Kyrgios pulls out of US Open; Zverev says he will be playing PAGE 10 MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2020 Infantino staying on as chief, FIFA blasts Swiss probe AFP clared meetings with Infan- have attempted to exert any FIFA said that “in no way GENEVA tino during the probe. form of improper influence” whatsoever” were the meet- Swiss authorities said Kel- on Lauber. ings secret, and they had been FIFA president Gianni In- ler “reached the conclusion FIFA said it was “not ille- arranged by the OAG. fantino will continue in his There was and is absolutely no reason to open that... there are indications of gal anywhere in the world” to post, world football’s govern- any investigation because nothing remotely criminal conduct” in relation meet a prosecutor. ‘No obligation’ to keep ing body insisted on Sunday, criminal has happened and there is nothing to meetings between Infan- It said the meeting be- minutes as they blasted the launch of at all to suggest any form of criminal tino, Lauber and another of- tween Infantino and Lauber FIFA claimed that meeting a Swiss criminal proceedings ficial, Rinaldo Arnold, in 2016 was “entirely logical” given prosecutor was “the best guar- against him. wrongdoing. The FIFA president will and 2017. that the Office of the Attorney antee that any such meeting is “There was and is abso- continue to fully assume his functions “This concerns abuse of General (OAG) was conduct- legitimate”. lutely no reason to open any within FIFA and fulfil his duties. public office, breach of official ing investigations in more It also insisted there was investigation because nothing secrecy, assisting offenders than 20 cases in FIFA-related “no obligation” on the FIFA remotely criminal has hap- – FIFA statement and incitement to these acts,” matters. president to keep minutes of pened and there is nothing at the authorities said. The organisation said such meetings. all to suggest any form of crim- such meetings or contacts Switzerland has pursued a inal wrongdoing,” FIFA said in Categorical denial were “routine” during an number of cases since a raid a media release. FIFA hit back on Sunday, investigation. on a luxury hotel in Zurich in “The FIFA president will accusing Keller of having It said the point of the May 2015 led to the arrests of continue to fully assume his brought forward no legal meeting was to offer FIFA’s a several FIFA executives and functions within FIFA and ful- grounds for his probe. “full support” for the investi- exposed an allegedly corrupt fil his duties and will continue “Keller has presented no gations, and Infantino attend- underbelly in world football. to cooperate with the authori- serious elements or legal basis ed in “good faith”. In total, more than 20 ties in Switzerland and around FIFA President Gianni Infantino. for the opening of any investi- “FIFA was trying to restore FIFA proceedings have been the world.” gation and lacks any detail as trust in the institution at that opened in Switzerland over Special prosecutor Stefan Switzerland’s attorney general charge of Switzerland’s probe But he was forced to to the substance of the case. time,” it said, finding itself the past five years into allega- Keller started proceedings on Michael Lauber, the country’s into the towering corruption recuse himself from the in- “FIFA and the FIFA presi- “in a disastrous situation and tions of corruption and vote- Thursday as part of an inves- top prosecutor. scandal that exploded at the vestigation in June 2019, fol- dent categorically deny any at risk of being designated a buying, and allegations over tigation into suspected collu- Lauber, who offered his heart of Zurich-based FIFA in lowing media revelations that implication or suggestion that criminal organisation by the the awarding of television sion between Infantino and resignation on July 24, was in 2015. he had held several unde- the FIFA president would ever US authorities”. rights contracts. ‘Heart stopping’ Hamilton wins seventh British Grand Prix on three wheels The punctured tyre of British driver Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes (above) at the Silverstone motor racing circuit in England on Sunday. On right, Hamilton races to win with a deflated and shredded front left tyre (AFP) AFP ing laps of an exciting race that saw SILVERSTONE him fall from fourth to 13th. BRITISH GRAND PRIX RESULTS Esteban Ocon finished sixthin 1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1 h 29:51.105, 2. Max Verstappen WORLD championship leader the second Renault ahead of Pierre (NED/Red Bull-Honda) at 5.856, 3. Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 18.474, Lewis Hamilton survived a Gasly of Alpha Tauri, Alex Albon 4. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Renault) 19.650, 5. Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren- tense last lap drama in the second Red Bull, Lance Renault) 22.277, 6. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Renault) 26.937, 7. Pierre Gasly with a deflated and Stroll of Racing Point and (FRA/AlphaTauri-Honda) 31.188, 8. Alexander Albon (THA/Red Bull-Honda) shredded tyre to four-time champion Sebas- 32.670, 9. Lance Stroll (CAN/Racing Point-Mercedes) 37.311, 10. Sebas- clinch a record sev- tian Vettel, in his final season tian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) 41.857, 11. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 42.167, enth victory in Sun- with Ferrari. 12. Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA/Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 54.205, 13. George day’s British Grand “In the last few laps, I Russell (GBR/Williams-Mercedes) 52.004, 14. Carlos Sainz (ESP/McLaren- Prix, claiming “my started to back off and then on Renault) 53.370, 15. Nicholas Latifi (CAN/Williams-Mercedes) 54.549, 16. heart almost stopped”. the last lap, it just deflated,”said Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas-Ferrari) 55.050, 17. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Alfa The six-time world Hamilton. Romeo Racing-Ferrari) one lap champion led from lights to Fastest lap: Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull-Honda) 1:27.097 on 52nd lap flag, and through two Safety ‘Heart IN THE MOUTH’ Did not start: Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Racing Point-Mercedes) Car interventions, before he “It was heart in the mouth. I Did not finish: Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari), Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Alpha- suffered a front left tyre failure nearly didn’t get round the last Tauri-Honda) on his final lap, leaving him two corners. I was managing it to nurse his Mercedes home and praying to get round and WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS with second-placed Max not be too slow. Drivers: 1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 88 pts, 2. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) 58, 3. Max Verstappen in hot pursuit in “I have Verstappen (NED) 52, 4. Lando Norris (GBR) 36, 5. Charles Leclerc (MON) 33, his Red Bull. definitely 6. Alexander Albon (THA) 26, 7. Sergio Pérez (MEX) 22, 8. Lance Stroll (CAN) He finished 5.9 seconds never ex- Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton inspects his punctured tyre in parc ferme 20, 9. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) 20, 10. Carlos Sainz (ESP) 15, 11. Esteban Ocon behind. perienced after victory in the Formula One British Grand Prix at the Silverstone motor racing (FRA) 12, 12. Pierre Gasly (FRA) 12, 13. Sebastian Vettel (GER) 10, 14. Antonio The Dutchman had anything circuit in Silverstone, central England on Sunday. (AFP) Giovinazzi (ITA) 2, 15. Daniil Kvyat (RUS) 1, 16. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) 1 inherited second when like that on Constructors: 1. Mercedes 146 pts, 2. Red Bull-Honda 78, 3. McLaren-Renault Hamilton’s Mercedes team- the last lap definitely nearly stopped.” lot. We took our opportunities.” 51, 4. Ferrari 43, 5. Racing Point-Mercedes 42, 6. Renault 32, 7. AlphaTauri- mate Valtteri Bottas, running and my heart In the drivers championship, On another bright, but windy day, Honda 13, 8. Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari 2, 9. Haas-Ferrari 1. comfortably in second for he leads with 88 points after four Hamilton overcame an imperfect most of the contest, was hit by races, a lead of 30 ahead of the start from his 91st pole position and The stewards blamed Albon and The interruptions did nothing to the same problem, his front-left luckless Bottas. record seventh in Britain. gave him a five-second penalty. halt Mercedes’ progress at the front, delaminating and deflating on his |”It was lucky and unlucky for us,” He led as he pulled clear before a The Safety Car led the field for five Hamilton and Bottas pulling clear penultimate lap. said Verstappen. final corner collision, on the opening laps before handing back to Hamil- of Verstappen with some ease. The Finn limped back to the pits “The Mercedes were too quick. lap, involving Kevin Magnussen and ton who stayed in control until lap By lap 30, the gap was eight sec- and finished pointless in 11th place The tyres didn’t look great with the luckless Albon led to the first de- 13 when Daniil Kvyat suffered a right onds with Leclerc 14 seconds adrift. while his rivals slowed to preserve 10 laps to go and then Valtteri ployment of a Safety Car. rear puncture and crashed heavily Behind them, Grosjean and their rubber, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc got a puncture and they boxed The Dane’s Haas car was on the at Maggots, where both rear wheels Sainz were engaged in a fierce bat- taking third place behind Verstappen me to go for fastest lap... Second outside of Albon’s Red Bull, with the smashed off his Alpha Tauri. tle for fifth, which saw the French- ahead of Daniel Ricciardo of Renault is a good result.” Thai driver refusing to concede, when He was unhurt, but a second Safe- man weaving to resist at Brook- and Lando Norris of McLaren.