THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016 SPORTS

McKenzie joins South Unranked Thai player S Africa’s Kruger Africa as batting coach gets 18-month ban signs for LONDON: CAPE TOWN: South Africa have appointed former player Neil McKenzie as Unranked Thai player Jatuporn Nalamphun has been sus- LONDON: South Africa prop Werner Kruger has signed a three-year con- batting coach until the end of next month’s World Twenty20 in India. pended for 18 months and fined $5,000 after being found guilty of bet- tract with the Scarlets, the Welsh regional side announced yesterday. The McKenzie, 40, retired as a player last month and has been roped in to help ting on tennis matches and not cooperating with the investigation, the 31-year-old tighthead will leave side the to join the South African batting line-up that has looked fragile recently. He will work Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) said. “The 22-year-old admitted to three -based Scarlets ahead of the 2016/17 European season. Kruger, who with the team in home Twenty20 series against England and breaches of... the (anti corruption) program, which prohibits betting on won four Springbok caps from 2011-12, became the first Bulls player to Australia, as well as the World Twenty20 that starts on March tennis matches, between July and November 2014,” the TIU said in a make 100 appearances in both Super Rugby and the in August 8. “It’s been something that we have been trying to do for a statement yesterday. Jatuporn was suspended for six months and a 2015. “Both me and my family are really looking forward to this next chap- long time,” South Africa head coach Russell Domingo told fined $5,000 for the betting offences but was then handed a concurrent ter at ,” Kruger told the club’s region’s website. reporters yesterday. “We have explored a few options and 18-month ban after being “found guilty of a further charge of failing to “I believe the time ahead will be a time for growth and finally one guy has committed to us, we are ecstatic that cooperate with a TIU Investigation”. “The full and timely cooperation by learning.” Kruger added: “We are especially looking Neil will be joining us. “He will work with us until the end of participants in TIU investigations is of paramount importance in the forward to experiencing all that the Welsh have to the World Cup. Things will be assessed from there, it’s the efforts being made by the TIU to eliminate corruption in professional offer, making a difference and playing great rugby.” His end of the cricket season, and we will look at things going for- tennis,” anti-corruption hearing officer Ian Mill said. Tennis is still reeling signing was announced the day after prop Rhodri ward.” McKenzie played 58 tests and 64 one-day interna- from widespread allegations of corruption in the sport and the inde- Jones confirmed he was leaving the Scarlets for nearby tional for South Africa, as well as 155 domestic pendent review panel (IRP), which was launched last month, will take at Welsh rivals Ospreys. Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac Twenty20 games. South Africa take on England in least a year to complete its investigations. The IRP was established by said: “He (Kruger) will further strengthen us at the set- the first Twenty20 of their two-match series in the sport’s governing bodies following media reports criticising the TIU piece and will bring vast experience having played both Cape Town on Friday. —Reuters for not adequately investigating some 16 players repeatedly flagged up sides of the scrum. — AFP over suspicions they had thrown matches in the past decade.—Reuters KOTC shooting tournament begins today

KUWAIT: Kuwait Shooting Sports Club announced that the Kuwait Oil Tankers Company Shooting Tournament will start today at Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex and will last until Saturday, February 20. The tourna- ment will include the 10m air pistol and rifle, 50m prone rifle, 50m three position rifle, 50m free pistol and Olympic Obaid Munahi Al-Osaimi archery events, for men, women and juniors. Secretary General of Kuwait and Arab Shooting Federations Obaid Munahi Al-Osaimi said KOTC is one of the tournaments Kuwait Shooting Sport Club is keen on organizing every year, and it shows the company’s support of shooting and shooters. He thanked KOTC officials for ‘We Are Egypt’ soccer tournament their efforts on behalf of the president and board mem- bers. He said KSSC is looking forward for strong participa- tion by our shooters, and for them to exert their best KUWAIT: The first “We Are Egypt” soccer and the closing ceremony was attended Then a match was held between National and Liberation Days. efforts to win. tournament between the Egyptian com- by Egyptian Embassy Advisor Egypt Stars against The Tournament He said that this is an excellent oppor- munity youth with the participation of Mohammad Adel, deputizing for the Stars, which ended in Egypt Stars win- tunity for Egyptians in Kuwait to meet, as Kuwaitis, as the “Friends” team won the ambassador. ning by the score of 4-3. we consider Kuwait our second home. title as they defeated the “Dreams” team The ceremony saw a friendly match Egyptian Deputy Ambassador Former Egyptian Ahli club player with the score of 3-1. between Ahli Club academy, and the Mohammad Adel lauded the technical Ahmad Nakhla said the tournament was Retiring Pacquiao The tournament was held under the Pharaohs Academy which ended with level of the tournament, and congratu- a success and thanked the organizing opens door to patronage of Public Authority for Sports, the score of 1-1. lated HH the Amir on the occasion of committee members for their efforts. Mayweather rematch

GENERAL SANTOS: Philippine boxing great Manny Pacquiao has opened the door to a lucrative rematch with Floyd Mayweather, telling AFP he still intends to retire after his next fight but that a comeback is possible. The 37-year- old announced in January that his upcoming bout against American Timothy Bradley would be his last so he could concentrate on Filipino politics. However, following a high- energy training session in his hometown of General Santos, Pacquiao said he was loving the sport as much as ever and he could not rule out fighting again. “It’s hard to say right now,” Pacquiao, who has won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions, told AFP in an interview when asked about retirement. “I made my decision already that after this fight I (will) retire. But I am not saying that, you know, boxing is closed to me. You never know.” Pacquiao made the comments when asked if a chance to avenge his crushing loss to American nemesis Mayweather last year would lure him out of retirement. That fight shattered boxing revenue records, generating 4.5 million pay-per-view purchases and $600 million in gross revenue. It capped a phenome- nal rise for Pacquiao, whose journey from street kid to mega-rich athlete is a source of hope and inspiration for tens of millions of poor Filipinos. Until this week, Pacquiao had insisted repeatedly that he was very happy to be giving up the sport to pursue pol- itics and his goal of fighting poverty in the Philippines. Pacquiao, a two-term congressman, is looking to win a Senate seat in May elections, and the official campaign is already underway. Pacquiao spoke at length on Tuesday about his political aspirations-including the prospect of becoming president. And he repeated that, at this point, his intention was to retire from boxing after fighting Bradley for the third time in Las Vegas on April 9. But Pacquiao also indicated he wasn’t sure his retirement would be permanent, twice using the term: “You never know”.

‘PLEASE FORGIVE ME’ He also insisted he remained as physically capable in the ring as a decade ago. “I don’t feel different compared (with) when I was 27, 25,” Pacquiao said. “I am still the same because I discipline myself. Even if I don’t have a fight and I am not in training, I always exercise every day.” Pacquiao aggravated a shoulder injury in the Mayweather bout and underwent surgery five days later. He said Tuesday his shoulder had recovered and he was in “100 percent” condi- tion to take on Bradley. After overseeing training on Monday, long-time American mentor Freddie Roach also said he suspected Pacquiao would be tempted back into the ring if he beats Bradley. “I’ll go along with him right now because he is run- ning for senator,” Roach told AFP, when asked if he believed Pacquiao genuinely intended to retire. “But there’s always that side of me that sees Senator Pacquiao (fight again). Because he likes that, he loves stuff like that,” Roach said. Pacquiao is on track to win one of 12 Senate seats in the elections, according to recent surveys, with his sporting heroics largely responsible for his political popularity. However, success is not guaranteed. Pacquiao has been heavily criticised by some in the Philippines for a dismal attendance record as a congress- man that they argue highlights a lack of political convic- tion. Pacquiao, an evangelical Protestant, also apologised via social media on Tuesday after saying on the campaign trail that homosexuals were “worse than animals”. “It’s common sense. Do you see animals mating with the same sex? Animals are better because they can distinguish male from female,” Pacquiao told television station TV5. After a barrage of criticism, Pacquiao asked for forgive- ness. “I’m sorry for comparing homosexuals to animals. Please forgive me for those I’ve hurt,” Pacquiao said in a video post on Instagram. — AFP