WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2016 SPORTS

Agbonlahor in clear Pocock handed three-week Higuain gets over Dubai jaunt suspension over neck grab four-match ban MELBOURBE: loose-forward David Pocock has LONDON: Aston Villa have decided not to take further action against striker ROME: Napoli’s Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain has been hit with a four- Gabriel Agbonlahor over his recent trip to Dubai, the Premier League’s bottom been suspended for three weeks after pleading guilty to a charge of playing an opponent without the ball in the ACT match ban following his sending off in Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Udinese, a blow club announced yesterday. Agbonlahor, 29, was pictured for his team who are battling with Juventus for the Serie A title. Higuain was smoking a shisha pipe during a holiday in the city and was Brumbies’ 48-23 Super Rugby loss to the Waikato Chiefs on Saturday. Pocock grasped the neck of Chiefs number shown his second yellow card for kicking out at defender Felipe, prompting left out of the squad for Saturday’s 4-0 home defeat by the striker to launch a verbal tirade against the referee. The 28-year-old had Chelsea while the club carried out an investigation. But in eight Michael Leitch in a maul six minutes from the end of the game, leaving the skipper stricken on the to be pulled away by team-mates as he tried to angrily a brief statement on Twitter, Villa said: “Aston Villa Football remonstrate with Udinese players. Higuain, the top Club has completed its investigation into Gabby ground, but did not receive any sanction from Australian referee Angus Gardner. The 27-year-old will only miss two Serie A scorer with 30 goals, will miss upcoming Agbonlahor’s trip to Dubai over the international break. games against Verona, Inter Milan, Bologna and “The club will be taking no further action.” An academy Super Rugby matches, away against the Waratahs (April 16) and home to the Canterbury Crusaders (April 24), as Roma, severely damaging his side’s chances of a first graduate, Agbonlahor is Villa’s longest-serving player Serie A title in 26 years. Defeat left Napoli six points and current club captain, but has made only 15 the Canberra-based side have a bye this coming week- end. “With respect to sanction, I deemed the act of foul adrift of leaders Juventus, as they bid to snatch a Premier League appearances this season, first league title since Diego Maradona played his scoring once. Villa, who parted company play merited a low-end entry point of two weeks,” (gov- erning body) SANZAAR duty judicial officer Adam penultimate season at the club in 1990, with seven with manager Remi Garde last week, are games to play. The disciplinary commission sanc- 15 points from safety with six games of Cassleden said in a statement yesterday. “I then added one week for aggravation due to the need to deter this tioned “an insulting term” used against the referee as the season remaining, making them near well as “a disrespectful gesture when he faced him certainties for relegation. —AFP type of dangerous foul play. The player is free to resume playing on April 25.” — Reuters and laid his two hands on his chest”. —AFP Olympic gold medal winners to get exemptions

AUGUSTA: Golf’s major championships LESS ENTHUSIASTIC threw their support behind the sport’s return But some golfers, including former to the Olympics on Monday, offering exemp- Masters champion of Australia, tions for men’s and women’s gold medal win- have been less enthusiastic about the ners this year to all grand slam events. prospect of winning an Olympic medal, rank- Augusta National chairman Billy Payne, ing it well behind the four majors in impor- who ran the 1996 Atlanta Games, told a news tance. Payne, however, said he fully expects conference that the men’s gold medal winner that national pride will surface when golf’s in Rio de Janeiro, where golf will make its best find themselves in the Olympic cauldron return to the Summer Games for the first time while representing their country. in more than a century, would get an invita- “My experience has been when looking at tion to the 2017 Masters. the joy and the happiness of kids competing The Royal and Ancient and Ladies Golf all across the board in various Olympic Union will offer similar one-year exemptions endeavours, that there is nothing, nothing, to the men’s and women’s British Opens while more powerful than representing your coun- the PGA of America and United States Golf try,” declared Payne. “So I suspect that you will Association followed suit with their two flag- see that take over and totally capture the ship events. With the LPGA Tour giving the enthusiasm of the players for golf. women’s gold medal winner in Rio an auto- “I think what you feel now, and what you matic exemption into the 2016 Evian hear now, as some of these individuals them- Championship and the 2017 ANA Inspiration, selves become part of the Olympics, probably all nine majors (four for men and five for change their mind.” women) will be supporting the initiative. While the support of the major champi- “We believe our game’s visibility will be onships for the Olympics was welcome, the dramatically elevated by the global platform gold medal winners are likely to come from a that only the Olympics offer,” said Payne, small group of players who have already qual- speaking on the first official day of Masters ified for berths in golf’s showcase events. practice. “New audiences from all over the However, the four men rejected any sug- world, some for the very first time ever, will gestion that offering major exemptions as an be exposed to our great sport and come to incentive in Rio was an insignificant gesture, Kuwait wins 6 gold, 3 silver and a bronze know and appreciate the amazing athletes seeing it instead as a positive move that will and heroes in golf. grow further interest in the sport. “From this greater visibility, we believe will “From our perspective, whether it’s some- Heroes’ welcome for shooting delegation evolve greater participation in our game, and one that is in the top rankings of the world or it will be a certain beneficiary.” someone who is that Cinderella story, in both By Abdellatif Sharaa Payne was joined on the podium by R&A ways it’s a positive,” said Bevacqua. chief executive Martin Slumbers, PGA of “It’s a positive for golf, it’s a great story for America CEO Pete Bevacqua and USGA chief golf and it’s certainly a positive for the PGA KUWAIT: Kuwait shooting sport delegation executive Mike Davis, four of the most power- Championship, regardless of who comes out returned home to a heroes’ welcome, following ful men in golf united in their support of the of that field, both on the men’s side and its participation in the 12th Arab Shooting Olympics. women’s side.” — Reuters Championship held in Cairo, Egypt. The delega- tion was received by President of Arab and Kuwait Shooting Federations Eng Duaij Al- McIlroy ace sparks Masters Otaibi, Deputy Director General at Public Authority for Sports Dr Humoud Fulaiteh, roar as Grand Slam bid looms Secretary General for Arab and Kuwait Shooting Federations Obaid Munahi Al-Osaimi, Kuwait Shooting Sport Club Assistant Treasurer Adnan AUGUSTA: Rory McIlroy didn’t let the what it is about that side, but it just brings Al-Ibrahim and KSSC board member Eng Masters field finish Monday’s opening prac- the best, and sometimes the worst, out in Hussam Al-Roumi. tice day before sending the message that everybody.” Shooters were also welcomed by other offi- he will contend to complete a career Grand Relax on focus for a single shot and title cials and family members for their outstanding Slam this week at Augusta National. hopes can vanish into the water or the pine performance during the championship, having The four-time major winner from trees, as McIlroy knows all too well. “If Kuwait flag in prominence, as they won six gold, fired a hole-in-one at the you’re not mentally prepared for it, the pin three silver and one bronze medals in the tour- par-3 16th to inspire cheers from the spec- placement is there, the wind is here, you nament in which more than 422 shooters repre- tators as loud as anything tournament play have to land it there, yeah, it bites you,” senting 17 countries participated. has inspired among the pines. Johnson said. Eng Duaij Al-Otaibi said Kuwait shooting had “I don’t think I’ve ever heard a roar that “Am I feeling comfortable? I’m still not always worked on maintaining its highly loud in a practice round,” McIlroy said. comfortable. There are certain things that advanced levels that it had reached, and Kuwait The 26-year-old used a 7-iron to connect are just difficult.” , whose shooters achievements in Cairo, are evidence, on from 170 yards and ensure he owned brag- sixth-place effort last year was his best the hard work and preparations for the sake of ging rights for the round over playing part- showing in six Masters starts, agreed, say- Kuwait and its sports. He said this would not his deputies for their efforts to meet the shoot- ner of . ing, “There’s a lot of opportunities to make have happened without the support of HH the ing sport requirements so that it continues its McIlroy is trying to win the Masters to birdie and then there’s a lot of opportuni- Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, success in the name of Kuwait. Meanwhile, become sixth player to complete a career ties to make disasters, too.” HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- Secretary General of Arab and Kuwait Shooting Grand Slam, joining , Tiger Jaber Al-Sabah, and HH the Prime Minister Federation Obaid Munahi Al-Osaimi congratulat- Woods, , Ben Hogan and Gene FIRST MAJOR TITLE Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. ed HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Sarazen. Sweden’s , also seeking Eng Al-Otaibi hoped the adverse circum- Jaber, government and people for what the He has captured the 2011 US Open, the his first major title, warns against rushing stance Kuwait sports is going through be Kuwaiti shooters have achieved during the 12th 2012 and 2014 PGA Championships and into any shot at Augusta National. removed, so that Kuwait can participate under Arab shooting tournament, during which com- the 2014 British Open, but all of those “You’ve got to be patient,” he said. “It’s its own banner in all international competitions, petition was really fierce. He said the shooters came after he led the 2011 Masters only to just the margins for error are so small.” especially that the Olympic games are approach- were up to expectations and were able to claim squander his chances for a green jacket A host of worldwide stars are expected ing, for which six of our shooters have qualified, their places on the medal stages. Al-Osaimi said with a nightmare back nine on Sunday. to be among Sunday’s back-nine con- and are expected to compete for medals. the board of directors decided to honor the “What’s great about Augusta National tenders, including recent US PGA winners Al-Otaibi also thanked Information Minister, medal winners in this championship. (is) we have really good drama on the back and Adam Scott of Australia, State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Kuwait trap shooters were able to win first nine on Sunday,” said reigning British Open two-time Masters winner of Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah for his place and the team gold medal followed by champion and 2007 Masters winner Zach the United States and of relentless support of Kuwait shooting in all Egypt in second and Lebanon in third place, Johnson. South Africa, who birdied the last four fields, as well as his encouragement of shooters, meanwhile in the trap individual competition “It’s an aura about it. It’s really hard to holes to win the 2011 Masters. which always prompted them to win various Kuwait’s Khalid Al-Mudhaf won gold, Egypt’s pinpoint. It’s something intangible. Defending champion got championships. He also thanked the Public Ahmad Qamar won silver, and Kuwait’s Something that especially if there’s multi- his first in-depth sense of the Augusta Authority for Sports and its Director General Olympian Fuhaid Al-Daihani won bronze, on the ple names up towards the top, you just feel National atmosphere as a Masters winner. Sheikh Ahmad Mansour Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and final day of competition. like there’s something that’s going to hap- “It’s a different feeling on the grounds pen and it just does. having won the tournament,” Spieth said. “When you have the best players in the “It was a dream come true for me, so when world playing the back nine at Augusta on I’m here, all that comes back to me. It’s real- Sunday, the best comes out. I don’t know ly special.” — AFP

AUGUSTA: Sammy Schmitz plays a shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 2016 at Augusta National Golf Club on Monday in Augusta, Georgia.—AFP