Organisers Battle to Save Cycling's Crown Jewel
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SPORT SPORTS | 10 SPORT | 11 DeDe VilliersV may ‘They miss me’, rethinkrethink comeback Pogba puzzled iiff T20 World Cup by critics like ggetsets postponed Souness WEDNESDAY 15 APRIL 2020 Xavi to share health and fitness tips in Generation Amazing live stream THE PENINSULA – DOHA live streams last week as it aims to con- Generation Amazing programme during positive uniting values we teach in constructed by Generation Amazing. tinue engaging with its stakeholders and the pandemic is a core objective of the football and the Generation Amazing Last year, Xavi visited Mumbai to FIFA World Cup winner Xavi Hernández audience during the ongoing online programme, which aims to reachach programme,programme, to better their lives and inaugurate a GenerationGeneratio Amazing will feature in Generation Amazing’s pandemic. children and youth around the world.ld. thethe liveslives ofof tthosehose in ttheirheir pitchpitch andand meet withwith youth who Instagram Live session today at 5pm The sessions occur every weekday on Generation Amazing’s Communi-ni- community.”community.” hadhad beenbeen providedprovid a safe (14:00GMT) to discuss health and fitness its Facebook and Instagram channels: cations and Marketing Director, Mozaoza FormerFormer BarceBarcelonalona sspacepace to playplay footballfo and during the COVID-19 pandemic. @GA4Good. Al Mohannadi, said: “We’re thrilled to captain Xavi has taken part taketake part in keykey life skills The Supreme Committee for Xavi, who is currently the head be hosting Xavi for this upcoming liveive in a numbernumber ooff Generation coaching.coaching. Delivery & Legacy (SC) ambassador will coach of Qatar Stars League team Al session. Audiences will be in for a treateat AmazingAmazing activities duringduring his Also,Also, in DecemberDece 2019, also talk about the Generation Amazing Sadd, said: “I am very excited to be as we hear how our shared footballingng timetime as an SC amambassador.bassador. Xavi attendedattended the FIFA programme, which is currently active joining Generation Amazing’s Instagram values and the power of sport can helpelp In 2016, he travelled to Legends Day during the in nine countries and has positively Live sessions to talk about how football inspire generations through both goodod Amman, Jordan,Jordan, to run a inauguralinaugural GenerationG impacted the lives of more than and sporting values can help us in these and challenging times.” trainingtraining session for youngstersyoungsters AmazingAmazing Festival, 500,000 people. Generation Amazing challenging times. I look forward to Nasser Al Khori, Programmesmes at thethe AlAl Baqa’a refugeerefugee camp whichwhich involved – a Qatar 2022 legacy programme – interacting with the audience and hope- Director at Generation Amazing, said:aid: pitchpitch – whichwhich was 140140 youth harnesses the power of football to fully lifting spirits through the fantastic “Xavi has long been a part of our missionon ambassadorsam deliver sustainable positive change in live programme Generation Amazing to reach children and youth, encour-r- fromfr more underprivileged communities. has been offering.” aging them to partake in an active andd thant 20 Generation Amazing started daily Continuing to showcase the healthy lifestyle, and practice thee Xavi Hernández countries.c Organisers Tour de France called off, new date unknown yet Sports activities to await French remain suspended Grand Prix Organisers battle to save decision until April 30: QOC cycling’s crown jewel THE PENINSULA – DOHA AGENCIES – PARIS The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) A decision on whether to go AFP – PARIS A report in the Dauphine Ranst told Flemish TV channel announced yesterday that it has ahead with June’s French newspaper says that Sporza on Saturday. extended the suspension of all local Formula One Grand Prix Tour de France organisers are the Tour will begin on Suggestions the Tour could sport activities and events until April behind closed doors or to working to find a new start August 27, with the race be held without supporters 30 to ensure the safety of everyone postpone or scrap the event date for cycling’s biggest race to finish in the capital on have been ruled out. against coronavirus (COVID-19) will be made in the coming after large public gatherings September 20. A late July start for the Tour pandemic. days, organisers said yesterday. were banned until mid-July could have been considered The QOC’s decision is a comple- The grand prix scheduled in the latest extension of the too close to the ban on large mentary move comes in line with the for June 28 is the first race on French coronavirus at least May 11, as public gath- public gatherings, while the preventive measures taken by the the revised Formula One world lockdown. erings were banned until riders would also need to be in State of Qatar to limit the spread of championship calendar with Originally slated to start mid-July. peak condition. coronavirus by banning public gath- nine races already scrapped or from Nice on June 27 and Tour general director ASO also organises the Cri- erings also in accordance with the suspended as a result of the finish in Paris on July 19, there Christian Prudhomme has said terium du Dauphine eight-day recommendations of Ministry of coronavirus pandemic. is no chance the event can go riders will need two months race, and had been hoping to Public Health and National Pandemic A spokesman for the race ahead as planned and organ- after the lockdown ends to run that ride through the Alps Preparedness Committee. organisers told AFP that they isers face a mammoth logis- prepare for the race. in late June or early July, but “have been studying all sce- tical task of rescheduling. France’s Minister of the the traditional Tour warm-up narios” including post- A report in the Dauphine Interior Christophe Castaner has been postponed. ponement or staging the event newspaper yesterday said that said on Tuesday that ASO had The reported late-August behind closed doors. the Tour will instead begin on to reschedule or cancel the start would see the race clash AFC extends virus F1 sports director Ross August 27, with the race to Tour. with the Vuelta a Espana, Brawn said last week he could finish in the capital on Sep- “It is up to the organiser to which is scheduled to run from envisage the start of the F1 tember 20. analyse their ability to organise August 14-September 6. shutdown indefinitely season in Europe in July with a Organisers ASO were una- it and reschedule it,” Castaner There are only 176 riders race excluding the public. vailable for comment to told French radio. on a Tour, but the whole event AFP – HONG KONG Meanwhile, Red Bull confirm the new dates, but The race’s route is over involves around 4,500 people, Formula 1 driver Max Ver- several mayors of the French 3,000km long, with roughly with team staff, police and The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced yesterday the stappen will compete in the V8 towns along the planned route 500,000 fans lining the roads media all moving every day. indefinite postponement because of the coronavirus of all matches Supercars All-Stars virtual say they have been consulted each day. Cancellation is the worst- scheduled for May and June, plunging the AFC Champions League Eseries. regarding the new dates. “Social distancing on the case scenario. into further disarray. The region’s premier club competition was put With Formula One's season French President roadside wouldn’t be a The “Grande Boucle”, as on hold in March as the pandemic spread, and the latest reshuffle stalled by the new coronavirus Emmanuel Macron said in a problem, but in the start towns, the Tour is known in France, means the 32-team group stage will have to be completed in July pandemic, and the March 15 televised address on onday at the finish line and in the VIP is the central economic pillar before the already-postponed knock-out rounds start a month later. opener in Melbourne called off that a strict lockdown in tents it certainly would,” which supports the sports’ 22 “Following the continued preventive measures and travel after everyone had arrived, the France would continue until Belgian virologist Marc Van professional teams. restrictions put in place by several governments, the Asian Football 22-year-old Dutchman has Confederation has decided today to postpone all matches and com- kept busy online. petitions scheduled to take place in May and June until further Verstappen's number 33 notice,” an AFC statement said. will be on a virtual 5.0-litre “As one of the first confederations in world football to undertake V8-powered Red Bull Holden precautionary measures in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, the decked up in his Formula 1 car's Cyclists ride during the third stage of the 106th edition of the Tour de France cycling race latest decision reinforces the AFC’s commitment to ensure the safety livery for the second round of between Binche and Epernay in Belgium in this July 08, 2019 file photo. and wellbeing of players, participating teams, officials, fans and all the virtual series. stakeholders.” Tokyo has no ‘Plan B’ for another Olympic postponement AP – TOKYO be feasible to hold the Olympics A resident takes a photo of a countdown clock organisers and the IOC hold a in just over 15 months. showing the adjusted days and time for the teleconference with media in There is no “Plan B” for the “All I can tell you today is start of the postponed Tokyo Olympic Games, Japan. Olympics if they need to be that the new games’ dates for in Tokyo in this March 30 file photo. The other major question is postponed again because of the both the Olympic and Paral- the cost of the delay, and who coronavirus pandemic, Tokyo ympic Games have been just set pays.