A8 • Adirondack Daily Enterprise • adirondackdailyenterprise.com • Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Want to see your sports news and photos in the Enterprise? Contact the sports department at 891-2600 ext. 26 Sports or [email protected] 19 students earn black belts as local school closes By LOU REUTER Senior Sports Writer SARANAC LAKE — Grand Master Jon O’Kelly’s final day of being a Taekwondo instructor was one of his most memorable ones. After a 35-year career of teaching the martial art, O’Kelly has retired. A Saranac Lake resident, O’Kelly opened the Northeast Taekwondo school in this village in Sept. 2016. On Saturday, he performed his final duty as the head of the school, pro - moting 19 local students to black belts during an outdoor ceremony held on the North Country Commu - nity College soccer field. O’Kelly said all 19 who were promoted were original students of the Saranac Lake-based school when it opened nearly four years ago, and the youngest new black belt earner was 9-year-old Cole Davide. The ceremony was held on a chilly, damp day with plenty of space between the students, who all wore matching black facemasks that included an image of a martial artist. The day began with testing and ended with the handing out of black belts and certificates. O’Kelly said Easton Crary is presented his black belt by Northeast Taek - he was especially impressed with wondo school instructor Grand Master Jon O’Kelly. the display by his students because the school has been shut down for itself.” he said. three months due to the coronavirus Although O’Kelly has retired “Right now, I have plenty of pandemic. from teaching and the Northeast work with reopening in D.C. That’s “This black belt test was unlike Taekwondo school in Saranac Lake the big thing on the plate right now, any that I have ever seen, and I’ve is now closed, his school in Wash - but I’m not going anywhere. Sophie Baker receives her black belt from Grand Master see hundreds of them,” O’Kelly ington D.C will continue and plans Saranac Lake is our home. I have Jon O’Kelly Saturday afternoon at the North Country said. “There are a few that stick in to reopen once guidelines regarding lots to do at my house and the list the pandemic allow that to happen. keeps getting longer. I’m not look - Community College soccer field. your mind, and this was certainly (Enteprise photos — Lou Reuter) one of them. We did it on that huge O’Kelly said he won’t be teaching ing to start another career. I’m look - field outside, and the students’ per - in D.C. anymore either but will con - ing to take care of my house, my program. Saranac Lake was great. miss you,’ and I am going to miss formances were just amazing. tinue administrative duties there. wife, my dog.” Northeast Taekwondo came here the students, too. I will miss teach - “I told them that the measure of O’Kelly lamented it’s unfortunate O’Kelly said he’s really enjoyed and was embraced by the students. ing students. I always make sure their success was the fact that they that the school closest to Saranac teaching and has been fortunate to They worked hard and they were they understand that they are the were just there on a cold, rainy Lake is currently in Glens Falls, and have such a great group of students. dedicated.” future, they are the change that’s morning in June after not having a hoped the students will continue “I’ve been 35 years teaching, and O’Kelly said he’s been over - going to happen, they are the leaders school for three months. The per - their studies. it was time,” he said. “I have pro - whelmed by the well wishes from who are going to take others along formance was exceptional. Promot - “Some of them right now are moted hundreds of black belts and local parents and students. with them. For the students, it’s all ing 19 students was pretty special in enjoying Zoom classes from D.C.,” thousands have come through the “Everybody said ‘We are going to about building character.” Cuomo approves fan-free US Open WTO ruling: Saudis By HOWARD housed hundreds of hospital singles players a chance to shortly after Cuomo’s facilitated sports piracy FENDRICH beds at the height of New earn a spot — and extra announcement, “and we will AP Tennis Writer York’s coronavirus crisis. money — in the U.S. Open do so in the safest manner By ROB HARRIS Saudi Arabia failed to take New York Gov. Andrew Others expressed an field. The USTA is getting possible, mitigating all AP Global Soccer Writer action to stop beoutQ’s oper - Cuomo gave the go-ahead eagerness to return to rid of qualifying and instead potential risks.” Saudi Arabia facilitated ations and protect the intel - Tuesday for the U.S. Open action: Both the ATP and moving the Cincinnati hard- With international TV sports broadcasting piracy by lectual property of rights tennis tournament to be held WTA tours have been sus - court tournament that it contracts — including an blocking moves to shut it holders, the WTO dispute in his state starting in late pended since early March owns to New York ahead of annual average of $70 mil - down, the World Trade panel concluded. The panel August — but without spec - because of the virus. The the start of the U.S. Open. lion from ESPN alone — Organization said in a ruling highlighted how beIN was tators — as part of the U.S. Open normally is the Another reduction for helping offset the loss of Tuesday that throws new prevented from hiring reopening from shutdowns fourth and final Grand Slam 2020: The men’s and money from ticket sales and doubts on the kingdom’s lawyers in Saudi Arabia to caused by the coronavirus tournament of each season women’s doubles draws for other onsite revenue, and takeover of English Premier take action in the courts pandemic. but would be the second the U.S. Open each will facing a recession that League club Newcastle. against the piracy. “You can watch it on TV, major of 2020, following have 32 teams instead of already led to the elimina - The WTO’s findings is the “Qatar has established that and I’ll take that,” Cuomo the Australian Open, which 64. Overall player compen - tion of more than 100 jobs latest salvo in a long-running Saudi Arabia has not provid - said at his daily briefing in concluded in early Febru - sation for the U.S. Open and at the USTA, the associa - dispute over the bootlegging ed for criminal procedures Albany. ary. Cincinnati tournament, tion’s board decided to go by Saudi Arabia-based and penalties to be applied to Now that the U.S. Tennis The start of the clay-court which includes prize money forward with the U.S. Open. beoutQ of broadcasting beoutQ despite the evidence Association’s proposal to French Open was postponed and hotel costs and $6.6 “We can showcase tennis rights owned by Qatar’s establishing prima facie that hold its marquee event has from May and currently is million to compensate play - as the ideal social distancing beIN Sports. beoutQ is operated by indi - been accepted — including scheduled to begin a week ers who would have been in sport,” Dowse said. The beIN network, which viduals or entities under the a “bubble” setup with desig - after the U.S. Open ends. qualifying in Flushing Cuomo opened Tuesday’s is banned from operating in jurisdiction of Saudi Ara - nated hotels, limited player Wimbledon was canceled Meadows, will be $60 mil - news conference by touting Saudi Arabia, airs some of bia,” the WTO said. entourages and a facility altogether for the first time lion; that’s about $7 million “good news on the numbers, the world’s biggest sports The Premier League was closed to the hundreds of since World War II in 1945. less than in 2019. good news on the facts” in competitions across the Mid - among sports competitions thousands of people who “Well done @usta for The tours are expected to New York, which he said dle East — including the to lodge protests with the usually attend the U.S. Open being so forward thinking in reveal the restructured 2020 has its lowest number of World Cup and the Premier American government which — the key question getting this done. A great tennis calendar within the coronavirus-related hospi - League — thanks to broad - led in April to Saudi Arabia becomes: Who actually will achievement. Players and week. More than 40 tourna - talizations since the out - casting rights worth billions remaining on a “Priority end up competing on the fans alike are thrilled with ments at the sport’s highest break began. of dollars. Watch List” as one of the blue hard courts in Flushing this development,” tweeted levels have been scrapped Last week, Djokovic said The WTO decision on “notorious markets for coun - Meadows from Aug. 31 to John Isner, the top U.S. man so far and there likely will the restrictions that would Tuesday provides a further terfeiting and piracy.” Sept. 13? in the rankings at No. 21. not be any sanctioned play be in place for the U.S. complication for the Premier It is a stumbling block to Some of the sport’s top “Time to get back on the until early August, although Open because of the virus League, which is having to the Premier League approv - names, including defending courts !” various exhibition matches would be “extreme.” decide whether to approve a ing the Saudi Public Invest - U.S. Open men’s champion Another American, No. with no rankings points at “Most of the players I takeover of northeast English ment Fund buying an 80% Rafael Nadal along with No. 195 Mitchell Krueger, quot - stake have been taking place have talked to were quite club Newcastle by the Saudi stake in Newcastle as part of 1-ranked players Novak ed Isner’s comment and around the world in recent negative on whether they sovereign fund. The league a takeover alongside the Djokovic and Ash Barty, wrote: “I can find you about weeks. would go there,” Djokovic has spent two years trying wealthy British-based have expressed reservations 140+ players that are most “We recognize the said. unsuccessfully to get beoutQ Reuben brothers and finan - about heading somewhere certainly not ‘thrilled’ with tremendous responsibility He hosted exhibition shut down. cier Amanda Staveley. They that was a hot spot for the this development.” of hosting one of the first matches with packed stands “The panel considers that want to buy out retail entre - COVID-19 outbreak. An That’s a reference to the global sporting events in last week in his home coun - Qatar has established a prima preneur Mike Ashley. indoor tennis facility at the USTA’s decision to elimi - these challenging times,” try of Serbia, where the gov - facie case that beoutQ is “We take piracy very seri - Billie Jean King National nate qualifying rounds that USTA CEO Mike Dowse ernment lifted most virus operated by individuals or ously,” Premier League chief Tennis Center temporarily normally give lower-ranked said in a statement released restrictions last month. entities subject to the crimi - executive Richard Masters nal jurisdiction of Saudi Ara - said. “We stand by what we bia,” the WTO said. said on the record in the past. Champions League organ - But as you know, in relation Sabres fire GM Botterill, also clean house in Rochester izer UEFA said the piracy to anything to do with threatens “existence of pro - takeovers, I can’t say any - By JOHN WAWROW tion over the past nine years. between ownership and team. fessional sport as we know thing about the substance or AP Hockey Writer “We felt like we needed to returning coach Ralph The Sabres also fired assis - it.” FIFA demanded that the timing.” BUFFALO — On second be heard,” Terry Pegula dur - Krueger. Botterill did not tant GMs Randy Sexton and Saudi Arabia “takes the nec - European football’s gov - thought, Buffalo Sabres own - ing a Zoom conference call respond to a text message Steve Greeley. The house- essary steps in order that it erning body said it was clear ers Terry and Kim Pegula without detailing what the seeking comment. cleaning even reached the conforms” with the WTO’s beoutQ’s broadcasts of its weren’t pleased with general philosophical differences During a season-ending Sabres minor-league affiliate findings. games were illegal. manager Jason Botterill con - were. Zoom conference call last in Rochester, with coach tinuing to oversee their fran - “I’m not going to sit here month, Botterill said the criti - Chris Taylor and his assis - chise. and dish on Jason Botterill, cism that came with missing tants, Gord Dineen and Toby Citing a lack of communi - but we have a vision and we the playoffs wouldn’t alter his Petersen, also being fired. cation and philosophical dif - want to see our vision suc - vision of continuing to build The flip flop on Botterill ferences over the direction of ceed,” he added. “We were in the organizational depth and comes at a time the Pegulas Janric Sudoku a franchise in the midst of a detailed discussions with developing young talent. have been criticized for mis - nine-year playoff drought, the Jason, and how we felt we “There’s always urgency managing a franchise which Puzzle Answer Pegulas reversed course in needed to move forward in this position, and I’m not has featured a revolving door making the abrupt decision to effectively, efficiently and surprised that our passionate at the coach and general man - fire Botterill on Tuesday. economically running this fans want to see a winner on ager positions since they pur - It was a stunning move that franchise, we felt there were the ice,” he said. chased the team in February came three weeks after Kim too many differences of opin - Botterill was fired three 2011. Pegula told The Associated ion going into the future.” years into his tenure and fol - In that time, the Sabres are Press that Botterill would be Kim Pegula said the lowing a season in which now on their sixth coach and retained. change of heart regarding Buffalo finished 13th in the fourth GM. At the same time, the Peg - Botterill’s status stemmed in Eastern Conference standings Adams grew up a Sabres ulas had a GM-in-waiting by part with the NHL draft being and one spot short of qualify - fan in suburban Buffalo and promoting former player, pushed back to the fall, which ing for the NHL’s expanded wore No. 11 because of his Kevyn Adams, to succeed will provide Adams more of 24-team playoff. love of Hall of Famer Gilbert Botterill. The Pegulas noted an opportunity to establish “Our fans deserve better, Perreault. they’re more comfortable himself in his new role. and we are all tasked with the He won a Stanley Cup with with Adams, who held the Though Adams has no pre - burden to improve and pro - the 2006 Carolina Hurri - role of vice president of busi - vious GM experience, the vide them a consistent, con - canes during his nine-plus- ness operations, in having Pegulas believe he’s capable tending team for years to year NHL career, and briefly watched him take on numer - of establishing a collaborative come,” the Pegulas said in a worked as an agent following ous roles within the organiza - line of communication statement released by the his retirement. Puzzle on page 5