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Sport
TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2016
Murali mounts blistering attack on Sri Lanka n AFP, Colombo Sri Lanka’s record-breaking spinner Muttiah Muralitharan launched a blistering attack yesterday on his former bosses after they complained about his behaviour in his new role as a mentor to Australia. After his former employers said Muralitharan was damaging his legacy, the 44-year-old accused Sri Lanka’s board of setting him up as a fall guy if the hosts lose a series to the visiting Australians. And Muralitharan, the highest wicket-taker in Test history, then accused the board president of knowing nothing about cricket and angrily denounced any suggestion of being “a traitor”. “If Sri Lanka loses, they (the board) will say it is because of Murali,” he said in a recorded statement which was sent to AFP. “They have no right to accuse me of being a traitor. Have they done one hundredth of what I have contributed to cricket in Sri Lanka? “This is a political game to cover their shortcomings,” he added. “I am being used as a pawn to cover their failings.” His outburst was sparked by a complaint by the board that he had bullied groundsmen into letting the Australians practise on the pitch which hosts the opening match in a three-Test series from today.
Australia’s bowling consultant Muttiah Muralitharan (R) speaks with Australian spinner Stephen O’Keefe during a practice session in Pallekele on Saturday AFP Cricket Australia confirmed they received a complaint about the incident at Pallekele Stadium, on the outskirts of Kandy, but said the issue had been resolved “after discussions between the two management teams”. In lodging the complaint, board president Thilanga Sumathipala accused Muralitharan of insulting Sri Lanka team manager Charith Senanayake.
Key figures in Russia doping scandal Bach - IOC president Just as he thought he had the Olympic movement on the road to reform, up flares the biggest doping scandal in Olympic history for IOC president Bach. The 62-year-old former fencing gold medallist and lawyer preached a “zero-tolerance” policy on banned substances but has been forced to walk a fine diplomatic line. The Russian government accused of orchestrating the doping campaign is a sporting giant and major backer of international events.
Mutko - Russian sports minister Mutko, 57, has been Russia’s sports minister since 2008 and a close ally of President Putin for longer but he is under an intense spotlight over the doping scandal. The report commissioned by the WADA said the switching of samples and preparation of banned substances was directed by the sports ministry with the Russian secret service.
Reedie - president of WADA From a Scottish badminton doubles champion, Reedie, now 75, rose to become head of the International Badminton Federation and launch an Olympic political career that now sees
him in the eye of the Russia doping storm as head of the World Anti-Doping Agency. After Richard McLaren’s report for WADA accused the Russian government of direct responsibility, Reedie was quick to call for Russia to face a complete ban.
Rodchenkov - former director of Moscow anti-doping laboratory Rodchenkov was head of anti-doping operations in Moscow and Sochi when Russian secret services switched samples so that at least 15 failed doping tests by Russian medal winners at the 2014 Winter Olympics were not detected. Rodchenkov was given a medal by the government and then fled the country in January. His revelations to the New York Times in May led to the inquiry that has left the Olympic movement reeling in one of its biggest crises.
Stepanova - 800m runner and doping whistleblower The 30-year-old Stepanova has become a hate figure for some in her native Russia after spectacularly telling in 2014 of the widespread substance abuse in Russian athletics. Now she has been cleared to run in the Rio Olympics, posing a new dilemma for the IOC.
“Muralitharan’s behaviour is unacceptable and we have brought this to the notice of the Australian team management,” Sumathipala told reporters. “It should not have happened. We are very disappointed.” Muralitharan is a hero in Sri Lanka after taking 800 Test wickets before retiring six years ago. But his decision to impart his local knowledge to the tourists has
raised eyebrows, not least because he was once labelled a “chucker” by Australia’s then-prime minister John Howard. Sumathipala pointed out the irony of Muralitharan coaching Australia. “Professionally it is okay for Murali to coach any foreign team, but the irony is that he is supporting Australia which tried to get him out of cricket,” Sumathipala said. “He is creating long-term dam-
Sport divided as Russia escapes blanket doping ban n
AFP, Lausanne
The International Olympic Committee’s decision not to ban Russia from the Rio Games over state-run doping left international sports leaders divided yesterday, less than two weeks before the opening ceremony. Seeking to justify Sunday’s decision, IOC president Thomas Bach said an outright ban would trample the rights of clean Russian athletes who are hoping to compete at the upcoming Games. Individual sports federations will have primary responsibility for determining every Russian athlete’s eligibility for Rio, the IOC executive said. The World Anti-Doping Agency last week called for Russia to be banned after detailing how Russia’s sports ministry had directed a massive cheating programme with help from the FSB state intelligence agency. United States anti-doping chief
Travis Tygart - one of many who urged a total ban against Russia accused the IOC of creating “a confusing mess” with its decision. Drug Free Sport New Zealand chief executive Graeme Steel also criticised the IOC’s decision to “pass the hot potato to international federations”. WADA officials said they were “disappointed” with the IOC’s decision, which director general Olivier Niggli said would “inevitably lead to a lack of harmonisation, potential challenges and lesser protection for clean athletes”. The cheating affected 30 sports, including at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and other major events, WADA said, in revelations that widened the worst drug scandal in Olympic history. Fourteen national anti-doping agencies - including the US, Germany and Japan - as well as several national Olympic committees had demanded Russia’s exclusion from Rio. l
age for himself among his fans. I feel sad.” Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews was more conciliatory, acknowledging his former teammate’s expertise. “The Australians obviously saw value in his knowledge of Sri Lankan conditions,” Mathews told reporters. During an 18-year Test career, Muralitharan - who was born with a partially deformed elbow - was twice cited by Australian umpires for a suspect action but was cleared both times by the game’s governing body. He once refused to tour Australia but has been a regular visitor in recent years as a star of the Big Bash Twenty20 league. In his video statement, Muralitharan said he had not received any approach from the Sri Lankan board to help the island’s next generation of spinners and accused it of favouring foreign coaches over locals. “They don’t give an opportunity to talented Sri Lankan coaches and prefer to bring white people from abroad,” he said. “That affects our economy too because we have to pay them dollars that leave the country. That is treachery.” Sri Lanka has a history of employing foreign coaches and re-hired South Africa’s Graham Ford earlier this year for a second stint. l
‘Dangerous’ pitch scuppers China Manchester derby
n AFP, Beijing Manchester United’s showpiece pre-season derby against Manchester City was cancelled just hours before kick-off yesterday because the Beijing pitch was “too dangerous” for players. Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany said club staff had been working to get the game on after days of heavy rain in the Chinese capital, but had been defeated. “We had our groundsman working for 10 days on the pitch, but the conditions were just too dangerous for the players,” said Kompany Monday on the club’s website. “The rain has made it totally unsafe to play on this pitch,” added Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano in a statement. Organisers of the International Challenge Cup tournament confirmed the match had been called off on grounds of player safety. Both managers, Jose Mourinho of United and Pep Guardiola of City, had told reporters they were worried after training was moved Sunday because of the state of the turf. l