SPORT SPORTS | 06 SPORT | 07 WeW need to Bayern star taketak situation Coman faces ststepe by step: fine for driving McCullum wrong car SATURDAY 18 APRIL 2020 QOC to host Qatar Games won’t provide much Virtual Marathon QNA – DOHA economic stimulus for Japan The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) will organise the 2020 Qatar Virtual Marathon on Tuesday in cooperation with Bait Al Mashura Finance Consul- AP – TOKYO Victor Matheson, a sports tations. A study published in 2016 economist at the College of The virtual marathon, which is the first in the IOC member John Coates, shows in most cases the the Holy Cross, and col- region, includes three categories, the full marathon who oversees planning for league Robert Baumann cal- for a distance (42 km), the half marathon for a dis- next year’s Tokyo Olympics, Olympics are a money- culated the impact of foreign tance (21 km), and the five km marathon. has claimed the postponed losing proposition for tourism on the 2016 Rio de The 2020 Qatar Virtual Marathon aims to Games could help “kick host cities and they Janeiro Olympics. They dis- encourage community members to exercise from start” Japan’s economy. counted local spending since their homes during the quarantine period, spread Japan has been devas- result in positive net it was simply moving expen- the culture of sport for life, raise awareness of the tated like many countries by benefits only under very ditures from one place in the importance of sport, and adopt healthy lifestyles the coronavirus pandemic specific and unusual country to another. at the global level. and could be in a recession They said Rio had Registration has been opened for participation when the Olympics are to circumstances. 60,000 added arrivals and in the marathon and will continue until April 20, open on July 23, 2021. estimated $5,000 spending and participation will be available to (men and “These Games are a very by each arrival - an impact women) from all over the world. positive opportunity for an of $300m. Rio spent about Those wishing to participate can register and economic stimulus,” Coates $13bn to organise the learn about the results through the “Sporthive live” said in a teleconference yes- Olympics, and some put the application, which will give the participants online terday with the Tokyo figure at $20bn. certificates once the race is over, and the results Organising Committee. Matheson and Robert of the 2020 Qatar Virtual Marathon will be “These Games can help Baade of Lake Forest announced through the same application on kick start the economy A Tokyo 2020 Olympic countdown clock is placed outside the Tokyo Railway Station, College published a study Wednesday. again. These Games could be yesterday. in 2016 titled “Going for the rebirth of the tourism Gold: The Economics of the industry.” Olympics.” They looked at But economists and “His predictions fly in the suggested Japan would be $2bn to $6bn. Nearly all of the impact of short-term European Tour Olympic researchers con- face of all the research on the better off if it did not have to the added costs fall to Japan and long-term tourism, tacted by The Associated financial impacts of hosting finance next year’s Games. under an agreement signed sports and other infra- Press yesterday said any eco- the Games ‘on a good day’ - Japan is officially in 2013 when Tokyo was structure, employment, cancels French, nomic boost will be negligible and the current global crisis spending $12.6bn to organise awarded the Games. trade and the intangible given the size of Japan’s $5tr does not qualify as ‘a good the Olympics, although a Coates confirmed the “feel-good factor”of German events economy and the limited day,’” Helen Lenskyj, a pro- government audit report in IOC would be spending holding the Olympics. tourism and economic ben- fessor emerita at the Uni- December said it was twice “several hundred million They concluded “in AFP – LONDON efits from the 17-day Games. versity of Toronto, said in an that much. All but $5.6bn is dollars” because of the post- most cases the Olympics are In some previous email. Lenskyj has written taxpayer money. ponement. The funds will go a money-losing proposition The European Tour yesterday announced the Olympics, soaring prices eight books on the Olympics, IOC and Japanese offi- to distressed international for host cities; they result in cancellations of both the French Open and the and crowding have dis- including her most recent - cials say they don’t know the federations and national positive net benefits only BMW International Open in Munich due to the couraged tourists instead “The Olympic Games: A cost of the one-year delay, Olympic committees, and under very specific and coronavirus pandemic, with the Scottish Open of attracting them. Critical Approach.” She but estimates have put it at not to Tokyo. unusual circumstances.” postponed. The British Open, golf’s only major tournament played outside the United States, had already been scrapped, with top tours having been shut down Football mourns death of Leeds great Norman since March 13. The last completed event on the European Tour AFP – LONDON the Leeds United family,” the during a televised league game at the was the Qatar Masters, which ended on March 8. statement added. “His legacy will old Baseball Ground in 1975 made The French Open, continental Europe’s oldest Leeds United great and England never be forgotten.” Hunter helped headline news. Open competition, was due to be held from July international Norman Hunter Leeds win two first division cham- That year also saw Hunter play 2-5, but was cancelled after the French government (pictured) has died aged 76 after pionships, two Inter-Cities Fairs in Leeds’ defeat by Bayern Munich extended the ban on all mass gatherings until mid- contracting coronavirus, the Cham- Cups, as well as the League Cup and in the European Cup final in Paris, July. The BMW event in Munich was scheduled for pionship club announced yesterday. the FA Cup. when they were on the end of some June 25-28. The famously tough-tackling He was a member of Alf Ram- controversial refereeing decisions. “Both Germany and France have been signif- defender, who was at the heart of sey’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad Riots by Leeds fans during the icantly impacted by coronavirus, and our thoughts the Leeds side during a golden era but did not play in the tournament, match eventually saw the club go out to everyone affected in both countries, as for the club under manager Don as he could not break the partnership banned from European competition well as elsewhere around the world,” said Revie, was admitted to hospital last United are devastated to learn of the of Jack Charlton and Bobby Moore. for two years. European Tour chief Keith Pelley. week. passing of club icon Norman Hunter He eventually received a win- Hunter left Leeds in 1976 to join The Scottish Open, usually a key warm-up for Hunter, nicknamed ‘Bites yer at the age of 76. ner’s medal in 2009, alongside other Bristol City and ended his playing the now-cancelled British Open, was due to take Legs’, amassed 726 appearances for “Norman was taken to hospital players who had missed out. career with Barnsley, whom he later place in mid-July. Leeds over a 14-year period in the last week after being diagnosed with Although his reputation was built managed before taking charge of The golfing calendar has been thrown into dis- 1960s and 70s. COVID-19 and despite continuing to on his defensive ability, Hunter was Yorkshire rivals Rotherham. array by the COVID-19 outbreak, with the Masters, He won 28 caps for England and battle and the best efforts of NHS also comfortable on the ball and Hunter was the winner of the originally scheduled for April, to be played in was part of the 1966 World Cup- (National Health Service) staff, he usually remained composed, Professional Footballers’ Associa- November, while the PGA Championship has been winning squad. sadly lost his fight earlier this although his infamous on-field tion’s inaugural Player of the Year moved from May until August, and the US Open Leeds said in a statement: “Leeds morning.” “He leaves a huge hole in punch-up with Derby’s Francis Lee award in 1974. from June to September. Vettel dismisses back-to-back racing overload as ‘not realistic’ AFP – PARIS questions remain. I think the However, he admits that the drivers Carlos Sainz and Lando schedule will be busier, but 10 damage to the sport caused by the Norris said they had taken vol- Vettel could seal new Four-time world champion consecutive weekends is not real- coronavirus pandemic could be untary pay cuts as part of a raft of Sebastian Vettel yesterday istic.” Vettel suggested that he fatal for the smaller teams on the cost-cutting measures to help cautioned against the temptation would favour staging races grid. their team. Ferrari deal before to shoehorn too many Formula without fans if it allowed a quick Without racing, the massive “I’m not going to use this to One races into a revised calendar, resumption as long as it did not TV and sponsorshipp revenues polishpyg my image.” Formula 1 season starts describing the move as “not real- become a common feature. have dried up.p. istic”. Other sports have already Half of thehe REUTERSREUTERS – LONDONLONDON The 22-event F1 season has toyed with the idea of staging teams haveve been decimated by the corona- events behind closed doors.