WEDNESDAY-APRIL 07, 2021 Sport 05 North Korea, citing the pandemic, Michy Batshuayi dents will skip the Tokyo Olympics Toffees European push North Korea said on Tuesday It is the first Summer Olym- tions of a rare opportunity to es- Kim Jong-un, grabbed global at- that it had decided not to partici- pics that the North has missed tablish official contact with the tention when she became the first pate in the Tokyo Olympic Games since 1988, when they were held isolated country. Officials in the member of the Kim family to cross this summer because of the coro- in Seoul, the capital of rival South South had hoped that the Olym- the border into South Korea to with late leveller navirus pandemic. Korea. pics — to be held from July 23 to attend the opening ceremony. The North’s national Olym- North Korea, which has a de- Aug. 8 — might provide a venue Mr. Kim used the North’s pic Committee decided at a March crepit public health system, has for senior delegates from both participation in the Pyeongchang 25 meeting that its delegation taken stringent measures against Koreas to discuss issues beyond Olympics as a signal to start di- would skip the Olympics “in or- the virus since early last year, in- sports. plomacy after a series of nuclear der to protect our athletes from cluding shutting its borders. The The 2018 Winter Olympics, and long-range missile tests. In- the global health crisis caused by country officially maintains that held in the South Korean city of ter-Korean dialogue soon fol- the malicious virus infection,” ac- it has no virus cases, but outside Pyeongchang, offered similar hope lowed, leading to three summit cording to Sports in the Demo- health experts are skeptical. for easing tensions on the Korean meetings between Mr. Kim and cratic People’s Republic of Ko- North Korea’s decision de- Peninsula. Kim Yo-jong, the only President Moon Jae-in of South rea, a government-run website. prives South Korea and other na- sister of North Korea’s leader, Korea. Mr. Kim also met three times with President Donald J. Trump. But since the collapse of Mr. Kim’s diplomacy with Mr. Trump in 2019, North Korea has shunned official contact with South Korea or the United States. The pandem- ic has deepened the North’s dip- lomatic isolation and economic difficulties amid concerns over its nuclear ambitions. North Korea launched two ballistic missiles on March 25 in its first such test in a Carlo Ancelotti's team looked el Keane, James Rodriguez, Tom very wayward but the Palace goal- year, in a challenge to President set to move level on points with Davies and Robert Olsen. keeper's positioning and shot- Biden. Since North Korea’s first Tottenham in fifth when James Richarlison - who cut a frus- stopping ability was first class as Olympic appearance in 1972, it Rodriguez - making his first start trated figure - scampered through he made six saves across the 90 has participated in every Summer since the win at Liverpool - found past Gary Cahill on 22 minutes minutes. Calvert-Lewin especial- Games except for the Los Ange- a way past Crystal Palace goal- but Guaita read his finish into the ly will be very disappointed he les event in 1984, when it joined a keeper Vicente Guaita, who was far corner. could not get the better of the Soviet-led boycott, and in 1988, in inspired form in denying Do- Perhaps riled by not finding Spanish goalkeeper as a player of when South Korea played host. minic Calvert-Lewin and Richarl- the net, Richarlison then grabbed his international standing should Nytimes ison. the ball from a set-piece about 22 have finished one of his two chanc- However, Batshuayi, who yards out and seemed to go es. North Korea drops out of Tokyo had last week accused Roy Hodg- against team orders for Lucas Has there been a better value Baylor ends son of not trusting him amid a lack Digne to have a strike. His effort for money free signing in Premier of game-time this season, was on was off target and his team-mates League history than Guaita? I Olympics citing COVID-19, hand to level the game with just did not look impressed with his would argue not. four minutes remaining. shenanigans. Carlo Ancelotti felt his Ever- Gonzaga's perfect dashing South Korea hopes The result leaves Ancelotti's The goal eventually came just ton side created enough chances SEOUL:North Korea will not an affairs said Seoul had hoped side in eighth place, two points after the break. Left wing-back to beat Crystal Palace but just join the Tokyo Olympics this year the Tokyo Olympics would be a behind Tottenham in fifth, albeit Digne's cross was turned goal- weren't clinical in front of goal. run, wins NCAA title due to coronavirus concerns, the chance to “foster peace and rec- they have a game in hand. wards by substitute Gylfi Sig- "We had a lot of chances and country’s sports ministry said on onciliation between the two Ko- Ancelotti had won five of his urdsson but his effort was saved usually in the last games our strik- Tuesday, dashing South Korean reas”. six managerial meetings against by Guaita. However, Coleman ers in those situations were really hopes the Games could be a cata- “We regret it could not hap- Hodgson, all in the Premier was alive to the loose ball and re- clinical. Tonight they need to do lyst to revive stalled peace talks. pen,” it added in a statement. League, and both shared a big em- turned it into the danger area for better. It will be the first time North Tokyo Olympic organisers brace in the pre-match pleasant- James to thread a shot around a "After we opened the scoring Korea has missed a Summer said they were aware of news re- ries. It would have been Hodgson crowd of legs. we had opportunities, we could Olympics since it boycotted Seoul ports on North Korea’s move and the happier in the early stages as It finally sparked Palace, still have closed the game, and some- in 1988 amid the Cold War. would work with other countries his team restricted Everton pos- without a win in 13 meetings with times it can happen the last 10 South Korean President for the success of the Games. session but never really looked the Toffees, into life after almost minutes you have to defend and likely to find a way through them- an hour of containment, and Eze, there might be a little mistake. Moon Jae-in had hoped the two “We will continue to prepare selves. Eberechi Eze tested Robin from distance, and Wilfried Zaha "That's what happened in the countries, still technically at war the best possible stage to wel- Olsen from an angle but that was both forced Olsen to make saves. last situation and and we have two after their 1950-53 conflict ended come athletes from all countries in a truce, not a peace treaty, could as good as it got. But it was Batshuayi, who on points less. We deserved to win, and regions,” the organising com- Everton then took charge and recent international duty with we have lost points for our mis- field a combined team in Tokyo mittee said in a statement. and rebuild momentum for im- created three big chances in a mat- Belgium had said he had the trust takes. We were not unlucky, I The North made its decision ter of minutes. of his country but not his club, have to say. proved relations. to pull out of Tokyo at a meeting The North’s withdrawal from Calvert-Lewin seized upon an who struck within two minutes "I think the position in Eu- of its Olympic committee and Tokyo is also a setback for plans, incredible through ball from Ma- of coming on to make it just one rope is still there because we are Sports Minister Kim Il Guk on agreed at a 2018 summit between son Holgate but Guaita narrowed victory in eight home league in the fight and we have one game March 25, the ministry said on Jared Butler made four 3- of the way. Moon and North Korean leader the gap and blocked it away and matches for Everton. in hand but we have to be more pointers and recorded 22 points Baylor made 10 of 23 from 3- Kim Jong Un, to pursue a joint its website. Richarlison headed over from a Calvert-Lewin had a late focused in this situation - when and seven assists as Baylor turned point range and shot 44.8 percent Korean bid to host the 2032 “The committee decided not Seamus Coleman cross seconds chance to win it for Everton but you deserve to win, you have to Gonzaga’s unbeaten season dream overall while beating Gonzaga for Games. to join the 32nd Olympics Games later. despite two goals for England win." into a nightmare with a wire-to- the first time in six all-time meet- When South Korea hosted the to protect athletes from the glo- Carlo Ancelotti made four against San Marino, his confidence Roy Hodgson said: "Bat- wire, 86-70 victory in the nation- ings. The Bears held a dominating Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in bal health crisis caused by the coro- changes from the FA Cup defeat looked low he also failed to beat shuayi scored a goal, which was al championship game on Mon- 38-22 rebounding advantage and 2018, Kim sent his sister to head navirus,” it said.