12 Sunday, May 17, 2020 Sports Racing loses that sinking feeling with resumption on June 1 AFP adjacent Windsor Castle will miss it Varadkar acknowledged on Friday done more than they usually do on London for the first time since 1952. “this is a big economic sector”. the gallops. Racecourses have been taking a Strict regulations will be enforced “Some horses need a run and Horse racing’s planned resump- heavy hit with the Racecourse Asso- in England with trainers, jockeys and others don’t and there are all sorts tion on June 1 in England is a god- ciation estimating they are losing over grooms obliged to wear masks and of other factors such as adrenalin send for the ‘Sport of Kings’ as it is £8 million ($9.7 million) a month. owners not permitted to attend. and a long break which can influ- Timo Werner (above) and his Leipzig teammates endured a frustrat- “only so long you can tread water Redvers, though, is just thank- However, Redvers says all those ence the way a horse races.” ing return to action on Saturday. (AFP) before you sink”, Qatar Racing’s ful Qatar Racing’s silks and those of rules and sacrifices are worth it so Although some have raised con- manager David Redvers told AFP. their rivals will be once again seen long as the show is back on the road. cerns Balding believes going to the Newcastle will host the first in competitive action. “It is a long way from being a racecourses carries very little risk. Leipzig title hopes meeting behind closed doors since “It has been hugely concerning complete disaster and one must be “There will certainly be more bio racing was suspended on March 18 for everyone as it is only so long you thankful for small mercies,” he said. security steps in place than going to due to the coronavirus pandemic. can tread water before you sink,” he “Behind closed doors at least a supermarket,” he said. That will serve as an appetiser told AFP by phone. gives us horse racing. “The last thing Newmarket or hit by Freiburg draw before it really kicks into gear with “It is looking a much better chance “Without horse racing then Ascot will wish to do is put people the first classics -- races for three things will take off and on June 1 we there would be no hope and the in- in jeopardy.” AFP year-olds only -- the 1000 and 2000 come out all guns blazing.” dustry would crumble very quickly Sheikh Fahad and his family’s Leipzig (Germany) Leipzig’s title dreams had Guineas to be run at Newmarket on England will follow France who so it could be worse.” devotion to English racing -- “it started to slip away before the first weekend of June. resumed racing last Monday, with is the creme de la creme” for him RB Leipzig were held to a 1-1 the lockdown started, as Flat racing’s showpiece meeting jockeys required to wear masks. ‘Rise from the Ashes’ explains Redvers -- has definitely draw by Freiburg as the Bun- back-to-back draws with Royal Ascot it is hoped will follow French trainer Nicolas Clement Qatar Racing’s Sheikh Fahad al helped for the very rainy days eco- desliga restarted following the Bayer Leverkusen and shortly afterwards on June 16. said attending the meeting at Long- Thani will be one of those owners nomically the sport is facing. coronavirus suspension on Sat- Wolfsburg in March had However, it will do so without champ was like “walking into a hos- who misses out -- Kameko is one of Racing authorities announced urday, suffering a further knock seen them fall five points racegoers, including its most no- pital”. the favourites for the 2000 Guineas. on Thursday a drastic reduction to their dwindling title hopes. table attendee Queen Elizabeth II Ireland has brought forward its His trainer Andrew Balding is in prize-money for Group races al- Julian Nagelsmann’s off the pace. who although presently residing in return by three yet to win the race -- which is spon- though sponsorship money will sof- third-placed side sit four weeks to June sored like many of the top races ten some of the blow. points behind league lead- centre-back Manuel Gulde. 8 after Prime in England by the Sheikh’s fam- Redvers hopes that at the very ers Bayern Munich ahead of Leipzig continued to domi- Minister Leo ily business Qatar Investment and least Sheikh Fahad and his brothers the reigning champions’ visit nate possession in the second Project Development Holding Com- will be able to attend the QIPCO- to Union Berlin on Sunday, period and wasted a golden pany (QIPCO). sponsored Champions Day in Octo- and it would have been worse chance in the 57th minute as However, he admits for him and ber which will be its 10th anniversary. if Freiburg midfielder Robin on-loan Everton winger Ad- his fellow trainers due to the corona- He does glimpse a ray of hope Koch’s late effort had not been emola Lookman volleyed wide virus it is a journey into the unknown. for the industry. ruled out by VAR. when totally unmarked just “What we have been able to do “Like anything any downturn Leipzig’s title dreams had yards from goal. with the horses should not be gives everybody plenty of opportu- started to slip away before the Freiburg had to rely on their much reason for excus- nity to see where we are and how we lockdown started, as back-to- goalkeeper the next time Leip- es,” he said. can improve our situation,” he said. back draws with Bayer Lev- zig carved them open, as Alex- “The horses have “Hopefully we can rise from the erkusen and Wolfsburg in ander Schwolow stretched out a ashes as a fitter leaner hun- March had seen them fall five leg to brilliantly deny Werner a grier model.” points off the pace. 28th goal of the season. Players and coaches sitting Leipzig gave themselves on the bench wore protective fresh hope of turning the game masks in compliance with the around in the 77th minute, stringent safety guidelines im- though, as Yussuf Poulsen plemented to allow the Bundes- headed past Schwolow. liga to resume before Europe’s The home side pushed for a other top leagues. winner, as Marcel Sabitzer and The hosts started brightly at Patrik Schick joined Lookman an eerily-quiet Red Bull Arena, in coming off the bench, but with Timo Werner and Nordi failed to carve out another clear- Mukiele both going close to cut opportunity. opening the scoring in the first Instead, it was Freiburg half an hour. who thought they had snatched But Freiburg claimed a sur- a dramatic injury-time victory, prise lead 12 minutes before only for Koch’s close-range fin- half-time as Vincenzo Grifo’s ish to be ruled out for offside low corner was diverted in by following a VAR review. The planned resumption of racing in England on June 1 has given the industry a timely boost Qatar Racing’s racing manager David Redvers told AFP. Sport could rebel against pandemic rules: Athletics chief Nick Kyrgios tells AFP plan to stage the Tokyo Games next secure manner that doesn’t risk infec- New Delhi year instead. tion,” he said. Murray ‘you are Coe said no one could give a cast- “Each event will have to decide on a World athletics chief Sebastian Coe iron assurance that the Olympics will format for competition with these safety has warned that sports leaders may be held. considerations two months in advance. better than Djokovic’ rebel against pandemic restrictions as “Speculating about something that “Everybody is waiting to return to they struggle to get major events back is over a year away is unhelpful,” said competition and organisers will have to AFP “Djokovic was playing on track. the former chief of the 2012 London be as creative and ingenious as possible London dodgeball on my serve and Coe expressed the frustrations felt Olympics. in the current circumstances.” you were slapping it for a by many sports chiefs when he said “We are trying to give the athletes In a separate interview with Indian Nick Kyrgios told Andy winner. He was trying to it was crucial to get top events started some clarity about the calendar and media, Coe said there would be greater Murray on Saturday the dodge it, you were on it like again even as the coronavirus takes a speculation from scientists and medical use of technology to make events “more British tennis star was bet- a light.” mounting toll around the world. World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe. experts does not help. exciting” for television viewers and to ter than world number one Murray responded by “We have to be guided by what gov- “I hope that the pandemic will be adapt to the coronavirus threat. Novak Djokovic, claiming saying: “The results would ernments, the WHO and local authori- to make decisions in the best interest of contained so that we don’t have to can- “If you think of relay, the baton the Serb “dodges” his serve suggest otherwise.” ties are telling us, but we also have to our sport and our athletes,” the British cel the Games.” exchange could be another source while the Scot “is on it like Kyrgios has endured make our own decisions and make sen- former track legend insisted. Athletics’ Diamond League may of infection, but we are finding ways a light”. a rocky relationship with sible compromises,” Coe, 63, told In- Athletics like other key sports has only start in August and finish inO c- to organise it,” the World Athletics By his own estimate Kyr- Djokovic, once describing dian television channel WION. seen its calendar and finances badly tober. Coe said competitions will look chief said. gios had drunk six glasses the Serb’s post-match ‘cup of “There may be a moment when a hit by the postponement of this year’s very different with athletes battling “As a runner I can feel the emotions of wine when he logged on love’ celebrations as “cringe- sport decides that it is ready to stage Olympic Games in Tokyo. each other in empty stadiums. of the athletes if there is only training from his Canberra home for worthy”. events even if it is not always with the The world athletics championships “Meeting directors will have to take and no competition. Therefore we want an Instagram live chat with Djokovic, claimed the approval of those authorities. planned for 2021 have had to be pushed their own decisions about how to get to provide them with an opportunity to Murray that started after Australian, had a “sick obses- “We will be respectful, but we have back by a year to allow for a provisional athletes to competition in a safe and compete and perform.” midnight for the Australian. sion with wanting to be liked”. “My knowledge and in- In one of the less bizarre terest in red wine has gone parts of their Saturday con- incredibly up during this versation Kyrgios asked quarantine,” said Kyrgios, Murray, who has long been Aspetar to issue a clinical guideline on return to sport and Covid-19 well known for his withering sidelined with hip, and more comments about leading ten- recently, thigh injuries when Tribune News Network lines and Pathway Commit- id-19 in a country/region, the recommendations to protect tions with family, friends, and nis players, even though the he might be back on court Doha tee (ACGPC), chaired by Dr capacity of the health system, the health of the players, and teammates. undeniably talented world following the coronavirus Paul Dijkstra, established a the individual risk profiles of medical and technical staff as number 40 has never gone outbreak. While the Eredivisie and Guideline Development Group the athletes and the pressure to much as possible. Aspetar rec- ARE YOU READY? beyond the quarter-finals of Murray, who celebrated Ligue 1 decided to pull the plug (GDG) to produce updated resume play. ommendation will provide best Many rightly ask, “How can a major championship. his 33rd birthday on Friday, on their campaign, other top guidelines and pathways for “Until there is an eff ective evidence based clinical guide- the athletes be fit for return- Murray, however, ap- said: “I feel pretty good I European teams are consid- the safe return to sports train- treatment or a vaccine, resum- lines and will be shared with the ing to competition after almost pears to be one of his few was doing well before the in- ering an appropriate date to ing and competition during ing training or competition will relevant stakeholders. two months of modifi ed train- rivals Kyrgios respects, with jury at the Davis Cup. I think resume training, and the Bun- Covid-19. “These guidelines always bear a risk. This risk can ing while staying home?” The the Scot having defeated when things get back to nor- desliga restarting behind closed will be available soon and will of course be mitigated by the IT ISN’T ENTIRELY SAFE TO PLAY YET Aspetar guideline will provide Djokovic in both the 2012 mal I think I will be alright.” doors on Saturday. It became assist clubs and federations to usual infection control meas- Aspetar psychologist Sofi- some direction. “Athletes’ abil- US Open and 2013 Wimble- Kyrgios suggested the first league to return after plan for a safe return to sports ures, but at the end it all comes ane Souissi stressed that sus- ity to return to competition don finals. the pair should play lockdown in Europe. training and competition when down to how much risk a coun- pending seasons and cancel- will depend largely on the type Djokovic, however, doubles together, Many sport clubs from dif- the current Covid-19 measures try or an organisation is willing ling competitions could cause of sport and the quality of the leads their head-to-head prompting a ferent sports have announced allow it. The GDG will regularly to take’ Dr Olaf Schumacher signifi cant grief, stress, anxi- home training they were able record 25-11 and has wry Murray to their return to sports training update the document as new from Aspetar said. ety, frustration, and sadness to do. In Sports like cycling, it is won 17 Grand Slam sin- reply: “Only if after players trained individu- evidence emerge” said Dr Emin Some football clubs in Qatar for an athlete. likely that athletes can perform gles titles to Murray’s you promise to ally for over two months dur- Ergen, who is leading the GDG. resumed some form of train- One of Aspetar’s recom- training sessions that mimic three. behave, you said ing the Covid-19 lockdown ing while complying with the mendations to be published the demands of competition That didn’t stop Kyr- you were going measures. IS IT THE RIGHT TIME TO RETURN TO Government’s current Covid-19 will stipulate additional men- (indoor cycling/eraces/smart gios telling Murray: “I to.” Significant uncertaintyC OMPETITION? measures. While it has not yet tal health support measures trainers) and maintain levels think you should have exists over safe return to foot- But is it the right to return made a formal decision in this for athletes by sports medi- of training similar to the pre- one of the best ca- ball training and competition to sports training and competi- regard, Aspetar through its cine providers. Covid-19 situation, therefore, reers ever. I in a world gripped with the tion? Members of the Aspetar National Sports Medicine Pro- These measures might in- the return to training and com- think you are reality of the Covid-19 pan- Covid-19 return to sports GDG gramme (NSMP) conducted clude regular check-ins with petition may be relatively easier better than demic; the Bundesliga could say that it depends on many several club doctors’ meetings athletes, facilitating consulta- and smoother,” said Dr Marco Djokovic. well provide some clarity on factors that diff er from one providing recommendations tion with a psychologist, and Cardinale, executive director of that in the near future. country and region to another, on how to follow the Minis- encouraging maintenance of Research and Scientifi c Sup- Nick Kyrgios told Andy Murray he was a better tennis player than The Aspetar Clinical Guide- such as the prevalence of Cov- try of Public Health’s current social support and interac- port at Aspetar. Novak Djokovic but the Scot wasn’t convinced. (AFP)