time back at Nasser and NOTES TO NASSER. the bivouac. After that, you need to baumel, who clear your mind so it’s good to take teamed up at the some time to talk about anything start of 2014, Prior to his stint with Nasser, else other than the race. have struck a baumel worked with the “Also at Dakar, you’ve so much good rhythm, Netherlands’ bernhard ten brinke beautiful landscape to enjoy as you winning a Dakar as well as compatriot Guerlain drive between each stage. If it’s a and FIA World cup chicherit. particularly tough day, maybe I’ll for cross-country rallies The 39-year-old revealed the sleep a little in the car, but I know this year besides triumphing funny side of Dakar. when I do this, Nasser will take in the middle East and World rally “racing in bolivia will once again the chance to take a photo of me championship’s support category be very interesting and challenging. having a snooze,” added baumel.

I’m really proud to have won two Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi is definitely capable of claiming a stage win in Iquique, thereby breaking editions of Dakar in South America. It’s Yazeed challenging the likes of seasoned campaigners such mini’s stranglehold on the rally. something only Stephane (Peterhansel) as Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah at the Dakar rally. Yazeed is a regular at the World rally and I have done so far. The plan is to capable of The 34-year-old, who will drive a Toyota Hilux with championship (Wrc) and FIA World cup for cross- go back and win again. It would be German navigator Timo Gottschalk, is the only other country rallies. He is one of the few Arab drivers challenging Arab driver in the fray for the gruelling rally. to have done well in snow, having won the Wrc2 something really special to become the the best When Nasser made his Dakar debut in a leg in Sweden. With Gottschalk, who was Nasser’s first driver to win three Dakars. mitsubishi Pajero in 2004, Yazeed was a relatively- co-driver when the Qatari won his first Dakar in ’11, Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah unknown figure. but things have changed and for navigation, Yazeed is capable of throwing a few Yazeed impressed in his Dakar debut last year by challenges at the top guns. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 23

Argentinian city of rosario. chile, schedule to meet the intense which was a part of the route last demands of the Dakar rally,” said year, does not feature this time. Nasser. ‘We’ve a genius who Nasser and his French co-driver “Sometimes, we’ve to cover mathieu baumel will again drive 400-500km a day and it can be has won four titles’ a mINI All4 racing for the X-raid very demanding. You should team. also bear in mind the fact that S NASSEr Saleh Al Attiyah heads for South Nasser, competing in Dakar for temperatures inside and outside America eyeing his third Dakar rally crown, the 12th time, will be up against the car are vastly different and Athe Qatar motor and motorcycle Federation former World rally championship if you aren’t in the best of your Nasser-Loeb duel (QmmF) is backing him to the hilt. drivers Sebastien Loeb and mikko health and spirit, you can’t do a key sub plot QmmF President Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah, Hirvonen — both making their Dakar. I’ve been working hard on who often refers to Nasser as the ‘Superman’, Dakar debut — besides the usual this aspect,” he added. One of the key sub plots of 2016 hopes the Qatari icon will be triumphant in Dakar challenge from familiar foes like While Hirvonen and roma will Dakar rally will be Nasser Saleh yet again for a record third time. also drive mINI All4 racing, Loeb Al Attiyah’s duel with former “Nasser’s achievements speak for himself. He will lead the Peugeot challenge citroen team-mate Sebastien won four titles this year. He is once-in-a-lifetime Loeb. THIS IS NEVER GOING along with Peterhansel and Sainz. sportsman who continues to defy logic with his TO BE AN EASY RACE, The Frenchman will be Nasser has had a very frosty driving a Peugeot on his Dakar amazing feats. I hope he conquers the Dakar BUT I RELISH THE relation with ex-Volkswagen debut. again. We wish him good luck,” Al CHALLENGE. team-mate Sainz, especially Loeb dominated the World Attiyah said. during the Spaniard’s triumphant rally championship (Wrc), Nasser’s 2015 Dakar triumph, set campaign in ’10 during which winning a record nine titles in a the tone for the season as he went on former champions Peterhansel, both drivers accused each other of row from 2004. to win three more titles — middle East However, at Dakar, Nasser is Nani roma and carlos Sainz. unsportsmanlike conduct. championship, FIA World cup for cross- the king having won it twice. “It’ll be interesting this time. “I’m not the guy who keeps The duo raced together in the country and World rally championship’s more competitors are in the fray something in mind over what final round of World Touring car support category events. and the route is different. This is happened years ago. As a championship in Qatar. “There’re people who find it never going to be an easy race, sportsman, you’ve to give your As the Peugeot driver is new tough to win even a single but I relish the challenge. I’ve been best, especially when your rival is to Dakar, Nasser has a word of title a year and here we’ve training hard for this event for the a fierce competitor. Anyway, past caution for the French legend. a genius who has won “cross-country rallying is very last couple of months by driving is past and it’s time to move on. I four! Nasser is really a specific; it isn’t like the Wrc. up the harsh mountains and desert can’t wait for the Dakar to start,” Sebastien has a lot to learn, but rare talent. We take pride terrains. I’ve also altered my fitness Nasser concluded. I’m sure he’ll figure it out pretty in supporting him,” Al quickly,” said Nasser. Attiyah added. Baumel, the perfect navigator cO-DrIVEr’S job is a twice on the trot. The first thing to consider is the very tricky one. The “It’s great to be Nasser’s navigator. altitude because we’ll be more than Mathieu understanding between He’s a champion driver. I discover 3,000m above sea level for three or Baumel A him and the main driver is very a lot of things during each rally four days. crucial in rallying. after giving the notes to Nasser. We “It becomes challenging from a Frenchman mathieu baumel, get better after each race we do navigational point. The best thing Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah’s go-to man together,” said baumel. to help cool off after each stage at this year’s Dakar, is proving to and release a bit of pressure is to be an apt replacement for the listen to some music during the Qatari’s long-time Italian I DISCOVER A LOT OF liaison route back to the bivouac. co-driver Giovanni THINGS DURING EACH We’ll use the first kilometres of the bernacchini. RALLY AFTER GIVING THE route to organise our time back at Nasser and NOTES TO NASSER. the bivouac. After that, you need to baumel, who clear your mind so it’s good to take teamed up at the some time to talk about anything start of 2014, Prior to his stint with Nasser, else other than the race. have struck a baumel worked with the “Also at Dakar, you’ve so much good rhythm, Netherlands’ bernhard ten brinke beautiful landscape to enjoy as you winning a Dakar as well as compatriot Guerlain drive between each stage. If it’s a and FIA World cup chicherit. particularly tough day, maybe I’ll for cross-country rallies The 39-year-old revealed the sleep a little in the car, but I know this year besides triumphing funny side of Dakar. when I do this, Nasser will take in the middle East and World rally “racing in bolivia will once again the chance to take a photo of me championship’s support category be very interesting and challenging. having a snooze,” added baumel.

Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi is definitely capable of claiming a stage win in Iquique, thereby breaking Yazeed challenging the likes of seasoned campaigners such mini’s stranglehold on the rally. as Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah at the Dakar rally. Yazeed is a regular at the World rally capable of The 34-year-old, who will drive a Toyota Hilux with championship (Wrc) and FIA World cup for cross- German navigator Timo Gottschalk, is the only other country rallies. He is one of the few Arab drivers challenging Arab driver in the fray for the gruelling rally. to have done well in snow, having won the Wrc2 the best When Nasser made his Dakar debut in a leg in Sweden. With Gottschalk, who was Nasser’s mitsubishi Pajero in 2004, Yazeed was a relatively- co-driver when the Qatari won his first Dakar in ’11, unknown figure. but things have changed and for navigation, Yazeed is capable of throwing a few Yazeed impressed in his Dakar debut last year by challenges at the top guns. 24 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 25

CHESS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW People’s

Vladimir Mohammed Kramnik Al Sayed player!carlsen is a reflection of a player’s personality. supports Spanish Kasparov is very emotional and WORLD NO.1 MAGNUS CARLSEN, WITH HIS football giants real madrid, often played in a sort of hurricane style.” EASY STYLE AND CASUAL APPROACH, PLAYS attending their matches, and also On the contrary, carlsen prefers follows NbA team boston celtics. to reply on the positional aspect Batiashvili holds Carlsen A BIG ROLE IN POPULARISING THE GAME, When he is not moving the pieces, rather than go for the kill aided WRITES MOHAMMAD AMIN-UL ISLAM. he models for G-Star raw, a Dutch with the speed of Kasparov. He is OP seed and world No.1 player was around four Elo points defend the crown. However, given fashion company known for urban more balanced and methodical, and magnus carlsen was held lost, but hopefully it will serve as carlson’s upset result, things may denim wear. can lure his opponents to commit Tto a draw after 57 moves by a wake-up call to the 25-year-old not be that smooth for leading His out-of-chess activities give mistakes. Georgia’s International master Nino Grandmaster. players. OrLD champion and Kasparov. His era may be over, but it’s us the impression that he is really “I don’t follow conventional batiashvili in the opening round carlsen leads a list of 148 Kramnik overcame Georgia’s bela top-ranked player too early to talk about mine,” carlsen different from some other brooding opening theories. I try to be different. of the Qatar masters Open at the players, including five former world Khotenashvili, who was awarded Wmagnus carlsen is single, told Doha Stadium Plus. and boring Grandmasters, who I know which moves I should make,” Ladies club in Aspire Zone last champions, vying for the top prize the best women player last year. rich and has a razor-sharp memory. “I think the sport has become a spend every bit of their time on said carlsen, who has a current rating Sunday. Other notable winners include by the time he was five years old, little too difficult for top players to improving their next moves. of 2,876. batiashvili, who scored a Gm last year’s runner-up Giri, who beat he had byhearted the names and maintain their stranglehold,” said “When he prepares for a match, norm last month, guided the QATARI GM MOHAMMED India’s 17-year-old Gm Sunilduth population figures of all 430 of carlsen, the modern sport’s superstar. carlsen has better things to do Georgian women’s team to a AL SAYED BEAT INDIA’S Narayanan. Fourth-seeded Norway’s municipalities. Kasparov once famously predicted, than homework. We play a lot HIS MIND AND bronze at the European Team FIDE WOMAN MASTER Wesley So (USA) defeated russia’s “His favourite board and pieces are “before he’s done, carlsen will’ve of basketball,” said 42-year-old CREATIVITY MATCH WITH championship in reykjavik, Iceland. R VAISHALI. 17-year-old Woman Grandmaster the ones in his head,” carlsen’s coach changed our ancient game.” Nielsen. LEGENDS LIKE FISCHER It was always risky for a Goryachkina Aleksandra while Yu and Dutch Grandmaster Peter Heine The Dutch also coached top-rated player to enter into opened his account with a win over I’m happy to know that AND KASPAROV. Nielsen had once said. Viswanathan Anand from ’02 until an open tournament filled with money of $27,000. The tournament India’s Neelotpal Das. Qatar promotes chess carlsen, who became a I REALLY DON’T KNOW IF ’12. The following year he joined unheralded opponents rather than ends on December 29. Qatari Gm mohammed Al Sayed among other sports. Grandmaster at 13, topped the world IT’S THE ERA OF CARLSEN. carlsen and helped him win the computers may be important for the predictable ones. carlsen got a Vladimir Kramnik (russia) and beat India’s FIDE Woman master r This is my second visit rankings in 2010 and in may last year IT’S NEVER EASY TO candidates tournament which a professional player, but carlsen has taste of it and eventually settled for Anish Giri (the Netherlands) are Vaishali, but International master to the country. Early this he achieved 2,882 Elo points — the STAY AT THE TOP. gave him the right to challenge and ignored it largely. a draw. the second and third seeds while Husain Aziz Nezad lost to Polish year, I had a week-long highest rating in the sport’s history. subsequently dethrone Anand at “When professionals play The cost of drawing a sub-2,500 Yu Yangyi (china) will be hoping to Grandmaster Dariusz Swiercz. camp in Doha. I’m happy The 25-year-old is considered to the FIDE World championship in the openings, they only try to remember to be back. It’s a strong be in the same bracket as former The Norwegian not only changed Indian’s hometown chennai. the computer lines,” said Frederic tournament and I think it’s world champion Gary Kasparov. The the way people looked at chess — born to engineer parents in Friedel, a co-founder of software QIC official sponsor very difficult to win here. Norwegian, who is in Doha for the monotonous and unattractive — Tonsberg, south of capital Oslo, company chessbase. It’s a different kind of Qatar masters Open where he is the but his endearing personality and an carlsen grew up with his three In that respect, carlsen’s outlook HE Qatar Insurance company star attraction at the tournament challenge for me. top seed, however, refused to be entirely different outlook has made sisters. is very different from that of (QIc) signed a deal with Qatar which also boasts the presence of drawn into comparisons with the the sport popular. “my entire family is here in Doha. modern players. He belongs to Tchess Association (QcA) as former world champion Vladimir Magnus Carlsen, russian legend. He is a normal guy, who always It’s a nice holiday for them as well,” this generation, but his mind and the official sponsor of the ongoing Kramnik, Anish Giri, Sergey Karjakin world No.1. “I really don’t know if it’s the era of sports a smile, has a great sense of he added. creativity match with legends like Second Qatar masters Open. and Wesley So. carlsen. It’s never easy to stay at the humour and leads a fun-filled life — russian Grandmaster Vladimir bobby Fischer and Kasparov, who “We’re delighted to tie up with “We’re happy that world top. I’m only trying to improve. It’s football and skiing are the other two Kramnik, the second seed in Doha, gave a new dimension to the sport the QcA as this is one of the champion and world No.1 magnus also not wise to compare me with sports he seriously follows. said, “The chess moves on the board during their heyday. strongest open tournaments in carlsen is participating in the event. the world,” said QIc Deputy Group We also thank the sponsors for President and cEO mena region supporting the tournament,” said Al CARLSEN’S QUICK TAKES Salem Al mannai. Hitmi at the opening ceremony. “We believe in developing The tournament carries a Had you played Why do men Your strongest beneficial partnerships to prize money of $130,000. in the 1970s, dominate opponent.. develop impactful corporate The winner will be richer who would chess? you’ve liked There’re several Social responsibility initiatives to by $27,000 while the to play the I think there’re players whom exchange best practice and share runner-up and third- most? cultural I find it difficult winning strategies,” he said. placed player will receive reasons. chess to play against, bobby Fischer. has been a but the most QcA President Khalifa $16,000 and $12,000 man’s game, so difficult is world şşQatar chess Mohammed Al Hitmi, who is respectively. the numbers No.6 Levon Association also a FIDE vice-president, said, Prizes will also Secretary and are higher. Aronian. Tournament “The masters is well poised to be given to the What do you Who would Director become one of the strongest open best women mohammed Al tournaments in the world. We’re players as eat before a you choose as medaikhi makes match? your opponent the inaugural grateful to QIc for being the official well as top in your last move as Nino sponsor for this top event.” three Arab A salad or an game? batiashvili takes omelette to get on magnus reigning world champion and and junior

DSP/Mohan some energy. Gary Kasparov. carlsen. world No.1 magnus carlsen is the players. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 25

Vladimir Mohammed Kramnik Al Sayed player!carlsen is a reflection of a player’s personality. supports Spanish Kasparov is very emotional and football giants real madrid, often played in a sort of hurricane style.” attending their matches, and also On the contrary, carlsen prefers follows NbA team boston celtics. to reply on the positional aspect Batiashvili holds Carlsen When he is not moving the pieces, rather than go for the kill aided he models for G-Star raw, a Dutch with the speed of Kasparov. He is OP seed and world No.1 player was around four Elo points defend the crown. However, given fashion company known for urban more balanced and methodical, and magnus carlsen was held lost, but hopefully it will serve as carlson’s upset result, things may denim wear. can lure his opponents to commit Tto a draw after 57 moves by a wake-up call to the 25-year-old not be that smooth for leading His out-of-chess activities give mistakes. Georgia’s International master Nino Grandmaster. players. us the impression that he is really “I don’t follow conventional batiashvili in the opening round carlsen leads a list of 148 Kramnik overcame Georgia’s bela different from some other brooding opening theories. I try to be different. of the Qatar masters Open at the players, including five former world Khotenashvili, who was awarded and boring Grandmasters, who I know which moves I should make,” Ladies club in Aspire Zone last champions, vying for the top prize the best women player last year. spend every bit of their time on said carlsen, who has a current rating Sunday. Other notable winners include improving their next moves. of 2,876. batiashvili, who scored a Gm last year’s runner-up Giri, who beat “When he prepares for a match, norm last month, guided the QATARI GM MOHAMMED India’s 17-year-old Gm Sunilduth carlsen has better things to do Georgian women’s team to a AL SAYED BEAT INDIA’S Narayanan. Fourth-seeded than homework. We play a lot HIS MIND AND bronze at the European Team FIDE WOMAN MASTER Wesley So (USA) defeated russia’s of basketball,” said 42-year-old CREATIVITY MATCH WITH championship in reykjavik, Iceland. R VAISHALI. 17-year-old Woman Grandmaster Nielsen. LEGENDS LIKE FISCHER It was always risky for a Goryachkina Aleksandra while Yu The Dutch also coached AND KASPAROV. top-rated player to enter into opened his account with a win over Viswanathan Anand from ’02 until an open tournament filled with money of $27,000. The tournament India’s Neelotpal Das. ’12. The following year he joined unheralded opponents rather than ends on December 29. Qatari Gm mohammed Al Sayed carlsen and helped him win the computers may be important for the predictable ones. carlsen got a Vladimir Kramnik (russia) and beat India’s FIDE Woman master r candidates tournament which a professional player, but carlsen has taste of it and eventually settled for Anish Giri (the Netherlands) are Vaishali, but International master gave him the right to challenge and ignored it largely. a draw. the second and third seeds while Husain Aziz Nezad lost to Polish subsequently dethrone Anand at “When professionals play The cost of drawing a sub-2,500 Yu Yangyi (china) will be hoping to Grandmaster Dariusz Swiercz. the FIDE World championship in the openings, they only try to remember Indian’s hometown chennai. the computer lines,” said Frederic born to engineer parents in Friedel, a co-founder of software QIC official sponsor Tonsberg, south of capital Oslo, company chessbase. carlsen grew up with his three In that respect, carlsen’s outlook HE Qatar Insurance company star attraction at the tournament sisters. is very different from that of (QIc) signed a deal with Qatar which also boasts the presence of “my entire family is here in Doha. modern players. He belongs to Tchess Association (QcA) as former world champion Vladimir It’s a nice holiday for them as well,” this generation, but his mind and the official sponsor of the ongoing Kramnik, Anish Giri, Sergey Karjakin he added. creativity match with legends like Second Qatar masters Open. and Wesley So. russian Grandmaster Vladimir bobby Fischer and Kasparov, who “We’re delighted to tie up with “We’re happy that world Kramnik, the second seed in Doha, gave a new dimension to the sport the QcA as this is one of the champion and world No.1 magnus said, “The chess moves on the board during their heyday. strongest open tournaments in carlsen is participating in the event. the world,” said QIc Deputy Group We also thank the sponsors for President and cEO mena region supporting the tournament,” said Al Salem Al mannai. Hitmi at the opening ceremony. “We believe in developing The tournament carries a beneficial partnerships to prize money of $130,000. develop impactful corporate The winner will be richer Social responsibility initiatives to by $27,000 while the exchange best practice and share runner-up and third- winning strategies,” he said. placed player will receive QcA President Khalifa $16,000 and $12,000 şşQatar chess Mohammed Al Hitmi, who is respectively. Association also a FIDE vice-president, said, Prizes will also Secretary and Tournament “The masters is well poised to be given to the Director become one of the strongest open best women mohammed Al tournaments in the world. We’re players as medaikhi makes the inaugural grateful to QIc for being the official well as top move as Nino sponsor for this top event.” three Arab batiashvili takes on magnus reigning world champion and and junior carlsen. world No.1 magnus carlsen is the players. 26 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 27

CRICKET

Qatar Stars steal spotlight

ESPITE fielding an array of mohammad Asif, Kamran Akmal, celebrities, Pakistan Stars Saeed Ajmal, Fawad Alam and Dhad to play second fiddle Ehsan Adil to 137 for seven. to Qatar Stars as they went down more than the result, it was the by 10 runs in a thrilling Twenty20 passion for the game which stood exhibition tie. out. Qatar Stars had their share Despite being a non- of Pakistani flavour, with Nasir international fixture, the Jamshed, Kamran Khan and 13,000-capacity stadium in Doha’s Sharjeel Khan turning out in their Industrial Area was full well colours. before the match started. A festive batting first, Qatar Stars made atmosphere prevailed inside the 147 for five before restricting venue, though the organisers Salman butt-led Pakistan could have done better at least in Stars, who featured the likes of the handling of media. šşmembers of Qatar Stars team celebrate with the spoils. Qatar conducive to the game, says Rana PAKISTANI SPIN WIZARD SAEED AJMAL, STRUGGLING TO FIND HIS FORM HOUGH his international Qatar Stars in the National Day in Australia’s big bash League, by who has played four Twenty20 AFTER UNDERGOING CORRECTION FOR SUSPECT ACTION, IS UPBEAT ABOUT career was not that much of tournament. emerging as the leading wicket- Internationals for Pakistan. MAKING A COMEBACK TO THE NATIONAL TEAM, WRITES SAJITH B WARRIER. Ta success, rana Naved-ul- Some of rana’s lusty blows at the taker (15) for Hobart Hurricanes. His The forgotten all-rounder of Hasan is one of those players who Asian Town Stadium last week was reverse-swinging yorkers and never- Pakistan believes the sport can be benefited immensely from the say-die attitude made him popular popular in Qatar. sprouting Twenty20 Leagues. in T20 franchisees in Tasmania, “When I visited Qatar three-four ITH some of the best after the Icc deemed his killer ball action. This should change. I think “Things may not be in my favour Predominantly a bowler known TWENTY20 IS THE Sussex, Yorkshire and Dhaka. years ago, there wasn’t much cricket bowlers including illegal. the yardstick should be the same for right now, but it can change. I’m for his clever change of pace MOST FEASIBLE FORM rana feels Twenty20 is the ideal happening here. but seeing the Wlegendary muttiah The 38-year-old made his all bowlers,” he said. sure I can bounce back. I think I still especially in the slog overs and TO SPREAD THE GAME tonic to generate interest in countries overwhelming presence of crowd muralitharan frequently coming much-awaited comeback in the In Ajmal’s absence, leg-spinner have a role to play, especially in the hard-hitting lower-order batsman, WHERE IT ISN’T POPULAR. like Qatar where the game is vying at such a fantastic stadium, I can under the cloud of suspect action, series against bangladesh in June Yasir Shah quickly grabbed the shorter formats of the game. The T20 rana is tailor-made for the shortest for attraction. say that the game will thrive here. the International cricket council (Icc) when he played two One-Day opportunity and has gone on to World cup is coming and it would be form of the game. “Twenty20 is the most feasible The expatriate population has a big started strictly implementing the Internationals and a Twenty20, establish himself as the No.1 spinner exciting,” he said. Despite his age, the 37-year is a reminder of the cameos he used form to spread the game to areas role to play in educating uniform 15-degree limit in 2014, getting just one wicket in 22.3 overs of Pakistan. He and left-armer Ajmal was the leading still a big draw when it comes to to play during his brief international where it isn’t popular. It’s very nationals more about primarily to ensure that nobody and conceding 6.57 per over. He was Zulfiqar babar played key roles in wicket-taker in the world in T20s Twenty20 as was evident when he career, which ended in 2010. appealing. It’s a heady mix of sports the sport,” said takes an undue advantage from dropped for the final ODI as well as Pakistan’s series wins over Australia not long ago before being surpassed lined up for Pakistan Stars against A year later, rana made his mark and entertainment,” said rana, rana. flexing their elbows beyond a certain the only Test. and England recently. by compatriot Shahid Afridi. At the extent. “I’m down, but certainly not out. Ajmal, who has taken 178 wickets height of his prowess, he was even but one of the major casualties my confidence-level is a bit low in Tests, 184 in ODIs and 85 in T20, offered the T20 captaincy, which he of that rule seems to be Pakistan’s knows that his job is easier said than declined, preferring to contribute to Saeed Ajmal. done. but the offie is still hopeful. the team as a player. The off-spinner, who was a late I THINK OFF-SPINNERS “Highs and lows are part of a Kamran hopeful bloomer, having made his debut at ARE SOFT TARGETS WHEN sportsman’s career. I think this is just the age of 31, had mesmerised the IT COMES TO SUSPECT a passing phase. In my case, it’s of national recall batsmen with his mixed bag of tricks, ACTION. more about lacking in confidence including his lethal weapon, the than loss of form. I need a little Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal is hopeful of doosra. more time to get in sync with making a comeback to the The period from 2011 to ’14 was at the moment. but I’m doing my my remodelled action. I’m not national team for the Twenty20 the Faisalabad-born player’s best best to get back into the rhythm,” the kind of person who rests World cup, to be held in India days as an international cricketer. said Ajmal, who played a exhibition on past laurels,” concluded from march 8 to April 3 next The highlight of his career was the match with some of his ex-Pakistan Ajmal, who played for English year. 24 wickets that he took in ’12 in his team-mates against Qatar Stars at county Worcestershire and Sarfraz Ahmed, with a string team’s 3-0 series whitewash of the the Asian Town Stadium last week. bangladesh Premier League of consistent performances, dislodged Akmal as Pakistan’s then top-ranked England side in the Though he did not entirely blame outfit chittagong Vikings as part No.1 keeper recently. UAE, a Test series where he won his the administration for the crackdown of his comeback plans. but Kamran remains hopeful famed spin battle against Graeme on erring actions, Ajmal of a national recall. Swann hands down. admitted that off-spinners “I’m always ready to play for but that magic performance looks were suffering the most. the country whenever given an a distant memory now as Ajmal “I think off-spinners opportunity,” said Kamran. At 33, he is the eldest of three Saeed has been ineffective ever since are soft targets when Ajmal Akmal brothers, Adnan and undergoing remedial action this year it comes to suspect Umar being the others. All three are wicketkeeper-batsmen. TIMELINE OF AJMAL’S CAREER “I’ve scored loads of runs in domestic cricket. I could easily open the innings and also keep wickets,” he said. 2008 2009 2011 2012 2014 2015 “I’m ready to serve the made his debut at the age of Played a key role in Pakistan’s Leading wicket-taker in Tests Took 24 wickets in just three banned from bowling by the returns to international fold country as a batsman and my şşrana Naved-ul- 31 against India. Twenty20 World cup triumph with 50 from eight matches. Tests at 14.70 to lead series International cricket council in the one-day and T20 series presence in the squad would in England. whitewash against England. after his action was deemed against bangladesh. Hasan drives during the Twenty20 game definitely boost our chances,” illegal. against Qatar Stars. DSP/Vinod Divakaran DSP/Vinod Kamran added. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 27

Qatar Stars steal spotlight

Kamran hopeful of national recall Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal is hopeful of making a comeback to the national team for the Twenty20 World cup, to be held in India from march 8 to April 3 next year. Sarfraz Ahmed, with a string of consistent performances, dislodged Akmal as Pakistan’s No.1 keeper recently. but Kamran remains hopeful of a national recall. “I’m always ready to play for the country whenever given an opportunity,” said Kamran. At 33, he is the eldest of three Akmal brothers, Adnan and Umar being the others. All three are wicketkeeper-batsmen. “I’ve scored loads of runs in domestic cricket. I could easily open the innings and also keep wickets,” he said. “I’m ready to serve the country as a batsman and my şşrana Naved-ul- Hasan drives during presence in the squad would the Twenty20 game definitely boost our chances,” against Qatar Stars. DSP/Vinod Divakaran DSP/Vinod Kamran added. 28 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 29

MIXED ZONE | QATAR

֫ şŢJean baptiste şşDahlan Al ֫ Hamad and CUE SPORTS Hamel rides Tm BASKETBALL mutaz Essa Thunder Struck to barshim at the victory. Press conference. Bashar shines as Galloway inspires Qatar finish third Gharafa to victory

ATAr finished third overall at the ccG mErIcAN point guard Kevin Galloway billiards and Snooker championship last did the bulk of scoring (42 points) and Qweek. AEmmanuel Osaro Adako chipped in with 32 bashar Hussein was the star for Qatar, winning as Al Gharafa defeated Al Wakrah 87-65 in a Qatar four of their seven medals in the annual tournament League match at held at Qatar billiards and Snooker Federation hall. RESULTS the Al Gharafa Al Gharafa bt Al Wakrah 87-65 basher beat compatriot Ali Al Obaidly 9-8 in the Babu Photo/Juhaim Indoor Hall last Al Sadd bt Al Shamal 90-56 10-ball final. week. RESULTS Al Ahli bt Qatar Sc 85-64 ֫ Earlier, he teamed up with Ali to clinch 9-ball HORSERACING WEDNESDAY Al Khor bt Al Arabi 87-80 Galloway, who doubles gold. He also won silver in 10-ball team Race 1 Enwa (richard mullen) 1, Ablah II 2, El Jaish bt Al Shamal 75-64 joined the Qatar event as well as 9-ball singles. Firdous 3, Fal Akhair 4, Won by: 6, Al rayyan bt Al Sadd 65-60 cup champions this Thumping success for 4, Trained by: Julian Smart. Owned The UAE won the overall championship while by: HH Sheikh mohammed bin season, was in his Saudi Arabia finished as runners-up. Khalifa Al Thani. element and scored consistently. Race 2 blazers rock (Darren Williams) 1, meanwhile, former champions Al Sadd drubbed TM Thunder Struck Digital rebellion 2, Stevie’s Wonder

DSP/Mohan 3, Atlantic Sea 4. Won by: Hd, 0.5, Al Shamal 90-56 while Al Ahli too had it easy against mm Qarn’s Tm Thunder Ghazali-trained Sir Guy Porteous 0.75. Trained by: S Al Hajri. Owned Qatar Sports club 85-64. Al Khor, however, had to .Struck (majd Al Arab- was brilliantly ridden by richard by: Salem Fadgam Al Hajri & Sons. sweat a bit before seeing off Al Arabi 87-80 ֫ ATHLETICS Race 3 Intishar (Stephan Ladjadj) 1, Tarek Ubonnett) trounced the mullen, who kept the challenge of Al mels 2, Khalfa 3, Heytham 4. opposition en route to a thumping the Zuhair mohsen-schooled New Won by: 1.5, 0.5, Hd. Trained by: Jassim Al Ghazali. Owned by: Injaaz victory in the Qatar National Day Pearl at bay. Stud. Trophy, a Group 2 Pure Arabian rising Dawn and Tarrafal also Race 4 Thabit 1, Fiteen 2, bint Al Akaber Asia’s elite ready contest, at the Qatar racing and finished with a flourish to come a 3, Tabasheer 4. Won by: Nk, Hd, 1. Trained by: Julian Smart. Owned Bashar Equestrian club last week. close third and fourth respectively. by: HH Sheikh mohammed bin Hussein Alban de mieulle-trained Tm Umm Qarn’s Adwan put in Khalifa Al Thani. Thunder Struck was ridden to a dazzling performance while Race 5 Adwan (Jean baptiste Hamel) 1, Enjoy Today 2, Fadak 3, Pat mustard to rock at Aspire victory by Jean baptiste Hamel. annexing the class 5 Thoroughbred 4. Won by: 0.75, Nk, 0.75. Trained Stable-mate Nashmi was five Handicap for horses rated 55 to 75 by: Alban de mieulle. Owned by: Umm Qarn. Š GOLF lengths behind in second while in fluent fashion. ŢAl Gharafa’s ֫ Sajith B Warrier Race 6 Sir Guy Porteous (richard mullen) 1, Kevin Galloway, Mutaz hopeful of breaking raddad and Vetlana De Faust were De mieulle-saddled Adwan was New Pearl 2, rising Dawn 3, Tarrafal right, tries to beat third and fourth respectively. ridden to victory by Jean baptite 4, Won by: Hd, Hd, Hd. Trained by: the challenge from Sotomayor’s world record Jassim Al Ghazali. Owned by: Injaaz Al Wakrah’s Adamu Braden to Grace Injaaz Stud’s Sir Guy Porteous Hamel. Stud. Saaka. TArS will descend Qatar’s high jump star mutaz “I want to stay healthy made a winning debut in Qatar Enjoy Today was three quarters Race 7 Tm Thunder Struck (Jean baptiste on Doha for the with a thrilling performance in the of a length behind in second while Hamel) 1, Nashmi 2, raddad 3, ŢŢAl Ahli’s Essa barshim has started always and then do everything Qatar Masters Vetlana De Faus 4, Won by: 5, 0.5, Geraldo Goiano SSeventh Asian Indoor rigorous preparations as the possible to compete at the class 3 Thoroughbred Handicap Fadak and Pat mustard completed 1.25. Trained by: Alban de mieulle. smashes against Olympic year approaches. highest level. I’ll be doing only Owned by: Umm Qarn. Al Arabi.

championships, to be held EFENDING champion braden Grace for horses rated 75 to 95. Jassim Al the frame. Divakaran DSP/Vinod at the Aspire Dome from The reigning world and one or two Diamond League confirmed his participation at the TENNIS VOLLEYBALL ֫ February 19 to 21. Asian indoor champion is events and will also restrict my commercial bank Qatar masters, to be held ֫ working on a revised schedule, indoor appearances compared D The Qatar Athletics at the Doha Golf club (DGc) from January 27 to 30. which will see him cutting to the previous years,” he said. Federation (QAF) had down on Diamond League breaking cuban star Javier The in-form South African is currently ranked meetings as well as some Sotomayor’s long-standing 15th in the world after a strong season, where he Al Arabi, El Jaish De Loore dazzles indoor events. outdoor record of 2.45m is high finished tied fourth at the Augusta masters and WE EXPECT TO FIELD A “The year 2016 is crucial with on mutaz’s agenda. third at PGA championship. suffer reversals at ITF Futures FULL-STRENGTH SQUAD many important competitions “I hope I can do it sometime The six-time European Tour winner will be OF MORE THAN lined up. I’ll have to work my next year. I’ll try to go for it in making his fifth straight appearance at the DGc OrmEr champions Al Arabi suffered a shock ELGIUm’S Joris de Loore won his third title schedule in such a way that I’m 3-4 events,” said mutaz, who as he hopes to become the first player to retain 19-25, 20-25, 25-18, 26-24, 8-15 loss at the in two weeks after beating England’s Luke 25 ATHLETES. not exhausted too much by the holds the Asian outdoor (2.43) time of Olympics,” said mutaz. and indoor (2.41) records. the mother of Pearl Trophy, in the 19th edition Fhands of Al Ahli in the Qatar League last week. Bbambridge 6-3, 6-3 at the Sixth Qatar ITF of the event. It was their first defeat in four outings in the league. Futures tournament. previously hosted the “The DGc got my career going last season. So Professional player Geraldo Goiano was the star De Loore, who had won both singles and doubles championships at the same level,” QAF President Dahlan Al optimistic that home advantage it’ll be nice to go back and defend the title. After of the show for Ahli who had their back to the wall titles at the Fifth Qatar ITF Futures tournament, venue in 2008, but this time, Hamad told a Press conference last will help our athletes repeat that the festive season break, I should be ready to after losing the first two sets. continued his rich vein of form at the event has grown in stature, monday. feat, and furthermore demonstrate tee off at the DGc,” said Grace. The brazilian was in irresistible form, especially in the hard courts of the Khalifa with as many as 450 athletes The Doha event will be one of their enormous potential Although yet to capture a major, the the last two sets. International complex. from 36 countries confirming the last chances for Asian athletes ahead of the Indoor Worlds in 27-year-old has for long shown the In the other major upset last week, Police beat The fourth-seeded player their participation. to qualify for the ’16 World Indoor Portland,” said Dahlan. ability to close out, winning all six El Jaish 25-27, 25-18, 17-25, 25-20, 17-15. It was did not drop a single set in the “We feel very proud to host championships in Portland, the US, Though men won all of of his European Tour titles having their first defeat of the season as holders Al rayyan tournament. He had beaten this prestigious event again in from march 17 to 20. Qatar’s medals in Hangzhou, led or shared the lead after 54 remain the only unbeaten team in the league so far. mubarak Shanan, Qatar’s best Doha. This is another Qatar, who topped the medals the QAF chief said efforts holes. rayyan maintained their clean sheet with a bet, in the second round. high-class competition in tally at the previous edition last were on to bring more “branden Grace has proved 25-17, 25-19, 25-22 win over Al Sadd. India’s Haadin Salim bava and line with our National Vision year in Hangzhou, china, will be women into the sport. to be one of the sport’s most Earlier, Qatar Sc beat Al Khor 25-21, 15-25, 25-17, china’s Wang Aoxiong won the doubles crown. ’30 and once more we’ve set eyeing a good show in front of “Ours is the first federation exciting players since he won 23-25, 15-8. They beat the british-German pair of bambridge high standards for such an home fans. in the region to make women the Qatar masters. We’re and mats moraing 6-2, 3-6, 10-3 in the final. important event. We aim to “We expect to field a compete. Their participation is vital delighted to welcome him back RESULTS “Qatari players benefit a lot by playing in such Al Ahli bt Al Arabi 25-19, 25-20, 18-25, 24-26, 15-8 continue building a lasting full-strength squad of more than in athletics and we’re on track. and wish him the best of luck in tournaments as they get more international Police bt El Jaish 25-27, 25-18, 17-25, 25-20, 17-15 legacy as ideal organisers 25 male and female athletes. Two The day may not be far when his bid to become the first-ever player to Qatar Sc bt Al Khor 25-21, 15-25, 25-17, 23-25, 15-8 exposure. by competing against quality opposition of major sports activities at years ago, we had topped the we produce a champion woman win back-to-back titles at the DGc,” said Al Gharafa bt Al Wakrah 21-25, 24-26, 25-17, 25-17, 15-13 in such ITF Futures events, our players must’ve global, continental or regional table with five gold medals. We’re athlete,” added Dahlan. Branden Qatar Golf Association President Hassan Al rayyan bt Al Sadd 25-17, 25-19, 25-22 learnt a lot,” said Tournament Director Saad Saleh Al Grace Al Nuaimi. Police bt Al Ahli 25-19, 33-31, 15-25, 27-25 mohannadi. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 29

֫ şŢJean baptiste Hamel rides Tm BASKETBALL Thunder Struck to victory. Galloway inspires Gharafa to victory

mErIcAN point guard Kevin Galloway did the bulk of scoring (42 points) and AEmmanuel Osaro Adako chipped in with 32 as Al Gharafa defeated Al Wakrah 87-65 in a Qatar League match at RESULTS the Al Gharafa Al Gharafa bt Al Wakrah 87-65 Photo/Juhaim Babu Photo/Juhaim Indoor Hall last Al Sadd bt Al Shamal 90-56 week. RESULTS Al Ahli bt Qatar Sc 85-64 ֫ HORSERACING WEDNESDAY Al Khor bt Al Arabi 87-80 Galloway, who Race 1 Enwa (richard mullen) 1, Ablah II 2, El Jaish bt Al Shamal 75-64 joined the Qatar Firdous 3, Fal Akhair 4, Won by: 6, Al rayyan bt Al Sadd 65-60 cup champions this Thumping success for 4, Trained by: Julian Smart. Owned by: HH Sheikh mohammed bin season, was in his Khalifa Al Thani. element and scored consistently. Race 2 blazers rock (Darren Williams) 1, meanwhile, former champions Al Sadd drubbed TM Thunder Struck Digital rebellion 2, Stevie’s Wonder 3, Atlantic Sea 4. Won by: Hd, 0.5, Al Shamal 90-56 while Al Ahli too had it easy against mm Qarn’s Tm Thunder Ghazali-trained Sir Guy Porteous 0.75. Trained by: S Al Hajri. Owned Qatar Sports club 85-64. Al Khor, however, had to Struck (majd Al Arab- was brilliantly ridden by richard by: Salem Fadgam Al Hajri & Sons. sweat a bit before seeing off Al Arabi 87-80. Race 3 Intishar (Stephan Ladjadj) 1, Tarek Ubonnett) trounced the mullen, who kept the challenge of Al mels 2, Khalfa 3, Heytham 4. opposition en route to a thumping the Zuhair mohsen-schooled New Won by: 1.5, 0.5, Hd. Trained by: Jassim Al Ghazali. Owned by: Injaaz victory in the Qatar National Day Pearl at bay. Stud. Trophy, a Group 2 Pure Arabian rising Dawn and Tarrafal also Race 4 Thabit 1, Fiteen 2, bint Al Akaber contest, at the Qatar racing and finished with a flourish to come a 3, Tabasheer 4. Won by: Nk, Hd, 1. Trained by: Julian Smart. Owned Equestrian club last week. close third and fourth respectively. by: HH Sheikh mohammed bin Alban de mieulle-trained Tm Umm Qarn’s Adwan put in Khalifa Al Thani. Thunder Struck was ridden to a dazzling performance while Race 5 Adwan (Jean baptiste Hamel) 1, Enjoy Today 2, Fadak 3, Pat mustard victory by Jean baptiste Hamel. annexing the class 5 Thoroughbred 4. Won by: 0.75, Nk, 0.75. Trained Stable-mate Nashmi was five Handicap for horses rated 55 to 75 by: Alban de mieulle. Owned by: Umm Qarn. Š lengths behind in second while in fluent fashion. ŢAl Gharafa’s Race 6 Sir Guy Porteous (richard mullen) 1, Kevin Galloway, raddad and Vetlana De Faust were De mieulle-saddled Adwan was New Pearl 2, rising Dawn 3, Tarrafal right, tries to beat third and fourth respectively. ridden to victory by Jean baptite 4, Won by: Hd, Hd, Hd. Trained by: the challenge from Jassim Al Ghazali. Owned by: Injaaz Al Wakrah’s Adamu Injaaz Stud’s Sir Guy Porteous Hamel. Stud. Saaka. made a winning debut in Qatar Enjoy Today was three quarters Race 7 Tm Thunder Struck (Jean baptiste with a thrilling performance in the of a length behind in second while Hamel) 1, Nashmi 2, raddad 3, ŢŢAl Ahli’s Vetlana De Faus 4, Won by: 5, 0.5, Geraldo Goiano class 3 Thoroughbred Handicap Fadak and Pat mustard completed 1.25. Trained by: Alban de mieulle. smashes against Owned by: Umm Qarn. Al Arabi.

for horses rated 75 to 95. Jassim Al the frame. Divakaran DSP/Vinod TENNIS VOLLEYBALL ֫ ֫ Al Arabi, El Jaish De Loore dazzles suffer reversals at ITF Futures

OrmEr champions Al Arabi suffered a shock ELGIUm’S Joris de Loore won his third title 19-25, 20-25, 25-18, 26-24, 8-15 loss at the in two weeks after beating England’s Luke Fhands of Al Ahli in the Qatar League last week. Bbambridge 6-3, 6-3 at the Sixth Qatar ITF It was their first defeat in four outings in the league. Futures tournament. Professional player Geraldo Goiano was the star De Loore, who had won both singles and doubles of the show for Ahli who had their back to the wall titles at the Fifth Qatar ITF Futures tournament, after losing the first two sets. continued his rich vein of form at The brazilian was in irresistible form, especially in the hard courts of the Khalifa the last two sets. International complex. In the other major upset last week, Police beat The fourth-seeded player El Jaish 25-27, 25-18, 17-25, 25-20, 17-15. It was did not drop a single set in the their first defeat of the season as holders Al rayyan tournament. He had beaten remain the only unbeaten team in the league so far. mubarak Shanan, Qatar’s best rayyan maintained their clean sheet with a bet, in the second round. 25-17, 25-19, 25-22 win over Al Sadd. India’s Haadin Salim bava and Earlier, Qatar Sc beat Al Khor 25-21, 15-25, 25-17, china’s Wang Aoxiong won the doubles crown. 23-25, 15-8. They beat the british-German pair of bambridge and mats moraing 6-2, 3-6, 10-3 in the final. RESULTS “Qatari players benefit a lot by playing in such Al Ahli bt Al Arabi 25-19, 25-20, 18-25, 24-26, 15-8 tournaments as they get more international Police bt El Jaish 25-27, 25-18, 17-25, 25-20, 17-15 Qatar Sc bt Al Khor 25-21, 15-25, 25-17, 23-25, 15-8 exposure. by competing against quality opposition Al Gharafa bt Al Wakrah 21-25, 24-26, 25-17, 25-17, 15-13 in such ITF Futures events, our players must’ve Al rayyan bt Al Sadd 25-17, 25-19, 25-22 learnt a lot,” said Tournament Director Saad Saleh Al Police bt Al Ahli 25-19, 33-31, 15-25, 27-25 mohannadi. 30 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 31

Former International Association of Athletics ‘Diack didn’t Federations head Lamine Diack denies having given money to finance macky Sall’s successful fund Sall’s bid to become the president of Senegal, MIXED ZONE | INTERNATIONAL campaign’ his lawyers said. Le Monde newspaper had reported that Diack asked his friend Valentin balakhnichev to finance Sall’s campaign.

TENNIS Dhoni to lead India, ֫ Yuvraj comes back

NDIA named mahendra Singh Dhoni as their Wawrinka wins captain for next year’s World Twenty20 at home Iwhile also throwing a lifeline to batsman Yuvraj Singh’s international career by including him in it for Slammers the shortest format for the Australia tour. Dhoni will also lead India Down Under, where TAN Wawrinka victory over French shot-maker they will play five One-Day Internationals and showed his Fabrice Santoro in the ‘Legends three T20 matches. Sclass in both Singles’, the Spanish veteran All-rounder Yuvraj, who last played for India in singles and doubles to lead the coming out on top of five straight their 2014 World Twenty20 final loss to Sri Lanka, Singapore Slammers to victory breaks of serve after he had has shown strong form during the domestic in the International Premier opened a 3-2 lead. season. Tennis League final in front of Swiss starlet belinda bencic The left-handed batsman, adjudged the best a delighted home crowd at the stretched the advantage by a game player during India’s 50-over World cup triumph at Indoor Stadium last Sunday. after the 18-year-old fought off home in ’11, will always remain a “special player”, matches in the Asia-based a gritty challenge from russia’s chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil said. mixed team tennis league Svetlana Kuznetsova to claim the Also making a comeback to the T20 team are decided by games won women’s singles, 6-5. GOLF was 36-year-old left-arm in five one-set shootouts over The Aces, however, struck ֫ fast bowler Ashish Nehra, back in the mixed doubles with who last played for India their strong Indian pairing of in ’11 while paceman SINGAPORE SLAMMERS Sania mirza and rohan bopanna Tabuena home and mohammed Shami and OVERCAME INDIAN ACES storming to a 6-2 victory over ravindra Jadeja were also 26-21 IN A GRIPPING a shell-shocked Dustin brown dry in Philippines recalled to the ODI and FINALE. and Karolina Pliskova to put the ššNew Zealand CRICKET players celebrate T20 squads. defending champions 15-14 ahead. OmE favourite Miguel Tabuena made his ֫ the win. batsman Suresh raina Wawrinka, the highest-ranked decisive move on the back nine to secure was dropped from the 50-over various formats and Switzerland’s player in the final, was then called a one-stroke victory, his first on the Asian Stan H format while batsman Ambati rayudu, all-rounder Wawrinka played brilliantly to on to turn the tie around and he Tour, at the weather-shortened Philippine Open last Wawrinka Stuart binny and leg-spinner Amit mishra were ensure the Slammers overcame duly obliged, helping the Slammers Sunday. Sri Lanka Kaned! dropped from both squads. the Indian Aces 26-21 in a gripping reclaim the lead with a 6-3 win The $300,000 event teed off a day later than its The ODI squad featured left-arm paceman finale. over bernard Tomic before teaming scheduled start and was reduced to 54 holes due to ANE Williamson scored his through an innings of sheer Williamson and scoring the brainder balbirsingh Sran, batsman Gurkeerat carlos moya got the home side up with marcelo melo to seal the persistent rain caused by Typhoon melor, which hit fifth century in eight Tests in quality.” winning run with a sweep for a Singh mann and all-rounder rishi Dhawan, all of off to a perfect start with a 6-4 contest. central Philippines. K2015 to guide New Zealand Williamson finished 108 not out, single off milinda Siriwardana. whom are yet to play for India while uncapped Tabuena, 21, holed five birdies after the turn to a five-wicket victory over Sri taking his tally in 2015 to 1,172 — Sri Lanka fast bowler all-rounder Hardik Pandya was included in the T20 for a six-under-par 66 and a three-round total of Davis cup hero Andy Murray won the BBC Sports Personality Lanka before lunch on the fourth the most by a New Zealander in a Dushmantha chameera took 4-68 squad. 14-under 202 at the Luisita Golf and country club Murray is of the Year award for 2015 at a star-studded reception in day of the second Test at Seddon to go with his first innings haul of belfast last Sunday. north of manila to finish a shot ahead of Australian Park in Hamilton last monday. 5-47. SQUADS BBC Sports The world No.2, who was picking up the honour for the Scott barr. The victory gave brendon THE VICTORY GAVE The hosts capitalised on a ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL T20 Personality of second time, led Great britain to their first Davis cup title barr’s 68 was not enough to claim a first Tour win, mccullum’s side a 2-0 series sweep BRENDON MCCULLUM’S spectacular collapse by Sri Lanka Shikhar Dhawan Shikhar Dhawan since 1936 last month. but his second-place finish ensured he retained his rohit Sharma rohit Sharma Jump jockey legend AP mccoy received the Lifetime over the tourists after they won the SIDE A 2-0 SERIES SWEEP last Sunday, when they took all Virat Kohli Virat Kohli the Year card for the next year by jumping 15 spots to 49th Achievement Award after bringing his illustrious career to first Test in Dunedin by 122 runs. OVER THE TOURISTS. 10 wickets for 62 runs either side Ajinkya rahane Ajinkya rahane place on the Order of merit. a close in April. Former All blacks fly-half Dan carter picked “It was definitely hard fought of lunch to dismiss the visitors for manish Pandey Yuvraj Singh India’s Himmat rai scorched the course with up the Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award while and I thought the improvement 133 and set up their modest victory mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain) mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain) a blemish-free 63 to share third place alongside ravichandran Ashwin Suresh raina Northern Ireland manager michael O’Neill won the coach of of the Sri Lankan side was pretty calendar year — at an average of target. ravindra Jadeja ravichandran Ashwin the Year award after leading his nation to the Euro ’16 finals. Thailand’s chinnarat Phadungsil (67), two strokes evident throughout the Test series,” 90.15. Earlier, Sri Lanka made 292 in the mohammed Shami ravindra Jadeja behind the winner. mccullum said. “credit to Angelo The hosts reached their victory first innings while New Zealand’s Axar Patel mohammed Shami ֫ and Sri Lanka for putting us under target of 189 with five wickets reply ended at 237. Ishant Sharma Harbhajan Singh Umesh Yadav Umesh Yadav CYCLING immense pressure and thankfully down, wicketkeeper bJ Watling “I thought we had a chance,” said Gurkeerat Singh mann Hardik Pandya we were able to withstand it finishing unbeaten on 13 alongside Sri Lanka captain Angelo mathews. rishi Dhawan bhuvneshwar Kumar brainder balbirsingh Sran Ashish Nehra UCI headed for rough weather? OUr de France organiser licences from ’17 — rather than the characterised by a closed sport Smith hopeful of sealing series Amaury Sport Organisation current one-year permit until ’16. system. more than ever, ASO T(ASO) is withdrawing its races “We’ve informed UcI that we’ve remains committed to the European YEAr on from taking the the then-25-year-old Smith dominant 2-0 series win over Virat from the international cycling union opted for the registration of its model and can’t compromise the reins from an injured smashed 133 in the second Test Kohli’s side. (UcI) calendar in 2017 because of values it represents: an open system Am ichael clarke, Australia at the Gabba to drive the hosts to Since taking over from clarke a disagreement over the reform of giving first priority to the sporting captain Steven Smith has passed permanently in August, Smith schedule and selection of teams. THE CALENDAR CHANGES criterion,” it added. most of the tests presented in has lead Australia to a One-Day ASO said reform of the UcI’s World MEAN TEAMS WOULD Organisers cannot select more leading a team in the throes of SMITH’S FIRST TASTE OF International series win in England Tour meant the ’17 season would be BE HANDED THREE-YEAR than 70 per cent of World Tour transition. CAPTAINCY CAME DURING and a 2-0 victory in the recent Test a closed circuit whereas it wanted a WORLD TOUR LICENCES. teams in a ‘Hors classe’ race, or 15 His first taste of the captaincy LAST YEAR’S HOME SERIES series against New Zealand. system based on ‘sporting criteria’, teams in the usual 22-team line came during last year’s home series AGAINST INDIA. He will be hopeful of wrapping meaning no team can be guaranteed up for the Tour de France, the most against India, a baptism of fire for up another series against lowly a spot on the Tour de France and events on the Hors classe calendar prestigious race in cycling. the nation’s youngest skipper in 35 West Indies with a win in the other top events. for season ’17,” ASO said. It means that three World Tour years. a four-wicket victory. traditional boxing Day Test at the Steven The calendar changes, approved “The UcI has actually recently teams will be omitted from the With Australia still rocked by the He struck centuries in both the melbourne cricket Ground which Smith by the UcI, mean teams would adopted, from season ’17, a ’17 Tour line-up as the elite group death of batsman Phillip Hughes, final Tests to lead the team to a starts on Saturday. be handed three-year World Tour reform of the World Tour calendar usually features 18 teams. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 31

Former International Association of Athletics ‘Diack didn’t Federations head Lamine Diack denies having given money to finance macky Sall’s successful fund Sall’s bid to become the president of Senegal, campaign’ his lawyers said. Le Monde newspaper had reported that Diack asked his friend Valentin balakhnichev to finance Sall’s campaign.

TENNIS ֫ Wawrinka wins it for Slammers TAN Wawrinka victory over French shot-maker showed his Fabrice Santoro in the ‘Legends Sclass in both Singles’, the Spanish veteran singles and doubles to lead the coming out on top of five straight Singapore Slammers to victory breaks of serve after he had in the International Premier opened a 3-2 lead. Tennis League final in front of Swiss starlet belinda bencic a delighted home crowd at the stretched the advantage by a game Indoor Stadium last Sunday. after the 18-year-old fought off matches in the Asia-based a gritty challenge from russia’s mixed team tennis league Svetlana Kuznetsova to claim the are decided by games won women’s singles, 6-5. GOLF in five one-set shootouts over The Aces, however, struck ֫ back in the mixed doubles with their strong Indian pairing of SINGAPORE SLAMMERS Sania mirza and rohan bopanna Tabuena home and OVERCAME INDIAN ACES storming to a 6-2 victory over 26-21 IN A GRIPPING a shell-shocked Dustin brown dry in Philippines FINALE. and Karolina Pliskova to put the defending champions 15-14 ahead. OmE favourite Miguel Tabuena made his Wawrinka, the highest-ranked decisive move on the back nine to secure various formats and Switzerland’s player in the final, was then called a one-stroke victory, his first on the Asian Stan H Wawrinka played brilliantly to on to turn the tie around and he Tour, at the weather-shortened Philippine Open last Wawrinka ensure the Slammers overcame duly obliged, helping the Slammers Sunday. the Indian Aces 26-21 in a gripping reclaim the lead with a 6-3 win The $300,000 event teed off a day later than its finale. over bernard Tomic before teaming scheduled start and was reduced to 54 holes due to carlos moya got the home side up with marcelo melo to seal the persistent rain caused by Typhoon melor, which hit off to a perfect start with a 6-4 contest. central Philippines. Tabuena, 21, holed five birdies after the turn for a six-under-par 66 and a three-round total of Davis cup hero Andy Murray won the BBC Sports Personality 14-under 202 at the Luisita Golf and country club Murray is of the Year award for 2015 at a star-studded reception in belfast last Sunday. north of manila to finish a shot ahead of Australian BBC Sports The world No.2, who was picking up the honour for the Scott barr. Personality of second time, led Great britain to their first Davis cup title barr’s 68 was not enough to claim a first Tour win, since 1936 last month. but his second-place finish ensured he retained his the Year Jump jockey legend AP mccoy received the Lifetime card for the next year by jumping 15 spots to 49th Achievement Award after bringing his illustrious career to place on the Order of merit. a close in April. Former All blacks fly-half Dan carter picked India’s Himmat rai scorched the course with up the Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award while Northern Ireland manager michael O’Neill won the coach of a blemish-free 63 to share third place alongside the Year award after leading his nation to the Euro ’16 finals. Thailand’s chinnarat Phadungsil (67), two strokes behind the winner. CYCLING ֫ UCI headed for rough weather? OUr de France organiser licences from ’17 — rather than the characterised by a closed sport Amaury Sport Organisation current one-year permit until ’16. system. more than ever, ASO T(ASO) is withdrawing its races “We’ve informed UcI that we’ve remains committed to the European from the international cycling union opted for the registration of its model and can’t compromise the (UcI) calendar in 2017 because of values it represents: an open system a disagreement over the reform of giving first priority to the sporting schedule and selection of teams. THE CALENDAR CHANGES criterion,” it added. ASO said reform of the UcI’s World MEAN TEAMS WOULD Organisers cannot select more Tour meant the ’17 season would be BE HANDED THREE-YEAR than 70 per cent of World Tour a closed circuit whereas it wanted a WORLD TOUR LICENCES. teams in a ‘Hors classe’ race, or 15 system based on ‘sporting criteria’, teams in the usual 22-team line meaning no team can be guaranteed up for the Tour de France, the most a spot on the Tour de France and events on the Hors classe calendar prestigious race in cycling. other top events. for season ’17,” ASO said. It means that three World Tour The calendar changes, approved “The UcI has actually recently teams will be omitted from the by the UcI, mean teams would adopted, from season ’17, a ’17 Tour line-up as the elite group be handed three-year World Tour reform of the World Tour calendar usually features 18 teams. 32 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 33

PEOPLE SPORT THIS WEEK

Unbeaten cuban Rances Adriano de Souza kept the Juli Inksker will return as Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams Barthelemy won a 12-round men’s surfing world title in captain of the United were named men’s and women’s QATAR unanimous decision over Denis brazilian hands when he was States Solheim cup golf world champions for 2015 by the WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24 Shafikov to claim the vacant crowned champion at the team for the 2017 event. International Tennis Federation. The BASKETBALL HANDBALL International boxing Federation final event on the pro-tour, In September, Inkster Serb ended the year as men’s world Qatar League, Al Shamal vs Al Ahli, Qatar League, El Quiyada vs Al lightweight world title in Las the Pipe masters in Hawaii, presided over a US team No.1 for the fourth successive time 5pm and Al Sadd vs El Jaish, 7pm at Shamal, 4pm, Al Arabi vs Al Jhor, Vegas, the US, last week. russian last week. De Souza that completed the biggest after taking three majors — the Al Gharafa Indoor Hall. 5.30pm and Al Wakrah vs Qatar Sc, Shafikov was aggressive early, beat medina in the final and comeback in Solheim cup Australian, Wimbledon and US Open. 7pm at Qatar Handball Association but he was troubled by a bad became the first brazilian history when they roared Switzerland’s martina Hingis and India’s complex. cut over his right eye from to win the prestigious Pipe back from four points Sania mirza were named women’s HORSERACING a barthelemy punch in masters. behind on the final day to doubles world champions. Weekly races, 4pm at Qatar racing and Equestrian club. the seventh round. edge Europe 14 1/2-13 1/2. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25 FOOTBALL VOLLEYBALL Friendly, Qatar U-23 team vs Uzbekistan U-23 team, 7.30pm at Al russian Anti-Doping Agency Greek tennis player Alexandros NAScAr Series champion North Korea’s Olympic champion Qatar League, Al rayyan vs Al Khor, Gharafa Stadium. General Director Ramil Khabriev Jakupovic has been banned Kyle Busch underwent a foot Kim Un-Guk was among seven 4pm and Al Arabi vs El Jaish, 5.30pm and all other top managers have for life after being found guilty and leg surgery last week. athletes provisionally suspended at Al Arabi Sports club. HANDBALL stepped down, in the latest steps of five corruption charges. The busch had two metal plates by the International Weightlifting SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26 Qatar League, Al rayyan vs Al Gharafa, 4am, El Jaish vs Al Sadd, to clean up russian athletics 34-year-old, who spent his in his left foot, and a metal Federation after failing doping tests BASKETBALL 5.30pm and Al Shamal vs Lekhwiya, to avoid missing next year’s career playing in the lower rungs rod and screws in his right leg at the World championships in the CHESS Qatar League, Al rayyan vs Al 7pm at Qatar Handball Association Olympics. result management of the professional game, was removed. The plates, rod and US. Kim finished second to china’s Qatar masters Open, 3pm onwards Gharafa, 5pm and Al Wakrah vs Qatar complex. and Investigation Department charged with various offences screws had been inserted to chen Lijun’s world-record 333kg at Ladies club, Aspire Zone (till Sc, 7pm at Al Gharafa Indoor Hall. MONDAY, DECEMBER 28 Head Anna Antseliovich has been including “directly or indirectly help stabilise his injuries after total at the Worlds in Houston. Kim December 29 with December 25 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27 being a rest day). HANDBALL named as the organisation’s contriving the outcome of he fractured foot in a crash at won the snatch and was second in BASKETBALL HANDBALL Qatar League, Al Wakrah vs Al Arabi, acting general director. an event”. The ban starts Daytona in February. clean and jerk. Qatar League, Al Ahli vs Al Sadd, 5pm 4pm, Qatar Sc vs El Quiyada, 5.30pm Qatar League, Al Sadd vs Al Ahli, immediately. and Al Shamal vs Al Arabi, 7pm at Al and Al Khor vs Al Ahli, 7pm at Qatar 4pm, Al rayyan vs Lekhwiya, 5.30pm, Gharafa Indoor Hall. Handball Association complex. Al Gharafa vs El Jaish, 7pm at Qatar Handball Association complex. VOLLEYBALL HORSERACING Qatar League, Al Wakrah vs Al Shamal, 5.15pm and Al Sadd vs Al Weekly races, 4pm at Qatar racing Ahli, 6.45pm at Al Arabi Sports club. and Equestrian club. TENNIS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29 STAR OF THE WEEK KANE WILLIAMSON MOVERS&SHAKERS Asian Junior Tournament, 5pm BASKETBALL onwards at Khalifa International Qatar League, Al Gharafa vs Al Khor, complex (till Tuesday). 5pm and Al rayyan vs El Jaish, 7pm VOLLEYBALL at Al Gharafa Indoor Hall. We can win the English Qatar League, Qatar Sc vs Al Ahli, HORSERACING 5.15pm and Al Gharafa vs Al Shamal, Weekly races, 4pm at Qatar racing 6.45pm at Al Arabi Sports club. and Equestrian club. HE match-winning century wrap up the second Test. In the Premier League: Ozil against Sri Lanka helped New previous morning, Sri Lanka were TZealand phenomenon Kane in command before the initiative rSENAL can win the English Pellegrini’s side. Williamson top the Test batting swung on a day when Williamson Premier League (EPL) title “We believe in ourselves. If you INTERNATIONAL rankings last monday. He also stood alone as the one batsman this season if they can see the games against the big A SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26 SAILING ended the year with a big average who could handle the short-pitched continue playing the type of clubs, we won against them. So Sydney to Hobart race. of 90.15, well clear of the next best bowling strategy orchestrated by game they did during we know our quality well. CRICKET MONDAY, DECEMBER 28 76.83 by Australian Adam Voges. both sides. last monday’s 2-1 win If we play our game Australia vs West Indies, 2nd Test at melbourne; South Africa vs England ALPINE SKIING The modest 25-year-old, who Sixteen wickets fell on the third over manchester city, we can win the EPL,” 1st Test at Durban, (till December Ladies’ World cup giant slalom at 30); New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 1st claims he is not obsessed by day, most caught when attempting midfielderMesut Ozil said Ozil. Linz, Austria. ODI at christchurch. statistics, was unbeaten on 108 as to pull bouncing deliveries. has said. The World cup HORSERACING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29 New Zealand reached the target of Williamson said the wicket held The win, which winner with Germany King George VI chase at Kempton SKI JUMPING 189 in the second Test in Hamilton no demons and shot selection was was aided by first- set up Walcott and Park. World cup at Oberstdorf, Germany. for the loss of five wickets. the key. half goals from Theo Giroud to register his The win wrapped up the series “All the guys like to play (the pull Walcott and Olivier Giroud 14th and 15th assists of the 2-0 for New Zealand after their shot) but like any shot, on some saw the Gunners, who are second season and is on course to beat 122-run victory in the first match, surfaces, it’s important you try to in the table and two points Thierry Henry’s record for the most where Williamson had scores of select the right one,” he said. behind leaders Leicester city after assists in a single campaign (20), 88 and 71 before a rare blemish in Williamson, a focused as well 17 games, open up a four-point which the Frenchman set 13 the first innings of the second Test as technically-exact batsman and gap with third-placed manuel years ago. when he was out for one. the heir apparent as New Zealand He started at Hamilton as the captain when brendon mccullum third-ranked Test batsman behind steps aside, scored five Test centuries McCullum to call it quits England’s Joe root and South this year including two in Australia African A b de Villiers. but following and one against England. TAr batsman Brendon “I’ve loved my opportunity to a Test, where he reached a number He compiled a New Zealand McCullum, who led play for, and captain, the black of milestones, Williamson was record 1,172 runs in a calendar year SNew Zealand through an caps, but all good things have to uncomfortable being the focus of with his four to bring up his century exhilarating two years of come to an end, and I’m just attention. against Sri Lanka, taking him past success, will retire from grateful for the wonderful “From my perspective, the most the previous mark of 1,164 set by international cricket experience of playing pleasing thing is each game you set mccullum last year. in February after the for my country,” said out, you want to contribute as best His five centuries took him to 13, two-Test home series mccullum, who has as you can to a team performance,” equal with ross Taylor as the second against Australia. often struggled with said Williamson. best by a New Zealander and four The 34-year-old told back problems. New Zealand took just under behind the national record held by a news conference in The explosive batsman an hour on the fourth day to martin crowe. christchurch on Tuesday that has scored 6,273 runs in 99 the second Test against Australia, Tests at an average of 38.48, with which starts at Hagley Oval on a best of 302 and shares the world February 20, would be his 101st and record of 100 sixes with Australian last. Adam Gilchrist. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 33

SPORT THIS WEEK

Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams were named men’s and women’s QATAR world champions for 2015 by the WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24 International Tennis Federation. The BASKETBALL HANDBALL Serb ended the year as men’s world Qatar League, Al Shamal vs Al Ahli, Qatar League, El Quiyada vs Al No.1 for the fourth successive time 5pm and Al Sadd vs El Jaish, 7pm at Shamal, 4pm, Al Arabi vs Al Jhor, after taking three majors — the Al Gharafa Indoor Hall. 5.30pm and Al Wakrah vs Qatar Sc, Australian, Wimbledon and US Open. 7pm at Qatar Handball Association Switzerland’s martina Hingis and India’s complex. Sania mirza were named women’s HORSERACING doubles world champions. Weekly races, 4pm at Qatar racing and Equestrian club. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25 FOOTBALL VOLLEYBALL Friendly, Qatar U-23 team vs Uzbekistan U-23 team, 7.30pm at Al North Korea’s Olympic champion Qatar League, Al rayyan vs Al Khor, Gharafa Stadium. Kim Un-Guk was among seven 4pm and Al Arabi vs El Jaish, 5.30pm athletes provisionally suspended at Al Arabi Sports club. HANDBALL by the International Weightlifting SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26 Qatar League, Al rayyan vs Al Gharafa, 4am, El Jaish vs Al Sadd, Federation after failing doping tests BASKETBALL 5.30pm and Al Shamal vs Lekhwiya, at the World championships in the CHESS Qatar League, Al rayyan vs Al 7pm at Qatar Handball Association US. Kim finished second to china’s Qatar masters Open, 3pm onwards Gharafa, 5pm and Al Wakrah vs Qatar complex. chen Lijun’s world-record 333kg at Ladies club, Aspire Zone (till Sc, 7pm at Al Gharafa Indoor Hall. MONDAY, DECEMBER 28 total at the Worlds in Houston. Kim December 29 with December 25 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27 being a rest day). HANDBALL won the snatch and was second in BASKETBALL HANDBALL Qatar League, Al Wakrah vs Al Arabi, clean and jerk. Qatar League, Al Ahli vs Al Sadd, 5pm 4pm, Qatar Sc vs El Quiyada, 5.30pm Qatar League, Al Sadd vs Al Ahli, and Al Shamal vs Al Arabi, 7pm at Al and Al Khor vs Al Ahli, 7pm at Qatar 4pm, Al rayyan vs Lekhwiya, 5.30pm, Gharafa Indoor Hall. Handball Association complex. Al Gharafa vs El Jaish, 7pm at Qatar Handball Association complex. VOLLEYBALL HORSERACING Qatar League, Al Wakrah vs Al Shamal, 5.15pm and Al Sadd vs Al Weekly races, 4pm at Qatar racing Ahli, 6.45pm at Al Arabi Sports club. and Equestrian club. TENNIS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29 MOVERS&SHAKERS Asian Junior Tournament, 5pm BASKETBALL onwards at Khalifa International Qatar League, Al Gharafa vs Al Khor, complex (till Tuesday). 5pm and Al rayyan vs El Jaish, 7pm VOLLEYBALL at Al Gharafa Indoor Hall. We can win the English Qatar League, Qatar Sc vs Al Ahli, HORSERACING 5.15pm and Al Gharafa vs Al Shamal, Weekly races, 4pm at Qatar racing Premier League: Ozil 6.45pm at Al Arabi Sports club. and Equestrian club.

rSENAL can win the English Pellegrini’s side. Premier League (EPL) title “We believe in ourselves. If you INTERNATIONAL this season if they can see the games against the big A SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26 SAILING continue playing the type of clubs, we won against them. So Sydney to Hobart race. game they did during we know our quality well. CRICKET MONDAY, DECEMBER 28 last monday’s 2-1 win If we play our game Australia vs West Indies, 2nd Test at melbourne; South Africa vs England ALPINE SKIING over manchester city, we can win the EPL,” 1st Test at Durban, (till December Ladies’ World cup giant slalom at 30); New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 1st midfielderMesut Ozil said Ozil. Linz, Austria. ODI at christchurch. has said. The World cup HORSERACING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29 The win, which winner with Germany King George VI chase at Kempton SKI JUMPING was aided by first- set up Walcott and Park. World cup at Oberstdorf, Germany. half goals from Theo Giroud to register his Walcott and Olivier Giroud 14th and 15th assists of the saw the Gunners, who are second season and is on course to beat in the table and two points Thierry Henry’s record for the most behind leaders Leicester city after assists in a single campaign (20), 17 games, open up a four-point which the Frenchman set 13 gap with third-placed manuel years ago. McCullum to call it quits

TAr batsman Brendon “I’ve loved my opportunity to McCullum, who led play for, and captain, the black SNew Zealand through an caps, but all good things have to exhilarating two years of come to an end, and I’m just success, will retire from grateful for the wonderful international cricket experience of playing in February after the for my country,” said two-Test home series mccullum, who has against Australia. often struggled with The 34-year-old told back problems. a news conference in The explosive batsman christchurch on Tuesday that has scored 6,273 runs in 99 the second Test against Australia, Tests at an average of 38.48, with which starts at Hagley Oval on a best of 302 and shares the world February 20, would be his 101st and record of 100 sixes with Australian last. Adam Gilchrist. 34 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 35

The original finishing post at the Longchamp racecourse just outside Paris That’s some was sold at auction for €21,000 last week. The sale set a new record for objects from the hippodrome that hosts the world-famous Qatar Prix de l’Arc finishing de Triomphe race. “The results exceeded our most optimistic expectations,” MOSAIC post! said Pierre-Yves Lefevre, the auctioneer. “The finishing post is nothing but a metal tube with a red disk and it was sold for €21,000! That’s the magic of the place and proves that racetracks aren’t dead.”

SPORTMART OFFBEAT CAMEO Ellie Day, I hope Socceroos to keep flying with Qantas YOUR Australian national airline Qantas extended its you’re doing okay! sponsorship of Football Federation of Australia. The deal will include the men’s and women’s national OWN LEVELAND forward Lebron James apologised teams, Hyundai A-League and Westfield W-League. MAKE to the wife of Australian golfer Jason Day after meanwhile, Australian telecommunication company Ca court-side collision forced her out of the Optus announced a 10-year sponsorship deal with the Quicken Loans Arena on a stretcher at the end of last country’s Olympic committee. week’s win over Oklahoma city Thunder. Ellie Day was sitting in the front row with her US PGA championship-winning husband when James Boost for rugby Jaguar returns dived for a loose ball with three minutes remaining in their 104-100 win. in South Africa to racing James saved the ball from going out-of-bounds, The South African british automotive brand Jaguar, but crashed head-first into Ellie, who remained rugby Union now a part of India’s Tata group, on the side line for a few minutes while receiving announced a will return to motor sports as a medical attention. major sponsorship manufacturer in 2016, with its own team in the third season She was fitted with a brace around her neck and deal for its Sevens team, which makes its of the FIA Formula E World MINIINI fans across the middle mINI, the configurator allows users head while being removed from the arena on a Olympic debut in rio. Steinhoff championship. It will partner East can now design the to design their individualised look stretcher and was taken to hospital in an ambulance International, an integrated Williams Advanced Engineering Mcar of their dreams. and feel by choosing which fabric or accompanied by her husband. retailer with operations in Africa, for the project. The mINI configurator, launched leather they prefer for the car seats “Ellie Day, I hope you’re doing okay! my apologies! Europe and Australasia, has on the carmaker’s regional website, as well as any interior trims they Love LJ!” James tweeted. ššLebron James crashes into Ellie Day in pursuit of a loose ball. agreed a three-year partnership to offers a host of customisation may wish to add. support the men’s and women’s Etihad backs Ladies national teams. options for the exterior, interior and Next up, the user gets to select European Tour equipment, and it helps customers which mINI pack they prefer, such SOCIAL MEDIA Eithad Airways planning to purchase a mINI as the John cooper Works interior Ice hockey ties up became the visualise the final product, complete or exterior pack, the chili or perhaps Official Airline with all features they desire. the Trafalgar. When clicking on one Hate speech to be off within 24 hours with MasterCard of the Ladies The first thing to do when using of the packages, the configurator International payments company European Tour golf. The deal, the configurator is to choose which will immediately outline which ErmANY said last week The new agreement makes it mastercard became a sponsor which begins in 2016, sees the model you want to base your add-ons are included. For added that Facebook, Google and easier for users and anti-racism of the Pan-European ice hockey UAE’s national carrier becoming customised mINI on. Once selected, customisation, equipment can also Twitter had agreed to delete groups to report hate speech competition, the Kontinental the official airline of the tour and G Hockey League (KHL), until along with the type of transmission, be added, such as audio, navigation hate speech from their websites to specialist teams at the three also joining Omega as the second the conclusion of the 2016-17 global partner. the next step is to design the exterior and comfort options. within 24 hours, a new step in the down on the rise in anti-foreigner companies, German Justice minister season. As part of the agreement, of the vehicle by choosing from Log on to http://www.mini-me. fight against rising online racism comments in German on the web as Heiko maas said. mastercard will back the KHL — Courtesy CSM Sport & Entertainment the complete range of solid and com/configurator to design following the refugee crisis. the country struggles to cope with “When the limits of free speech championship, All-Star game and www.csm.com metallic colours available as well as your own mINI. The government has been trying an influx of more than one million are trespassed, such content has to Youth Hockey League. @FastTrack_ME additional individualisation options to get social platforms to crack refugees this year. be deleted from the net,” said maas. for the mirror caps, roof and stripes. When the user selects certain options, such as the type of wheels, HEALTH Canned fruits and the configurator will automatically prompt the user if their choice vegetables not bad affects the overall specifications, Wearable devices on way for example by adding a complete EOPLE who eat canned fruits and vegetables signature interior or exterior package. NEW wave of wearable might have a healthier diet than those who Drink coffee, To get a better look at the computing devices that detect Pdo not though they may also consume more masterpiece in the making, the user Aand monitor serious diseases calories and sugar, a recent US study suggests. reduce risk! can spin the car around at any point is moving from the laboratory to researchers analysed data collected from 2001 to during the exterior customisation market, potentially transforming the ’10 from almost 42,000 American children and adults, In a 10-year US study, people process. treatment of conditions ranging from scoring the overall quality of their diets based their who drank coffee regularly were less likely to die of many causes, moving on to the interior of the epilepsy to diabetes and creating consumption of these foods as well as whole grains, including heart disease and business opportunities estimated to dairy, protein, seafood and limited amounts of salt, diabetes, than those who did not be worth tens of billions of dollars. sugars and empty calories. drink coffee at all. Unlike popular fitness-tracking Adults who consumed canned fruits and vegetables The more coffee study TECHNOLOGY devices, such as Fitbit Inc’s Fitbit and focused on digital health. had an average diet quality score of 49 on a scale of participants consumed, the Jawbone’s UP wristbands, these Long criticised by some health- 0 to 100, compared with 47.4 for their peers who did lower their risk of dying, and so-called medical-grade wearables tech entrepreneurs as a barrier to not eat these foods. For children, eating these canned decaf drinkers showed a similar pattern. require approval from the US Food innovation, the FDA is now seen goods was linked to an average diet score of 45.8, Ford to test self-driving cars on roads “coffee contains numerous and Drug Administration (FDA), a as an important ally by companies compared with 43.3 without these foods. biologically-active compounds, OrD motor co said last week the fast-growing, self-driving michigan, Florida and Nevada, that rigorous regulatory hurdle that eager to show their devices can “by consuming fruits and vegetables, one may including phenolic acids, it secured a permit from technology. have passed legislation enabling first-generation wearables sought to improve peoples’ health. consume fewer foods that’ve lower nutritional value,” potassium and caffeine,” said Fcalifornia to begin testing its Other carmakers already testing of self-driving cars on public avoid. many would-be vendors of said study co-author marjorie Freedman of lead author Dr Erikka Loftfield of self-driving car on public roads approved by california include roads. The FDA is preparing for the medical wearables are small startup the San Jose State University in california. the National cancer Institute in from next year. Honda motor co Ltd, Daimler AG’s, Google and other automotive coming onslaught. companies, such as massachusetts- “Thus, it makes sense that those rockville, maryland. many studies have found Ford, which will test its Ford mercedes benz, Tesla motors Inc, manufacturers and suppliers have FDA’s Associate Director for Digital based Empatica, which is developing who consume canned fruits and that coffee consumption was Fusion Hybrid car, joins companies Nissan motor co Ltd and bmW AG. said the technology to build Health bakul Patel said the agency a wristband designed to alert vegetables would have higher associated with lower risk ranging from Alphabet Inc’s Google california is one of a handful self-driving cars should be ready by was reviewing applications for epilepsy patients and their caregivers intake of certain nutrients and of overall and heart-related to Volkswagen AG in testing of American states, along with 2020. three new senior scientist positions of seizures. higher-quality diets.” mortality. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 35

The original finishing post at the Longchamp racecourse just outside Paris That’s some was sold at auction for €21,000 last week. The sale set a new record for objects from the hippodrome that hosts the world-famous Qatar Prix de l’Arc finishing de Triomphe race. “The results exceeded our most optimistic expectations,” post! said Pierre-Yves Lefevre, the auctioneer. “The finishing post is nothing but a metal tube with a red disk and it was sold for €21,000! That’s the magic of the place and proves that racetracks aren’t dead.”

OFFBEAT CAMEO Ellie Day, I hope Socceroos to keep flying with Qantas Australian national airline Qantas extended its you’re doing okay! sponsorship of Football Federation of Australia. The deal will include the men’s and women’s national LEVELAND forward Lebron James apologised teams, Hyundai A-League and Westfield W-League. to the wife of Australian golfer Jason Day after meanwhile, Australian telecommunication company Ca court-side collision forced her out of the Optus announced a 10-year sponsorship deal with the Quicken Loans Arena on a stretcher at the end of last country’s Olympic committee. week’s win over Oklahoma city Thunder. Ellie Day was sitting in the front row with her US PGA championship-winning husband when James Boost for rugby Jaguar returns dived for a loose ball with three minutes remaining in their 104-100 win. in South Africa to racing James saved the ball from going out-of-bounds, The South African british automotive brand Jaguar, but crashed head-first into Ellie, who remained rugby Union now a part of India’s Tata group, on the side line for a few minutes while receiving announced a will return to motor sports as a medical attention. major sponsorship manufacturer in 2016, with its own team in the third season She was fitted with a brace around her neck and deal for its Sevens team, which makes its of the FIA Formula E World head while being removed from the arena on a Olympic debut in rio. Steinhoff championship. It will partner stretcher and was taken to hospital in an ambulance International, an integrated Williams Advanced Engineering accompanied by her husband. retailer with operations in Africa, for the project. “Ellie Day, I hope you’re doing okay! my apologies! Europe and Australasia, has Love LJ!” James tweeted. ššLebron James crashes into Ellie Day in pursuit of a loose ball. agreed a three-year partnership to support the men’s and women’s Etihad backs Ladies national teams. European Tour SOCIAL MEDIA Eithad Airways Ice hockey ties up became the Official Airline Hate speech to be off within 24 hours with MasterCard of the Ladies International payments company European Tour golf. The deal, ErmANY said last week The new agreement makes it mastercard became a sponsor which begins in 2016, sees the that Facebook, Google and easier for users and anti-racism of the Pan-European ice hockey UAE’s national carrier becoming Twitter had agreed to delete groups to report hate speech competition, the Kontinental the official airline of the tour and G Hockey League (KHL), until hate speech from their websites to specialist teams at the three also joining Omega as the second the conclusion of the 2016-17 global partner. within 24 hours, a new step in the down on the rise in anti-foreigner companies, German Justice minister season. As part of the agreement, fight against rising online racism comments in German on the web as Heiko maas said. mastercard will back the KHL — Courtesy CSM Sport & Entertainment following the refugee crisis. the country struggles to cope with “When the limits of free speech championship, All-Star game and www.csm.com The government has been trying an influx of more than one million are trespassed, such content has to Youth Hockey League. @FastTrack_ME to get social platforms to crack refugees this year. be deleted from the net,” said maas. HEALTH Canned fruits and Wearable devices on way vegetables not bad EOPLE who eat canned fruits and vegetables NEW wave of wearable might have a healthier diet than those who Drink coffee, computing devices that detect Pdo not though they may also consume more Aand monitor serious diseases calories and sugar, a recent US study suggests. reduce risk! is moving from the laboratory to researchers analysed data collected from 2001 to market, potentially transforming the ’10 from almost 42,000 American children and adults, In a 10-year US study, people treatment of conditions ranging from scoring the overall quality of their diets based their who drank coffee regularly were less likely to die of many causes, epilepsy to diabetes and creating consumption of these foods as well as whole grains, including heart disease and business opportunities estimated to dairy, protein, seafood and limited amounts of salt, diabetes, than those who did not be worth tens of billions of dollars. sugars and empty calories. drink coffee at all. Unlike popular fitness-tracking Adults who consumed canned fruits and vegetables The more coffee study devices, such as Fitbit Inc’s Fitbit and focused on digital health. had an average diet quality score of 49 on a scale of participants consumed, the Jawbone’s UP wristbands, these Long criticised by some health- 0 to 100, compared with 47.4 for their peers who did lower their risk of dying, and so-called medical-grade wearables tech entrepreneurs as a barrier to not eat these foods. For children, eating these canned decaf drinkers showed a similar pattern. require approval from the US Food innovation, the FDA is now seen goods was linked to an average diet score of 45.8, “coffee contains numerous and Drug Administration (FDA), a as an important ally by companies compared with 43.3 without these foods. biologically-active compounds, rigorous regulatory hurdle that eager to show their devices can “by consuming fruits and vegetables, one may including phenolic acids, first-generation wearables sought to improve peoples’ health. consume fewer foods that’ve lower nutritional value,” potassium and caffeine,” said avoid. many would-be vendors of said study co-author marjorie Freedman of lead author Dr Erikka Loftfield of The FDA is preparing for the medical wearables are small startup the San Jose State University in california. the National cancer Institute in coming onslaught. companies, such as massachusetts- “Thus, it makes sense that those rockville, maryland. many studies have found FDA’s Associate Director for Digital based Empatica, which is developing who consume canned fruits and that coffee consumption was Health bakul Patel said the agency a wristband designed to alert vegetables would have higher associated with lower risk was reviewing applications for epilepsy patients and their caregivers intake of certain nutrients and of overall and heart-related three new senior scientist positions of seizures. higher-quality diets.” mortality. 36 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 37

CLOSE-UP | QATAR NATIONAL DAY Photos/ Emiri Diwan, A K BijuRaj Emiri Diwan, Photos/ www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 37 Photos/ Emiri Diwan, A K BijuRaj Emiri Diwan, Photos/ 38 WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 39

3 5 9 8 5 1 6 4 It is your turn now. Tell us about sports events in your neighbourhood, send us photographs too and get them published in DSP. 7 MIND 3 SQUARE Our e-mail is [email protected] YOUR PAGE 6 3 2 1 1 5 7 3 8 2 7 9 P 6 | FOOTBALL P 18 | VOLLEYBALL JAISH PUT IT PAST SADD THE bAND OF bROTHERS Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah’s The presence of Stevanovic brothers Milos 2 1 brace highlights El Jaish’s crushing victory and Marko makes Jaish a team capable of over Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League. ending the domination of Rayyan and Arabi. SUDOKU-504 4 5 3 2

4udoku is a number-placing1 3 puzzle8 based on a 3 5 9 8 WEDNESDAY, DEcEMbER 16, 2015 | Vol X | No.46 | QR 2.00 www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com Follow us on 9x9 grid with several given numbers. S The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in 5 1 6 4 the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. 7 3 Solution-503 6 3 2 1 INTRIGUING 8 1 5 3 4 9 6 2 7

bATTLESHosts France earn a generous draw while holders Spain are clubbed along with the Czech Republic, Turkey and Croatia at 2 9 7 6 5 8 1 4 3 1 5 7 3 next year’s European Championship. PAGES 12-13

UK ...... £1 UAE ...... Dh 5 Europe ...... €2 Yemen...... 75 Riyals P 24 | MOTORSPORT P 20 | POSTER Oman ...... 200 Baisas Sudan ...... 1 Pound Bahrain ...... 200 Fils KSA ...... 2 Riyals Egypt ...... LE 2 Jordan ...... 500 Fils Mohamed Issa has ROMELU Lebanon ...... 3,000 Livre Iraq ...... $1 EXCLUSIVE 4 6 3 7 1 2 8 5 9 Kuwait ...... 250 Fils Palestine ...... $1 Morocco ...... Dh 6 Syria ...... LS 20 INTERVIEW the licence to thrill! LUKAKU 7 3 1 2 6 5 9 8 4 8 2 7 9 Aspire Zone Foundation 5 2 4 8 9 7 3 6 1 2 1 Champions Spain in celebrates National Day 6 8 9 1 3 4 2 7 5 tricky Euro group The Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) synonymous with national pride, 9 4 6 5 2 1 7 3 8 4 5 3 2 organised a number of exciting and helping create a sense of belonging Holders Spain are indeed in a tricky group at next unique events at the Aspire Park and build relationships within 1 7 2 4 8 3 5 9 6 year’s European Football championship having been on the Qatar National Day. Various communities. It has also boosted 3 5 8 9 7 6 4 1 2 4 1 3 8 drawn along with the czech republic, Turkey and activities were held over three days Qatar’s profile on the international croatia (Doha Stadium Plus, December 16). to inspire national pride as well as stage. We’re pleased to say that Vicente del bosque-coached Spain have not been create an enjoyable atmosphere we’ve made real progress in each in great form in recent years and had crashed out in and memorable experience for of these areas through delivering visiting communities. our mission of enhancing sports the group stage at last year’s FIFA World cup in brazil. They included unique light and performance. And we’re delighted So it remains to be seen whether they complete a laser shows, rendering of songs with the large number of people hat-trick of titles in Europe’s prestigious competition. and a number of cultural displays who chose to join us to celebrate The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) celebrated I’m eagerly looking forward to see the action live that were broadcast on the park’s the occasion.” the National Day at the Museum of Islamic Art on Doha Corniche. TOP TWEETS in the expanded tournament, which will feature 24 various screens. In addition, the Sports activities were also QMMF QMMF President Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah and other officials AZF decorated the Aspire Zone organised at Katara and Asian teams instead of 16, thanks to UEFA chief michel joined hands with various motorcycle clubs, including Soul Riders, precinct with the national flag and Town Stadium. Qatar Racing Platini. Oryx Riders, Soul Jeepers and Qatar Riders, to mark the occasion. lit up the park, its trees, various and Equestrian Club and various joins the “It was an important occasion for us in the motorsport family. John Harvey, Doha. facilities and the Torch hotel in its federations too joined the We’re pleased to celebrate it in our own way with maximum colours. celebrations by organising special involvement from our affiliated clubs,” said Al Attiyah. FIFA chief Sepp Blatter and UEFA boss Michel Platini, the Commenting on the festivities, events. festivities Neus Ramos sent the details and photograph. two most powerful men in world football, were banned for Good show at Qatar Clasico AZF Marketing Director Nasser Karim Jabsheh sent the details and 8eight years1 last 5Monday 3 over a ‘disloyal’4 9payment 6 of two2 7 The Al Sadd vs Al rayyan matches always evoke Abdullah Al Hijri said, “Sport is Mohammed Hassan photographs. million Swiss francs made by the game’s world governing great interest in Qatar football, mainly because of body to the Frenchman. Both men were under suspension 2since October9 and7 were 6being investigated.5 8 The news1 came4 3 the teams’ big support base. Their latest match-up as music to the ears of majority of commoners who were was no different, with around 11,000 fans turning up concerned about the huge turmoil FIFA had been in for a (Doha Stadium Plus, December 16). 4long time.6 People3 took to7 Twitter 1 to express2 their 8relief and5 9 Victory was an issue of prestige for both teams, happiness at the decision. Here are some reactions. studded with many big names, and Sadd seemed to 7 3 1 2 6 5 9 8 4 have thrown everything into the game as they halted rayyan’s 11-match unbeaten run in the Qatar Stars League. 5 2 4 8 9 7 3 6 1 I’m sure Sadd’s new coach Jesualdo Ferreira heaved a sigh of relief. Paul Malignaggi heard that line somewhere silence for mandela at W rESULT! Go and ruin some Rocky Fernandez, Doha. @Paulmalignaggi before but can’t quite put 6c up draw.8 9 1 3other 4sport you2 mugs! 7 5 blatter and Platini banned my finger on it #efc for 8 yrs. Seriously I’ve lost Danny Bhoy David Conn all respect for michel Platini, Martyn Ziegler 9@officialbhoy 4 6 5 2@david_conn 1 7 3 8 Spiking brothers he just went from hero to @martynziegler blatter says bribery is Uefa statement: “Naturally The feature on El Jaish volleyball team’s Stevanovic zero #FiFaban ‘Top-level’ sources reveal “against my heart.”.. So, your extremely disappointed” brothers milos and marko made an interesting the plaster on blatter’s face 1top pocket7 then?2 4 8with #FIFA3 decision5 to 9ban 6 read (Doha Stadium Plus, December 16). No Rich Eisen follows the removal of a Platini for 8 yrs. Not sure it’s doubt, they’ve boosted the ranks of Jaish, who’re @richeisen mole. Think there might be Rob Harris quite their place to say that Sepp blatter suspended for another one deep in FIFA. 3 @ robHarris5 8 9 7 6 4 1 2 challenging the domination of Al rayyan and Al Xavi makes surprise visit 8 years by FIFA and delivers FIFA ban does not prevent Joe Crann Arabi in Qatar. the most Sepp blatter quote Keir Radnedge Platini & blatter going to @YesWecrann That the sport runs in their family, with father at Qatar Masters Open yet: “I am sorry for me” @Keirradnedge football matches — but they Platini once very wisely Slavisca being a player-turned-coach, must be Former FC Barcelona star and Al Sadd the game much. blatter spent much of his have to go as regular paying said ‘Some games you win, making a major difference in their game. football team captain Xavi Hernandez “I haven’t played chess that much Darren Rovell presser denying corruptly fans. Not in VIP areas. some you lose, and some Najeeb Thannickal, Doha. @darrenrovell buying votes for the 2011 you draw.’ on Tuesday made a surprise visit at the barring a few moments when I used to Sepp blatter & michel Platini election. In fact, the ethics Steve Wilson This one, he lost. Qatar Masters Open, where he did a spend time with my grandfather who get 8-year ban from FIFA cte did not accuse him of @stevewilsonap Go Mohamed Issa, go! formal opening in the game between was an avid chess player,” said Xavi. by ethics committee. Any that! blatter’s last words leaving Mike Anish Giri of the Netherlands and Polish “It was really nice to have Xavi as normal organization would press conference: `I’ll be @mikeDingDong Qatari quad bike rider mohamed Issa Abu Isa Grandmaster Wojtaszek Radoslaw. our guest. Though he’s a footballer, have banned them for life. alex thomson back.’ mike @mikeDingDong is capable of making it big going by his recent The soft-spoken Spaniard, who joined he appreciated the quality of the Sadd at the start of the season after tournament,” said Qatar Chess @alextomo Waking up to the news that achievements (Doha Stadium Plus, December 16). spending 17 years at Barcelona, also Association Secretary and Tournament Everton Fans blatter invoked mandela’s Spencer FC blatter and Platini have been He was let down by a mechanical problem at last @Everton_Fans humanity today - the same @SpencerOwen banned from FIFA is the best had a chat with world champion and Director Mohammed Al Medaikhi. year’s Dakar. I wish him good luck in the gruelling blatter is always the victim blatter who began talking blatter and Platini banned early christmas present I top seed Magnus Carlsen. Rafeeq Ahmed sent the details and and it’s never his fault. I have 10 seconds into a minute’s from football for 8 years! could ever ask for. rally’s forthcoming edition. But Xavi admitted he had not played photograph. Kasim Kwaja, Doha. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 23, 2015 39

It is your turn now. Tell us about sports events in your neighbourhood, send us photographs too and get them published in DSP. Our e-mail is [email protected] YOUR PAGE

Aspire Zone Foundation celebrates National Day The Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) synonymous with national pride, organised a number of exciting and helping create a sense of belonging unique events at the Aspire Park and build relationships within on the Qatar National Day. Various communities. It has also boosted activities were held over three days Qatar’s profile on the international to inspire national pride as well as stage. We’re pleased to say that create an enjoyable atmosphere we’ve made real progress in each and memorable experience for of these areas through delivering visiting communities. our mission of enhancing sports They included unique light and performance. And we’re delighted laser shows, rendering of songs with the large number of people and a number of cultural displays who chose to join us to celebrate The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) celebrated that were broadcast on the park’s the occasion.” the National Day at the Museum of Islamic Art on Doha Corniche. various screens. In addition, the Sports activities were also QMMF QMMF President Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah and other officials AZF decorated the Aspire Zone organised at Katara and Asian joined hands with various motorcycle clubs, including Soul Riders, precinct with the national flag and Town Stadium. Qatar Racing Oryx Riders, Soul Jeepers and Qatar Riders, to mark the occasion. lit up the park, its trees, various and Equestrian Club and various joins the “It was an important occasion for us in the motorsport family. facilities and the Torch hotel in its federations too joined the We’re pleased to celebrate it in our own way with maximum colours. celebrations by organising special involvement from our affiliated clubs,” said Al Attiyah. Commenting on the festivities, events. festivities Neus Ramos sent the details and photograph. AZF Marketing Director Nasser Karim Jabsheh sent the details and Abdullah Al Hijri said, “Sport is Mohammed Hassan photographs.

Xavi makes surprise visit at Qatar Masters Open Former FC Barcelona star and Al Sadd the game much. football team captain Xavi Hernandez “I haven’t played chess that much on Tuesday made a surprise visit at the barring a few moments when I used to Qatar Masters Open, where he did a spend time with my grandfather who formal opening in the game between was an avid chess player,” said Xavi. Anish Giri of the Netherlands and Polish “It was really nice to have Xavi as Grandmaster Wojtaszek Radoslaw. our guest. Though he’s a footballer, The soft-spoken Spaniard, who joined he appreciated the quality of the Sadd at the start of the season after tournament,” said Qatar Chess spending 17 years at Barcelona, also Association Secretary and Tournament had a chat with world champion and Director Mohammed Al Medaikhi. top seed Magnus Carlsen. Rafeeq Ahmed sent the details and But Xavi admitted he had not played photograph. WE WON’T LET YOU GET AWAY FROM THE GAME

Catch every pulse of action... Stay tuned www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com

Publishers: ASPIRE Printing, Publishing and Distribution P O Box: 24598, Doha, Qatar. Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 e-mail: [email protected] Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 e-mail: [email protected]

www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus www.facebook.com/dohastadiumplusqatar www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar