SPORT SPORT | 07 SPORT | 08 Tiger Woods We’ll be ready vows victory in for Kohli's star-studded India this time: charity showdown Pat Cummins SUNDAY 24 MAY 2020 Formula One teams THEN.. NOW.. agree cost-cutting measures: Report REUTERS – LONDON Formula One’s 10 teams have agreed cost-cutting measures including a budget cap of $145m for 2021, the BBC reported. This combo shows two The measures have yet to be approved offi- construction stages of cially by the governing FIA’s World Motor Sport Al Thumama Stadium, Council, by an e-vote due to the COVID-19 pan- a host venue for demic. Formula One’s managing director for mot- the FIFA World orsport Ross Brawn said this month that the $145m Cup Qatar 2022. figure had been agreed and the sport would look The 40,000- seat for further reductions in future seasons. stadium, inspired The BBC and motorsport.com, citing multiple by the ‘gahfiya’ sources, said teams had agreed to reduce the cap headpiece worn by to $140m in 2022 and $135m for the period men in Qatar and across 2023-25. Formula One’s season has yet to start, the MENA region, is the with the first 10 races postponed or cancelled due first venue designed solely to the COVID-19 pandemic. The budget cap, which by a Qatari architect, Ibrahim does not include driver salaries, had been set ini- Mohammed Jaidah. tially at $175m but some teams had wanted a more PIC: TWITTER / @ROADTO2022 drastic limit closer to $100m to ensure the sport survives the crisis. When will La Liga gets green light for restart football action return again? AFP – MADRID Atletico Madrid players in action during a training session at Ciudad Deportiva Wanda Atletico de Madrid training ground AFP – PARIS Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced yesterday that La Liga can in Madrid, Spain. resume from its coronavirus lockdown Sport’s big ticket events, the on the week of June 8. 2020 Tokyo Olympics, “The resumption of major profes- European football champi- sional sporting competitions and in par- onships, Wimbledon and ticular La Liga will be allowed from the the British Open golf tour- week of June 8,” Sanchez told a press nament have either been conference. postponed or cancelled La Liga president Javier Tebas has said because of the coronavirus. the preferred date for games to resume Here is how football is Friday, June 12 and Sanchez’s worldwide make tentative announcement means that plan has been plans to return to action: given the green light from the government. The Bundesliga became “We are very happy with the decision. the first major European It is the result of the great work of clubs, league to resume last week players, coaches,” wrote Tebas on Twitter. under strict conditions. “But it is very important to follow the game back. A compressed calendar would to go out anywhere.” La Liga’s staggered became the first major European league Matches are being played health protocol and respect the trajectory mean teams playing matches both in training programme meant players began to resume behind closed doors last behind closed doors with of the pandemic. We cannot lower our midweek and at weekends while fixtures working individually at training grounds weekend. players elbow-bumping to guard.” More than two months after the will be held behind closed doors, with on May 4 and were able to expand into Tebas has said the chance is low of celebrate goals. COVID-19 pandemic halted the season only 197 people allowed to attend, groups of up to 10 players this week. players infecting each other during The league wants to in Spain, players have begun training in according to a protocol prepared by La The top flight was first suspended on games. complete the last nine small groups as they aim to be as ready Liga. Players will also undergo tests for March 12, the same day Real Madrid went “In the match environment, infection rounds of matches before as possible for the planned reboot next coronavirus the day before games and into quarantine following the positive test is practically impossible because we have June 30 to secure around month. will have their temperatures taken before of one of the club’s basketball players. carried out a study that we will present €300m in television Barcelona sit top of the table, two being allowed to enter stadiums. But Tebas has been adamant the that shows the smallest risk is in matches money. points ahead of Real Madrid. “When you leave the house the risk league must restart, having estimated that if everyone respects the medical pro- Clubs have 11 games left to play to is already there,” Barcelona captain Lionel a cancellation of the season would cost tocol,” Tebas said earlier this month. The English Premier finish the season, with the proposed final Messi told Mundo Deportivo earlier this clubs around €1bn ($1.09bn). Spain has been in lockdown since League’s Chief Executive round to be completed by the end of July. month. France’s Ligue 1 has been cut short, March 12 and is one of the worst-affected Richard Masters expressed The Andalusian derby between Real “So I think you can’t think about it too with Paris Saint-Germain declared cham- countries by coronavirus, with 28,628 confidence on Friday the Betis and Sevilla is likely to be the first much because otherwise you’ll not want pions, while the Bundesliga in Germany deaths according to the Ministry of Health. top-flight season will resume in June, with the remaining 92 fixtures com- pleted by August. Bayern see off Frankfurt to stay on title track Matches will be played behind closed doors, but Masters said the Premier AFP – BERLIN Thuram levelled for Gladbach League want games to be just after the break. staged at clubs’ normal Bundesliga leaders Bayern Havertz netted a penalty stadiums rather than Munich resisted a second-half soon after when the video neutral venues, which was fightback by Eintracht Frankfurt assistant referee spotted a foul the original suggestion. to claim a 5-2 win behind closed on Bellarabi in the area. doors ahead of Tuesday’s top- Defender Sven Bender Spanish Prime Minister of-the-table clash at Dortmund. unwittingly sealed the win when Pedro Sanchez announced Bayern cruised into a 3-0 a free-kick struck his shoulder yesterday that La Liga lead with goals by Leon and flew into the net nine could resume “on the week Goretzka, the league’s top- minutes from time. of June 8”. La Liga Pres- scorer Robert Lewandowski and Second-from-bottom ident Javier Tebas had Thomas Mueller at the Allianz Werder Bremen claimed their already set a tentative Arena before Frankfurt rattled first victory in eight league game return date of June 12 and the hosts. with a 1-0 win at Freiburg. clubs are back in training. Defender Martin Hinteregger Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller scores their second goal against Eintracht Frankfurt during their Midfielder Leon Bittencourt bagged two quick goals from hit the winner in the 19th minute Bundesliga match played at the Allianz Arena in Munich, yesterday, as play resumes behind closed successive corners when he vol- doors following the COVID-19 outbreak. with a long-range shot. In Italy, Sports Minister leyed home, then headed in to In the dying stages, Bremen Vincenzo Spadafora has make it 3-2 on 55 minutes. had defender Philipp Bargfrede said that a decision will be Canadian teenager Alphonso hiatus, as the first top European opened the scoring in the 32nd Monday’s drubbing of Werder sent off for a second yellow card made on May 28 on Davies settled Bayern’s nerves league to resume during the minute when he tapped home a Bremen by moving up to third and Freiburg had a goal ruled whether the Serie A season by reclaiming a ball he lost in the pandemic. cross. place with a 3-1 win at Borussia offside. can resume. area to fire home the hosts’ A minute’s silence was The visitors had a let-off Moenchengladbach, who The result leaves Bremen fourth goal with an hour gone. held before the day’s five early in the second-half when dropped to fourth. two points from 16th -- which In France, the season Hinteregger then claimed an matches to remember the Wolfsburg winger Renato With the terraces at Borussia carries a relegation play-off at has been declared over and unwanted hat-trick when he victims of COVID-19, which Steffen clipped the crossbar. Park decked with 13,000 card- the end of the season -- but six Paris Saint-Germain were turned a Serge Gnabry shot into has so far claimed 8,216 lives England winger Jadon board cut-outs of home fans, points from 15th, which guar- awarded the Ligue 1 title. his own net to make it 5-2 on 74 in Germany. Sancho helped sealed the win Leverkusen’s rising star Kai antees safety. minutes. Dortmund claimed a 2-0 when he dribbled at the Havertz, who scored twice in the Bottom side Paderborn are South Korea had the The win re-establishes Bay- win at Wolfsburg with goals by Wolfsburg defence, then laid a 4-1 rout of Bremen, again netted now nine points from safety with honour of being the first ern’s four-point lead before Raphael Guerreiro and Achraf pass off to Hakimi, who fired a brace. seven games left after their 1-1 elite league back in action travelling to second-placed Hakimi.