Buffalo racer being compared to Usain Bolt. Indian jockey wins national praise, world attention PAGE 14 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2020 Manchester City face more questions after UEFA’s two-year ban As the team faces a ban from European competition, questions will be raised over the future of the club and their manager DPA hailed by Spain’s La Liga biggest club in Europe and win pundit and former Manches- LONDON president Javier Tebas when the Champions League. But ter United midfielder Paul he said the move was “better look what he did. They had (for- Ince pointed out. MANCHESTER City have said late than never.” In Novem- mer manager) Roberto Manci- “For Pep, they’ve got to they will appeal their two-year ber 2018, German publica- ni, who won everything except win it this year,” said Ince. ban from European competi- tion Der Speigel obtained a the Champions League and “The best players want to go tion, but the suspension could series of internal Manchester they sacked him.” And what to the best clubs because of the have further implications in City emails from the Football about current coach Pep Guar- Champions League. If they’re the coming months. Leaks organization. diola’s future? The Spaniard’s not in it for the next two years, UEFA announced on Fri- One of the damaging contract runs out in 2021 and are they going to be able to get day that the ban for the next emails appeared to show that without the Champions League, the best players?” One thing two seasons was for “serious City’s owner, Sheikh Mansour will he walk away to chase what from the UEFA ban that has breaches” of its financial fair of the Abu Dhabi royal family, is ultimately his dream? City been confirmed is that their play rules, namely City over- was personally funding 57.5 play Real Madrid in this sea- women’s team will still be eligi- stating sponsorship revenue million pounds of a 67.5 mil- son’s Champions League last 16 ble for European competition. for four years between 2012 lion sponsorship deal of the over the next two months and The final question mark and 2016. club’s shirt, stadium and acad- Guardiola is looking forward to concerning the men’s team re- In a counter-statement, emy through his primary com- what could be his final match in sides with the Premier League. City, who were also fined 30 pany Abu Dhabi United Group the elite competition with City. Will they be deducted points million euros (32.5 million (ADUG). Etihad Airways oper- “I will enjoy to prepare from their current tally or dollars), said they will appeal ates out of Abu Dhabi. against Madrid and see what I even worse kicked next sea- to the Court of Arbitration for Under the financial fair play can do and it will be the happi- son given the UEFA ruling? It Sport (CAS) at the “earliest (FFP) rules, UEFA placed lim- est moment of my profession,” seems highly unlikely but the opportunity” in the hope of its on how much a club’s owner Guardiola told Sky Sports. Premier League has refused to dismissing what they called can influence the team’s budget Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final Without the Champions comment at this stage. a “prejudicial process.” But to further encourage clubs to second leg match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in Manchester last April. (AFP) League, questions will be With their appeal also how did it come to this and spend within their means. raised on what elite players still to come, the next few what happens next? This was Rodney Marsh, who played could force Sheik Mansour to pions League is upheld, I can Sirius XFM. they can attract to the team months are going to bring a long-awaited and expected for the club between 1972 and put the club up for sale. see a channel for the owner to “Mansour said he wanted and whether they can keep more questions than answers decision and one which was 1976, believes the decision “If this ban from the Cham- sell,” radio host Marsh said on Manchester City to become the their current crop, as BT Sport for Manchester City. FINA /CNSG Marathon Swim World Series Doha (QAT) 2020 Germany’s Beck, Frenchman Olivier emerge champions TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK DOHA LEONIE Beck (GER) and Marc-Antoine Olivier (FRA) won the women and men’s ti- tles respectively after thrilling races in the season-opening FINA /CNSG Marathon Swim World Series Doha (QAT) 2020 at Katara Beach on Saturday. Both the 10km races were exciting with Beck clinching her first major gold medal with a time of 1:56’41.1 in the women’s race, which went down to wires. Olivier clocked an impressive 1:49’46.6 to top Al Sadd’s new recruit Marco Fabian (centre) shoots on his debut the men’s race. during the Ooredoo Cup quarter-final against Qatar SC on Saturday. “The races were very excit- ing and we are happy to start the FINA Marathon series in a thrilling fashion,” said Qatar Al Sadd, Al Rayyan Swimming Association (QSA) President Khaleel al Jabir. “Fields for both the races shoot their way into were very strong in presence of many Olympic and World champions. We now wish all the athletes the best in this The men’s race podium finishers with Qatar Swimming Association The women’s race podium finishers with FINA Technical Delegate and an Ooredoo Cup semis important Olympic year,” President Khaleel al Jabir and an official at Katara Beach on Saturday. official at the Katara Beach on Saturday. he added. TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK Rayyan needed goalkeeper In the women’s race that DOHA Saoud al Hajri to make a big started at 11am, Germany’s Medal winners save to put The Lions in the Beck shocked many top- WomEn’s raCE: Gold - Leonie Beck AL Sadd edged Qatar SC 5-4 on Ooredoo Cup semi-final. ranked athletes to win her first (GER) 1:56’41.1; Silver - Ana Marcela penalties following a 1-1 draw Al Rayyan beat Al Khor 7-6 title in FINA Marathon. Cunha (BRA) 1:56’41.3; Bronze - in normal time to book a spot in sudden death after playing She outpaced last year’s Sharon Van Rouwendaal (NED) in the semi-final of the Ooredoo out a 1-1 draw in regulation Doha winner Ana Marcela 1:56’41.3 Cup at the Suhaim bin Hamad time. They will play Al Arabi in Cunha (BRA) – winner of mEn’s raCE: Gold - Marc Antoine Stadium on Saturday. the semi-final. multiple major FINA events, Olivier (FRA) 1:49’46.6; Silver - Rob The Wolves opened the Tiago Bezerra scored the and reigning Olympic cham- Muffels (GER) 1:49’59.2; Bronze - scoring in the 62nd min- opener in the 56th minute for pion Sharon Van Rouwendaal Florian Wellbrock (GER) 1:49’59.3. ute through Hamed Ismail’s Al Khor, before Rodrigo Taba- (NED) by just 0.2sec. free-kick, only for Qatar SC ta’s equaliser from the penalty Cunha secured silver med- to equalise late in the second sport after VAR confirmation. al after she was shown slightly capital, completed the race in half. In the shootout, Khaled ahead of Sharon – who took 1:50’02.6 to finish sixth. Akram Afif, Baghdad Muftah, Ibrahim Masoud, bronze – on camera. 2019 overall champion Bounedjah, Hassan al Haydos Ahmed Abdelmaqsoud, Lee Beck’s best show came in the Kristof Rasovszky (HUN) and Gabi were all left out of Jae-Ik and Rodrigo Tabata final lap of 2km after Sharon endured a shaky start to the the squad for the Wolves. scored for Al Rayyan in the tie- dominated most part of the The season-opening FINA /CNSG Marathon Swim World Series Doha (QAT) 2020 in progress at the season as he took 1:52’08.9 to Al Sadd will play Al Ahli in breaker. Afterwards, Abdul- grueling 5-lap race. Katara Beach waters on Saturday. reach the finish line. A total of the semi-final. rahman Al Korbi and Mekki “I am very happy, this is 75 completed the tiring race. Al Sadd’s Khalid Mubarak Tombari found the target for my first international title,” This was the third con- fouled Kayke Rodriguez in the The Lions. Beck said after her victory. fourth in the race with a time Olympics in 2016, was out- Rob Muffels (GER) won secutive year when Doha box and was shown a red card For Al Khor, Said Brahimi, “My target was to finish of 1:56’42.4, while Olympic sil- standing as he registered the the silver medal with a time hosted this FINA marathon. for his tackle. Kayke himself Musaab Abdulmajid, Lucca among the top three or four ver medalist Haley Anderson commending win with a mar- of 1:49’59.2 while world The second meet of the 2020 converted the resultant pen- Borges, Ahmed Salem and swimmers and I am surprised (USA) finished fifth, clocking gin of 12.6sec. champion Florian Wellbrock series will be held in Victoria alty, sending the game into Ahmed Al Mohannadi were to win the race. In the final lap 1:56’42.9. “I am very happy to win (GER), who was also defend- (SEY, May 3). shootouts. on target in the tie-breaker. I didn’t know what was hap- The 2019 overall champi- the first race of the season like ing his title in Doha, had to Budapest (HUN, June 6), Abdelkarim Hassan, Mohammed Al Jabri too was pening as I was only focusing on of this FINA series, Rachele this,” said Olivier.