THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017 SPORTS

Kalou extends Goetze to miss season Hertha contract Call for athlete rights charter with metabolic disorder in fallout of Russian doping DORTMUND: Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mario Goetze will miss the rest BERLIN: Ex-Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou yesterday extended his Hertha Berlin of the season while he receives treatment for a metabolic disorder that is contract, which had been due to expire in June, with reports the new deal runs LAUSANNE: A World Anti-Doping Agency panel is pro- causing muscle problems, the Bundesliga club said yesterday. Goetze, who until 2020. “I feel very comfortable in Berlin and I still have plenty that I want to posing a charter to formally protect the rights of ath- has made 16 appearances in all competitions this term, was achieve with Hertha Berlin. I would like to help the team continue to progress letes. WADA athlete committee chairwoman Beckie Scott pulled out of training last month after investigations as it has in the last few years,” said the 31-year-old Kalou. The Ivory Coast for- by the club revealed he had “metabolic disturbances.” ward joined Hertha for 1.8m euros ($1.9m) from Lille in 2014, who he says “athletes are frustrated and are asking that their ‘rights’ with respect to clean, fair sport be recognized “The long term target for the player is to be fully fit had joined in 2012 following six years with Chelsea. At Hertha and ready to play for the start of next season,” the this season he has scored six goals and provided four assists in and protected.” WADA says its athlete panel worked on the proposal after two investigations revealed wide- club said on their website (www.bvb.de). “If he 16 games so far. Hertha has not stipulated how long the new responds positively to treatment, Goetze can start contract is for, but German daily Bild claims it will run for spread doping and cover-ups in Russian track and field and other sports, including at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. back training in early summer. The midfield player is another three years. Hertha’s director of sport Michael Preetz currently undergoing rehab and an individual train- Athletes in some sports have challenged governing bod- said Kalou, who has scored 30 goals in 86 appearances for ing programme.” Champions League quarter-final- ies to be tougher reacting to findings from the WADA- Berlin, turned down other clubs to stay. Head coach Pal Dardai ists Dortmund are third in the Bundesliga, 16 points is pleased to keep the club’s potent partnership intact with appointed investigations. At a WADA conference in behind leaders Bayern Munich with 10 match- Kalou playing alongside Hertha’s top-scorer Vedad Ibisevic, who Lausanne, athlete representatives said priorities includ- es remaining, and host second-bottom has 10 league goals this season. “Salomon is a real champion. ed “the right to compete on a level playing field, the Ingolstadt on Friday. Dortmund also He has won everything, but despite that he is still hungry right to access education, privacy protection, legal rep- face Bayern in the German Cup semi- for more. —AFP resentation.” — AP finals. —Reuters

Yemeni tennis hopeful crosses war zone to compete

DOHA: Stepping onto a floodlit tennis Maqaleh. “One passenger was taken off the court in Qatar last week, 13-year-old bus. He didn’t get back on,” he said. Alhassan Ishaq tried to steady his nerves. “You should stay and fight!” a bearded The aspiring tennis champion from Houthi fighter with a gun on his shoulder Yemen had trained for months and used his said to Ishaq before waving the bus on. family’s savings crossing a war zone to Leaving behind the mountains that lead reach the Asia junior championships in to Sanaa, the bus crossed the war’s front- Qatar. Justifying the arduous trip, he not line into Marib province, where Gulf Arab only made it through the qualifying stage troops loyal to Yemen’s exiled government but pressed on to reach the last eight, lift- have assembled military outposts in the ing