FFOCUSOCUS | Page 6 Semenya fi ghts gender rule in top sports court Tuesday, February 19, 2019 FOOTBALL Jumada II 14, 1440 AH Nothing personal GULF TIMES in beating Bayern, says Klopp SPORT Page 2 MOTORSPORT Wenger meets SC chief al-Thawadi Qatar’s Adel switches to T3 Can-Am ‘I wanted to do something diff erent this year and I chose the Can-Am and the T3 category with FN Speed’ Former Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger (L) recently visited the SC Legacy Pavilion to learn about the preparations for Qatar World Cup 2022. During the visit, he met SC Secretary-General Hassan al-Thawadi. File photo of Qatar’s Adel Abdulla. By Sports Reporter arations company, and will be part- “I am happy that the Qatar event Doha nered in the new Can-Am by Spanish is taking place now. The weather is navigator Marc Serra for the fi rst time fantastic at this time of year. We have in place of Frenchman Jean-Michel some rain and it is not too hot com- ormer FIA T2 World Cup Polato, who has prior commitments pared to the older date at the end of champion Adel Abdulla has for the opening round. April. It is a good time for this race.” announced plans to tackle Adel said: “This year the cham- The Qatar event has attracted an Fthe 2019 FIA World Cup for pionship for cross-country and impressive entry of 13 T3 Can-Am, Cross-Country Rallies, but the Qa- the Bajas have been separated by Polaris and Yamaha derivatives and tari driver will not be taking part in the FIA. I wanted to do something Adel Abdulla knows that it will not the T2 category for series produc- different this year and I chose the be easy to win the category across tion cross-country vehicles this Can-Am and the T3 category with the challenging desert trails in the season. FN Speed. I think this is a good State of Qatar. Reinaldo Varela tops Instead, the rallying all-rounder choice for me in 2019. This is the the category in his Can-Am, the ex- intends to challenge for honours in future of cross-country and I am perienced Brazilian having already the T3 category for Modifi ed Cross- happy to face more challenges and won the Side-by-Side (SxS) or T3 Country vehicles this season and more competitors than even in T1. equivalent category at the Dakar will take part in this week’s opening The entry list is strong. Rally in 2018. Other T3 entrants in- round in Qatar with a Can-Am Mav- “I am getting support from the clude the likes of Italy’s Michele Ci- erick T3. QMMF. My team selected Marc Serra notto and Camelia Liparoti, Oman’s The fi ve-day Manateq Qatar to be my co- driver. He comes from Abdullah al-Zubair and fellow Qatari Cross-Country Rally is being organ- a motorbike background and knows drivers Ahmed al-Kuwari, Mohamed ised by the Qatar Motor and Motor- a lot about the road book and how to al-Attiyah, Khalid al-Mohannadi, cycle Federation (QMMF) and marks work with the GPS. This is impor- Mubarak al-Khelaifi and Rashed al- the opening round of the revised FIA tant. I know him personally as well. Mohannadi, who are running with World Cup for the fi rst time. It will He is from Spain and my team is also their own support from the QMMF. precede further races in Abu Dhabi, Spanish. Jean-Michel has some pri- The Manateq Qatar Cross-Coun- Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Mo- vate commitments for this race, but try Rally gets underway with a cer- rocco. will continue with me during the emonial start on The Pearl-Qatar on Adel has teamed up with FN Speed season. We will do our best to get a February 21 and fi nishes on February Team, the leading Spanish SxS prep- strong result in my country. 26. Australia’s major sports bodies pledge to close gender-pay gap Sydney: Australia’s major sporting organisations opportunities from grassroots level up and long-term yesterday threw their weight behind a drive to close plans to make it happen. the pay gap between top male and female athletes, All the signatories have agreed to self-assess against drawing on a landmark cricket deal in the push for 16 measures each year and report on their perform- more equality. ance to ensure progress is made over the next five The chief executives of cricket, golf, rugby union, ten- years. Tennis legend Billie Jean King is a high-profile nis and swimming were among those to sign up to the supporter of the initiative. “It is very heartening to see “Pathway to Pay Equality” report by the Male Champi- CEOs across major sports come together to achieve ons of Change Institute, led by former Australian Sex gender equality and pay equality in sport,” she said. Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick. “The idea of activating the entire sports eco-system to The study outlines some of the inequities faced by hasten change is an approach that could be consid- women, including lower salaries and poorer facilities, ered and replicated throughout the world.” and steps necessary to achieve more equality. It in- Cricket and tennis have spearheaded eff orts to volves a shift in mindset away from male sport being spread their revenues more evenly between men and valued more than women’s, providing greater equal women. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, February 19, 2019 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT Ribery to join Bayern squad, Coman likely fi t for Liverpool match Reuters ing an ankle injury from Friday’s win over “Liverpool are having a very strong sea- Liverpool, England Augsburg in the Bundesliga. The speedy son,” said winger Serge Gnabry. “So it’s in 22-year-old scored twice in that game be- order that they are favourites. We have our fore his late injury and the Bavarians des- strengths, we’re FC Bayern and anything is ayern Munich winger Franck Ribery perately need his recent good scoring form possible.” will join the team for their Cham- against the Premier League club at Anfi eld. However, veteran Dutch winger Arjen pions League last 16 fi rst leg at Liv- “It is getting better by the hour,” Kovac said. Robben, who misses the match with a thigh erpool yesterday but it is unclear “He must be absolute pain-free to play and injury, has seen enough to know what lies in Bwhether he will be fi t to play, coach Niko we are confi dent that our medical team can store for Bayern. “Everybody knows the at- Kovac said yesterday. The French winger get it done for tomorrow.” Bayern are second mosphere at Anfi eld is probably one of the became a father overnight and did not travel in the Bundesliga behind Borussia Dort- best you can imagine in Europe, so that’s with Bayern earlier yesterday to Liverpool. mund at the moment but they progressed to something you have to be aware of,” former Instead he will arrive later in the day, Kovac the knockout stage top of their Champions Chelsea player Robben told the Daily Mail. told reporters. “He practically did not sleep League group and unbeaten. “Liverpool are “But I think we’re used to it, playing in so we will have to see,” the coach said. a top side, but so are we,” Kovac said. “They big stadiums like that... In these top games Bayern are already without defender Jer- will also have respect for us. The aim is of there are not a lot of secrets. It’s about little ome Boateng but Kingsley Coman could course to progress. If Liverpool give 140%, details and about just who has the best form Bayern Munich’s Niklas Sule (from left), Thiago Alcantara, James Rodriguez, Javi Martinez and Robert get the green light to play after overcom- then we need 150%. It will be a real battle.” that day.” Lewandowski with teammates during training at Anfield, Liverpool yesterday. (Reuters) CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOCUS City match-ups give Lyon inspiration ‘Nothing personal’ ahead of Barca clash AFP spells. “Even in Paris we man- Lyon aged to raise our game against a Champions League side,” Gen- esio pointed out. “We need to yon coach Bruno Genesio have confi dence and belief as in beating Bayern says his team’s perform- well, but I think Barcelona will ances against Manches- raise their game compared to re- ter City in the group stage cent matches.” Lprove they can compete with Lyon’s biggest problem is that Barcelona in today’s Champions captain Nabil Fekir will miss the League last 16, fi rst leg. fi rst leg. The World Cup winner The French club are in the scored the goal that gave them knockout phase of the compe- a 1-1 draw at Shakhtar Donetsk Munich for Klopp tition for the fi rst time in seven in their last group game to take years after emerging from their them through, but a booking a group unbeaten. They beat Pep few minutes later means he is Firmino also missed training due to a virus making the Brazilian forward a doubt Guardiola’s City side 2-1 away suspended here. “Nabil is our before a 2-2 home draw with the captain and our leader from a AFP Premier League leaders. technical viewpoint, so obvi- Liverpool “They are two teams who have ously it is diffi cult,” Genesio said. the same way of playing — they “He is capable of being decisive like to have possession of the ball, and often performs very well in urgen Klopp has buried the hatchet and they like to attack,” Gen- these games, but being a team is of his old Bundesliga rivalry with esio said at a press conference at also about coping with absences Bayern Munich but wants Liver- Lyon’s Groupama Stadium yes- and having players who can take pool to show they are Champions terday.