SPORT SPORT | 14 SPORT | 15 NBA: Davis likes ‘Zero tolerance’ - LA Lakers’ title organiser considers chances when withdrawing Zverev action returns from Berlin event SATURDAY 4 JULY 2020 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (bottom) F1: Season-opening Austrian Grand Prix and his team-mate Valtteri Bottas driving during practice yesterday in Spielberg, Austria, ahead of the Hamilton, Mercedes season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. excel in practice AFP – SPIELBERG The reigning world on a video released on social media. champion begins his quest “Normally, my helmet is white, Lewis Hamilton began his quest for a record-equalling my suit is white and obviously the for a record-equalling seventh car is in silver. This is why - it’s the seventh title by topping world title by topping the times whole reason that the helmet has Red Bull protests yesterday as Formula One roared the time sheets. changed its colour and the suit and back with a full day’s practice for the car. Mercedes’ the belated season-opening The long-awaited track “It’s supporting equality, above Austrian Grand Prix. action brings an end to all, and just really continuing to Three months after the can- Formula One’s longest solidify that important message as DAS system celled traditional curtain-raiser in we currently have ‘the Australia and six months on from break following the lifting mic’ and people are REUTERS – SPIELBERG the last race, it was business as of lockdown restrictions starting to listen. So, it’s usual from the dominant ‘black in Europe caused by the an opportunity to push Red Bull lodged an official protest against arrows’ Mercedes men with Valtteri COVID-19 pandemic. Mercedes at Formula One’s season- Bottas next fastest as the sport re- opening Austrian Grand Prix yesterday started after its longest after the champions used a contro- off-season. brought an end to Formula One’s versial new Dual Axis Steering (DAS) Hamilton, in commanding form longest break following the lifting system in practice. in both the morning and afternoon of lockdown restrictions in Europe The action concerned the cars of sessions, was quickest in one caused by the COVID-19 six-times world champion Lewis minute and 4.304 seconds to lead pandemic. Hamilton and team mate Valtteri Bottas by 0.197 seconds and third- Hamilton, who has been an out- Bottas, with team representatives placed Sergio Perez, in Racing spoken supporter of the campaign summoned to stewards at the Red Bull Point’s pink Mercedes, by 0.657. for equality and diversity since the Ring. Sebastian Vettel, in his last death of American George Floyd Mercedes, who dominated practice season with Ferrari, was fourth for last month, revealed a statement with Hamilton fastest in both sessions, the Italian outfit ahead of McLaren- ‘Black Lives Matter’ helmet before were running the system for the first time bound Daniel Ricciardo of Renault climbing into his Mercedes. at a race weekend after it raised questions and Lando Norris of McLaren. His Mercedes W11 car was also that message and really hold people in pre-season testing. Lance Stroll, in the second running in revised new black livery, accountable. The governing FIA has said already that Racing Point car, modelled on the instead of the team’s traditional “It’s not good enough, even if DAS will not be allowed next year, despite hugely-successful 2019 title- silver, with a message to ‘End someone says to you ‘we’ve been the cars remaining the same due to new rules winning Mercedes, was seventh Racism’ on the halo. doing something’ or ‘we’ve been being postponed to 2022, but has not banned ahead of Red Bull’s Max Ver- “For a long time, we’ve been trying’. They need to try harder it for 2020. stappen, Charles Leclerc in the planning for the livery change for because it is still a big issue that the DAS allows a driver to change the ‘toe second Ferrari and his future team- the car, for the (driver) suit change world is fighting 60 years later, angle’ of the front wheels by pushing and mate Carlos Sainz of McLaren. and I have also designed my helmet after Martin Luther King was pulling on the steering wheel, rather than The long-awaited track action in black,” said Hamilton, speaking fighting for it and gave his life.” just moving it sideways. Former marathon world Teams get ready for QSL restart record holder Kipsang CHINTHANA WASALA THE PENINSULA handed four-year ban QNB Qatar Stars League (QSL) teams are revving up their prep- REUTERS – NAIROBI arations ahead of the season's restart as fans in the country Former marathon world record holder Wilson Kipsang eagerly await the return of football of Kenya has been handed a four-year ban for anti- action after a long unscheduled doping rule violations (ADRVs) that included using a break. fake photo of a traffic accident to justify one of four Al Sadd players hit the training missed whereabouts appointments, the Athletics pitches sessions on Thursday and Integrity Unit (AIU) said yesterday. yesterday following a two-day World Athletics said Kipsang, a bronze medallist at break as per the second stage of the 2012 Olympics, had four whereabouts failures QSL's protocol. between April 2018 and May 2019. Coached by Xavi Hernandez, Three such failures within 12 months leads to an Al Sadd underwent quarantine at automatic ban. the Ritz Carlton following the Kipsang said he missed a test on May 17, 2019 due second round of COVID-19 tests to a traffic accident involving an overturned lorry and which came back negative. Al Sadd's Algerian also provided a photo of the crash. The protocols have been striker Baghdad However, the image was found to be from an developed by the Qatar Stars Bounedjah takes part accident recorded on August 19, 2019. League Management and approved in a training session by the Ministry of Public Health yesterday, as the teams (MOPH). gear up for the return Currently the QSL outfits are of QNB Stars League MMA star Khabib's undergoing training at the iconic action following a long Khalifa International Stadium, break. INSET: Al Sadd father dies of COVID-19 indoor stadium at the Aspire players in action during Academy, training grounds for yesterday's training AFP – MOSCOW Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup and session. training grounds of the clubs. The father and former trainer of Russian Mixed Martial QSL's Round 18 matches will Arts star Khabib Nurmagomedov has died at 57 after kick off behind closed doors on July contracting coronavirus, Chechen leader Ramzan 24. Kadyrov announced yesterday. On the opening day, title-con- “I’ve received sad news, friends, that Abdulmanap tenders Al Rayyan will meet Qatar Nurmagomedov has left this world,” Kadyrov wrote on SC at the Education City Stadium, Telegram messenger, saying he was expressing the con- the newly opened 2022 World Cup dolences of the “whole Chechen people.” The fighter’s venue, while Al Gharafa take on Al father was first hospitalised in April in his native North Arabi in the Al Janoub Stadium. against Al Sailiya at Jassim Bin longest break from action the Al Gharafa are currently in Caucasus region of Dagestan and was later transferred Al Sadd, currently placed third Hamad Stadium in the last fixture sports world has seen in decades. fourth place with 28 points. Al to a Moscow clinic. in the standings, will meet Al Khor of Round 18. Before the competition was Arabi (24) and Al Sailiya (23) are Khabib Nurmagomedov, the 31-year-old UFC light- at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. With five more rounds halted due to the COVID-19 pan- fifth and sixth respectively. weight champion, in May urged people in Dagestan, one Leaders Al Duhail face Umm remaining until the end of the demic, Al Duhail were leading the Al Shahaniya (10) are placed at of the regions hardest hit by the pandemic, to be “disci- Salal at the Education City Stadium domestic League season, the clubs points tally with 42 points, followed the bottom while Umm Salal and plined” and “listen to our doctors.” This week he posted the following day. Al Shahaniya are looking to make full use of this by Al Rayyan (38) and Al Sadd (32) Al Khor, both having collected 14 a picture of his tracksuited father at a training session will meet Al Ahli at the Al Janoub period in order to ensure the read- who occupied the second and third points each, are battling to avoid on Instagram with the caption “Father” as followers said Stadium while Al Wakrah play iness of their players following the positions respectively. relegation. they were praying for his recovery. 14 SPORT SATURDAY 4 JULY 2020 Brno to host NBA: Davis likes Lakers’ title Czech MotoGP chances when action returns with no crowd AFP – PRAGUE AFPAFP – LOSLOOS ANGELESANNG when the campaign was halted. to be beneficial for us going to The Czech Republic MotoGP in Brno on August They will travel to the NBA Orlando.” Davis is mindful of 9 will be held behind closed doors due to AnthonyAnnthoon Davis says “bubble” at Orlando, Florida, next coronavirus worries and Florida’s concerns about the novel coronavirus, organ- hee likeslikk the Los week for training camp and play rising number of COVID-19 cases, isers said yesterday. AngelesAngeele Lakers’ eight more regular-season games but he has confidence in NBA The Brno race is the third scheduled for this chanceschhancce of winning without fans starting July 30 safety precautions and other year after two Grands Prix in Jerez, Spain, with thethhe NBANNB title when against the Clippers before the players not wanting to become the season opener set for July 19.