SPORTS SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2014

Last chance to win a trip to FIFA World Cup via NBK Mobile Banking Application KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) announced to enter the draw. NBK customers will also have one World Cup match. Wednesday 30th of April 2014 as the last day of its chance to enter this draw for every transactions In addition to this offer, NBK offers its Visa campaign that offers all its customers using NBK’s made through NBK’s Mobile Banking application. Cardholders as well as customers who transfer their Mobile Banking Application the chance to win a trip The transactions include transferring funds, Credit salaries or student allowances to NBK a chance to for two to the 2014 FIFA World Cup(tm), in associa- Card and phone bill payments and payments to win one of the 32 trips for two to attend the 2014 tion with Visa. Ministry of Communications. FIFA World Cup games in Brazil in association with NBK Customers still have five days to earn unlim- NBK is the only official non-host retail banking Visa. ited chances to enter third draw to win a travel pack- partner of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Kuwait, in NBK’s free Mobile Banking application for age for two to attend one of the games of the association with Visa, the official FIFA partner. Android, Apple and BlackBerry devices enables cus- world’s biggest sporting extravaganza. The travel NBK’s Mobile Banking application adopts the- tomers to easily and securely manage their financials package includes two match tickets, round trip air- state-of-the-art banking technologies and stan- anytime, anywhere as long as they are connected to line tickets, hotel accommodation for four nights, dards with the objective of providing utmost con- the internet. For assistance, customers can visit any and transfer service for both winner and guest. venience and ease to customers. Now, NBK cus- of NBK’s branches or call NBK Call Center at 1801801, NBK customers are encouraged to enroll or re- tomers can enjoy both convenient banking servic- or follow NBK on Facebook NBK Official Page, Twitter enroll to NBK’s Mobile Banking Application in order es and an exclusive chance to attend a 2014 FIFA and Instagram @NBKPage.

Pakistan cricket chief appoints six-member selection team LAHORE: Pakistan cricket chiefs yesterday appointed a six- member selection committee-the biggest in its history - to choose the team to start a hectic season leading up to next year’s World Cup. Former will head the committee, two members larger than usual, the (PCB) announced. “Former Test players Saleem Yousuf, Shoaib Mohammad, Ijaz Ahmed, Wajahatullah Wasti and Mohammad Akram will be members of the committee,” said a PCB release. Akram’s appointment in the selection committee means his two-year tenure as the team’s bowling coach has ended after only two months. That suggests ’s likely appointment as head coach, as the legendary paceman could fill in bowling coach- ing duties himself. Pakistan last week advertised the posts of head coach, fielding, batting and spin bowling coaches. A three-man com- mittee will scrutinise applications after the May 5 deadline. Akram has also been appointed head coach of the PCB’s national cricket academy in Lahore. Pakistan have not had a chief selector since Iqbal Qasim HELSINKI: In this Tuesday, May 14, 2013 file photo, Finland’s Juhamatti Aaltonen, left, vies for the puck with stepped down after completing his tenure in July last year. Latvia’s Ralfs Freibergs during the 2013 Ice Hockey IIHF World Championships Group B preliminary round That started a sequence of appointments, sackings and match in Helsinki.—AP refusals, leaving selection to be run on ad-hoc basis. Khan was appointed chief selector in July but a ruling from Islamabad high court curtailed PCB chairman Najam Sethi’s powers, ren- dering Khan’s appointment void. Latvian hockey player Former PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf, reinstated by the court in January this year, appointed Aamir Sohail as chief selector but a month later Ashraf was sacked by Prime Minister Nawaz caught doping in Sochi Sharif. Sohail also lost his post without taking charge. Sethi, restored in February, appointed another former cap- tain Rashid Latif as chief selector-who then refused to take the LONDON: Two months after the closing Freiberg’s expulsion represents the ond Sochi athlete sanctioned over a seri- post, citing lack of powers. —AFP ceremony, the Sochi Olympics broke a eighth doping case overall from Sochi, sur- ous doping substance. Austrian skier Winter Games record yesterday when a passing the previous record of seven Johannes Duerr was expelled after testing Latvian hockey player became the eighth recorded at the 2002 Salt Lake City positive for the blood booster EPO. athlete disqualified for a positive doping Olympics. While there was only one posi- The IOC said it was up to the test. Ralfs Freibergs was retroactively tive test during the 2006 Games, the IOC International Ice Hockey Federation to con- kicked out of the games by the IOC after also lists seven cases in Turin because of sider any further sanctions against Freibergs. being found guilty of a steroid offense, the the police raids on the Austrian cross- Steroid cases usually carry a minimum two- third hockey player and second from country and biathlon team lodgings that year suspension. Latvia finished eighth in Latvia caught for doping in Sochi. led to subsequent doping sanctions. the Olympic tournament, which was won The International Olympic Committee “The number of the cases for me is not by Canada. The IOC ruled out disqualify- said the 22-year-old defenseman tested really relevant,” IOC President Thomas ing the entire Latvian team, citing IIHF positive for a testosterone-related steroid Bach said on the final day of the Sochi rules specifying that a full team is pun- in a sample provided after Latvia’s 2-1 loss Games on Feb. 23. “What is important is ished only when more than two players to Canada in the quarterfinals on Feb. 19. that we see the system works.” are found guilty of doping violations. Another Latvian, Vitalijs Pavlovs, was The IOC carried out a Winter Games “Therefore, no consequences have to disqualified in Sochi after testing positive record 2,812 tests in Sochi, including pre- be considered in respect of the team for the stimulant methylhexaneamine fol- competition and out-of-competition results at this stage,” the IOC said. Freibergs lowing the loss to Canada. blood and urine controls. The samples are told Bowling Green State that he had test- ARCADIA: In this Jan 25, 2014 file photo provided by Swedish star Nicklas Backstrom was stored for 10 years so they can be retested ed positive for turinabol, a steroid widely suspended from the Olympic final against when new methods become available. used in the former East Germany, the IOC Benoit Photo, California Chrome and jockey Victor Canada after a positive test for pseu- said. The university appointed a lab to con- Espinoza win the $250,000 California Cup Derby horse doephdrine, which was contained in an Doping substance duct a screening of a sample from race at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. A full field of 20 is allergy medication. He was allowed to Freibergs, who also plays for Bowling Freibergs and reported that it found no expected for the 140th Kentucky Derby on May 3. —AP keep his silver medal. Green State University in Ohio, is the sec- traces of the drug.