26 Established 1961 Sports Wednesday, June 13, 2018 Former heavyweight champion Haye announces retirement Won WBA title against Nikolai Valuev LONDON: Former world heavyweight champion David chronicling the many highs and lows of his 27 years in the Haye announced his retirement from the sport yesterday sport. “I’m proud of the battles I’ve been through. I’m following his defeat by fellow Briton Tony Bellew in May. proud, too, that I exit the battlefield happy and healthy, The 37-year-old won 28 and lost four of his 32 fights since with my family financially secure,” Haye said on his web- turning professional in 2002. site https://www.hayemaker.com. Londoner Haye won the WBA heavyweight title in “Most importantly, I can reflect on it all with crystal 2009 when he out-pointed giant Russian Nikolai Valuev in clarity. The boxing Gods have spoken. They will no longer the Nuremberg Arena to become protect me with the freakish Britain’s first world heavyweight speed and power I used to champion since Lennox Lewis in possess. And without these 2004. Arguably his most memo- God-given gifts, I completely rable night came in 2007 when lose my edge.” he beat France’s WBA and WBC Last fight The latter part of Haye’s world cruiserweight champion career was notable mainly for Jean-Marc Mormeck in Paris. was defeat the war of words with Bellew Haye fought Wladimir that erupted into a news con- Klitschko in a heavyweight uni- by Bellew ference punch-up in fication contest in 2011 but lost November, 2016. Bellew won on a unanimous points decision the real fight in March the fol- after suffering a toe injury during lowing year when Haye suf- the bout. fered an Achilles injury. He only fought five times after the Klitschko defeat, his Bellew applauded Haye’s bravery and the build-up to last two both ending in defeat by Bellew. Haye will be the second contest between them in May was less frac- remembered for putting spark into the heavyweight division tious. Haye was stopped in the fifth round. “In the end, with his dynamic style-and his ability to entertain and what 20,000 fans inside London’s O2 Arena witnessed offend outside the ring. was me giving 100 percent effort but performing way In 2009, during a news conference to announce a title below world level,” he said. fight with Klitschko he arrived in a T-shirt depicting him “For my fans, it must have been like going to support holding the severed head of the Ukrainian and his brother their favourite thoroughbred racehorse at the Grand Vitaly. True to form the video statement announcing his National, only to see their stallion stumble out the gates retirement yesterday ran to more than 2,000 words, like a sedated mule at the Donkey Derby.” — Reuters Caption: David Haye (left) and Tony Bellew. When asked specifically about the four High hopes for Young Arabs Arab nations taking part in the World Cup, Egypt is the favorite with a third or respondents (34 per cent) saying Egypt emergence of say Egypt has will outperform other Arab countries in Russia, followed by Morocco (22 per cent), new stars at the best chance Saudi Arabia (21 per cent), and Tunisia (19 per cent). of victory in Sunil John, founder of ASDA’A Burson- Russia’s WCup Marsteller and President, Middle East, Burson Cohn & Wolfe, said: “The FIFA KUWAIT: As the World Cup starts to get rolling WCup World Cup is going to be a major event for in Russia, millions of spectators from around the youth in the Middle East and North Africa. world will be on the edge of their seat to witness With the highest ever participation from the outstanding performance of dominant teams DUBAI: With a record four Arab national Arab national teams, it’s not surprising that and their star players, and without any doubt the teams competing in the FIFA World Cup two in every three young Arabs will be fol- emergences of new ones. this year - Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and lowing the competition closely. The FIFA The 2018 FIFA World Cup will undoubtedly Saudi Arabia -ASDA’A Burson- World Cup encourages a sense of unity witness the participation of the world’s top teams Marsteller’s 10th annual Arab Youth among supporters in the Arab world, and who have a historical background in this competi- Survey reveals that young people across brings feelings of hope and excitement tion, along with players considered to be the best the region think that Egypt has the best across the region.” in the sport. But there is a paralleled aspect of both chance among the Arab nations of pro- The survey was conducted prior to teams and players that are expected to participate gressing through the tournament. Egypt’s star player, Mohammed Saleh, suf- at such high-level competition, meeting aspirations Two in three young Arabs (65 per cent) fering a shoulder injury during Liverpool’s of this generation of football fans. say they will closely follow the World Cup defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions The two major teams with a profound appear- competition, which kicks off in Russia on League final last month. Saleh’s involve- ance in the world of football will not be participat- SARANSK: People take a picture in front of a banner Zabivaka, the official mascot for the June 14, 2018 with the Saudi Arabia team ment in Russia is still hanging in the balance ing this year in Russia, four times world cup win- 2018 FIFA World Cup, in Saransk on Monday, ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup. — AFP playing the hosts of the World Cup; and but there is hope that he will make a full ners Italy and three times runners-up Holland, the young Arab women (60 per cent) are near- recovery and participate in Egypt’s opening latter’s last appearance was in South Africa 2010. world Virgil Van Dijk will also miss an opportunity Joachim Low surprised the football fans with his ly as likely to follow the competition as match against Uruguay on June 15, 2018. The absence of Italy’s National Team was not too to shine on a world stage. decision to exclude Leroy Sane despite his out- young Arab men (70 per cent). Among The ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab surprising as the team is going through a transition The UEFA Champions League Final goal-scor- standing season with English Premier League out- those who will follow the competition, 14 period to build a team of new generation players, er Gareth Bale will miss the World Cup after Wales fit Manchester City, and was awarded PFA young per cent say that Germany will be crowned Youth Survey is the largest survey of its coupled with inability of the previous manager failed to qualify. Bayern Munich’s young star David player of the year. Reports attributed Low’s deci- the FIFA World Cup 2018 champions, 13 kind of the Middle East’s largest demo- Gian Piero Ventura to handle this shift, which lead Alba’s national team, Austria, did not either. sion to specific actions shown by Sane that per cent say Brazil has the best chance to graphic - its youth. For this year’s Survey, to him being replaced recently with Roberto Chile’s striker Sanchez and midfielder Vidal are induced undesirable atmosphere among players win, while another 12 per cent expect international polling firm PSB Research Mancini. World Cup 2018 will be the second con- great players the fans love to watch in international during the training camp. Argentina to win. conducted 3,500 face-to-face interviews secutive absence of Holland National team from a competition, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mario Gotze, who scored winning goal of the Among those who will follow the com- with exclusively Arab national men and major competition after they failed to qualify for the Gabonese national player, will miss the chance World cup final against Argentina four years ago, petition, 11 per cent say they will support women aged 18-24 in the six Gulf the 2016 UEFA Euro in France, raising great con- to captain his team through the world cup. Many was not chosen as a result of his declining per- Egypt, making the Egyptian team as popu- Cooperation Council (GCC) countries of cern about the state the “Oranje” team is in and the nations were forced to replace their significant formance after the illness that kept him away from lar as Argentina (12 per cent) and Germany the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, role its managers and staff play in this issue. players due to unexpected injuries, creating a the pitch for months. Bayer Munich’s striker (10 per cent). Egypt is the clear fan Oman and Bahrain; Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Whatever the situation may be, the absence of challenge for the managers trying to compensate Sandro Wagner was not selected as well. favorite in the GCC countries, with 24 per Lebanon, Libya, the Palestinian Territories, both teams will be noticeable, iconic players will absence of their talented players. Spain’s 23-man squad left out players like cent of GCC youth saying they will support Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Yemen, be excluded from the competition, like veteran Some of the key players to suffer from injuries Marcus Alonso and Javi Martinez leaving a big Egypt in the competition. between January 21 and February 20, 2018. goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and great Dutch mid- in the past months were France’s Dimitri Payet, question mark behind the manager’s decision, fielder Arjen Robben.