SPORTS
18
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Qatar launches campaign to host 2022 WCup DOHA: The sidewalks and parks in Doha are empty in June, as residents head to the air-conditioned malls for relief from temperatures that soar to 48 degrees (118 F). Professional footballers from the region flee to the cooler climes of Europe to train. And anyone looking to cool off with a cold beer in Qatar’s capital has to make do with a handful of pubs hidden in five-star hotels, since drinking alcohol anywhere else is prohibited in the conservative Muslim country. Still, Qatar has brushed aside questions about its climate and social constraints to launch an ambitious campaign to host the 2022 World Cup that is also being sought by the United States, Australia, South Korea and Japan. In some ways, Qatar is the wild card in the competition to win over FIFA’s 24-man executive committee. It’s the smallest nation bidding and the only one that has not hosted either an Olympics or World Cup. At the same time, the Persian Gulf nation of just 1.3 million has the financial muscle to guarantee a successful tournament — it has the world’s second-highest per capita income thanks to its vast oil and gas reserves. “I believe we have a very strong bid and a very unique bid,” Hassan alThawadi, the CEO of the Qatar bid committee, told The Associated Press. “It’s a historic bid in terms of coming for the first time to the Middle East, a region that is very hospitable, rich and diverse in terms of its culture and has an unprecedented passion for the game,” he said. “Bringing it to the Middle East will truly allow football and FIFA to reach
its true potential as a culture event.” Qatar has taken an aggressive approach to promoting the bid. It struck a deal to sponsor the Confederation of African Football congress in January, negotiating an agreement that gave it exclusive access to the top officials in African football. It also plans to fly Brazil and Argentina into Doha for an exhibition match just two weeks before the winning bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups are announced in December. It also hired the likes of Dutch great Ronald de Boer and Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola to promote the bid, as well as consultant Mike Lee, who was instrumental in helping London secure the 2012 Summer Olympics and Rio the rights for the 2016 Summer Olympics. “They have the money and they will spend generously on this,” said Abdul-Khaleq Abdulla, a political science professor at Emirates University in Abu Dhabi. “There is no limit to how much they could pay. Money talks in these events. It has been proven time and again. If you are serious, you have to raise your investment profile.” Al-Thawadi said Qatar is developing “second-generation cooling technology” that will keep stadiums, training facilities and fan areas at about 27 degrees (81 F), far cooler than the 41 (106 F) that Qatar averages in June, July and August. Qatar also plans to allow alcohol consumption in fan zones and bathing suits to be worn at hotel pools. Al-Thawadi, a football fan educated in England, acknowledges he was inundated with questions concerning
DOHA: In this file photo taken on Friday May 14, 2010 a runner passes by a giant billboard advertising the Qatar bid for the FIFA soccer World Cup 2022 in Doha, Qatar. Qatar is clearly the long-shot among bidders that also includes the United States, Australia, South Korea and Japan. —AP Qatar’s weather when he visited South Africa for the recent World Cup. But he says once he explains the proposed system that continuously pumps cool air into the venues, most people come away convinced Qatar can keep the heat at bay during matches. “I will tell people who have heat concerns come to the Qatar, visit the
country and see what it has to offer,” alThawadi said. “Meet the people and meet expats who come from cold countries and make Qatar their home and are here over the summer and haven’t left. The concerns shouldn’t be much of a concern at all.” To bolster its case, Qatar has unveiled a $4 billion plan to build nine stadiums and renovate three
others — all with the new cooling system. A prototype stadium for five-a-side football is scheduled to be on display when FIFA’s inspection team visits on Sept. 13 and the technology “will be tweaked” over time to ensure it also can be used at training sites for the 32 competing teams and fan zones, al-
Thawadi said. Qatar also plans $42.9 billion in infrastructure upgrades that will include a new international airport and an air-conditioned public transport system. Everything for a World Cup bid could be ready as early as 2017. The stadia have futuristic design blueprints, including one designed in the shape of a dhow — a traditional Arab sailing vessel — and another with an asymmetrical seashell motif. FIFA president Sepp Blatter also gave Qatar’s bid a boost earlier this year when he said the Arab world deserves to stage a World Cup. He was instrumental in delivering the World Cup to South Africa, the first on the African continent. Blatter said the government’s successful hosting of the 2006 Asian Games showed it was capable of organizing big international events. Still, the bid has its doubters. Critics question whether Qatar’s largely untested cooling system will work and many Westerners remain unconvinced that Qatar will relax its conservative ways and allow fans to let loose with dancing and drinking in the streets — which has become the norm at World Cups. “It would not be in the best interest of FIFA to allow Qatar to host the World Cup in 2022,” said Austrian strategist Erwin Roth, who has spent almost three decades promoting international sporting events, including the failed bid by Salzburg to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. “A lot of problems would arise,” he said. “What do you do with the fans when the games are over? You will
have all fans in this tiny, little city in 40-plus centigrade temperatures. Where do you put them? You would have to build zones where they party and women would be allowed.” Simon Chadwick, a sports marketing expert at Coventry University in England, said Qatar’s bid has been helped by the success of South Africa, which showed that a developing country with a history of problems could host a successful World Cup. “There are concerns about the culture of Qatar,” Chadwick said. “You are going to watch football. Are you going to be able to drink heavily, eat pizza and hang around in the streets singing songs? People perceive that because Qatar is a Muslim country that they won’t be able to do that.” And even if Qatar can overcome these concerns, its bid could be hampered by relations with Israel and competition with China. Since it has no diplomatic relations with Israel, Qatar could face a quandary should Israel qualify, or if it officials or fans want to attend. Qatar, which ended low-level contacts with Israel last year, has said repeatedly that any team that qualifies would be welcome. FIFA would require Qatar to allow any Israeli delegate to attend its congress and opening ceremony. Another issue is China’s possible bid in 2026. A China bid could weigh on FIFA committee members, who would have to debate whether to vote in favor of an Asian host like Qatar in 2022 or wait until 2026. One continent cannot host consecutive World Cups. —AP
Afridi apologizes for fixing controversy
CARDIFF: A member of the Pakistan team holds some cricket balls during a cricket training session in Cardiff, Wales. Pakistan will play England in a Twenty20 match. —AP
Ponting: New one-day format could hurt World Cup chances MELBOURNE: Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes the new domestic one-day format could damage the World Cup preparations of fringe players. In a radical departure from the conventional 50-over game, Cricket Australia (CA) recently announced it will trial a 45-over game this season split into two innings of 20 and 25 overs. Ponting, however, has added his doubts over the new format designed to revive flagging interest in the shorter game- to those of Australia’s cricketers association. “We need to be playing as much 50-over cricket as we can with the World Cup just around the corner,” he told reporters yesterday. “It’ll be okay for the guys that are in the national side, we’ll probably play
another 12 or 13 one-dayers before the one day World Cup comes around. “The guys on the fringe that are playing domestic cricket won’t play any 50-over games really until that World Cup. “Probably for the young spinners around Australia in particular, they’re going to find it difficult this summer.” The World Cup begins in February in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Ponting insisted the players should have had more of a say before the drastic changes were brought in. “The players probably felt that they didn’t have the input that they probably would have liked to have had,” he said. “I know there’s been a lot of speculation about how it’s going to be played, but it’s up to the players now to play it as well as they can and make it a good spectacle.” —Reuters
LONDON: The captain of Pakistan’s limited overs teams has apologized to cricket fans for the controversy that erupted after three of his teammates were suspended on suspicion of fixing. Shahid Afridi said yesterday that the players in the squad for the remaining two Twenty20 and five one-day matches against England were upset by the allegations, which the International Cricket Council has called the most serious to hit the sport for a decade. “On behalf of these boys — I know they’re not in this series — I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all cricketing nations,” Afridi said. Cricket’s ruling body suspended Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir this week while it investigates them for various offenses under the sport’s anti-corruption code. The ICC has not detailed the charges, which followed accusations by a British tabloid that a middleman accepted payment in exchange for deliberate no-balls against England last week. “It’s very bad news,” Afridi said ahead of Sunday’s first Twenty20 in Cardiff. “It’s a big challenge for me as captain but we’re all ready. The coach and I are not talking about the issue — we are here to play cricket.” The trio were released without criminal charge after being questioned by London police on Friday but could be banned from cricket for life if found guilty. The Pakistan Cricket Board’s legal adviser said yesterday that Butt, Amir and Asif have denied knowledge of any alleged wrongdoing by the middleman, agent Mazhar Majeed. “The players have informed the police that the man was their agent, but they had no knowledge,” about his alleged wrongdoing, Tafazzul Rizvi told private television channels in Pakistan. British tabloid News of the World has accused Majeed of acting as a middleman, accepting money in exchange for getting Asif and Amir to bowl intentional no-balls. Players and officials are waiting to see if the News of the World follows its initial report with further allegations when the paper is distributed late yesterday. “I’ve told the boys, ‘don’t read the newspapers,”‘ Afridi said. After winning the four-match test series 3-1, England are also trying to focus on the matches ahead. “It’s going to be interesting to see what happens tonight,” batsman Paul Collingwood said. “That’s out of our hands as players. We’ve just got to mentally prepare ourselves to play tomorrow.” ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said Friday the allegations that Asif, Amir and Butt conspired with bookmakers was the most serious case of corruption since South Africa captain Hansie Cronje was banned for life 10 years ago. Cronje admitted to forecasting results in exchange for money from a London bookmaker, prompting the ICC to create its Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU). But the fallout from the case is spreading, with Pakistan’s top diplomat in Britain accusing the ICC of bias and banning the players only to cover up shortcomings in its own procedures. Pakistan High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan criticized the ICC again Friday for taking action before police had completed criminal investigations. “After the shocking, arbitrary and high-handed suspension of the three Pakistani cricketers through the ICC’s uncalled for action, nothing is coming to me as a surprise,” Hasan said in a statement. “Rather, my apprehensions that there is a rat in the whole affair are being strengthened. “It is emerging as a fishy situation where pieces have now started falling in place to convince me that there is more than meet the eyes.” With Pakistan banned from playing home internationals following last year’s terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka squad, some Pakistani journalists have suggested there is a conspiracy against their country. With illegal gambling often occurring in India, some have even suggested involvement by Pakistan’s neighbor and territorial rival. Lorgat denied that the charges were evidence of bias and said the ICC was committed to maintaining the country’s status as a full member of the body. —AP
ITALY: Spain’s Dani Pedrosa steers his Honda during a second free practice of the San Marino Moto GP at the Misano circuit. —AP
Pedrosa takes pole in San Marino MISANO: Spain’s Dani Pedrosa, the winner at Indianapolis last weekend, took pole position for the San Marino Grand Prix yesterday for the 35th pole of his career and 17th in MotoGP. Honda rider Pedrosa edged out compatriot and overall series leader Jorge Lorenzo, who was just three thousandths of a second slower. “I prefer to be in front because the first corner is
very tight and I don’t want to find myself in a mass crash,” said Pedrosa. Australia’s 2007 world champion Casey Stoner was third fastest, four thousandths of a second slower, despite crashing in the first quarter of an hour of qualifying. Italy’s multi-time world champion Valentino Rossi, winner here the past two seasons, was fourth fastest, edging out American rookie Ben Spies, who is replacing
Ducati-bound Rossi at Yamaha next season. Qualifying was so tight that the first 10 riders were within a second of each other after Honda had threatened to dominate it on Friday in practice. “We are doing a very good job at the moment, improving at every round and now we have the chance to have another good race,” added the 24-year-old Pedrosa who has won three races this season.
“I’ve never won two MotoGP races in a row and this is a good challenge for me - I really want to go for it.” Lorenzo with seven wins under his belt this season has a 68-point lead in the championship and was happy with his second spot in qualifying. “We have improved in every practice and I’m happy about this session,” said the Spaniard.” “I have a good pace now and I’m feeling confident about a good race.” —AFP
Landis files whistle-blower suit AUSTIN: Former Lance Armstrong teammate Floyd Landis, who has accused the seven-time Tour de France winner of doping while riding for the U.S. Postal Service team, has filed a federal whistle-blower lawsuit, according to The Wall Street Journal. Landis won the Tour de France in 2006 but had the title stripped because of a positive drug test. This spring, he ended years of denials by admitting he took performance-enhancing drugs. He also accused Armstrong and other cyclists of doping. Citing anonymous sources, the Journal reported in a story posted on its website Friday that Landis has filed a lawsuit under the federal False Claims Act. The law allows Americans to sue on behalf of the government alleging the government has been defrauded. The Journal says the lawsuit is sealed, so it’s not known exactly what it claims. The newspaper said the Justice Department is weighing whether to intervene in the suit.
As a whistle-blower, Landis could collect 30 percent of any money the government recovers. The Postal Service paid $30.6 million to the team’s management company to sponsor the team from 2001 through 2004, according to a sponsorship agreement reviewed by the Journal. The contract said “negative publicity” due to “alleged possession, use or sale of banned substances” by riders or team personnel would constitute an “event of default,” as would a failure to take “action” in the event a rider violates a morals or drug clause. Armstrong has denied using performance-enhancing drugs. “This news that Floyd Landis is in this for the money reconfirms everything we all knew about Landis,” Armstrong spokesman Mark Fabiani said Friday in a statement. “By his own admission, he is a serial liar, an epic cheater, and a swindler who raised and took almost a million dollars from his loyal fans based on his
lies. What remains a complete mystery is why the government would devote a penny of the taxpayer’s money to help Floyd Landis further his vile, cheating ambitions. And all aimed directly at Lance Armstrong, a man who earned every victory and passed every test while working for cancer survivors all over the world.” Messages left with Landis’ attorney and the Justice Department were not immediately returned. Armstrong also is under scrutiny in a separate federal investigation into cheating in professional cycling. His attorneys met this week with federal prosecutors in Los Angeles. Officials with the Justice Department’s commercial litigation branch and a Postal inspector have also requested documents from a 2005 arbitration case in which a Dallas promotions company alleged Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs and refused to pay him, the Journal reported. The arbitration panel ruled in Armstrong’s favor in that case. —AP