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26 Sports Thursday, September 19, 2019 Judo federation bans Iran after fighter loses to avoid facing Israeli ‘Iranian intelligence officials came to his home in Iran and to the judo arena and warned him’ PARIS: Iran has been suspended from international to put up this show of losing.” The Times of Israel quot- judo for ordering a judoka to lose at the world champi- ed the Israeli coach as saying Mollaei’s family had been onships to avoid facing an Israeli, the International Judo threatened. “From what we understand,” said Moshe Federation (IJF) said yesterday. Saeid Mollaei, who Fonti. “Iranian intelligence officials came both to his entered last month’s event in Tokyo as the reigning home in Iran and to the judo arena and warned him.” world champion in the -81kg class, said he was ordered The statement said the IJF “notes that similar acts to throw his semi-final rather than risk facing an Israeli have been observed in the past.” It gave as an example in the final. Arash Miresmaeili, Iran’s flag bearer at the 2004 Athens Mollaei lost to Belgian Matthias Casse who in turn Olympics and a favourite in the 66kg class. He was lost to Sagi Muki of Israel in the final. “The alleged drawn to face Israeli Ehud Vaks in the first round but actions are serious enough to consider the application was too heavy at the weigh in and was disqualified of a protective suspension,” the IJF said in a statement. without fighting. Miresmaeili is now the head of Iran’s It explained that it had “strong reason to believe that judo federation. the Iran Judo Federation will continue or repeatedly There have been examples of Iranian athletes being engage in misconduct”. After finishing fifth in Tokyo last told to lose to avoid facing Israeli opponents in other month, Mollaei fled to Berlin. “I’ve had a German visa sports, most notably wrestler Alireza Karimi at the and I’m in Germany to stay away from the rumours,” under-23 World Championships in 2017. His coach was Mollaei told the London-based Persian language chan- caught yelling “Alireza you must lose, the Israeli won” in nel Iran International. a video that went viral in 2017. “God forbid something would happen to my family. Karimi was suspended for six months for throwing But I serve my country and whatever medal I get his bout, while his coach was banned for two years. The belongs to Iran, whether it’s under the Iran or IOC flag,” IJF specifies that the Iranian Federation may appeal this BAKU: File photo taken on September 23, 2018 Iran’s Saeid Mollaei jubilates after winning in the men under he added. “I feel sorry that maybe I won’t be able to decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) 81kg category bout of the 2018 Judo World Championships in Baku. Iran was suspended from all competitions, compete for Iran again. But I didn’t train this hard just within 21 days. —AFP administrative and social activities origanized by International Judo Federation and its Unions. — AFP Hamilton hopes to shine under Russian anti-doping Singapore floodlights chief attacks his own SINGAPORE: Formula One world champion Lewis athletics federation Hamilton can return Mercedes to the top of the podium this Sunday with an unprecedented fifth win around the floodlit streets of Singapore. Winners of 10 of the sea- PARIS: Russia’s anti-doping agency chief yesterday son’s 14 races so far, Mercedes suffered a double defeat launched a scathing attack on Russian athletics boss- in Belgium and Italy to Ferrari with the fast straights of es ahead of this month’s world championships in Spa-Francorchamps and Monza giving the Italian team Doha, accusing them of obstructing testing. a rare edge. “I’m calling on all the federation’s directors to resign,” RUSADA director general Yuri Ganus told The Marina Bay layout, winding through the heart of France’s L’Equipe sports daily. Russia was barred the glittering city state, has more corners (23) than any from international competition in 2015 over a vast circuit, however, and should restore Mercedes’ status state-run doping conspiracy. as the team to beat after wins at similar venues like While Russia’s anti-doping agency RUSADA is Monaco and Hungary. “For a long time, Singapore used now under new leadership, Ganus claims that the old to be one of our weakest tracks,” said Mercedes boss guard at the country’s athletics federation (RUSAF) is Toto Wolff. “We’ve made some inroads into that and hindering progress in cleaning up the sport. “We performed well last year. (RUSADA) are cooperating with the IAAF, we are “However, there are no home runs at a track like MONZA: File photo shows winner Ferrari’s Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc (L) celebrates next to third placed Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton (R) on the podium after the Italian Formula One Grand Prix at conducting investigations,” he told L’Equipe. “The Singapore,” added the Austrian. “We take absolutely scale of the backlog is crazy. It’s the problem of the the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza on September 8, 2019. — AFP nothing for granted in our approach to the weekend.” system, because there is proof of intervention from a Hamilton, who leads team mate Valtteri Bottas by 63 higher body. points with seven races left, is tied with Ferrari rival has made an appearance in every race Singapore has for us, but we will give our all to have a good result.” “There are those who are against my work, for Sebastian Vettel for most Singapore wins. hosted since it joined the calendar in 2008. Red Bull may be Mercedes’ closest challengers. example the Sports Minister (Pavel Kolobkov) has The only drivers of the current crop to have tri- Vettel who was involved in a multi-car start line Singapore has tended to suit the team’s typically nimble defended and continues to support (RUSAF chief umphed in the city-state have each won four times. crash that cost him victory in 2017, will have to stay out chassis, with the former champions finishing second for Dmitry) Shlyakhtin at the head of the athletics’ feder- Two of Hamilton’s wins have come in the last two of trouble. The German four-times champion was sanc- the last five years. ation.” Since the initial ban, the International years. Another victory on Sunday will see the five-time tioned after spinning out and rejoining the track in a Max Verstappen, who battled Hamilton hard for vic- Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has champion secure his third in a row and hand Mercedes dangerous manner in Italy and is now only three penal- tory in Hungary and was runner-up to the Briton last rejected Russia’s efforts to be reinstated no fewer than 11 times. The IAAF will consider the Russian their fourth successive Singapore success. ty points away from a one-race ban. year, will be eyeing Sunday as an opportunity to go one federation’s latest request when its top officials meet Ferrari, on a high after winning two races on the trot “After two positive weekends in Belgium and Italy, better. His rookie team mate Alexander Albon, who has in Doha on Monday. with the second of those in front of their passionate the race in Singapore doesn’t look as good on paper for made a strong start to his Red Bull career, will also aim Despite the ban, athletes subsequently deemed home fans in Monza, could face a reality check. Their us,” said Monegasque Charles Leclerc, winner in to impress in the closest race the British-born Thai has clean have been allowed to compete as neutrals and hopes could rest on the weather or a safety car, which Belgium and Italy. “It might be a more difficult weekend to a home appearance in Asia. —AFP if Russia is rejected for a 12th time then — just as at the London 2017 world championships — Russian athletes who have met the criteria will be allowed to team in the Women’s T20 Challenge played alongside take part as so-called Authorised Neutral Athletes. Verma, the tomboy the Indian Premier League in May. In June RUSAF was rocked by fresh allegations, There she shared the dressing room with the likes of with reports that Russian coaches suspended for England’s World Cup-winning all-rounder Danielle involvement in doping were continuing to train ath- teen who could be Wyatt, who termed Verma as the next “superstar” of letes. British newspaper The Sunday Times ran a sto- Indian cricket. It also meant mixing with role model and ry alleging that RUSAF officials had fabricated docu- India’s next superstar Velocity skipper Mithali Raj, who has been the face of ments to show that Danil Lysenko, the 2017 world sil- women’s cricket in the country since her India debut ver high jump medallist, was too ill to provide his NEW DELHI: Shafali Verma was not exactly trying to two years before Verma was born. whereabouts after failing to make himself available be a rebel when she began training with the local boys Raj’s decision to quit T20 triggered Verma’s maiden for out-of-competition drug testing.—AFP in the north Indian city of Rohtak as a precocious 10- call-up and many saw it as a passing of the baton. None of it would have been possible but for Sanjeev’s year-old. In a region where girls pursuing outdoor Shafali Verma sports are often frowned on, it was more out of com- dogged determination for his daughter to play for India, pulsion that she slugged it out with boys in her bid to despite living in Haryana, a state notorious for its male play cricket for India, a dream she shared with her bias and skewed sex ratio.