CCRICKETRICKET | Page 2 CCYCLINGYCLING | Page 3 Gayle Elite clique powers West keep powder Indies past dry as Konrad Australia wins stage Wednesday, July 14, 2021 TENNIS Dhul-Hijjah 4, 1442 AH Federer withdraws GULF TIMES from Tokyo Games due to knee injury SPORT Page 4 SPOTLIGHT Refugee Olympic Team training camp concludes at Aspire We are honoured to have the opportunity to make a small contribution to the inspiring journey: HE Sheikh Joaan atar Olympic Committee (QOC) President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday met with the Refu- Qgee Olympic Team (EOR) during their training camp at the world-class Aspire Zone in Doha and reinforced the QOC’s commitment to supporting refugees. The 29 members of the Refugee Ol- ympic Team, who will be competing across 12 sports at Tokyo 2020 arrived in Doha on 11 and 12 July. The world- class Hamad International Airport (HIA) received the Refugee Olympic Team and provided a dedicated coun- ter for the team. Training sessions at the state-of-the-art Aspire Dome were held on Monday and yesterday. In be- tween training, the athletes took part Badminton player Aram Mahmoud trains yesterday. in Tokyo 2020 workshops with IOC of- fi cials. Mohamed Khalifa al-Suwaidi, CEO The squad, which features athletes QOC President HE Sheikh Joaan bin of Aspire Zone Foundation, which from 13 host National Olympic Com- Hamad al-Thani said: “We are hon- hosted the training sessions of the mittees, includes six which competed oured to have the opportunity to make Refugee Olympic Team, said: “We were on the fi rst Olympic Refugee Team at a small contribution to the inspiring pleased to host the Refugee Olympic the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. These journey of the Refugee Olympic Team. Team in Aspire Zone, and we harnessed are swimmer Yusra Mardini, judoka We know how hard they have worked all possibilities and means of technical Popole Misenga, and track and fi eld to be able to compete at the Olympic and administrative support to benefi t athletes Anjelina Nadai Lohalith, James Games and we hope that this training from all our training facilities equipped Nyang Chiengjiek, Paulo Amotun camp at the state-of-the-art Aspire for several diff erent sports, and it is a Lokoro and Rose Nathike Lokonyen. will help them to compete at their best Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani speaks to the Refugee Olympic Team’s great honour for the Qatar Olympic Alaa Maso is also set to compete in in Tokyo. The team’s performances will Deputy Chef de Mission Olivier Niamkey at Aspire Zone yesterday. QOC Secretary-General HE Jassim Rashid al-Buenain is Committee to choose Aspire Zone to swimming, while Misenga is one of not just inspire billions of people but also seen. PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam host the training camp. I wish them six judoka selected for the team by the will also raise awareness about the scale all the best in their participation in the IOC, joining Sanda Aldass, Ahmad of the global refugee crisis. At the Qatar 2020 Tokyo Olympics.” Alikaj, Muna Dahouk, Javad Mahjoub Olympic Committee we are passionate In addition, Aspire Zone Foundation and Nigara Shaheen. Dorian Keletela, about ensuring that refugees and dis- is always keen to provide outstand- Jamal Abdelmaji Eisa Mohamed and placed people have access to sport. We ing services to local and international Tachlowini Gabriyesos have been cho- believe strongly in the role sport can teams, by providing all their needs up sen as the other track and fi eld athletes. play in empowering people and bring- to the highest standards by the conver- Badminton player Aram Mahmoud, ing hope at times of great hardship. gence of training, accommodation, and boxers Wessam Salamana and Eldric Through our work with the Olympic entertainment facilities. Sella Rodriguez, canoeist Saeid Fa- Refuge Foundation we will continue to The QOC Secretary-General HE Jas- zloula and cyclists Masomah Ali Zada support refugees in any way we can.” sim Rashid al-Buenain thanked min- and Ahmad Badreddin Wais have also The QOC is a founding partner of istries and governmental and private been picked for the team. They have the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) entities for their co-operation with the been selected alongside karateka Wael and QOC President HE Sheikh Joaan is QOC and their contribution to the suc- Shueb and Hamoon Derafshipour, a member of the ORF Board. The ORF cess of Refugee Olympic Team train- shooter Luna Solomon, taekwondo aims to create safe, basic and accessible ing camp. In this regard, al-Buenain players Dina Pouryounes Langeroudi, sports facilities in areas where there are lauded the eff orts made by Ministry of Kimia Alizadeh and Abdullah Sediqi, refugees, a displaced migrant popu- Interior, Supreme Committee for Cri- weightlifter Cyrille Fagat Tchatchet lation or internally displaced people, sis Management, Hamad International and Greco-Roman wrestler Aker al- where all children and young people Airport, Qatar Airways and Aspire Zone Obaidi. Alizadeh won a bronze medal at can play sport and take advantage of to help the QOC organise this training Rio 2016 aged 18, representing Iran, but sport’s multiple benefi ts. The Refugee Olympic Team athletes during a training session at the Aspire Zone yesterday. camp. fl ed the country last year. FOCUS Never apologise for who I am, says Rashford aft er racist abuse AFP faced with racist abuse. States. Patel had said on Monday the London “I’m Marcus Rashford, 23-year- racial abuse of the three players was old black man from Withington and “disgusting” but it did not wash with Wythenshawe, South Manchester. “If I Mings. ngland’s Marcus Rashford have nothing else I have that,” Rashford “You don’t get to stoke the fi re at the said he will “never apologise wrote in a statement on Twitter. beginning of the tournament by label- for who I am” in an emotional Rashford, who came on late in the ling our anti-racism message as ‘Ges- statement after receiving rac- second period of extra time, apologised ture Politics’ and then pretend to be Eist abuse following the side’s Euro 2020 for his penalty miss and said “some- disgusted when the very thing we’re fi nal defeat. The Manchester United thing didn’t feel quite right” when he campaigning against, happens,” tweet- forward was one of three players, along came to take the kick. ed Mings. with Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, “It’s been playing in my head over Mings remarks received support who were attacked by racist trolls af- and over since I struck the ball and from Patel’s fellow Conservative law- ter missing penalties in Sunday’s 3-2 there’s probably not a word to quite maker and former defence minister shoot-out defeat by Italy. describe how it feels. Final. 55 years. 1 Johnny Mercer. England captain Harry Rashford’s England teammate Ty- penalty. History. All I can say is sorry. I Kane lashed out at those who had post- rone Mings criticised British Home wish it had gone diff erently,” he wrote. ed the racial slurs — following England Secretary Priti Patel, saying she had “I can take critique of my perform- manager Gareth Southgate who had “stoked the fi re” by defending those ance all day long, my penalty was not said the abuse was “unforgivable”. who booed players taking the knee. good enough, it should have gone in but “Three lads who were brilliant all Rashford has become a hero to many I will never apologise for who I am and summer had the courage to step up and outside football by lobbying the Brit- where I came from,” Rashford added. take a pen (penalty) when the stakes ish government to provide free school “Seeing the response in Withington had were high,” tweeted Kane. “They de- meals for under-privileged children me on the verge of tears,” Rashford said. serve support and backing not the vile during the coronavirus pandemic. He added that he was proud to have racist abuse they’ve had since last night Anti-racism demonstrators gathered worn the England jersey during his (Sunday). “If you abuse anyone on so- yesterday at a mural of Rashford after it side’s fi rst major fi nal appearance in 55 cial media you’re not an England fan was vandalised amid a deluge of abuse years, and grateful for the “brother- Anti-racism demonstrators gather at a mural of Marcus Rashford in Withington, Britain, yesterday. (Reuters) and we don’t want you.” against England players. Throughout hood” that was created in the England The racist attacks were strongly con- the day, hundreds gathered at the mural camp. Mings criticism is not the fi rst the opening Euro 2020 win over Croatia to condemn the England fans who the knee since last year following the demned by the English Football Associ- to the England player in the Withington time he has disagreed with Patel. The — for her remarks that taking the knee booed the team for doing it. murder of George Floyd at the hands ation whose president, Prince William, area of Manchester which had been de- Aston Villa star criticised her — after was “gesture politics”. She also refused Premier League teams have taken of a white police offi cer in the United said he was “sickened” by the abuse. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, July 14, 2021 SPORT SPOTLIGHT Gayle’s half-century powers West Indies past Australia AFP All-rounder Moises Henriques into proper context by Gayle’s and I am happy that I was able to Gros-Islet, Saint Lucia topscored with 33 and struck the muscular performance – his fi rst stand up today and deliver to re- Chris Gayle of West Indies hits six only two sixes of his team’s in- T20 international half-century mind everyone that I still have it as Matthew Wade (left ) of Australia nings.