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SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2013 sports Sinclair slump is my fault, says Mancini MANCHESTER: Roberto Mancini has blamed himself for Scott Sinclair’s failure to make an impact at Manchester City since his move to Eastlands. Sinclair, 24, joined the Blues for £6.2 million ($9.6 million) from fellow Premier League side Swansea City in August. But the winger has made only three starts for Mancini’s side in all competitions, with most of his appearances being as a late substitute, and may not make the starting line-up for City’s league match away to his former club today. But Italian boss Mancini insisted yesterday none of this was Sinclair’s fault, although he was unsure if the Englishman will remain at Eastlands, given his last league start was in September. “I don’t know this (if he will stay),” Mancini said yesterday. “This situation with Sinclair is difficult because I didn’t give him a lot of chances to play. He is very unlucky. “It is my fault, not his fault. A young player like Scott who is a good player deserves to play always. For him, it was a really difficult year this year. “Scott is young and he has good quality but this year was difficult for him. It is better if he can have another solution,” the Italian added. “If he stays here, maybe, he can change everything but I can understand his frustration in this moment because he didn’t play a lot of games. “For me, he is a good player. We have one team. For him, it was difficult. I repeat: He did everything well, he worked well, he is a good guy, he deserves to play. I can understand when one player can’t play often, it is difficult.” Reports in the British media on Thursday suggested that City are interested in a move for 27-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fernandinho with £20 million the fee that may tempt the Ukrainian side to sell the player. But Mancini believes there will be a number of clubs interested in the Brazilian as well as he looks to strengthen his side in a bid to mount a more aggressive challenge to recently-installed champions Manchester United for the Premier League title that City won last season. “We can talk about Fernandinho,” said Mancini. “Fernandinho is a good player but he plays for Shakhtar. I don’t think there are a lot of good players around the world. “There are also four or five top teams who want to buy good players. It could be difficult.” Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has hinted he may return to England ahead of next season and Mancini believes any team under the control of the Portuguese, linked with a second spell in charge of Chelsea, would lead to a more competitive Premier League. “I think that it is important that next year (season) there will be four or five teams who can play for the title,” said Mancini. —AFP AFC to introduce ethics committee KUALA LUMPUR: New Asian soccer chief Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa will make introducing an ethics committee a top priority as the Bahraini attempts to bring about sweeping reform at the scandal- hit Asian Football Confederation. Just 24 hours before Sheikh Salman claimed a landslide election win on Thursday, the AFC suffered more embarrassing headlines with Sri Lankan Vernon Manilal Fernando banned for eight years by FIFA for unethical behaviour. Sheikh Salman told Reuters the introduction of a new body to tackle the problems was an essential part in pushing through his transparency manifesto. “If there are any wrongdoings by some, there has to be a tool to have a watchdog on everybody including the president,” Sheikh Salman said hours after hosting his first AFC Congress. “I think this can be done in the next two years and hopefully we will do it, by the end of the year we will have to have something up and running. “It is disappointing that we haven’t created an ethics committee to look at these matters to have a proper mechanism to tackle these things and I think FIFA will support us on that.” The married father of three takes over the AFC at a difficult time with the body suffering bribery issues amongst members, allegations of age cheating in Southeast Asian competitions, violence on the field, referee abuse in Lebanon and player deaths in Indonesia. But undoubtedly the biggest problem is match-fixing, with cases rife in nations big and small including China, South Korea, Malaysia, Lebanon and Singapore. “I think we need, whether it is a task force, a committee or a team, to look into these matters and see what the proper matters are to fight it and hopefully with the support of FIFA and the local governments as well,” the 47-year-old said. “I don’t think it can be done on our own. There are a lot of resources that are going to be put into that. It is a responsibility for all - not just the AFC.” CARETAKER PRESIDENT Sheikh Salman will initially serve two years rather than the normal four because he is effectively replacing former leader Mohammed Bin Hammam who was dismissed by FIFA for bribery and corruption halfway through what was the Qatari’s third term. During the near two-year interim period under caretaker president Zhang Jilong of China, while Bin Hammam attempted to clear his name, the AFC largely went to ground, releasing few statements as the problems mounted. Sheikh Salman said this would no longer be the case and the AFC would have a voice in world soccer. “Our voice has to be heard, especially if it is related to match-fixing, corruption and any misleading actions or whatever,” the head of the Bahrain FA said. “We have to have a strong monitor and, of course, the support Asian needs, whether it is for its own interests, of course I will be heard.” During his campaign there were many loud voices alleging he was guilty of human rights breaches during the prodemocracy uprising. Bahrain crushed Shiite-led demonstrations that began in February 2011. <strong>At</strong> least 35 people were killed. Lower-level unrest has continued since then and Sheikh Salman said he had been the victim of a smear campaign. “Unfortunately to say some media are controlled by other people ... to say what they want whether it is the truth or not,” he said.— Reuters FIFA president Blatter targets another term Vice-president opposes Euro WCup cut KUALA LUMPUR: FIFA president Sepp Blatter again hinted he plans to stand for another four-year term as the head of world soccer during a speech to AFC delegates in which he called for more World Cup places for Asian teams. The 77-year-old Swiss, speaking at the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, was discussing his reform plans before he appeared to reveal he was not going to quit the presidency in two years time. “This will be the last term of, not of office, the last term of the reform,” Blatter said, smiling as he delivered the message. Blatter went on to describe that the reform period, brought in to clean up the scandal-hit body that has seen members routinely banned on graft charges, would end in 2015. The Swiss ignored reporters’ requests to clarify his position after the Congress. Blatter had previously said he planned to step down from office at the end of his latest four-year term in 2015 but opened up a loophole in March by adding that was providing he could find someone to carry on his legacy. UEFA president Michel Platini, who watched on Thursday as Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain won the AFC presidential election in a landslide, has long been tipped to replace Blatter. Sheikh Salman said he was grateful for the backing Blatter had given the AFC and said he would reciprocate should the Swiss choose to stay on. “If he announces, of course,” Sheikh Salman told reporters. “He has always been a supporter of Asian football and if he can fulfill and continue as a president of course I’ll support him.” WORLD CUP PLACES Blatter also questioned the logic of Platini’s European confederation having so many World Cup places in what could be seen as a campaign for votes in Asia. “We have to start to see the access to the World Cup, the access to the World Cup should be a little bit better balanced,” Blatter said. “In 2014 in Brazil 32 teams, one has qualified from South America (Brazil as hosts) and then you have 13 teams from one of the continents, which is Europe, and possibly five more from South America,” Blatter said. “If this happens then you have 19 out of 32, there is no chance to kick them out before one of them is in the semi-finals. This is the law of the numbers. “We shall have a look on this, you should have a look on that and bring such items on the agenda because we should have a better balance.” Asia has four guaranteed places at the next World Cup in Brazil with a fifth possible if another side beats a South American team in an intercontinental playoff. Sheikh Salman, also head of the Bahrain Football Association, welcomed talk about more places for Asia. His country has never qualified for a World Cup finals and were denied a place at the 2010 tournament when they were beaten by New Zealand in a playoff. “I think it has to be looked at, it has to be studied,” he told reporters after the congress. “We have to look at the future and the interest of Asian teams and national associations. The teams have progressed very well in the last few years and I hope we can earn more seats at the World Cup.” Any plans by Sepp Blatter to cut the number of European places at future World Cups will be opposed by Britain’s FIFA vicepresident Jim Boyce. Blatter, the president of FIFA, football’s global governing body, called on Friday for more berths for Asian teams at future editions of the World Cup. The Swiss, speaking at a meeting of the Asian Football Confederation in Kuala Lumpur, said FIFA should allow more Asian teams at the expense of European and South American nations, stressing that Asia provides 50 percent of the body’s revenues with Europe contributing less than 20 percent. Asia currently has four automatic spots at the World Cup, with another available if an Asian team wins an intercontinental play-off. Europe has 13 places out of the total of 32. A reduction in the number of European places would be seen as a slight to France football great Michel Platini, the head of European governing body UEFA, who is expected to bid for the FIFA presidency in 2015.— Agencies KUALA LUMPUR: Newly elected Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa (left) is congratulated by FIFA President Joseph Blatter during the AFC Extraordinary Congress 2013 held in Kuala Lumpur. —AFP
SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2013 Orb, Verrazano battle in wide-open Derby KENTUCKY: Few sports fluctuate as much as horse racing and even fewer races are as unpredictable as the Kentucky Derby. This year’s race, at Churchill Downs today, is no different and looms as one of the most open in decades. The early favorite is Orb, who won the Florida Derby, one of the key traditional leadup races, in brilliant fashion. His main challenger, at least in betting circles, is the unbeaten Verrazano, but this is anything but a two-horse race. With a capacity-field of 20 impeccably bred threeyear-olds, the 139th Kentucky Derby has all the makings of a classic. An expected crowd of more than 160,000 will cram into the track while tens of millions of people will watch the race, dubbed the most exciting two minutes in sport, on television. The only sure bet is that the winner of the Run for the Roses will instantly be feted as the sport’s new great hope, raising expectations he can emulate the likes of Secretariat and Seattle Slew by winning the Triple Crown. But the Triple Crown will have to wait. With no obvious standout horse from this year’s field, no one is taking anything for granted before the mile and a quarter race on dirt, one of the toughest tests for a thoroughbred. Orb was installed as the 7-2 favorite after winning each of his three runs this season, including the Florida Derby, but his trainer Shug McGaughey said he would still need some luck after drawing the 16 hole. A Hall of Fame trainer who has prepared nearly 250 graded stakes winners but never a Kentucky Derby winner, McGaughey said his prospects could be decided at the first bend. “Hopefully, he’ll get a clean trip around the first turn, which I think is very important,” McGaughey told reporters. “That’s where all the jamming up comes. Going down the backside, hopefully, he can ease in and save a little ground, but not be down in there and not be able to make a run when the time comes.” HEAVY RAIN Verrazano, named after the New York City bridge connecting Brooklyn with Staten Island, has won his four career starts, all this season. He was listed as the 4-1 second pick but has the added weight of history against him. The last horse to win the Kentucky Derby that did not race as a two-year-old was Apollo in 1882 but Verrazano’s trainer Todd Pletcher was unfazed by the doubters. “As far as Orb being the favorite over Verrazano, that’s not an issue. He (Orb) deserves to be the favorite,” said Pletcher, who has five runners in the race. “And it might even be an advantage. There’s usually more pressure on the favorite.” Goldencents was rated the next best chance, at odds of 5-1, but none of the 20 runners were longer than 50-1. His trainer Doug O’Neill won the race last year with I’ll Have Another and is hoping history will repeat itself after both horses finished off their Derby preparations by winning the Santa Anita Derby. Heavy rain is forecast for today’s race but O’Neill was unconcerned about the weather. “From what I know about this track, it handles water real well,” said O’Neill. “As long as we don’t have any gushers just before or during the race, I think we’ll all be all right.” Goldencents is part-owned by Rick Pitino, the coach of the University of Louisville men’s basketball team that won this season’s NCAA championship. His jockey is Kevin Krigger, bidding to become the first African American rider to win the Kentucky Derby since Jimmy Winkfield won for the second time in 1902. Rosie Napravnik is also chasing history in the saddle, hoping to become the first female to boot home the winner. Two years ago, she finished ninth in the Derby, the best placing by a female rider. Last year, she won the Kentucky Oaks. This time she is aboard Mylute, a 15-1 shot. The lone international entrant this year is Lines Of Battle, trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien, and rated a 30-1 pop. — Reuters Photo of the day SPORTS Mark Webber and Infiniti Red Bull Racing drives in for a pitstop during the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix. www.redbullcontentpool.com Boxing - Klitschko faces cancer-survivor Pianeta BERLIN: World heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko takes on undefeated challenger Francesco Pianeta today in a busy summer for the Ukrainian champ with a bumper payday against Russia’s Alexander Povetkin looming on the horizon. The 37-year-old Klitschko will defend his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts in Mannheim, south-west Germany, against German-Italian Pianeta who survived testicular cancer three years ago and has a record of 28 wins and one draw. Pianeta beat 48-year-old former world champion Oliver McCall on points last year, then laboured to another points win over South Africa’s Francois Botha, 44, but is eager to face the reigning champion. “I will bust my backside to get those belts. I am sure that everyone is beatable,” said the 28-year-old, who has a tattoo bearing Julius Caesar’s boast “veni, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered). Unlike Klitschko’s recent victims, Poland’s Mariusz Wach, Frenchman Jean-Marc Mormeck and Britain’s David Haye, Pianeta has already faced Klitschko, having been a former sparring partner.”He knows what he’s getting himself into and that’s why he’s confident that he can win this fight,” said Klitschko’s trainer Johnathon Banks. “That’s what’s going to make this fight a good one.” With 143 sparring rounds under his belt in training, Klitschko is looking for the 60th win of his career with 50 knock-outs and he has no plans to add to his three defeats, the last of which came nearly a decade ago. Klitschko has said he will do “everything for a clear win” having been ordered by the World Boxing Association to face Povetkin in Moscow on August 31 at the city’s 60,000-seater Olympic Hall. Russian promoter Vladimir Hryunov won the purse bid to stage that bout with a staggering $23.33 million bid last week. The Ukrainian is entitled to 75 percent of that figure, which would give him a career-high $17,250,000 purse. Povetkin is the ‘regular’ WBA champion and Klitschko the governing bodies’ ‘super’ champion-an honor bestowed on him when he added the WBA belt to his three others with a points win over Haye in 2011. Now Klitschko and Povetkin are obliged to fight in order to leave just a single WBA belt-holder. The two former Olympic champions were due to clash twice before but Povetkin pulled out in 2008 because of injury and then backed out a second time in 2010. Klitschko has banned any questions about Povetkin and opted to face Pianeta in a voluntary defense of his titles. —AFP Spain investigates possible match fix BARCELONA: The Spanish soccer league is investigating a game between first division clubs Levante and Deportivo La Coruna for possible match-fixing. League spokesman Juan Carlos Santamaria said yesterday the league is examining Deportivo’s 4-0 win at Levante on April 13. Levante issued a statement on its website saying it will “help and collaborate with any investigation.” “I have spoken with (league president) Javier Tebas and he has passed on indications (of a fix)” Levante club president Quico Catalan told El Pais newspaper. Deportivo coach Fernandez Vazquez denied any wrongdoing by his club. Following the heavy loss to Deportivo, Levante forward Jose Barkero apparently accused four of his teammates- captain Sergio Ballesteros, goalkeeper Gustavo Munua, forward Juan Luis “Juanlu” Gomez, and defender Juan Francisco “Juanfran” Garcia- of a suspicious lack of effort in the match. Barkero later publicly retracted his accusations. It is not clear if the league had already begun investigating prior to leaks of Barkero’s accusations. “I only want to make public what I have told my teammates,” Barkero said at a news conference on Wednesday. “I asked them for forgiveness, above all my four teammates, those who I accused of something erroneous. I ask Ballesteros, Munua, Juanlu, and Juanfran for forgiveness for what I have done to their image, their persons and their family, because they didn’t deserve it. “I am the one who was wrong. I accused them of something that didn’t really happen.” Match-fixing is a crime in Spain and can lead to prison time for individuals or expulsion of a club from official competition. Deportivo is in a fight to avoid relegation. Stuck in last place in Spain’s first division last month, it started a four-game winning streak that ended with the lopsided victory at Levante. The previous wins were against teams also struggling to avoid relegation - 3-1 over Celta Vigo, 3-2 over Mallorca, and 3-2 over Real Zaragoza. Deportivo has since tied two more games and currently lies one point above the relegation zone with five games left. “As an athlete I’m slightly offended,” Vazquez, the Deportivo coach, said. “But I believe that we athletes have our conscience clean. I don’t know about Barkero.” Deportivo became the latest Spanish club to seek bankruptcy in January. It spent last season in the second division and would take a hard economic hit if it dropped down again this summer. Levante, meanwhile, has lost four straight games, its worst run in two seasons under coach Juan Ignacio Martinez. The modest Valencia-based club was the darling of the Spanish league last season when it briefly occupied first place in the standings for the first time and ended the season by qualifying for the Europa League. Tebas, who was recently elected league president, said that one of the priorities was stamping out match-fixing. “UEFA and FIFA say it only happens in 1 percent of matches,” Tebas told El Pais on April 28. “But if one game of the 380 played in the first and second division is fixed, it’s a serious problem. The first thing we have to do is recognize it’s a problem.” — AP
Page 1 and 2: SUBSCRIPTION Swimming pools in Kuwa
Page 3 and 4: SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2013 Merging proje
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Page 14 and 15: SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2013 A water dropp
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Page 30 and 31: SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2013 TECHNOLOGY In
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Page 36 and 37: SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2013 BOSTON: Carme
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