Hafeez stars for Pakistan in win over England PAGE 19 TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 2019 Generation Amazing, AFC Dream Asia Foundation CRICKET WORLD CUP sign long-term partnership PAGE 18 AFGHANISTAN VS SRI LANKA ‘2019, 2020 Club World Cups in Qatar will be great test events’ Hassan al Thawadi says it will provide It will be a great launch pads for opportunity for us 2022 FIFA World to try out some of Cup Qatar the operational plans we have in AGENCIES place in the lead up PARIS to the World Cup. QATAR will host the next two Hassan al Thawadi editions of the Club World Cup as valuable test events in the build-up to the FIFA World Cup 2022. The decision came in the lead-up to the 69th FIFA Con- Key decisions taken by the gress on Monday. The mem- FIFA Council also included: bers of the FIFA Council con- Decision to lift the suspen- vened in Paris for meeting no. sion of Sierra Leone Football 10 of the decision-making body. Association (SLFA) with im- The seven-team club tour- Top Seven mediate effect after the High nament, which will include Court of Sierra Leone acquit- European champions Liverpool The 2019 and 2020 Club ted the SLFA President and this year, will be played in De- World Cups will be the final SLFA General-Secretary of cember and in December 2020. versions with only the six all charges on May 27, which “It is a great test event,” continental club champions ensured that the recognised Qatar World Cup organising and the winner of the host’s leadership has full control of committee chairman Hassan The seven-team club tournament will also include UEFA European champions Liverpool, who beat Tottenham Hotspur in the final on Saturday. domestic league – Al Sadd. the member association again. al Thawadi said. “So we will Following a proposal from definitely try to utilise as much seat Al Janoub stadium. team competition held every Caledonian club Hienghene tenham 2-0 in the Champions Senior Vice-President Shaikh as possible, all the different The event for clubs will be four years. Sport will represent Oceania, League final on Saturday, lost held in Shanghai in October. Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa, facets of hosting a World Cup. played at the same time of year The 2019 and 2020 Club and CONCACAF’s place was its only Club World Cup final The UAE hosted the tour- the FIFA Council unanimously “For us, it is a great oppor- as the 2022 World Cup. World Cups will be the fi- secured by Mexican club Mon- in 2005 to Sao Paulo in Yoko- nament in 2009, 2010, 2017, agreed to submit a proposal tunity, it is a great test event to The decision to give Qatar nal versions with only the six terrey. The Asian and South hama, Japan. 2018 and Morocco in 2013 to the Congress to amend the try out some of the operational the Club World Cup comes two continental club champions American teams will be de- In regard to the pilot edi- and 2014, while Japan hosted FIFA Statutes. This statutory plans we have in place in the weeks after FIFA settled on 32 and the winner of the host’s termined in their continental tion of the expanded FIFA the tournament between 2005 amendment, which is already lead up to the World Cup” countries for the 2022 World domestic league – Al Sadd, finals in November. Club World Cup in 2021, the and 2008 and in 2011, 2012, largely applied at confederation The first of the eight World Cup rather than expanding to coached by former Barcelona The South American and FIFA administration will ana- 2015 and 2016. level (e.g. the AFC, CAF, Con- Cup stadiums opened last 48 teams. legend Xavi Hernandez. European champions enter lyse and proactively approach Real Madrid secured the cacaf, UEFA), would allow the month with FIFA President Gi- The Club World Cup is Tunisian club Esperance in the semi-finals at the Club potential hosts before making last three titles winning the Congress to decide to elect the anni Infantino attending a do- also enlarging but not until de Tunis qualified last week World Cup. a recommendation at the next last edition at the expense of President by acclamation when mestic cup final at the 40,000- 2021, when it becomes a 24- as African champion, New Liverpool, which beat Tot- FIFA Council meeting to be Al Ain 4-1. there is only one candidate. Djokovic is favourite to win the French Open, says Rod Laver REUTERS PARIS NOVAK Djokovic is the fa- vourite to win the French Open and become the sec- ond man ever to hold all four Grand Slam titles simultane- ously on two separate occa- sions, according to Rod Laver, the man he is trying to match. Laver achieved the feat in Michel Platini (right) and FIFA president Gianni Infantino pictured in March 2010 when they worked side- 1962 and 1969 with perfect cal- by-side for UEFA. (AFP) endar-year Grand Slams that no male player has achieved since, although Djokovic held Platini fires broadside at Infantino all four, spanning consecutive years, when he claimed his first French Open title in 2016. ahead of FIFA election Serbian Djokovic reached the quarter-finals at Roland DPA journalists from European ments which come ahead of Garros on Monday with a PARIS newspapers, reported by Le Friday’s start of the women’s straightforward win over Ger- Monde: “For me he is not World Cup in France. many’s Jan-Lennard Struff FIFA president Gianni Infanti- credible as FIFA president and “He was not a fan of wom- and will replicate his 2016 feat A file photo of tennis legend Rod Laver presenting a trophy to Novak Djokovic during the 50th anniversary no is “not credible” as the head he also does not have the legit- en’s football. He was laughing if he goes on to lift the title. celebration for Australian Open in Melbourne earlier this year in January. (REUTERS) of football’s world govern- imacy to represent football.” at women’s football. He is not The world number one ing, former UEFA president Platini referred to one of In- a believer in it,” Platini said. and top seed has yet to drop a Novak with his ability and his got so many players, whether doubts that the 37-year-old Michel Platini said Monday, fantino’s roles at UEFA, lead- Platini was banned by the set and is on course for a likely consistency,” Laver said. “The it be Nadal or (Roger) Federer, can win the title, as he did 10 according to a French report. ing the draw ceremonies for FIFA ethics committee for title-decider against holder way he plays the game, he you’ve got (Stan) Wawrinka years ago. Infantino is set to secure a European championships and eight years in 2015 in con- and 11-time French winner doesn’t go bang, bang, bang, that’s just come through a The Swiss is in line to face fresh term as FIFA president European club competitions. nection with a payment of 2 Rafael Nadal. ace, volleys. He wins every indi- huge match. Nadal in the semi-finals. until 2023 with no other can- “Just because you picked million Swiss francs (dollars) “I’m probably favouring vidual point from the baseline. “But there are so many “He’s certainly in it and didates standing for election balls (from a bowl) doesn’t from former FIFA president Novak at the moment and “He’s won all four at one good players out there that are he’s certainly playing well but I at the body’s congress in Paris mean you can represent Joseph Blatter. then Rafa,” Australian great time ...so he’s already done playing on clay. (The French) don’t know if anyone has really on Wednesday. FIFA,” he said. The ban was later reduced Laver, now 80, told report- that portion of it. is probably the toughest one pushed him yet,” Laver said. Former France interna- Infantino was a good law- to four years and expires in ers on Monday. “Then it goes “He’s just won the Austral- for a player to win if they’re “You only have to win sev- tional Platini, who is currently yer in his job at UEFA but had October. down the line.” Laver thinks ian, if he wins here he’s on line in line for winning a Grand en matches; that’s all you have serving a ban from football, criticised FIFA for 10 years, Blatter is serving a six-year that should Djokovic win to win the (calendar) Grand Slam.” Federer, back at the to do. You don’t have to win worked at UEFA with Infan- Platini said. football ban. the French he could go on to Slam. It’s a long way to go, French Open after a three-year 128 of them. tino, who was the European Furthermore Infantino Infantino was elected FIFA match his own calendar-year he’s only got one so far. (The absence, has breezed through “I think someone like Rafa body’s general secretary. never supported women’s president in February 2016 to Grand Slam. French) is probably, for him, to the quarter-finals with- is going to be tough if Roger Platini told a round of football, Platini said in com- complete Blatter’s term. “I marvel at someone like the toughest because you’ve out dropping a set but Laver and those two meet.” Sports Tuesday, June 4, 2019 17 Perfect 10 as Djoko makes last eight; Nishikori to face Nadal AFP PARIS NOVAK Djokovic on Monday became the first man to reach the French Open quarter-fi- nals for 10 successive seasons while Kei Nishikori will face the toughest challenge on a clay court -- Rafael Nadal.