REUTERS – LONDON

The English Premier League could show more matches on free-to-air TV platforms once it resumes, including during the normally protected 1500 BST slot on a Saturday, Minister Oliver Dowden said yesterday.

Dowden, head of the department for digital, culture, media and sport, said making the games available on free platforms could help to prevent fans from turning up outside the stadium for games that are being shown behind closed doors.

“It is likely to (resume) mid June at the earliest,” he told BBC TV.

“It would be a good thing to do if we can and I’m also looking as we do it at increasing the number of matches that could be free to air so

people wouldn’t be tempted to leave their homes to watch it.

“There is a rule at the moment that at 3 pm you can’t show matches on TV because people were watching it in the football stadiums, clearly that is not going to be the case anymore, so some of those slots may be available for free-to-air.”

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TUESDAY 19 MAY 2020

PL could show more matches on free-to-air, says Minister

English clubs to resume group training todayAFP – LONDON

Premier League clubs will return to training in small groups from today after the latest stage of “Project Restart” was approved yesterday.

Clubs unanimously voted to allow players to start socially distanced training in a bid to meet the Premier League’s mid-June date to resume the season.

Contact training is not permitted at this stage and corner flags, balls, cones, goal-posts, playing surfaces and other equipment will be disinfected after each session.

Testing for the coronavirus has taken place at Premier League clubs over the last few days and will continue throughout the training period.

“Strict medical protocols of the highest standard will ensure everyone returns to training in the safest environment pos-sible,” a Premier League statement said.

“The health and well-being of all par-ticipants is the Premier League’s priority, and the safe return to training is a step-by-step process.

“Full consultation will now continue with players, managers, clubs, the PFA and LMA as protocols for full-contact training are developed.”

The training protocols were presented to players and managers last week before being rubber-stamped during Monday’s video conference call.

Other rules in phase one include players not travelling with anyone to or from training, while the use of public transport and team vehicles is banned.

Sprint legendBolt becomes a fatherREUTERS – KINGSTON

Athletics great and eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt and his long-time girlfriend Kasi Bennett welcomed their first child on Sunday, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness confirmed in a congratulatory tweet yesterday.

Jamaica's Bolt, who holds world records in the 100m and 200m distance, confirmed Bennett was expecting a daughter in an Instagram video in March.

"Congratulations to our sprint legend Usain Bolt and Kasi Bennett on the arrival of their baby girl," Holness tweeted.

Bolt, the only sprinter to win the 100m and 200m golds at three consecutive Olympics (2008, 2012 and 2016), had previously said he would advise his future children against following in his footsteps.

"That’s going to be hard for my kid. If they want to do it, I'm fine with it. But initially I'm going to say don't do it, because I know the pressure that will come along with it," the 33-year-old has said.

An 11-time w o r l d champion, Bolt retired after the 2017 world championships in London where he suffered a hamstring injury in the final race of his career.

PSG Chairman Al Khelaifi named most powerful person in football

THE PENINSULA – DOHA

PSG Chairman Nasser Al Khelaifi (pictured), the head of beIN Media Group, has been named the most

powerful person in the football world.

Al Khelaifi topped a list of Top 50 most

powerful people, published on today's edition of the France F o o t b a l l Magazine.

A report pub-lished on beIN Sport

said: "They are not necessarily the people who shout loudest

or make the most fuss, but more those whose decisions carry the most weight. France Football

has come up with 50 names amongst the inev-

itable leaders of clubs and institutions, fearsome and

insatiable agents, star players with huge followings, all-pow-erful and all-knowing coaches,

businessmen whose voices are increasingly heard and politicians who are increas-

ingly present.""Those who make, and

sometimes defeat, football in 2020. And who impose themselves upon it by force, networks and/or power, either in the spotlight or in the shadows.

"In this little game, because that’s what it is, Nasser Al Khelaifi ranks at the top because of the

unique reach of his influence. He is a club

chairman (PSG), a broad-casting boss (beIN Media Group) with 55 million sub-scribers, as well as a minister without a portfolio of a country, Qatar, which will organize the next World Cup in 2022," the report said.

Al Khelaifi is at a cross-roads of influence and power games that puts him in a priv-ileged and indispensable position.

Having joined PSG nine years ago, Al Khelaifi, who is also the President of the Qatar Tennis Federation, has managed to adapt to the codes to become accepted and join this powerful clan who rules and holds sway

over international football.It was Al Khelaifi who

kicked off PSG’s transfor-mation into a truly interna-tional brand, illustrated by two statistics: the club has gone from selling 44,000 replica shirts in 2011 to more than a million in 2019, as well as from a digital community of 500,000 to more than 87 million today.

With this honorary dis-tinction, Al Khelaifi, reserved as always, did not labour the point in France Football and said: “Power for power’s sake - the obsessive search for the spotlight - it’s just pure vanity”.

In an interview in France Football, he talked about Alex Ferguson, the former boss of Manchester United, Ale-ksander Ceferin, the UEFA boss and Michael Jordan, who he negotiated with for the Parisian business.

"His (Ferguson's) know-how and passion for football are incomparable. (Ceferin) is a much needed unifying force for European and world football," the Qatari said.

Of all the players he met, at PSG and elsewhere, the PSG

boss picks out former Parisian star Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Beckham among those who impressed him the most with their ability to unify and offer another dimension.

“He (Ibrahimovic) is forever dependable and also stood up when needed," Al Khelaifi said.

"(Beckham) is one of the best role models for any young boy or girl who aspires to become a professional athlete," he said.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gianni Infantino stand

alongside Nasser Al Khelaïfi on this influential podium.

Others on the list include major agents (Mendes, Raiola or Zahavi), politicians (Xi Jinping), several players (Messi, Neymar, Sterling, Salah, Mbappé or Rapinoe), coaches (Klopp, Guardiola or Zidane) but also businessmen and women from Russia, South Korea or Bahrain.

And even a golden interna-tional trophy, the Ballon d’Or FF, which almost all of the club’s 50 members dream of getting close to, directly or indirectly.

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There is a rule at the moment that at 3 pm you can’t show matches on TV because people were watching it in the football stadiums, clearly that is not going to be the case anymore, so some of those slots may be available for free-to-air: British Minister Oliver Dowden

Premier League says strict medical protocols of the highest standard will ensure everyone returns to training in the safest environment possible. The health and well-being of all participants is the priority, and the safe return to training is a step-by-step process.

Serie A suspension extended to June 14AP – ROME

The Serie A is suspended until June 14 unless the Italian government gives it the green light to resume a day earlier as planned.

The league announced last week that its 20 teams agreed to resume competition on June 13 in empty stadiums.

However, the Italian football fed-eration announced yesterday, a day after a government decree banning sports until June 14, that it was complying.

The FIGC announced that “pending any further and desirable decision by the competent authority” its compe-titions will remain suspended until that date.

Serie A has been off since March 9, when the government ordered a nationwide lockdown.

There are 12 rounds remaining in Serie A, plus four matches that were postponed in the 25th round. Also, the Italian Cup is in the semifinal stage.

Italian clubs resumed training on an individual basis on May 4 when lockdown measures in the country started to ease.

They were slated to return to training together on Monday but they have not been given the green light to do so by the Italian government’s science panel.

The medical protocol for the resumption of Serie A has proved con-tentious but a revised document was delivered to Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora on Sunday and the science panel is expected to give its verdict this week.

PSG's Qatari Chairman tops a list of Top 50 most powerful people, published on France Football Magazine. Al Khelaifi, Cristiano Ronaldo and FIFA President, Gianni Infantino make up the top three of football's most powerful men.

09TUESDAY 19 MAY 2020 SPORT

REUTERS — NEW YORK

A tie-break win for world number one Rory McIlroy and team-mate Dustin Johnson at the Driving Relief two-on-two charity skins match on Sunday injected suspense to a course absent of fans and applause in the COVID-19 era.

Wearing microphones that captured their smack talk and frustrations, caddie-less com-petitors McIlroy and Johnson faced off against Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff, carrying their own clubs and adhering to social distancing procedures after undergoing a battery of tests and screenings.

Eager golf fans tuned in for one of the rare few live tele-vised events, and were treated to a bit of mild trash talk early on, as McIlroy teased his 21-year-old opponent Wolff after sinking a putt for par four on the second hole.

“I think you forget I’ve won two FedEx Cups that totalled at $25 million,” said McIlroy.

“Doesn’t faze me, youngster.”

That bravado was even-tually tempered, however, as Fowler’s seven birdies put pressure on the world number one and Johnson, the heavily favoured pair who boast five majors titles between them.

The competition came down to a closest-to-the-hole tiebreak, in which McIlroy clinched the victory despite an admirable 120-yard wedge shot from Wolff, letting out a whoop and offering his teammate an “air-five.”

“These Seminole greens, the ball can do funny things when you think it’s in a good place,” said McIlroy, who basked in the “normalcy” of being back in competition.

“It’s been awesome and it’s nice to get back on the golf course.”

Raising more than $5.5m through sponsors and donations for COVID-19 relief, the com-petition quickly trended on social media, as golf-starved fans reveled in seeing their favourite players compete in unique circumstances.

“Does DJ (Dustin Johnson) legitimately not know how to carry a golf bag anymore or s o m e t h i n g ? ” t w e e t e d @14Thaddeus14, as images of the 2016 US Open champ’s clubs hanging haphazardly from his shoulder prompted good-natured ribbing on Twitter.

Wolff’s tie-dyed sneakers and handlebar mustache and Fowler’s pantomime gestures

to an imaginary crowd proved that the proceedings were any-thing but business as usual, with comedic actor Bill Murray showing off his quarantine snacks during a Skype dial-in to the telecast.

The competitors swapped out the PGA Tour-mandated slacks for shorts in the 87-degree Fahrenheit heat, as clouds dotted the otherwise clear blue skies along the Florida coast.

As young Wolff’s nerves settled and Fowler visibly reveled in the return to compe-tition, the scene was enough to make anyone a bit jealous - including world number two Jon Rahm.

“I think we’re all itching to be out there,” said Rahm, dialing in to the broadcast from his Arizona home. “I sure wish I was there.”

With professional sports slowly lurching back to life in empty stadiums, arenas and venues across the world, the event marked yet another incremental move forward into a new normal.

The PGA Tour is set to resume next month in a fanless setting for the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, with players and caddies facing a host of tests and screenings.

NASCAR also resumed on Sunday at South Carolina’s Dar-lington Raceway, and Major League Baseball is currently proposing ways in which it could salvage its 2020 season.

US President Donald Trump dialed in to the golf broadcast to applaud the event, saying that live sports are good for the collective “psyche.”

“We want to get it back to where it was - we want big, big stadiums loaded with people,” Trump said.

Golfers walk down the first fairway during the TaylorMade Driving Relieve supported by UnitedHealth Group at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida.

Rory McIlroy (right) of the American Nurses Foundation team and his team-mate Dustin Johnson during the game.

McIlroy, Johnson triumph as charity game offers ‘normalcy’

Raising more than $5.5m through sponsors and donations for COVID-19 relief, the competition quickly trended on social media, as golf-starved fans reveled in seeing their favourite players compete in unique circumstances.

US President Donald Trump dialed in to the golf broadcast to applaud the event, saying that live sports are good for the collective “psyche.”

Harvick wins as NASCAR returns to racingAP — DARLINGTON

This was a 400-mile drive unlike any other in modern day NASCAR.

The grandstands were com-pletely empty. There wasn’t a single tailgate inside the track. Everyone wore face coverings - some with the team logos, others opting for plain dis-posable medical masks. It was nothing close to the corporate sponsorship, pomp and patriotic traveling circus that symbolizes NASCAR.

But when the engines fired at Darlington Raceway fol-lowing a 10-week layoff during the coronavirus pandemic, it turned into a regular old race.

Kevin Harvick beat Alex Bowman to win NASCAR’s first race back, a spectacle closely watched to see if the largest racing series in the United States could successfully get back to work.

“I just want to thank eve-rybody from NASCAR and all the teams for letting us do what

we do,” Harvick said. “I didn’t think it was going to be that dif-ferent, but it’s dead silent out here. We miss the fans.”

NASCAR developed a health plan approved by officials in both South Carolina and North Carolina and scheduled seven races over the next 11 days at two tracks. As other states began to open, the series tacked more races to fill the calendar with 20 events across seven Southern states between now and June 21. There will be no spectators at least through that date.

But to even get to the Coca-Cola 600 next week at Charlotte Motor Speedway, NASCAR had to get it right at Darlington.

Teams were required to submit rosters in advance with only 16 members allotted per car. Names were on a list at a checkpoint at the end of a gravel road just off Harry Byrd Highway and everyone who passed through had their tem-perature checked and logged before they could enter.

NASCAR did not have to turn anyone away, and all 40 drivers were cleared to race. NASCAR has declined to do COVID-19 testing to ensure those tests go to those in need.

Among those to make it

inside were Ryan Newman, back for the first time since he suffered a head injury exactly three months ago in a wreck on the final lap of the Daytona 500. Newman missed only three races because of NASCAR’s

shutdown and finished 15th in his return.

Also in the field was Matt Kenseth, who at 48 was the oldest driver at Darlington and he raced for the first time since the 2018 season finale. Kenseth

was brought out of retirement by Chip Ganassi when Kyle Larson was fired for using a racial slur during an iRacing event that kept NASCAR occupied when racing was on hold. Kenseth finished 10th.

The odd and empty setting was the backdrop for some typical NASCAR mishaps. Seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson crashed while leading on the final lap of the first stage, a better result than poor Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who barely made it out of the second turn before he crashed.

Stenhouse never finished a single lap and finished last.

And even without fans allowed on the property, a small grass fire still broke out behind a section of the track. Gray smoke billowed during a caution, which isn’t that odd a sight at a NASCAR race.

NASCAR’s elite Cup Series next races tomorrow at Dar-lington, which is hosting three events in four days before the sport shifts to Charlotte.

Action during the NASCAR Cup Series

at Darlington Raceway in

Darlington, South Carolina. INSET: Kevin Harvick

celebrates after winning the race.

Jordan’s first Air Jordan sneakers sold for record $560,000

REUTERS — NEW YORK

NBA great Michael Jordan’s autographed game-worn sneakers from his rookie season fetched a record $560,000 (463,380 pounds) in an online auction, Sotheby’s said.

The Air Jordan 1s, designed for Jordan in 1985 and the first ever sig-nature sneakers, were expected to sell for between $100,000 and $150,000 in the auction.

Known for selling multimillion-dollar art, Sotheby’s held its first auction dedicated entirely to sneakers last year and had then set a world record of $437,500 for a pair of 1972 Nike running shoes known as the “Moon Shoe.”

“We saw tremendous bidding up until the moment the sale closed, with the value more than doubling in the final hour alone,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s director of eCommerce development.

“That coupled with strong international bidding from six countries on four continents shows not only the incredible appeal of Michael Jordan... but also that sneaker col-lecting is truly a global and growing market.” Like most of Jordan’s bas-ketball shoes, they are a mismatched pair in a size 13 (left) and size 13.5 (right).

The auction coincided with the 35th anniversary of the Air Jordan brand and the screening of the 1 0 - p a r t E S P N documentary.

“The Last Dance” about the Chicago Bulls and Jordan.

The shoes were sold by collector Jordan Geller, the founder of the sneaker museum Shoezeum in Las Vegas.

Michael Jordan

NHL plotting two play-offs hubs, 12 teams each: ReportREUTERS — TORONTO

The NHL Board of Governors is scheduled to hold a conference call, and the prevailing preference appears to be using two hub cities with 12 teams apiece for the 2020 play-offs.

Commissioner Gary Bettman said on multiple occasions over the past two weeks that the league is deter-mined to hold the Stanley Cup play-offs.

Darren Dreger of TSN reported yesterday there are still issues to sort out with expansion of the play-offs, which typically would include eight teams from each conference.

Bob McKenzie of TSN said nothing is firmed up yet, but Las Vegas -- where an entire resort connected to an arena could be dedicated to players and staff -- was likely to be one of the hubs.

The league also has looked into returning to play with either a traditional 16-team or 20-team tournament. The NHL halted play on March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic with teams having between 11 and 14 games left in the regular season.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun said last week the two sides had been having trouble deciding how to bring some teams that wouldn’t have qualified for the postseason into a play-off.

NFL: Vikings' Harris signs franchise tenderREUTERS — NEW YORK

Minnesota Vikings safety Anthony Harris signed his franchise tender with the team.

Harris will earn a guar-anteed salary of $11.441m in 2020, per Spotrac. He has until the July 15 deadline to agree to a long-term contract with the Vikings. Harris, 28, posted a statement on Twitter addressing his future.

“I will let my agents and the Vikings work towards long term certainty in Minnesota, but I am excited to be back for the 2020 season,” Harris wrote, in part.

Harris joined New Eng-land’s Stephon Gilmore and Buffalo’s Tre’Davious White in sharing the NFL lead with six interceptions last season.

Harris had 180 tackles and nine interceptions in 65 career games with the Vikings since entering the NFL in 2015 as an undrafted free agent.

10 TUESDAY 19 MAY 2020SPORT

Federer is the best but Djokovic tougher for Nadal: Uncle ToniREUTERS —MUMBAI

Roger Federer is the best tennis player of the current generation but reigning world number one Novak Djokovic remains the most difficult opponent in Rafael Nadal’s career, the Spaniard’s uncle and former coach Toni Nadal has said.

T h e “ G O A T ” (Greatest of all Time) debate in men’s tennis has divided opinion for a decade and remains a hot topic as the trio continue to dominate, having won the last 13 majors.

F e d e r e r , who will be 3 9 i n August, i s

nearing the end of a glittering career and leads the race on 20 Grand Slam singles titles, with Spaniard Nadal close on his

heels with 19.Djokovic is

three behind the Swiss w i t h 1 7 majors and is a year y o u n g e r than Nadal, who turns 34 next month.

“ F o r me, he (Federer) is a wonderful player. I like to watch Roger Federer a lot,” Toni told Eurosport’s Players’ Cut pro-gramme, which features Nadal this week.

“If I wasn’t the uncle nor the coach of Rafael, I would want Federer to win all the

matches. But at the end, I like how he plays, because he’s very elegant but he’s very effective too.

“I know Federer is the best ever with I don’t know who; maybe Rod Laver or maybe Rafael, he’s not too far (behind). But at the moment Federer is the best.”

Djokovic looked unstop-pable this season before the novel coronavirus pandemic brought the tennis circuit to a halt in early March.

He lifted the ATP Cup with Serbia, won an eighth Australian Open title and then completed a fifth triumph at the Dubai Tennis Championships, extending his unbeaten run to 21 matches.

The Serb has a slight edge on world number two Nadal, having won 29 of their 55 career

meetings so far. “For us it was always more difficult to

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Toni said.

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Saliva on ball, neutral umpires set to be axed due to pandemicAFP — LONDON

Cricketers are set to be banned from using saliva to shine the ball due to the coronavirus pandemic, following recommendations by the International Cricket Council.

The ICC’s influential cricket committee met via conference call yesterday and made the recommenda-tions after a briefing from the governing body’s medical advisory committee.

It was unanimously agreed that the “elevated risk of transmission” caused by polishing the ball using spit meant the traditional method must be shelved for now, though sweat will still be permitted.

Additionally, it was decided to vote for a sus-pension to the rule guaran-teeing neutral umpires in Test cricket in a bid to min-imise travel amid quarantine issues.

No home nation umpire has stood in a Test since 2002.

In 1994, the ICC man-dated the use of one neutral umpire per Test, which was extended to two eight years later.

The committee also sug-gested one additional DRS review should be awarded to each team per innings.

The measures must now go forward for consideration by the ICC chief executives’ committee before being approved.

Former India captain Anil Kumble, who chairs the cricket committee, said: “We are l iving through

extraordinary times and the recommendations the com-mittee have made today are

interim measures to enable us to safely resume cricket in a way that preserves the

essence of our game while protecting everyone involved.”

Coronavirus will change the way bowlers operate, says India's IshantAFP – NEW DELHI

The world’s top bowlers will likely have to change the way they go about getting swing and seam as a result of the coronavirus, Indian paceman Ishant Sharma said yesterday.

Bowlers traditionally get the ball to move in the air by applying shine to one side via sweat or saliva, but new regulatitions being considered to outlaw the practice will change the game, he told an online discussion.

There will be “no

option” but to play by new rules when the sport resumes, said Ishant, who plays for for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League.

“I feel cricketers will have to get used to the new normal, whatever that is,” he said.

Last week the Aus-tralian Institute of Sport issued new guidelines expressly forbidding rubbing spit or sweat into the ball’s surface as a con-dition for competitive cricket to resume.

That prompted former

Australia captain Ian Chappell to suggest some form of ball-tampering be allowed.

“With cricket on hold, this is the ideal time to conduct the exercise,” Chappell said. “Using saliva and perspiration are now seen as a health hazard, so bowlers require something to replace the traditional methods of shining the ball.”

All international cricket -- including cash-rich tour-naments such as the IPL -- has been halted by the coronavirus, with no clear

timetable for a resumption.India has extended a

nationwide coronavirus lockdown until May 31, but new rules starting Monday allow stadiums to host events without spectators.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India said it “will not rush into any decision” on the IPL and will wait before organising training camps for national players.

Ishant has been in and out of the Indian team due to injuries and inconsistent per-formances since his debut in 2007, but he hit form before the virus struck.

Teams will need new ball-shining methods once cricket resumes. We are living through

extraordinary times and the recommendations the committee have made today are interim measures to enable us to safely resume cricket in a way that preserves the essence of our game while protecting everyone involved: Anil Kumble

BCCI to wait further before organising training camps

AP — NEW DELHI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) says it will “wait further” to organise training camp for its contracted players despite the government relaxing restrictions on sporting events, allowing them to resume without fans.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) - the BCCI’s marque event -- was postponed last month due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Twenty20 tournament will only take place this year once travel restrictions are eased and the cricket board can find a suitable window for it in the schedule.

“Taking into the account the restrictions on air travel and movement of people till May 31, the BCCI will wait further before organising a skill-based training camp for its contracted players,” cricket board treasurer Arun Dhumal said in a statement yesterday.

“The board reiterates that the safety and well-being of its athletes and support staff is paramount and will not rush into any decision that can hamper or jeopardise India’s efforts in containing the spread of the virus.”

Maharashtra and Karnataka are among several prominent states in India in com-plete lockdown. Cricket activities have been stopped around the country, but the BCCI wanted to try organising training camps at local levels.

“The BCCI will study guidelines at the state level and will work in sync with state cricket associations to chalk out a program for skill-based training at a local level,” Dhumal said.

“The BCCI Office-Bearers will continue their interactions with the team management and draw up a suitable plan for the entire team once the situation further improves,” he added.

The Indian government extended the lockdown for two weeks on Sunday but said that sports complexes and stadiums will be permitted to open without spectators.

Babar hopes T20 World Cup goes ahead even without spectatorsAP — ISLAMABAD

When cricket resumes, no team will be better prepared for playing in front of empty stands than Pakistan.

Pakistan did it for more than 10 years until last year.

The United Arab Emirates became Pakistan’s home away from home after the 2009 ter-rorist attack against the Sri Lanka team convoy in Lahore. No teams were willing to go to Pakistan to play a test until Sri Lanka last year in Rawalpindi.

“It’s ironic that we played our home cricket in front of almost empty stadia for 10 years and now the world is heading in that direction,” Pakistan limited-overs captain Babar Azam said yesterday in a video news conference.

“No team knows what it feels like playing in front of empty stands more than Pakistan.”

Babar was keen to learn the fate of the T20 World Cup in October and November in Aus-tralia when the International Cricket Council meets next

week. Babar said he’s praying he can lead Pakistan into a world tournament for the first time, and not too fussed if it can go ahead without spectators.

“If the world will never be the same again (after the coro-navirus), how can playing and watching be the same? Let’s understand and quickly embrace this,” he said.

What worried him most about live cricket without spec-tators was that he believed it will hurt the game’s development.

“I fear for the growth and development of cricket,” he said.

“It’s a serious issue for me if no youngster will watch his heroes live in action.”

Markram stakes claim for South Africa Test captaincyREUTERS — CAPE TOWN

Opening batsman Aiden Markram has said he would give an “arm and a leg” to captain South Africa in Tests but admits doubting his own ability during a difficult 12 months in the longer format.

Markram, 25, is considered one of the front-runners to take over the Test captaincy from Faf du Plessis when South Africa return to five-day action, and would likely have been a shoo-in if his form had not dipped so dramatically in the last year.

“It is just nice to be con-sidered and I’d give an absolute arm and a leg to be able to do it, but in the same breath I don’t want to become desperate about it,” Markram said in an interview released by Cricket South Africa (CSA) yesterday.

“It’s one of those things where if it were to happen it would be amazing. But if not, there are plenty of good leaders

Babar Azam

within the environment that will definitely take the team.”

Markram led South Africa to victory at the 2014 Cricket Under-19 World Cup, and had been tipped by current CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith as a future captain for the senior side.

“I really enjoy captaincy,” Markram said. “I enjoy the responsibilities that come with it. I have been able to watch from franchise captains to a guy like Faf and it is just something that I would love to do.”

But Markram must first regain his starting place in the side. The opener averaged above 45 in his first 15 Tests, but in the next five managed only 183 runs at an average of 18.30.

He had a spell on the

sidelines after injuring his hand when he struck a wall following a pair of ducks in India last year.

“I have certainly doubted myself and doubted my abil-ities,” Markram said.

“At the top level, you’re just a few bad knocks away from people wanting you out of the team. I doubted myself quite a bit this last year.

“It’s a tough space to be in but it comes with the territory and if you want to be a top per-former at a high level, you’ve got to find ways to deal with it,” he said.

South Africa are next scheduled to be in action for two Tests in the West Indies in late July, though that tour is under threat due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I really enjoy captaincy. I enjoy the responsibilities that come with it: Aiden Markram

THE PENINSULA – DOHA

Qatar’s three-time Superstock 600 champion Saeed Al Sulaiti proved to be too good even on a virtual track as he dominated the proceeding by winning the first of three finals of the Qatar Online Racing Championship on Sunday.

After leading the qualifying by a massive margin, Al Sulaiti stormed to victory at the virtual Donington Park Circuit with a comfortable 10-second gap ahead of Soud Al Thani, who was unbeaten throughout three qualifying rounds.

Khalid Al Maraghi recovered from a fall during the race which pushed him back to ninth due to a crash and then managed to stage a superb comeback to clinch the remaining spot on the podium.

Hade Ahmed started off from seventh spot in the starting grid, but fought back strongly to finish in the fourth place.

Jeremy Parola, the French rider who won the QSTK Trophy this season, settled for the fifth spot.

Mohamad Al Zaidan fin-ished sixth ahead of Sulaiti's familiar QSTK 600 rival Abdulla Al Qubaisi who settled for a seventh place finish.

Ali Ahmed, Jassim Al Thani and Hamad Al Sahouti rounded up the top 10 in first round of the finals.

The second race of the final round takes place today, fol-lowed by the third and last competition on Thursday.

Winners of the inaugural online championship will be decided depending on the points collected by the riders at the end of the three rounds.

The series, played on Play-Station 4 platform of MotoGP 19 game, is organised by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation.

11TUESDAY 19 MAY 2020 SPORT

Celtic declared champions as Scottish season ends earlyAFP – LONDON

Celtic were crowned champions for a record-equalling ninth consecutive season as the Scottish Premiership campaign was declared over yesterday.

Neil Lennon’s men were 13 points clear at the top of the table when the season was stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic in March with eight games remaining for the majority of clubs.

Second-placed Rangers had a game in hand to try and cut that gap and were due to face Celtic twice more before the end of the season.

“It is, of course, a real shame that we were not able to see out the league in front of our fans. However, no one can deny how deserved this title is,” said Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell.

A ninth consecutive title matches the record set by Celtic’s European Cup-winning side of the sixties and seventies and Rangers’ dominant team that won nine in a row between 1988 and 1997.

“To be sitting here now as the manager of the nine in a row, and having played a huge part in that, fills me with so much pride,” said Lennon, who has been in charge for five of the nine straight titles.

“It feels wonderful and I’m so proud of the players. It’s an incredible record and to be part of that is something very special, and I think it’s thor-oughly deserved as well.”

A points-per-game formula

for determining final league placings also sees bottom club Hearts relegated unless there is any progress in talks over league reconstruction.

Premiership clubs have pre-viously rejected proposals for reconstruction, but Hearts said they will put forward a new res-olution and warned they may take legal action if it is rejected.

The three leagues below the Premiership were ended over a month ago when clubs passed a controversial resolution that

allowed the Scottish Profes-sional Football League (SPFL) board to also bring the top flight to a halt if it deemed the games could no longer be played.

Last week Rangers failed to gain support of the 42 member clubs for an independent inquiry into how the vote on the resolution was passed.

Premiership clubs agreed on Friday that finishing the season was no longer a realistic option.

Scottish clubs will not be

allowed to return to training until June 10 at the earliest.

The cost of testing and the fact a high percentage of players will be out of contract in May and June were also high-lighted by clubs as reasons why making a return to finishing the campaign was impractical.

“The SPFL has today announced that, following con-sultation with all 12 top-flight clubs, the Board of the SPFL has determined that the 2019/20 Premiership has been con-cluded with immediate effect,” the league said in a statement.

By calling the season to an end, the SPFL can now release a final instalment of prize money to clubs based on their league position.

“This decision now enables us to pay out around £7m ($8.5m) in fees to help clubs stay afloat during this incredibly dif-ficult time,” said SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster.

UEFA pushes back key meeting dueto Euro venue concernsAFP – PARIS

UEFA has postponed a potentially key meeting of its Executive Committee until June 17, European football’s governing body said yesterday.

The meeting was ini-tially due to be held on May 27 but has been put back due to concerns sur-rounding some of the venues for the next European Championship.

UEFA cited “some remaining open points regarding a small number of proposed venues for the rearranged UEFA Euro 2020 next year.”

The Euro was pushed back by a year to June and July 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. It was due to be staged in 12 cities across 12 different European nations, but that f o r m a t c o u l d b e modified.

“The idea is that we stay in the same cities,” UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin told broadcaster beIN Sports last week.

“We have had conver-sations with nine cities and everything is set. With three cities, we have some issues.

The German Bundesliga became the first major European league to return over the weekend and UEFA remains hopeful of wrapping up the current club season in August, thereby liming the delay to the start of next season.

UEFA has been working on a potential scenario which would see domestic leagues being played out before the Champions League and Europa League are completed in August.

“We have a concrete plan of finishing the European season. Of course, this summer we will have to play without spectators at the stadiums,” Ceferin told beIN.

He added: "We have an idea but we have to wait for the Executive Committee of UEFA to confirm the dates.

"I can say that the European season will be finished, if everything is as it is now, in August."

Matches with no spectators only a short-term fix: WengerREUTERS – LONDON

Staging football matches without spectators must only be a short-term fix during the COVID-19 pandemic as the prolonged absence of fans could damage the game, former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger (pictured above)has said.

The German Bundesliga became the first major soccer league to resume since the novel coronavirus outbreak shut down sports earlier this year, and its return behind closed doors is being closely watched by other leagues.

“Will it survive long-term? Will it damage the show long-term without supporters? I am convinced of that,” FIFA’s head of global development Wenger told beIN Sport.

“You cannot imagine a whole season without any spectators. That’s why I believe it a short-term solution.

“It is still the best pos-sible way to get a verdict for the end of the season. It’s better than any other decision.” England’s Premier League is hopeful ‘Project Restart’, which envisages a return to action in June, can gain momentum after clubs hold a conference call yes-terday to vote on a

return to group training but

matches will be played in empty stadiums.

T h e F r e n c h m a n added that health con-

cerns should take priority in any

decision to restart play.

“We can’t be guided too much by financial reasons and take such a big gamble,” he added. “We have to first make sure this is medically safe.”

Dortmund showdown set to decide German league: Mueller

AFP – BERLIN

Thomas Mueller expects B a y e r n M u n i c h ’ s

showdown behind closed doors at closest rivals

Borussia Dortmund in a week’s time to decide who wins the Bundesliga title.

Goals by R o b e r t

L e w a n d -owski and Benjamin P a v a r d

sealed a 2-0 win for Bayern at Union Berlin on

Sunday as the German top flight restarted behind closed

doors.The result in

B e r l i n maintained Bayern’s four-point lead at the top of the table after the league took a two-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Second-placed Dortmund smashed Schalke 4-0 on Sat-urday with Erling Braut

Haaland opening the scoring before Raphael Guerreiro netted either side of a Thorgan Hazard goal.

Dortmund host Bayern on May 26 and Mueller expects the potential top-of-the-table clash to be a key factor in determining whether Munich will go on to clinch an eighth straight league crown.

“The match in Dortmund will decide how exciting and close it will be in the next few weeks, that’s for sure,” said Mueller.

Former Dortmund striker Lewandowski netted a first-half penalty for Bayern on Sunday for his 26th league goal this season, taking him one closer to Gerd Mueller’s record of 40 in the 1971-1972 season.

Aked if the Pole could overtake Mueller’s 48-year-old record, Bayern coach Hansi Flick said: “It won’t be easy, but he (Lewandowski) has the quality.

“If anyone can do it, he’s the one.” In Dortmund, Haaland also continued his phenomenal scoring record with his 10th goal

in nine Bundesliga games since arriving from Red Bull Salzburg in January.

In total, the lanky 19-year-old Norwegian has now scored 41 goals in 34 games in all competi-tions in 2019/20.

The drubbing of Schalke was the heaviest defeat dished out in the Ruhr derby since 1966.

Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said he received congrat-ulatory text messages from football luminaries including Liv-erpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Tottenham coach Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.

“Perez even wrote that he was very happy” about the “excep-tionally good performance by our team”, Watzke told the Bild daily.

However, the Dortmund chief drew the line at suggestions the emphatic win was a direct chal-lenge to Bayern.

Last season, Dortmund threw away a nine-point lead when their form dipped in early 2019, allowing Bayern to win the title by two points.

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A fan is seen with a flag outside Celtic Park in Glasgow, Britain, after Celtic were confirmed champions after the SPFL ended the season, yesterday.

Celtic were 13 points clear at the top of the table when the season was stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic in March with eight games remaining for the majority of clubs.

A ninth consecutive title matches the record set by Celtic’s European Cup-winning side of the sixties and seventies and Rangers’ dominant team that won nine in a row between 1988 and 1997.

Bayern Munich’s German forward Thomas Mueller in action during the German Bundesliga match against FC Union Berlin in Berlin, on Sunday.

QORC: Al Sulaiti takes series lead with dominant winQORC FINAL WEEK

POINTS TALLY AFTER ROUND 1 1 Saeed Al Sulaiti 402 Soud Al Thani 363 Khalid Al Maraghi 334 Hade Ahmed 315 Jeremy Parola 306 Mohamad Al Zaidan 297 Abdulla Al Qubaisi 288 Ali Ahmed 279 Jassim Al Thani 26 10 Hamad Al Sahouti 25