BASEBALL | Page 3
Taiwan bucks
Monday, April 13, 2020
Sha’ban 20, 1441 AH
GULF TIMES
SPORT
MOTORSPORT
British great Stirling Moss
dies at 90 after long illness
Moss raced against the likes of five-time champ Fangio; often considered the best racer to have never won a F1 driver’s title
Reuters
London, United Kingdom
S
tirling Moss, the British
racing driver who ranked
as one of the all-time
Formula One greats de-
spite never winning the world
championship, died yesterday at
the age of 90 after a long illness.
“He died as he lived, looking
wonderful,” his wife Susie told
the Daily Mail newspaper.
“He simply tired in the end and
he just closed his beautiful eyes
and that was that.”
A teammate at Mercedes to Ar-
gentine five-times world cham-
pion Juan Manuel Fangio, the
Briton survived one of the dead-
liest eras of motorsport with 16
grand prix wins in the 1950s and
early 1960s.
Four times a championship
runner-up, and also third over-
all on three occasions, no other
driver has won as many races
without taking the title.
Moss was also the first Briton
to win his home grand prix, beat-
ing Fangio at Liverpool’s Aintree
circuit for Mercedes in 1955, with
his name becoming a byword for
speed for a generation of fans.
News of his passing was
mourned across the world of mo-
torsport, with Formula One hail-
ing a ‘legend’ and ‘one of the true
greats’.
“A prodigious competitor, su-
premely talented racer, and con-
summate gentleman, he leaves
an indelible mark of greatness on
the history of international mo-
torsport,” said McLaren offering
their condolences.
Former racer and television
commentator Martin Brundle
REACTION
Hamilton salutes ‘racing legend and comrade’ Moss
AFP
London, United Kingdom
W
orld champion
Lewis Hamilton
yesterday described
Stirling Moss, who
has died at the age of 90, as a
“racing legend” and a “comrade
from a massively different time”.
Although Moss never won the
Formula One world title, he was
regarded as one of motor sport’s
greatest drivers, with his 1950s
heyday seeing racers compete in
a variety of disciplines.
The 35-year-old Hamilton, a
six-time world champion, be-
came a friend of Moss despite
the pair’s age difference and con-
trasting backgrounds.
“Today we say goodbye to Sir
Stirling Moss, the racing legend,”
reigning champion Hamilton
wrote on Instagram. “I certainly
will miss our conversations. To
be honest, it was such a unusual
pairing, our friendship.
“Two people from massively
different times and backgrounds
but we clicked and ultimately
found that the love for racing we
both shared made us comrades. “I
CRICKET | Page 5
Don’t write off
cancellations
with baseball
season
In this April 2, 2006, picture, former Formula One driver Stirling Moss of Britain sits in a Maserati replica car during the Australian Grand Prix at
the Albert Park race track in Melbourne. (Reuters)
hailed “a mighty racer and gen- ards to reinstate his disqualified
tleman”. compatriot at the Portuguese
But for his sense of sportsman- Grand Prix.
ship, Moss could have been Brit- “I felt that it was quite wrong
ain’s first ever world champion in and I went and gave evidence on
1958 instead of Mike Hawthorn. Mike’s behalf and said no way
He lost the title by a single should he be disqualified,” Moss,
point that year after asking stew- who won four races that year to
In this March 21, 2000, picture, Sir Stirling Moss (right) is warned by
policeman Alun Evans against speeding out of Buckingham Palace
after the former received his knighthood. (Reuters)
am truly grateful to have had these 1960s, told the BBC: “I think he’s
special moments with him.” probably the best example of a
racing driver there’s ever been.
‘EXAMPLE OF A RACING “He walked like a racing driv-
DRIVER’ er, he talked like a racing driver,
Meanwhile, three-time world he behaved like a racing driver
champion Jackie Stewart, who should behave.”
came into Grand Prix racing Jenson Button, the 2009 world
shortly after Moss’s injury-en- champion, hailed Moss who al-
forced retirement in the early ways “drove to the max”.
Hawthorn’s one, told Reuters in
an interview at his home in 2009.
Moss ended his professional
career after an accident at Good-
wood in 1962 left him uncon-
scious for a month and paralysed
for six months.
Knighted Sir Stirling Crau-
In this July 17, 1954, picture, Argentinian driver Juan Manuel Fangio
(right) races against Britain’s Stirling Moss at Silverstone. (AFP)
“I’m going to miss our chats,
your knowledge, your jokes, your
help, your direction, your infec-
tious smile and seeing you push
whatever you drove to the max
even in your 80s,” tweeted Button.
“Rest well Stirling. The racing
world will not be the same. My
heart goes out to his wonderful
wife Susie.”
Moss won 212 of the 529 races
he entered across all events, with
1996 Formula One world cham-
Dhoni, he still has
plenty to offer,
says Hussain
FOOTBALL
When all this is over,
sport can play a vital
role in repairing hearts
Page 2
furd Moss in 2000 for services
to motor racing, the London-
born dentist’s son retired from
all forms of motor racing only in
2011 when he was 81.
He regarded the 1961 Monaco
Grand Prix as his greatest For-
mula One race but the 1955 Mille
pion Damon Hill saying that was
a staggering achievement.
“He never won a world cham-
pionship but he won a lot of rac-
es, something like a third of all
the races he entered. It’s a ridicu-
lous statistic, he was legendary.”
Hill, whose late father and
two-time F1 world champion
Graham competed against Moss,
reckoned Moss’s victory in the
1955 Mille Miglia, in which he
covered 1,000 miles of open Ital-
Moss files
Born: Sept. 17, 1929 in London
Died: April 12, 2020
Racing career: 1948 to 1962
Races entered: 529 (67 in
Formula One)
Races won: 212
Formula One Grands Prix won:
16 (24 podiums)
F1 Teams: Mercedez-Benz,
Maserati, Vanwall, Rob Walker
Cooper, Lotus, HWM
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
n Second place in F1 drivers
championship four times, third
overall on three other occasions.
n First British driver to win
a home Grand Prix in 1955 at
Aintree.
n Won the 1955 Mille Miglia
— Italy’s 1,000-mile endur- In this May 1, 1955, picture,
ance race — in a record time British racing driver Stirling
of little over 10 hours, beating Moss is pictured after winning
then-Mercedes teammate Juan the Mille Miglia endurance race
Manuel Fangio by nearly 33 in Brescia, Italy. (AFP)
minutes.
n Nearly became the first Brit- n Inducted into the Interna-
ish driver to win the F1 world tional Motorsports Hall of Fame
championship in 1958 but lost in 1990.
by one point after sportingly n Knighted for his services to
asking Portuguese Grand Prix motor racing in 2000.
stewards to reinstate compa- n Received the FIA gold
triot Mike Hawthorn who had medal in 2006 for his outstand-
been disqualified. ing contribution to motorsport,
n Awarded the BBC Sports where he joked: “This is the first
Personality of the Year in 1961. FIA award I’ve ever won.”
Miglia, a sportscar race on Italian in late 2016 and spent 134 days in
public roads, was as memorable. hospital battling a chest infec-
He covered the last stage, tion.
some 83 miles from Cremona He also survived a three-sto-
to Brescia, at an average speed rey plunge down a lift shaft at
of 165.1 miles per hour from a his London home in March 2010,
standing start. breaking both ankles and four
Moss was taken ill in Singapore bones in his feet.
In this May 15, 1961, picture, Stirling Moss is pictured after winning the
Monaco Grand Prix. (AFP)
ian roads at an average speed of of a “true icon, a legend and a
97.96mph (57.85kph) in 10 hours, gentleman”, while Ferrari called
seven minutes and 48 seconds, to him a “formidable opponent”.
be “one of the all-time great per- Jean Todt, president of motor
formances of our sport”. sport’s governing FIA, said Moss
Mercedes, one of Moss’s was “a true legend in motor sport
former teams, mourned the loss and he will remain so forever”.
2 Gulf Times
Monday, April 13, 2020
SPORT
LOSS
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Bonetti dies aged 78
Reuters
London, United Kingdom
F
ormer Chelsea and
England goalkeeper
Peter Bonetti has
died at the age of 78
after a long battle with ill-
ness, the Premier League
club announced yesterday.
Nicknamed ‘The Cat’ for
his quick reflexes in goal,
Bonetti made 729 appear-
ances for the London club in
two stints between 1960 and
1979 — second on the club’s
COMMENT
When all this is over,
sport can play a vital
role in repairing hearts
By Tim Cahill
SC Global Ambassador
T
he world is in a very un-
certain place right now.
We don’t know how much
longer the current situa-
tion is going to last, whether it will
get worse before it gets better, or
what things will look like when it’s
over. I want to start by acknowl-
edging that people are all hurting in
different ways, and some more than
others. There are physical, mental
and economic impacts being felt all
over the world.
Sport has been front and centre
in my life since I was old enough
to kick a ball with my brothers and
sister in the backyard, but some-
thing like this really puts things
into perspective. It’s just not that
important right now. People are
unwell, scared and stressed, and
many have lost loved ones. Kicking
a ball doesn’t really register next to
the life-changing circumstances
that so many are experiencing.
But although now is the time for
sport to take a back seat, I want to
try and think forward to when this
is over. Whether that’s six weeks,
six months, or longer, I think that
sport is going to be one of the most
important tools we have to help
people feel normal again. I don’t
think that it will just be profession-
al sport, although it will definitely
have a role. I believe grassroots
sport is going to be equally im-
portant in reuniting communities
once the threat of coronavirus has
passed.
One of the toughest things about
the situation we’re in now is that
it has divided us. First, we were
divided into countries as borders
across the world were closed, then
cities as movement became re-
stricted and then in many cases we
have had to divide into individual
households. It’s really important
Blast from the past
With sporting events around
the world grinding to a halt,
Gulf Times Sport dived down
the vault for some fantastic,
sometimes offbeat stories
that can be told through
pictures.
Argentine sailor Santiago
Lange understands the feeling
of isolation, having stayed out
at sea for long periods. Here,
Lange, who won gold in the
mixed Nacra 17 category at the
2016 Rio Olympics after cancer
forced him to have 80 percent
of one of his lungs removed,
trains in Lake Garda in Italy.
“In a boat, you don’t know
what’s going to happen before
it’s all over. Nothing is written
in stone. You don’t know the
challenges life will bring you,”
he wrote recently in a column.
(Red Bull Content Pool)
all-time appearances list
behind former defender Ron
Harris.
“Chelsea Football Club
is hugely saddened to an-
nounce the passing today
of one of our indisputably
all-time great players, Peter
Bonetti,” the club said in a
statement.
“Our former goalkeeper
had been suffering from
long-term illness. All at
Chelsea wish to send our
heartfelt and deepest con-
dolences to Peter’s family
and friends.”
Former Australian football captain is an SC Global Ambassador.
that we don’t hold on to this men-
tality once we are unrestricted
again and I think that sport has a
role to play here.
One of the greatest powers of
sport is that it unites us. In par-
ticular, big international events
like the Olympics and FIFA World
Cup bring the world together in a
pretty incredible way. I have been
fortunate enough to take part in
the 2004 Athens Olympics, four
FIFA World Cups and I am now an
ambassador for the Supreme Com-
mittee for Delivery & Legacy in
Qatar, the organisation responsible
for delivering the next World Cup,
in 2022.
As an athlete, you feel such a
strong atmosphere at these events
of shared celebration. In Russia
during the 2018 tournament, the
streets of Moscow were full of fans
from all countries, celebrating to-
gether. The atmosphere was infec-
Bonetti kept over 200 side after Banks pulled out
clean sheets for the club due to food poisoning.
over two decades and he also Following his retirement,
made seven England appear- he was a goalkeeping coach
ances. with England, Chelsea,
He was a back-up goal- Newcastle United, Fulham
keeper to Gordon Banks in and Manchester City.
the squad that won the 1966 “Our thoughts go out to
World Cup but he never the friends and family of
played a match in the tour- former City goalkeeping
nament. coach Peter Bonetti along
However, he was blamed with everyone at @Chel-
for the 3-2 quarter-final loss seaFC following sad news
to West Germany at the 1970 of his passing,” Manchester
World Cup despite England City said in a tweet.
leading 2-0 in the second Petr Cech, who would go
half. He had come into the on to break some of Bonetti’s
tious. Although different groups at a grassroots level. In the current
are there to support particular situation we have been made to be-
countries and athletes, when you come physically distant from one
get to witness history being made, another for our own safety. When
like Usain Bolt at the Rio Olym- I take my kids for a run around the
pics, it feels like the whole world block we have to give a wide berth
comes together as one. I know that to the people we would usually skip
the FIFA World Cup in Qatar is go- around with a smile and a wave. It’s
ing to be just like this, and it will be the same at the supermarket and in
coming at a time when we need it. any other public spaces. I have to
I’ve been lucky enough to see some say that this feels particularly alien
of the stadiums coming together to me. The world just feels a bit less
and they are preparing to put on a friendly. It’s going to take a con-
show that we will remember for a scious effort on our part to close
long time to come. Whether it’s at- this space between us again once
tending in person or watching on it’s safe to do so. This is where I’m
TV, as the ‘next’ truly global foot- hoping grassroots sport will have a
ball event that will likely follow this role to play.
testing time, the 2022 World Cup As a parent, there’s nothing
is going to be a powerful symbol better than cheering on your kids
and an invaluable tool for unity, to- when they play – whether they’re
getherness and recovery across the following their dreams to one day
world. play professionally, or just having
The second way that I can see fun with their mates. Sport brings
sport playing an important role is us closer – high fives after goals,
records at Chelsea, mourned
his death on Twitter.
“Really sad news for eve-
ryone from @ChelseaFC
family,” he said. “R.I.P. “The
Cat”... Legend.”
Former England captain
and television presenter
Gary Lineker described
Bonetti as a “terrific goal-
keeper” for the club.
“So sorry to hear that Pe-
ter Bonetti has passed away,”
he said. “Got to know him
when he was England’s goal-
keeping coach and he was a
delightful bloke.”
handshakes after games and hugs
with mum and dad once it’s over.
I’ve been involved at a grassroots
level running football academies
in Australia for eight years and also
with the Generation Amazing pro-
gramme in Qatar. It’s been great to
see – as we have in so many fields
of sport, industry and media across
the world – the ingenuity in the
face of such testing times, as so
many health, fitness and social re-
sponsibility programmes go online
to play their part in keeping peo-
ple connected, active and healthy.
Generation Amazing has been no
different – with its online sessions
via Instagram. Something I look
forward to taking part in soon.
Before this crisis began, I saw the
confidence that kids get from be-
ing a part of these programmes and
how much fun they have learning
new skills and making new friends.
I think in a post-coronavirus
world, grassroots sport – whether
it’s five-a-side at your local oval, in
the playground at recess, or organ-
ised sport on the weekend – will
help bring us closer again.
I think that for those of us who
end up being fortunate enough
to get through this current stage,
there are a lot of things we defi-
nitely won’t be taking for granted
anymore. Like many others, I’m
separated from my parents and
siblings, who live on the other side
of the world. Thankfully, I’ve been
able to keep in close contact with
them and having my wife and kids
with me every day has been a real
comfort for all of us. I know that
first game of football back on TV
and first kick in the park with my
kids is going to be priceless. As it
will for millions of others around
the world. Although for now we’ve
been forced by the circumstances
to separate and be apart, I really be-
lieve that sport is one of the things
that will bring us back together
again. (SC.qa)
PHOTO OF THE DAY
SPOTLIGHT
QFA chief reaches out
to football community
across the world
By Sports Reporter
Doha
S
heikh Hamad
bin Khalifa bin
Ahmed al-Tha-
ni, President of
the Qatar Football Asso-
ciation (QFA), has con-
tinued to reach out to the
football community at
large, sending messages
of solidarity and hope to
federations across Asia,
Europe and the Americas.
QFA’s aim to extend crisis with careful man-
messages of goodwill agement at individual and
comes in light of the ex- collective levels.
ceptional circumstances In his messages, the QFA
that global football is go- president affirmed the co-
ing through in the face of operation, solidarity and
the pandemic of the new joint work between QFA
coronavirus (Covid-19). and all continental fed-
The QFA president said erations in the present sce-
Qatar football wishes to nario, especially that “all
see football action resume football members are in the
across the world as soon same boat in the face of the
as possible. He said it was coronavirus”.
essential for football com- He expressed confi-
munity to reach out to resi- dence in the safety meas-
dents around the world. ures taken by the football
He underlined the im- family to face this pan-
portance of seeing out the demic.
Sheffield United furlough staff
on full pay
Premier League side Sheffield United on Saturday
said they were furloughing some permanent and
casual staff but will continue to pay them in full
during their enforced leave. Employees affected
are those who are unable to perform their regular
duties due to the coronavirus shutdown. However,
the club insisted it will not resort to using public
money under the British government’s job reten-
tion scheme to finance the measures. “Sheffield
United Football Club has informed its staff of the
decision to furlough some employees who are
unable to perform their regular day-to-day duties
at this time,” said a club statement. “The club con-
firms that permanent and casual staff will continue
to be paid in full, despite the challenges of dealing
with the impact of Covid-19.”
Man Utd’s Pogba determined to
return ‘more hungry’ from injury
Paul Pogba’s stint on the sidelines has made him
more determined to succeed on his return from a
layoff for a foot injury, the Manchester United mid-
fielder has said. Pogba’s injury restricted him to eight
appearances so far this season, but he was primed
to return before professional football in England was
suspended because of the Covid-19 outbreak. “You
think bad, but I’ve never had something like this in
my career, so I always take it in a good way. It makes
me more hungry to come back and do well,” the
27-year-old said in an official club podcast. The France
international suffered a foot injury in August that he
aggravated by continuing to play.
Munich looks at host status for
postponed Euro 2020
The city of Munich is still waiting to give final ap-
proval as a venue for football’s European Cham-
pionship, which has been postponed by a year to
2021. A spokesperson for the city’s sports depart-
ment said that “the further course of action of the
state capital Munich is currently being examined
within the city”. The German city was one of the
12 venues for Euro 2020, which fell victim to the
coronavirus pandemic and postponed by European
governing body UEFA by 12 months. It was sched-
uled to hold group matches featuring Germany
against France, Portugal and a play-off winner, as
well as a quarter-final match. According to a Rus-
sian official at UEFA, a decision on host cities next
year is expected for April 30. The tournament is
now scheduled from June 11-July 11, 2021.
FIFA indicate third transfer
period possible
Football governing body FIFA could allow a third
transfer window to enable the sport to seek flexible
solutions to the coronavirus pandemic which has
put league seasons on hold. James Kitching, direc-
tor of Football Regulatory at FIFA, told Germany’s
broadcaster ARD a third transfer period could be a
possibility for federations. This would be dealt with
flexibly as long as the current total period for trans-
fers of 16 weeks is not extended, he said. At present
the two transfer periods are a maximum of 12
weeks between seasons and four weeks in the mid-
dle of the season. FIFA last week approved guide-
lines on players’ contracts and transfer deadlines
to enable league seasons to be extended beyond
June as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Portugal’s Sporting to cut player
wages by 40 percent
Players at Sporting will have their salaries cut by
40 percent for three months as the club attempts
to mitigate financial losses from the suspension of
games during the coronavirus outbreak, Portuguese
news agency Lusa reported. Lusa also reported
Sporting’s board of directors will take a 50 percent
pay cut. With the pandemic shutting down global
sport on an unprecedented scale, Sporting is the first
of Portugal’s three major football clubs to announce
the cuts. FIFA has urged clubs worldwide to consider
wage reductions in order to protect their finances. FC
Porto and Benfica were considering a similar reduc-
tion in players’ wages this week, local press reported,
but have not yet announced an agreement.

SPOTLIGHT
Taiwan bucks sports cancellations with new baseball season
AFP
Taichung, Taiwan
T
aiwan swung into a new
baseball season yester-
day — with one team
planning to place robot
mannequins in their crowdless
stands — as the island bucked
the global trend for scrapping
sports events during the coro-
navirus.
Despite its proximity and
trade links with China, Taiwan
has so far managed to keep a lid
on the pandemic now sweeping
the globe.
It enacted travel bans soon
after the virus emerged pub-
licly and rolled out comprehen-
sive testing, contact tracing and
quarantining.
Some 100 hundred days into
the crisis it has fewer than 400
confirmed Covid-19 cases and
just six deaths with schools, of-
fices, restaurants and bars large-
ly open.
Large gatherings like religious
festivals have been scrapped.
But yesterday the island’s 31st
baseball season got underway
with Chinatrust Brothers taking
on the Uni-President 7-Eleven
Lions in Taichung.
The games are being played to
FOCUS
Oilers’ forward Cave
dies after emergency
brain surgery
Reuters
Los Angeles
E
dmonton Oilers forward Colby
Cave died Saturday morning,
four days after having surgery to
remove a colloid cyst that was
causing pressure on his brain. He was 25.
Cave’s wife, Emily, released a state-
ment confirming the news.
“It is with great sadness to share the
news that our Colby Cave passed away
this morning,” the statement said. “I
(Emily) and both our families are in shock
but know our Colby was loved dearly
by us, his family and friends, the entire
hockey community and many more. We
thank everyone for their prayers during
this difficult time.”
Emily Cave also wrote “We need a
miracle” on Instagram Wednesday, one
day after her husband was placed in a
medically induced coma at Sunnybrook
Hospital in Toronto to stop a brain bleed.
“On behalf of the Edmonton Oilers
hockey club and the Bakersfield Condors,
we wanted to express our deepest con-
empty stadiums with fans being
told to stay away.
But players are still travelling
across the island for fixtures that
are broadcast live.
On Saturday, Rakuten Mon-
keys unveiled robotic manne-
quins and cardboard cut-outs of
fans dressed in home colours and
caps at their stadium in northern
Taoyuan county.
Some of the robots even
banged on drums from the
empty stands. The mechanical
stand-ins were ready to cheer
Rakuten against Chinatrust
Brothers for what would have
been the first game of the season
on Saturday, but heavy rain led
to its cancellation. Baseball is the
most popular sport in Taiwan
with some 240 games scheduled
for the coming season.
“We are the first pro-baseball
league to start playing in the
world” during the pandemic, the
league said in a statement.
“We welcome everyone to fol-
low the new 2020 season and to Mannequins and fake masked audience placards are placed at the Taoyuan Baseball stadium before the
relax from their tense lives be- opening match for the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taoyuan on Saturday. (AFP)
cause of the outbreak.”
Unlike so many other places, concerns about the safety of
Taiwan’s national basketball those on the field.
and football leagues have also “How can the players keep
continued to play, albeit behind social distancing? What can we
closed doors. do in the event of cluster infec-
Some fans have expressed tions? Please stop this farce,”
dolences to the family and friends of our
teammate Colby Cave after his passing
earlier this morning,” the Oilers said in
a statement. “Colby was a terrific team-
mate with great character, admired and
liked everywhere he played. Our thoughts
and prayers go out to his wife Emily, his
family and friends at this very difficult
time.” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman
and American Hockey League president
and CEO David Andrews also expressed
their sympathies.
“The National Hockey League fam-
ily mourns the heartbreaking passing of
Colby Cave, whose life and hockey career,
though too short, were inspiringly em-
blematic of the best of our game,” Bett-
man said in a statement Saturday.
“Undrafted but undaunted, Colby was
relentless in the pursuit of his hockey
dream with both the Edmonton Oil-
ers and Boston Bruins organizations. An
earnest and hardworking player, he was
admired by his teammates and coaches.
More important, he was a warm and gen-
erous person who was well-liked by all
those fortunate enough to know him.
“We send our heartfelt condolences to
read one post on the baseball
league’s Facebook page.
“Why are they still holding
the games without audiences?
The US Major League Baseball
and even the Olympics have
Cave had played 11 games
with the Oilers this season
and 44 for the Condors
In this file photo taken on February 26, 2019, Colby
Cave of the Edmonton Oilers in action against
the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at
Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.(AFP)
his wife Emily, their families and Colby’s
countless friends throughout the hockey
world.” Andrews added the following
statement: “Colby Cave was beloved as
a teammate and friend, as a husband and
son. The entire American Hockey League
extends our deepest condolences to Col-
by’s wife, Emily, and his entire family, as
well as to those whose lives he touched in
the Oilers and Bruins organizations and
throughout hockey.”
Cave’s agent, Jason Davidson, told
Sportsnet on Tuesday that there was no
link to the coronavirus and that his client
was not involved in any kind of accident.
“The most confusing part for every-
one is that you’re talking about a young,
healthy athlete,” Davidson said. “This
isn’t supposed to happen to people to like
Colby.” Cave played 11 games with the
Oilers this season and 44 for the Condors.
The Boston Bruins signed Cave as an
undrafted free agent to a three-year entry
level contract in 2015. The Oilers claimed
him on waivers in January 2019.
Cave recorded nine points (four goals,
five assists) in 67 career games between
the Oilers and Bruins.
been postponed,” read another.
Others were happy the games
can go on even in closed stadi-
ums. “It’s great we have baseball
games to watch,” read one social
media comment.
Blackhawks, Mitchell agree
on entry-level deal
Defenseman Ian Mitchell has agreed to
an entry-level contract with the Chicago
Blackhawks, according to multiple reports
Saturday.
According to The Athletic, Mitchell has yet to
sign the deal but has agreed to a three-year
contract. The contract will begin in 2019-20
if the season resumes after its pause due to
the coronavirus pandemic, or in 2020-21 if the
remainder of this season is cancelled.
Mitchell, 21, was a second-round pick by
Chicago in 2017. He spent the last three
seasons playing at the University of Denver,
totalling 18 goals and 71 assists in 116 games,
including 10 goals and 22 assists in 36 games
this season. He had returned to play his junior
season for the Pioneers with hopes of winning
a national title, but the NCAA tournament was
cancelled due to the pandemic.
Mitchell, a 5-foot-11, 173-pounder from
St. Albert, Alberta, is the nephew of Roy
Mitchell, who played three NHL games for the
Minnesota North Stars in 1992-93.
SPORT
Goodrum, Duplantier excel at MLB The
Show Players League
The Detroit Tigers’ Niko
Goodrum and the Arizona
Diamondbacks’ Jon Duplantier
took the early edges in their
divisions Saturday by each
going 3-1, on the second day
of the MLB The Show Players
League.
The online tournament
utilizing the “MLB The Show
20” game features one player
from each of the 30 major
league teams. The charity
event is helping fill some
time for players and fans
with the baseball season shut
down indefinitely due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
All players will square off once
in a 29-game round robin over
the next three weeks. Each
regular-season game lasts
three innings.
The top eight players will
reach the postseason, which
culminates in a May 2 World
Series. The playoffs will utilize
a best-of-three format until
the World Series, which will be
best-of-five.
Goodrum had perhaps
REPORT
NFL likely to scrap
PI replay reviews
Reuters
Los Angeles
A
fter further review,
video reassessment
of pass-interference
calls is likely to be
eliminated by the NFL after a
one-year test run.
The league’s competition
committee made the recom-
mendation on Friday. A final
decision will be made at the
owners meeting scheduled for
May 19-20 in Marina del Rey,
California.
The option to have a second
look at potential pass-inter-
ference calls was sparked by
a blown ruling that likely cost
the New Orleans Saints a trip
to the Super Bowl at the end of
the 2018-19 season.
Rams cornerback Nickell
Robey-Coleman clearly in-
terfered with New Orleans
receiver Tommylee Lewis on a
play that would have given the
Saints a first down with an op-
portunity to run out the clock
for a victory. However, no call
was made, and Los Angeles
went on to win 26-23 in over-
time.
The competition committee
also decided not to put forward
the proposal of a “sky judge,”
an eighth official who sits in
the press box and can correct
any obvious missed calls.
Two rule-change proposals
were endorsed by the commit-
tee:
NBA
Booker sweeps Ayton
in all-Suns 2K final
Reuters
Los Angeles
D
evin Booker swept
fellow Phoenix Suns
teammate Deandre
Ayton on Saturday
night to claim the title at the
first-ever NBA 2K Players
Tournament.
Booker won the first two
games of a best-of-three final
series, beating Ayton with-
out playing as the Los Angeles
Lakers, who are generally re-
garded as the best team in the
game. Playing as the Houston
Rockets, Booker took the first
game 72-62 from Ayton, who
used the Lakers. He won the
second 74-62 while playing
as the Denver Nuggets against
Ayton’s Milwaukee Bucks.
“Feels good, bro,” Booker
said afterward. “It was a tal-
ented field. I said from the be-
ginning, it was going to be me
and Deandre in the champion-
ship.
“... We’ve played in the past,
and he’s definitely a gamer.”
Booker, the fifth seed in the
16-player tournament, won
$100,000 to donate to the
Gulf Times
Monday, April 13, 2020 3
Saturday’s biggest highlight, as
his Tigers handed Duplantier’s
D-backs their only loss on a
3-run, walk-off homer, which
came off the bat of a virtual
Jordy Mercer in the bottom of
the third inning.
Goodrum also beat the Los
Angeles Angels’ Ty Buttrey
and the Seattle Mariners’ Carl
Edwards Jr. He took his only
loss on another walk-off, as
the Philadelphia Phillies’ Rhys
Hoskins used a sacrifice fly
to win. Duplantier took down
Hokins, Buttrey and Jesus
Luzardo of the Oakland A’s for
his three victories. Hoskins
and Edwards each went 2-2
on the day, while Luzardo
and Buttrey finished 1-3. Sony
Interactive Entertainment
and Major League Baseball, in
cooperation with the players
association, will donate
$5,000 on behalf of each
player to a Boys and Girls Club
in his community. A total of
$175,000 will be donated,
including the World Series
prize of $25,000. Reuters
Increasing “defenseless
player” protection for kickoff
returners or punt returners in
possession of the ball before
they can avoid pending con-
tact.
Banning clock manipulation
by committing multiple dead-
ball fouls.
The later recommendation
is a response to a tactic em-
ployed by the Tennessee Ti-
tans in their Jan. 4 playoff win
over the Patriots. New England
also used the tactic against the
New York Jets on Oct 21.
Several other proposed rule
changes were made by teams.
The Los Angeles Chargers
and Baltimore Ravens want
to see a “booth umpire” and a
“Senior Technology Advisor to
the Referee” (STAR) added to
officiating crews.
The Miami Dolphins are re-
questing that the defence be
granted the option to have the
game clock start on the refe-
ree’s signal following declined
penalties on the offence in
late-half and late-game situ-
ations.
The Philadelphia Eagles put
forth three recommendations:
modifying the rules banning
blindside blocks, making per-
manent the review of scoring
plays, turnovers negated by a
penalty and extra-point at-
tempts, and pushing overtime
back to the previous 15-minute
length from the current
10-minute length.
coronavirus-relief charity of
his choice.
Ayton, the 10th seed, trailed
by only four at halftime of the
first game after hitting a buzz-
er beater with JaVale McGee.
But Booker was red-hot from
3-point range throughout
the game, hitting 13 of 23 at-
tempts, and also got 30 points
from his bench to close it out.
In the second game, Booker
pulled away after halftime,
putting the exclamation point
on the victory with a three-
point play on a dunk by Paul
Millsap with less than 90 sec-
onds to go. Both finalists swept
a member of the Los Angeles
Clippers earlier Saturday in
the semifinals, with Booker
beating Montrezl Harrell and
Ayton dispatching Patrick
Beverley.
Booker played as the Clip-
pers in the first game and
cruised past Harrell, who
played as the Rockets, capping
the win with a dunk by Har-
rell’s virtual character. In the
second game, Booker (play-
ing as the Toronto Raptors)
came up with a steal off Harrell
(Milwaukee Bucks) with a two-
point lead in the final minute.
4 Gulf Times
Monday, April 13, 2020
SPORT
FOCUS
Pichot announces
surprise bid for top
job at World Rugby
‘THE CURRENT CRISIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE GLOBAL REALIGNMENT OF OUR GAME’
Reuters
Sydney
A
gustin Pichot will run
against incumbent
Bill Beaumont for
the top job in World
Rugby this month, the outspo-
ken former Argentina interna-
tional announced in a surprise
move yesterday.
Pichot, who won 71 caps
for the Pumas and has served
as a World Rugby vice-chair-
man under former England
skipper Beaumont for the
last four years, promised rad-
ical change if he was elected
chairman.
“It is a critical time and
a critical election,” the
45-year-old said in a state-
ment.
“The current crisis is an
opportunity for the global
realignment of our game. We
cannot miss it.
“It is time to align our glo-
bal calendar and our strategic
intent to attract the sustain-
able investment we need, or
risk falling back to individual
handouts or grants in the ab-
sence of a long-term vision
for a global game.”
Beaumont had already an-
nounced his intention to seek
another four-year term and
his re-election at the World
Rugby board meeting in May
had been expected to be a
formality.
If elected, Pichot would be
the first chairman from out-
side Europe’s Six Nations and
his candidature is likely to
appeal most to those unions
in the southern hemisphere
or outside the traditional
heartlands of the game.
Many are struggling with
the impact of the corona-
virus pandemic with USA
Rugby having filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy and
Rugby Australia admitting
they face losses of A$120mn
($74.48mn) this year if no
more rugby is played.
Pichot was the driving
force behind the concept of
the Nations Championship,
a global league for the top
12 test nations which would
have allowed other coun-
tries to share in the riches
of European rugby. The plan
was scuppered last year. The
former scrumhalf has also
MOTORSPORT
Renault furloughs ‘vast majority’
of their team until end of May
Reuters
London
R A
enault have fur-
loughed most of their
British-based Formu-
la One race team until
the end of May due to the Cov-
id-19 pandemic, with manage-
ment also taking a pay cut, the
French carmaker announced
on Friday.
Renault said the engine
factory at Viry-Chatillon in
France had moved to a part-
time schedule from April 6 for
a provisional 12 weeks.
“Renault Sport Racing has
decided to retrospectively
apply for the Job Retention
Scheme set up by the British
government,” it said in a state-
ment. “The vast majority of
Enstone staff will effectively
have a total shutdown (fur-
lough) until May 31st. This will
be reviewed dependent on the
development of the situation.”
Renault, whose F1 driv-
ers are Australian Daniel Ric-
File photo of former Argentina captain Agustin Pichot. (Reuters)
been a critic of players from
one country, usually in the
southern hemisphere and
most particularly the Pacific
islands, playing test rugby
for other nations after be-
ing lured abroad by lucrative
contracts.
“It is time to think of a
sport where professional
and commercial income is
becoming a true benefit for
all by empowering rugby’s
growth around the world and
by moving on from the time
where those benefits were
just for a few,” the statement
added. “It is time to rede-
fine the future of rugby, our
game. It is time to align rug-
by globally, moving forward
as one, truly global game not
falling back as lone unions or
federations.”
ciardo and Frenchman Esteban
Ocon, said it would top up the
amount allocated by the gov-
Springboks’ Steyn to leave Montpellier for Cheetahs
South Africa’s two-time Rugby
World Cup winner Francois
Steyn will join the Cheetahs from
Montpellier this summer, the
South African side announced
yesterday in a deal which will
also allow him to tend to his
farm.
Versatile Sprinbgoks back
Steyn, 32, who has made 67
Test appearances, became the
youngest player to lift the Webb
Ellis trophy in 2007 before also
clinching it again last year.
“We are delighted to announce
that Frans Steyn has signed a
two-year agreement with the
Cheetahs, starting on July 1,”
said Cheetahs’ Managing Direc-
tor Harold Verster.
ernment to guarantee a mini-
mum of 80% of actual salary
for all team members. “Salaries
French newspaper Midi Libre
reported Steyn had chosen to
return to take up a contract in
his native South Africa to work
on his farm in Bloemfentein.
The French top-flight and the Pro
14 seasons have been postponed
due to the coronavirus pandem-
ic with Steyn in his fifth season
with Montpellier.
During his time on the Mediter-
ranean coast Steyn has reached
a Top 14 final and won the
second-tier European Challenge
Cup.
He started his career with Dur-
ban-based Sharks before a first
spell in France with Racing 92
and two seasons with Japanese
side Toshiba Brave Lupus.
of active staff, including man-
agement, will be reduced in the
same proportions,” it added.
File photo of Francois Steyn (right)
in action during the French Top
14 match in Montpellier, southern
France. (AFP)
Three other British-based
teams — McLaren, Williams
and Racing Point — have al-
ready announced they are fur-
loughing staff with drivers also
taking pay cuts.
Renault are the first manu-
facturer-owned team to do so,
however.
Team boss Cyril Abiteboul
said it was hard to measure the
eventual impact of the crisis
on the sport, with France and
England in lockdown along
with most Grand Prix organis-
ing countries.
“We therefore must use all
the measures at our disposal to
get through this prolonged pe-
riod of uncertainty and inac-
tivity as best as we can, while
protecting the whole team we
have built over the past four
years,” he said.
The carmaker cancelled its
dividend on Thursday and said
its chairman and interim chief
executive officer had agreed to
pay cuts, to help finance a soli-
darity fund for staff affected by
the coronavirus crisis.
CYCLING
Froome says horror
injury recovery
‘almost complete’
AFP
London
F
our-time Tour de
France champion
Chris Froome said
yesterday his recovery
from the horror crash which
almost ended his career is
“pretty much complete”.
The 34-year-old suffered
multiple fractures and spent
months in rehabilitation after
a gust of wind hurtled him into
a wall at 50 kilometres an hour
during a recon at the Criterium
du Dauphine in June last year.
He only returned fully to the
saddle in February at the UAE
Tour which was cut short due
to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The recovery is going re-
SPOTLIGHT
Leicester’s May to
join Gloucester at
end of season
AFP
London
E
ngland wing Jonny
May will leave Leices-
ter to rejoin Premier-
ship rivals Gloucester
at the end of the season.
The English Premiership
season is currently suspended
because of the coronavirus,
but May is due to return to
Gloucester on July 1.
May has scored 30 tries in
44 matches for Leicester since
arriving from Gloucester in
2017.
“I’m proud of my time at
Leicester Tigers. What an
amazing experience to have
played for such a great club,”
May said on Saturday.
“It really has developed my
game and it’s brought the best
out in me as a player. I gave 100
per cent every time I put the
shirt on and I have no regrets.”
Gloucester director of rugby
David Humphreys said the deal
REPORT
Athletes show
concern over doping
controls standstill
Reuters
London
n overwhelming
majority of elite
track and field ath-
letes are concerned
about the reduction of test-
ing for banned substances
during the coronavirus pan-
demic, according to results
of a survey released on Fri-
day.
The Athletics Associa-
tion, which bills itself as the
unified voice of professional
athletes, said on its Twit-
ter feed that of 685 athletes
polled globally, 78% were
concerned about the valid-
ity of results due to reduced
testing.
“Further clarity is needed
on the confidence that ath-
letes, and the public, can
have in the results achieved
during this period,” it says.
With the Tokyo 2020
summer Olympic Games
postponed for 12 months,
ally well — I’d go as far as say-
ing it’s pretty much complete,”
Froome told the Team Ineos
YouTube channel after taking
part in a virtual race alongside
fellow Tour de France cham-
pions Geraint Thomas and
Egan Bernal. “I am still doing
some exercises off the bike
to strengthen the right side
which was injured, but I’m
back in normal training again
and that’s going really well.”
Froome is currently in lock-
down in the south of France
as he awaits the return of rac-
ing even though an assault on
a fifth Tour title may have to
wait.
“I’m staying really busy and
obviously I’m doing as much
training as I can on the turbo
trainer,” added Froome.
to take May back to Kingsholm
was completed during virus
lockdown.
“We’ve been talking to Jon-
ny for a little while, and were
very close to an agreement be-
fore the Premiership was post-
poned and our discussions had
to be put on hold,” Humphreys
said.
“With the changing land-
scape in English rugby and
beyond, we very much appre-
ciated Jonny’s pragmatic ap-
proach to our discussions.”
May, who is 30, is England’s
fifth highest try-scorer, with
29 in his 56 international ap-
pearances, and was part of
the team which lost the 2019
World Cup final against South
Africa in Japan.
He said Gloucester were
the only team he wanted to
join once he decided to leave
Leicester.
“I’m grateful to David
Humphreys and everyone at
Gloucester who have found a
way for me to rejoin,” May said.
the survey also found that
82% of athletes continue to
train, and that 86% want
to return to competition at
some stage this year if it is
safe to do so.
But there was less consen-
sus over how qualifying for
the Olympics should be de-
termined.
While 60% want suc-
cessful Olympic qualifying
marks achieved before De-
cember to count, 56% also
think this might be unfair
given that lockdown policies
vary from place to place.
“In terms of Olympic
qualification, 81% of ath-
letes surveyed think that the
world rankings system needs
to be reconsidered,” it says.
“These results together
demonstrate the myriad of
complex issues thrown up
by the new rankings sys-
tem in determining who
qualifies for the Olympics,
magnified for everyone in-
volved at this uncertain
time.”
 SPORT
Monday, April 13, 2020

GULF TIMES
CRICKET SPOTLIGHT

Don’t write off Dhoni,

Kyrgios delivers on
food pledge for
people going hungry

he still has plenty to AFP

Sydney

A
ustralian tennis star
Nick Kyrgios has

offer, says Hussain

apparently followed
through on a promise
to help people going hungry
in the coronavirus shutdown,
with social media images
showing boxes of essential
items prepped for delivery.
The controversial Kyrgios, His mother, Norlaila Kyr-
infamously outspoken and gios, posted on Instagram over
known for his fiery on-court the weekend a photo of a table
‘What I have seen of Dhoni, I still think he has a huge amount to offer to Indian cricket’ antics, said on Monday he
would personally drop food
laden with food - including
bread, fruit and canned goods
on doorsteps after Covid-19 - with the caption “dining
AFP restrictions closed down en- room or food distribution cen-
New Delhi tire industries, forcing huge tre”.
numbers of people out of work Images of Canberra-based
across Australia. tennis star’s Instagram stories

F
ormer England captain Nasser
Hussain has backed veteran Ma-
hendra Singh Dhoni to make an
international comeback despite
growing uncertainty over the start of the
Indian Premier League.
The 38-year-old Dhoni has not ap-
peared for club or country since playing
for India in last year’s 50-over World Cup
and the nationwide coronavirus lockdown
is limiting his chances of getting back in
the side with the IPL likely to be truncated
or cancelled.
There has been speculation that Dhoni
might retire from international Cricket.
“What I have seen of Dhoni, I still think
he has a huge amount to offer to Indian
Cricket,” Hussain told Indian broadcaster
Star Sports on Saturday.
“Yes, there have been one or two oc-
casions where he has got it wrong in run
chases, like that World Cup game against
England. But in general, Dhoni is still a re-
ally good talent.”
Hussain warned that Dhoni was a once-
in-a-generation Cricketer that India
would struggle to replace. “Don’t push
Dhoni into retirement too early. In the end
only Dhoni knows his mental state, in the
end selectors select and players turn up
when asked to,” he added.
“I do believe that certain individuals
should not just retire into the sunset with-
out some kind of farewell.”
Dhoni, who gave up Test Cricket in
2014, has been busy gardening at home
during the lockdown, according to an In-
stagram post by his wife.
The opening match of the Twenty20
tournament between the Dhoni-led Chen-
nai Super Kings and holders Mumbai Indi-
ans was pushed back to April 15 as sporting
events around the world were delayed or
postponed because of the COVID-19 pan-
demic. Former India captain Krishnama-
chari Srikkanth said Dhoni’s comeback
prospects looked “very, very bleak” if the
IPL was cancelled.
“Because straightaway, in my opinion,
K L Rahul will be the wicket keeper-bats-
man,” Srikkanth, former chairman of the
national selection committee, said.
“Rishabh Pant, I still think he might be
a bit of a doubt, but I believe that Rishabh
Pant is highly talented.
“He is absolutely fit, he is a legend, he is
brilliant. I am a great fan of Dhoni myself.
But the question is for the (T20) World
Cup team. So you’ll have to put the Indian
team first and then the individuals.”
Dhoni led India to win the inaugural
Twenty20 World Cup in 2007. He hit a six
to seal the 2011 World Cup final victory
and his status as a national hero. He has
amassed 10,773 runs from 350 ODIs, but
his form dipped noticeably at last year’s
50-over showpiece.
People queueing for welfare shared on News Corp web-
payments across the country sites showed boxes of essen-
have been likened to scenes tials captioned “deliveries in
from the Great Depression. progress”.
“Please don’t go to sleep It comes just months after
with an empty stomach,” Kyr- the 24-year-old led a bush-
gios, the world number 40, fire relief campaign that raised
posted on Instagram Monday. millions of dollars. Kyrgios
“Don’t be afraid or embar- gave Aus$200 (US$125) for
rassed to send me a private every ace he hit across his
message. I will be more than home tennis summer, which
happy to share whatever I have. ran until the end of the Aus-
Even just for a box of noodles, tralian Open. Other players
a loaf of bread or milk. I will and Australian Open organis-
drop it off at your doorstep, ers jumped on board the fund-
no questions asked!” he said raising drive, also contributing
in a post that attracted almost large sums to people affected
100,000 likes. by the deadly fires.
Bangladesh pacer Sharif retires
Bangladesh pacer Mohamed Sharif has retired from all forms of
cricket. Sharif played 10 Tests and nine ODIs for Bangladesh in a
brief international career between 2001 and 2007. He has a total
of 24 international wickets (14 in Tests, 10 in ODIs).
He, however, boasts of an illustrious career in domestic cricket
with 393 scalps in First Class cricket and 185 in List A.
“I have decided to quit from all forms of cricket though I feel I
could have played for another two years,” Sharif told Cricbuzz on
Saturday.
“I am looking forward to working with BCB in the coming days if
there is a possibility as I want to share the experience that I have
gathered during this long journey,” he said.
Sharif made his international debut in a match against Zimbabwe
in Bulawayo in April 2001 and later made his Test debut in the
same tour.
In both matches, he got a wicket each. He continued to be a
steady presence in the Bangladesh lineup before injuries caught
up with him in 2002 and 2003.
TENNIS
Montreal WTA event
put off until 2021
AFP WTA reiterates that health and
Montreal safety will always be the top
priority. We understand this
was a difficult decision and we

T
he Montreal WTA look forward to being back in
Stokes relives ‘great day’ of Headingley for first time tournament, one of the
key build-up events
Montreal in 2021.”
Tournament director Eu-
It has taken him seven months but on Saturday England closing stages. “It’s the first time I’ve watched it ball by ahead of the US Open, gene Lapierre said the decision
all-rounder Ben Stokes relived his ‘miracle of Heading- ball. It’s always going to be great memories, isn’t it? One was axed on Saturday and will was made for them. “At the be-
ley’ for the first time, describing the Ashes nailbiter as a of the great days,” he said. not be played until 2021, offi- ginning of the Covid-19 crisis
“great day”. “Not just on the field, but the memories we’ll always cials said. we were hoping that the situa-
In August last year, Stokes smashed a breathtaking, have together as a group. The changing room is sacred The event, scheduled for tion would be resolved in time
undefeated 135 as England beat Australia in the third as a Cricketer and that evening, after this day’s play, was August 7-16, had been in jeop- to be able to host our tourna-
Test in Leeds by one wicket. He and bespectacled last just sensational. “We’ll always be able to look back on ardy after Quebec Province ment as initially planned on
man Jack Leach put on 76 runs for the final wicket with what happened that day and the memories we created.” requested that all sporting and the calendar. “It is thus with
Stokes hitting 74 in that partnership. With his eyes fixed on the video, Stokes shouted “go, go, cultural events be cancelled a heavy heart that we received
With no Cricket to fill the live schedules as a result of the go” as his final six of the innings sailed over the head of through August 31 as a means this news, but we understand
coronavirus lockdown, British broadcasters turned to Josh Hazlewood. He then shrugged off an lbw appeal of slowing the spread of the that this decision was neces-
their archives to replay the dramatic finale of the Test. from off-spinner Nathan Lyon that would have handed coronavirus. sary,” Lapierre said.
Sky TV offered fans the chance to see Stokes, captain the game to Australia had it been given. Earlier in the in- “As a result of the meas- “We will be working tire-
Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Chris Woakes dial in nings, Australia skipper Tim Paine had wasted a review, ures imposed by the Quebec lessly in the coming months
via videolink in what the broadcaster described as a a fact not lost on Root on Saturday. “It’s the greatest government prohibiting hold- in order to make next year’s
‘watchalong’. decision of all time if you ask me. You want the world ing events until August 31, the tournament a great celebration
Staring at the screen with his fist clamped to his mouth, to swallow you up because you know you’ve made an Rogers Cup in Montreal will during which we will be able to
Stokes told fans what was going through his mind in the absolute goober of a mistake. It’s a horrible feeling.” postpone their event to 2021,” celebrate the sport and enjoy
said a WTA statement. “The each other’s company.”

FOCUS

‘Women athletes should stay focused on fight for equality’

Reuters King, the 12-time Grand Slam fessional landscape of women’s federation over allegations of
New York champion who famously waged hockey is a disaster,” said Coyne gender discrimination and lower
a decades-long battle for equal Schofield, an Olympic gold med- wages is already having a posi-
pay in professional tennis. allist who played for NWHL’s tive ripple effect.

T
ennis great Billie Jean
King on Saturday said
that despite the myriad
of setbacks facing fe-
male athletes due to the corona-
virus pandemic, they should not
lose sight of the need to continue
their push for equality.
Speaking on an online panel
event titled #WeKeepPlay-
ing hosted by King’s Women’s
Sports Foundation and Yahoo
Sports, the American said she
hoped to provide comfort and
encouragement to the thousands
who tuned in to view it.
“But I also want them to think
about the future as well,” said
King said her early goals for
women’s tennis were to make
sure all girls would have a place
to compete, that women would
be valued more for their accom-
plishments than their looks, and
to ensure female athletes earned
enough to make a living. “Many
of these athletes still do not have
the dreams and the opportuni-
ties that they deserve,” she said.
While strides have been made
toward pay equality in tennis,
women’s ice hockey still has
a long way to go, said Kendall
Coyne Schofield, a forward for
the United States women’s na-
tional team. “Right now the pro-
Minnesota Whitecaps.
“Until we can show young
girls the dream of growing up to
be a professional athlete who can
make a living doing it, our goal
has not been met,” she said.
The formation last year of the
Professional Women’s Hockey
Players Association is a good
step that will help the players
speak with one voice as they
fight for a sustainable profes-
sional women’s league that pays
living wages, she said.
U.S. national team soccer
midfielder Carli Lloyd said her
World Cup-winning squad’s
ongoing lawsuit against their
“Obviously we’ve been very
successful over the years on the
field but more importantly what
we’re doing off the field has been
so powerful,” she said.
“We are empowering so many
other women across the globe to
fight to make things better.
“She said some international
players are pushing to get better
collective bargaining agreements
and are starting to see more in-
vestment in the women’s game.
“When you hear about that in-
vestment, you are seeing the
product on the field,” she said.
“So we need to continue to do
that for women’s soccer.” Tennis legend Billie Jean King.