SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 2016 SPORTS UCI considering in-race bike testing

LONDON: Cycling bosses are investigat- “It can even be attached to an tigations will cover all disciplines of the Rio de Janeiro. April 29 to May 1 are deliverable but I ing the possibility of testing riders in the iPhone, certainly an iPad. We will be test- sport. “At the moment we’re looking at a Rio organisers have already cancelled think that’s a challenge,” said Cookson. middle of road races as they continue to ing before, after and, if necessary, during random system, but all of the events, all one test event with an alternative date “But the building still hasn’t been fin- combat the threat of mechanical doping (races) from time to time. “We have an of the bikes will be checked as they go set for late April, although Cookson ished and obviously I would encourage in the sport. Belgian teenager Femke open mind at looking at the opportuni- on,” he said. “I’m not saying 100 per cent, describes that target as a “challenge”. the organising committee, the city and Van den Driessche was discovered to ties for that. We will maybe have a com- every bike will be tested, but I think you The Great Britain track team, winners the mayor to do a great job for us and have a motor inside the frame of her missaire on a motorbike who will stop can be assured every medallist here will of seven track golds at London 2012, has we will do everything we can to help bike at the recent cyclo-cross World with a rider who is changing a bike. have had their bike tested.” Van den already pulled out of the test event them.” Cookson’s faith in the Rio organis- Championships, a revelation that “We’ll look for suspicious and intelli- Driessche is still to have her punishment because of doubts over whether it will ing committee delivering on their com- sparked speculation that the problem gence-led solutions, as we are doing in handed out for the offence, with actually take place. mitments is based at least in part on the may be more widespread. UCI president the anti-doping field. We have a small Cookson calling for her to be dealt with The UCI were informed that contrac- fact that there is no alternative plan in Brian Cookson insists that the world gov- anti-doping intelligence testing func- in the strongest possible way. tors were scheduled to start laying the place should the building not be ready. erning body is on the ball when it comes tion, looking at connections between “The UCI has requested extremely timber track in Rio this weekend which, “I have no doubt there will be a velo- to “technological fraud” and even con- anti-doping agencies’ information, from stiff penalties. It’s fair to say that, in with the track programme scheduled to drome ready and functional to the sidering drastic new testing procedures. customs, governments, police authori- something like this, not just the rider can start on August 11, presents problems required standards for the Olympic “The technology that we have now ties. “That approach we’re spreading to be sanctioned and will be involved.” given the complications involved in bed- Games,” he said. allows testing perhaps not literally on mechanical, technological fraud as well.” Cookson also admitted he is con- ding a new track into a facility. “The contingency plan is to have the the move, but it’s very flexible, it’s very cerned about delays in the construction “The test event has been deferred Olympic Games in Rio and to have a lightweight,” said Cookson, who is at the ‘STIFF PENALTIES’ of the velodrome that will host track already. We are assured by the Rio track ready and finished. There is no track World Championships in London. Cookson insisted that the UCI’s inves- cycling at the 2016 Olympic Games in organising committee that the dates alternative.” — AFP Lions shut down late Chiefs rally

HAMILTON: The Golden Lions went two “We weren’t happy with last week’s per- from two on the boot of Elton Jantjies formance, so we worked really hard on our when they withstood a late Waikato Chiefs string to spread it from side to side and I rally to win a nail biter in Hamilton yester- think it worked.” day 36-32. With a superior pack and a lethal 8-9-10 In the closing two minutes the Chiefs combination of Whiteley, Faf de Klerk and twice won penalties on the Lions line but Jantjies, the Lions dominated territory and were unable to convert them into points. fly-half Jantjies feasted on penalties as the Being four points in arrears they were Lions raced to a 19-11 lead by half-time. forced to go for lineout drives but they Tom Sanders scored a try for the Chiefs could not break the well-drilled Lions pack. and Malcolm Marx scored for the Lions The Lions led for most of the game, with Jantjies’ three penalties and a conver- apart from a brief period at the start of the sion making the difference in the first half match and in the middle of the second half while the Chiefs’ extra points came from as they made light of their arduous travel two Damian McKenzie penalties. itinerary. A Courtnall Skosan try early in the sec- They are the first team in the expanded ond half put the Lions out to a 24-11 lead competition to head from South Africa to before the Chiefs struck back to hit the Japan where they beat newcomers the front 25-24 when quick tries by McKenzie 26-13 last week before travel- and James Lowe, both converted by ling south to New Zealand. McKenzie, produced 14 points in two min- “I’m a bit speechless at the moment,” utes. elated captain Warren Whitely said when However, it was a short-lived advantage the final whistle blew. with the Lions adding a further two tries of “They put so much pressure on us right their own by Whiteley and Ruan until the death and we managed to pull it Combrinck. off in the end.” With eight minutes remaining, the But while forward power ensured the Chiefs reduced the deficit to four with a win, Whiteley said it was the backs who Brad Weber try converted by McKenzie but deserved the credit. were unable to get any closer. — AFP MLS reaches maturity as LAS VEGAS: Sione Molia of New Zealand looks to pass the ball against Russia during the USA Sevens Rugby tournament at Sam Boyd Stadium 21st season kicks off on March 4 in Las Vegas, Nevada. —AFP LOS ANGELES: The 21st season of Major 1994 World Cup as children are in their League Soccer kicks off across North mid-20s and 30s and have grown up with America this weekend with officials opti- the sport. “What’s happened over the NZ off to fast start mistic about prospects for future growth last 22 years in the United States and despite emerging challenges from rival Canada since the 1994 World Cup is that competitions across the globe. they have both become soccer nations,” A legacy of the 1994 World Cup, MLS Abbott told AFP. has come a long way since the San Jose “What we’re seeing now is a fan base as Samoa shocks Fiji Clash kicked off the league with a 1-0 win that is being driven by young people over DC United in front of 31,863 fans on who have grown up with soccer in a way April 6, 1996. that is different. “That’s the most signifi- LOS ANGELES: New Zealand got off to a While the MLS is yet to reach the same cant thing that has been happening. It’s quick start in their bid for a third straight sort of prominence as American football, not some foreign, exotic sport any more- baseball and basketball, the beautiful it’s a sport that people know and love Rugby Sevens World Series triumph, winning game has nevertheless established a sol- and love being fans of.” both of their matches on the opening day of id foothold that stretches across the The international profile of the league the Las Vegas Sevens on Friday. nation. Since the inaugural season two has also been boosted through the New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Kenya decades ago, the MLS has doubled in recent arrival of several globally and Argentina all won both of their opening size, increasing to 20 teams from the renowned foreign stars. Since David day matches, but reigning series champions original 10, with four more teams sched- Beckham joined the Los Angeles Galaxy Fiji were stunned by Samoa in their opening uled by 2020 and ultimately expanding in 2007, a lengthening list of overseas contest. to a 28-team league. Average atten- players have joined the ranks of the MLS, Savelio Ropati’s late try lifted Samoa to a dances have shown a steady increase, notably Didier Drogba, Kaka, Frank dramatic 28-24 victory over their Pacific rivals, reaching a record of 21,619 per game Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Andrea Pirlo who rebounded with a comfortable 42-12 vic- during the 2015 season, up sharply from and David Villa. Crucially, the league has tory over France. 2000, when average crowds for each also begun to attract foreign players in England’s day got off to a rocky start as match hit a record low of 13,611. their prime, such as 29-year-old Italy they had to battle back from a 19-5 deficit to Orlando City have already sold more international Sebastian Giovinco, who salvage a 19-19 draw with Japan. Two tries in than 43,000 tickets for their game against joined Toronto FC from Juventus in 2015, the final two minutes, the second converted Real Salt Lake on Sunday, and are aiming and Mexican striker Giovani dos Santos. by Tom Mitchell, gained the draw, but in to sell out their season-opener at the England’s second match-the last of the day- 62,500-capacity Citrus Bowl for a second Echoes of Premier League? Joe Nayacavou sealed a superb win for straight year. The defending MLS Cup Former France, Arsenal and Juventus Scotland with a try on the last play of a 24-14 champions, the Portland Timbers, have a star Patrick Vieira, who is launching his victory that knocked England out of the run- waiting list for season tickets at their managerial career with New York City FC, ning for the Cup. 21,000-seat home while Pacific owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group New Zealand-whose victories at Northwest rivals the Seattle Sounders which also owns Manchester City, said and Sydney in the last two stops in the series frequently draw crowds of 40,000 or the steady growth of the MLS reminded pulled them level with Fiji and South Africa more. him of the evolution of the English Premier League. “When you look at atop the standings-opened the tournament No longer a ‘foreign’ sport where the MLS was 10 years ago and at Sam Boyd Stadium with a 42-7 victory over Mark Abbott, the deputy commission- where it is now, it is going up fast and in Portugal. er of MLS who was an instrumental figure the right way,” Vieira said during a confer- They followed up with a 38-0 win over in founding the league, says the ence call. “The MLS reminds me of the Russia and in their final Pool A match they will increased attendance figures reflect the Premier League-when we spoke about take on Kenya, who also went two-for-two on shifting demographics of soccer’s fan the Premier League, it was the third or Friday, as did Australia in Pool B, Argentina in base. fourth league in Europe. “The MLS will Pool C and South Africa in Pool D. A generation of fans who watched the go the same way.—AFP Bryan Habana, South Africa’s leading try- scorer in tests with 64, returned to sevens after a 12-year hiatus as South Africa notched victories over Canada and Wales. Australia opened their campaign with a 26- 0 rout of Scotland that included the sevens debut of Quade Cooper, the veteran of the 15- a-side game. Cooper, 27, came on as a substitute in the final five minutes against Scotland and strug- gled at first to adjust to the rhythm of the sev- en-a-side format. However, he contributed four conversions in a 35-5 victory over Japan. Hosts the United States opened with a 19-12 victory over Wales, but wasted a 12-point lead in a sloppy 26-26 draw with Canada. The Las Vegas tournament is the fifth stop in the 10-event series, which even more in the spotlight this year with rugby making a return to the Olympics at Rio de Janeiro in August. Friday’s action drew a crowd of 18,441 — a RIO DE JANEIRO: The synchronized swimming team of Ukraine performs during the record USA Sevens one-day attendance. Pool LAS VEGAS: Joe Nayacavou (C) of Scotland is tacked by Tom Kingston (L) and Greg Jeloudev of teams’ technical routine final of the FINA Synchronized Swimming Olympic Games play continues on Saturday before the event Australia during the USA Sevens Rugby tournament at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Qualification Tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday. — AFP concludes today. — AFP Nevada. — AFP