Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 42

Australia, S Africa win games in WBC qualifying

SYDNEY: Australia scored seven runs in the The results set up Friday’s games South Africa took advantage of some and Panama City, Panama (Colombia, bottom of the seventh inning, the final two between the Philippines and New Zealand New Zealand fielding miscues in the top of France, Panama and Spain); and from Sept. on a throwing error, to beat the Philippines and a night game between South Africa the third inning, scoring two runs on two 22-25 in Brooklyn, New York (Brazil, Britain, 11-1 yesterday in a World Baseball Classic and Australia at Blacktown in western hits, a wild pitch and two errors. Israel and Pakistan). qualifying game shortened by the mercy Sydney. The winner from the four-team New Zealand starter Scott Cone was tak- Australia, Brazil, Mexico and Spain fin- rule. tournament, which ends Sunday, will quali- en out of the game with two outs in the ished last in their respective pools in 2013, The home side had 11 hits and was fy for next year’s 16-team World Baseball third, having allowed one unearned run on forcing them to requalify. Qualifiers will join helped by three errors by the Philippines. Classic. Unsworth, a 23-year-old right-han- one hit with two walks and two hit batters Canada, China, Cuba, the Dominican Under the tournament mercy rule, the der who reached Double-A last season, in 2 2/3 innings. He was replaced by his Republic, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, game ends when a team leads by 15 runs induced 15 ground balls and retired the first brother Ben Cone, who gave up two runs Puerto Rico, South Korea, Taiwan, the after five innings or 10 runs after seven. 11 New Zealanders he faced. He struck out on two hits before ending the inning. United States and Venezuela in next year’s Earlier, Seattle Mariners prospect Dylan the side in his final inning. South Africa added four runs in the top tournament. It is expected to be held in Unsworth allowed two hits over eight “When we arrived in Australia, one of the of the ninth inning to put the game out of March 2017 though a host country or coun- shutout innings and designated hitter Brett guys we targeted for this game was going reach for the New Zealanders. Other WBC tries have not been announced. Willemburg had two hits and drove in two to be Dylan,” South Africa manager Alan qualifying tournaments will be held from The Dominican Republic won the 2013 runs to lead South Africa to a 7-1 win over Phillips said of Unsworth. “He is probably March 17-20 in Mexicali, Mexico (Czech title, beating Puerto Rico 3-0 in San New Zealand. our most experienced starter.” Republic, Germany, Mexico and Nicaragua), Francisco. — AP

Coe ‘won’t accept’ Nestle split with scandal-hit IAAF

GENEVA: chief Sebastian Coe on Wednesday angrily hit back at Nestle’s move to terminate its sponsorship of the scandal-hit IAAF, insisting he will not accept the decision. Nestle, the world’s largest food compa- ny, became in 2012 the main sponsor of a programme aimed at promoting athletics for youths worldwide. It was reported to be worth $1 million a year. “Angered and dismayed by today’s kids’ athletics announcement. We will not accept it. It’s the kids who will suffer,” said International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Coe in a brief statement. Nestle said they were concerned over fears that the cor- ruption and doping scandals surrounding the sport could damage the company’s reputation. “I confirm that we have decided to end our partnership with the IAAF Kids Athletics programme with immediate effect,” Nestle spokeswoman Lydia Meziani told AFP in an email. “This decision was taken ITEN: Kenyan athletes stretching after their morning workout at the Kamariny stadium at Iten in the Rift Valley, some in light of negative publicity 329 kms north of . Top Kenyan athlete Francisca Koki, suspended for doping, said she and fellow runner Joyce associated with allegations Zakari were asked to pay nearly $50,000 in bribes to the national athletics federation chief to help the case. — AFP of corruption and doping in sport made against the IAAF,” she added. Kenyan federation CEO Meziani said Nestle decided to “terminate (its) existing relationship with dismisses bribery claim the IAAF” because a contin- ued partnership “could neg- atively impact our reputa- NAIROBI: Top Kenyan athlete Francisca we were in such a kind of a desperate situ- been asked for cash to shorten their ban. tion and image.” Koki, suspended for doping, said she and ation after we had been kept in suspense Family of a former top runner who has The IAAF is facing crises fellow runner Joyce Zakari were asked to for a long time before the four-year sus- also been banned said the athlete was on multiple fronts, including pay nearly $50,000 in bribes to the national pension was imposed on us,” Koki said. asked for “such a big amount”, too much widespread allegations of athletics federation chief to help the case. “We are crying for our case to be heard, for them to pay. In December, three top corruption and bribery Sebastian Coe Sprinters Koki and Zakari, suspended because we believe many other athletes Athletics officials including presi- under disgraced former boss for doping violations at the Beijing World have been faced with the same dilemma.” dent Isaiah Kiplagat, deputy president Lamine Diack. Before Coe’s tough-talking reaction to Championships, claimed She said she had spoken to IAAF offi- David Okeyo and former treasurer Joseph Nestle’s decision, the world body had been keen to stress chief executive officer Isaac Mwangi asked cials on the matter. Mwangi said he had Kinyua were suspended by the IAAF ethics the benefits of its partnership with Nestle. “The IAAF is in them for the bribe but they were unable to spoken to both Koki and Zakari, but dis- Commission for alleged corruption and discussion with Nestle concerning the final year of its five- pay. missed their claims he had asked for a covering up doping. year partnership with IAAF Kids’ Athletics,” said the IAAF in a “The two of us were asked to give 2.5 bribe. “It is not true that I asked for money The IAAF Ethics Commission has statement. million shillings ($24,000, 21,000 euros) from them,” Mwangi insisted to AFP. The appointed a Kenyan lawyer, Sharad Rao, to “This has been a successful programme with 15 million each by the Athletics Kenya’s Isaac success of Kenya at Beijing — topping the carry out investigations on the three offi- kids aged seven to 12 years in 76 countries taking part in Mwangi,” Koki told AFP. “We could not medals table for the first time since the cials. The IAAF confirmed last November fun team activities which promotes a healthy, active afford such a big sum of money... for me I championships started in 1983, taking sev- that ex-AK vice-president Okeyo had been lifestyle. “In 2016 IAAF Kids’ Athletics plans to reach a fur- have never even seen such an amount. I en golds, six silvers and three bronze under investigation by Kenyan police over ther 15 countries, training 360 lecturers, instructing 8,640 just started running recently and I have not medals-was tarnished after Koki and Zakari allegations of doping cover-ups. A German physical education teachers, with three million children par- been able to make much money.” failed drugs tests. broadcaster had alleged that Kenya offi- ticipating by the end of the activation.” Mwangi has denied the claims. Both After the pair tested positive in Beijing, cials were extorting money from athletes Separately, Coe has faced criticism following Russia’s ban Koki and Zakari were each given a four- Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto and coaches to cover ups failed drug tests, from the sport for what a commission of the World Anti- year ban after being found guilty of using a announced plans to criminalise doping. in return for lenient doping bans. Doping Agency’s (WADA) described as “state-sponsored” prohibited substance, Furosemide, in Kenya, which is placed near the bottom doping. WADA’s report claimed that the IAAF governing Beijing in August 2015. Koki, a 400m hur- ‘SUCH A BIG AMOUNT’ of Transparency International’s annual cor- council must have known about corruption orchestrated by dler, said she and Zakari were asked for Many in Kenya fear doping is rife ruption index, coming in 145th out of 174, Diack, and about doping in Russia. cash in October, a month before their sus- among their top class runners, who have has long been blighted by graft. Since the scandals broke, Coe has been travelling the pension. been the source of enormous national In November, a dozen foreign diplo- globe, notably in Asia, where he has sought to shore up pride. More than 40 Kenyan athletes have mats representing Kenya’s biggest donors support for IAAF, hoping to ease the concerns of corpo- ATHLETICS SOURCE OF PRIDE been suspended for doping in the past criticised its failure to tackle the corruption rate backers weary of being tied to a tainted organisa- “We thought it was unfair for an official two years. “crisis” and threatened to impose travel tion. — AFP to ask for money from us, especially when Other runners claim they have also bans on wrongdoers. — AFP