Saudi ambassador, IOC member Princess Reema calls for criticism of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif to stop

Princess Reema bint Bandar was speaking at the 142nd session of the International Olympic Committee in Paris in her capacity as a member of the IOC and an official in its gender equality, diversity and inclusion commission. (Supplied)
Princess Reema bint Bandar was speaking at the 142nd session of the International Olympic Committee in Paris in her capacity as a member of the IOC and an official in its gender equality, diversity and inclusion commission. (Supplied)
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Updated 10 August 2024
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Saudi ambassador, IOC member Princess Reema calls for criticism of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif to stop

Saudi ambassador, IOC member Princess Reema calls for criticism of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif to stop
  • Princess was speaking at 142nd session of IOC in Paris
  • In case of Khelif, ambassador said she spoke as “a female, a Muslim and an Arab woman”

LONDON: The Saudi ambassador to the US said on Saturday that media criticism of Algerian Olympic gold medallist boxer Imane Khelif had to stop and that “kindness and human dignity must prevail every time.”

Princess Reema bint Bandar was speaking at the 142nd session of the International Olympic Committee in Paris in her capacity as a member of the IOC and an official in its gender equality, diversity and inclusion commission.

She said, however, that in the case of the abuse Khelif has faced, she spoke as “a female, a Muslim and an Arab woman.”

She continued: “As such, I cannot serve in good conscience on this committee and remain silent on the media commentary on Imane Khelif.

“I’d like to say today that I wholeheartedly support (IOC President) Thomas Bach and everyone who communicated the joint Paris 2024 Boxing Unit and IOC statement made on Aug. 1.”

The Algerian won a gold medal amid a tumultuous run in Paris, where she has endured intense scrutiny inside and outside the ring and online abuse from around the world over misconceptions about her womanhood.

“From my point of view, the facts are clear, Khelif is a woman,” Princess Reema said. “She was born a girl and has lived her entire life as a female. However, despite this joint statement, there has been continuous misreporting based on misinformation which has caused immeasurable pain and this is not only unacceptable but absolutely heartbreaking,” she added.

The ambassador said that, from humble roots in rural Algeria, Khelif had worked just as hard as every other Olympic athlete, with “determination, grit and persistence,” for the right to compete in front of the world.




Princess Reema bint Bandar was speaking at the 142nd session of the International Olympic Committee in Paris in her capacity as a member of the IOC and an official in its gender equality, diversity and inclusion commission. (Supplied)

“As is the nature of Olympians, she represents the most superior capability and capacity, and this is what makes these Games so spectacular and what makes Paris so spectacular. But nobody has the right to deny her her womanhood and continuing to push false narratives against her is an attempt to rob her of her dignity and her merit,” said Princess Reema.

“So, I stand here today in front of his distinguished committee and I say this can’t continue. Women Olympians are elite, they train to be the best of the best. And it is that collective failure of all of us that we still have this conversation, so I think it is more paramount than ever.

The princess said if a female stayed silent, she was viewed as accepting the misreports or as weak, but if she were to speak out, she would be branded as defensive.

“I believe athletes should be focusing on their performance, not having to justify their existence,” she told the committee.

“No athlete should be bullied or ridiculed for their appearance, no athlete should have their wins, or talents or achievements they have developed over a lifetime, weaponized against them, because what eclipses appearance is talent.

“These Olympics are a time to celebrate diversity, with athletes hailing from all corners of the globe. But ladies and gentlemen, you know, women don’t look, speak or act singularly and each woman performing in her respective sport, she’s unique. The only communality is the determination to make it to the top,” she added.

The Saudi princess said after Khelif’s quarterfinal win, when she fell to her knees in tears, “every woman who has ever felt isolated, mocked or or told that they didn’t belong; they fell with her. And when she rose, they rose with her.”

She added that she offered her full support, not only to the IOC and the “brave and bold statements they have made,” but also to “every female who has been subjected to unnecessary criticism, in what should have been their time to shine and reap.”

She continued: “To the general public and to humankind, I ask that you look at women athletes and look at what they’ve endured, and ask yourself: What it was your daughter? What if it was your female friend or relative? Your words matter and our behaviour matters.

“And to every girl who thinks she sits just a little outside the box or outside of the norm, if you see a racket, pick it up; if you see a soccer ball, kick it; and if you see a track, run as fast as you can.”


Solheim Cup veteran Georgia Hall among four captain’s picks for Europe team to face US

Solheim Cup veteran Georgia Hall among four captain’s picks for Europe team to face US
Updated 27 August 2024
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Solheim Cup veteran Georgia Hall among four captain’s picks for Europe team to face US

Solheim Cup veteran Georgia Hall among four captain’s picks for Europe team to face US
  • The 2024 Solheim Cup will be played Sept. 13-15 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia
  • The US have not won since 2017, though still lead the series 10-8

LONDON: Georgia Hall will play in her fifth straight Solheim Cup after the English golfer was among four captain’s picks announced Monday for the competition against the US next month.

Hall, three-time major champion Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen all return from the European team that retained the trophy after a 14-14 tie in Spain last year.

Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland was the only debutant picked by captain Suzann Pettersen on Monday.

Eight players had already qualified automatically to represent Europe: Swedish trio Maja Stark, Linn Grant and Madelene Sagstrom, Charley Hull of England, Ireland’s Leona Maguire, France’s Celine Boutier, Carlota Ciganda of Spain and Esther Henseleit of Germany.

The 2024 Solheim Cup will be played Sept. 13-15 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia.

The US have not won since 2017, though still lead the series 10-8.

US captain Stacy Lewis is set to announce her three picks Tuesday.

Already qualified are Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu, Lauren Coughlin, Ally Ewing, Allizen Corpuz, Megan Khang, Andrea Lee, Rose Zhang and Alison Lee.


Defending champion Gauff aces Gracheva test at US Open

Defending champion Gauff aces Gracheva test at US Open
Updated 27 August 2024
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Defending champion Gauff aces Gracheva test at US Open

Defending champion Gauff aces Gracheva test at US Open

NEW YORK: Coco Gauff launched her US Open title defense with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Varvara Gracheva on Monday, firing 10 aces and saving eight break points to advance.

The 20-year-old American worked through some tight moments early on to polish off the victory in 66 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium, where she captured her first Grand Slam title last year.

She was breezing through the second set when France’s Gracheva, ranked 66th in the world, mustered a pair of break points in the final game.

Gauff saved both with aces as she booked a second-round meeting with Tatjana Maria of Germany, a 6-2, 6-3 winner over Argentina’s Solana Sierra.

“I served well,” Gauff said. “Can’t ask for a better start into this tournament, so hoping to continue to get better as the week, two weeks go by.”

Gauff’s build-up to the final Grand Slam of the season has been less than ideal. She fell in the third round at Toronto and lost her first match as the defending champion in Cincinnati.

But she said taking the long view was helping her stay steady as she tries for the first time to defend a major title.

“The last couple of weeks were tough, and I was, like, ‘I have to do this and do that.’

“But I don’t have to prove anything to anyone except myself,” she said.

“Just learning and just realizing that I have a lot left to give this game, and whether that’s going to happen this year or in the future, I have many more years coming back here,” she said. “And I’m not going to win every year.”

She said that perspective, “and just having the belief that I can but not the expectation that I should” win had tamped down the pressure.

So did the confidence in her game that had built practice, despite her disappointing recent results.

“I wasn’t surprised about my level because I was practicing really well this week,” she said.

“It was a really good practice week. So honestly, I was just telling myself that I’m ready, I had a great practice week, I feel like I’m finding my game, whereas the other two tournaments that I played at, even the practice sessions I was doing, I just felt off.

“I knew based off how I was practicing I can find my game regardless of the scoreline. Then it’s just about executing.”


Villarreal strike late to take La Liga lead off Celta Vigo

Villarreal strike late to take La Liga lead off Celta Vigo
Updated 27 August 2024
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Villarreal strike late to take La Liga lead off Celta Vigo

Villarreal strike late to take La Liga lead off Celta Vigo

MADRID: Dani Parejo scored from a penalty rebound in the 10th minute of added time on Monday as Villarreal wrested top spot in La Liga from Celta Vigo with a 4-3 home victory.

Celta opened the third round of the Liga season top of the table on goal difference from Real Madrid after winning their opening two games.

Borja Iglesias, making his Celta debut, gave the visitors the lead when he pounced on a loose ball and tucked it into an empty net after 12 minutes.

Sergi Cardona, unmarked at the far post, levelled from a 26th-minute corner.

Oscar Mingueza smashed Celta back ahead before half-time.

Villarreal substitute Thierno Barry, who had been on the field for a minute, headed an equalizer on the hour.

Four minutes later, Celta defender Jailson turned a cross from Nicolas Pepe into his own net to put Villarreal ahead.

Swedish center-back Carl Starfelt headed Celta level in the 80th minute.

Deep into stoppage time Celta’s Hugo Alvarez, a second-half substitute, pulled down Barry to concede a penalty.

Goalkeeper Ivan Villar saved Parejo’s spot kick but the midfielder scored from the rebound.

The victory took Villarreal to seven points and they took over top spot. 
 


Indonesia’s top Paralympic powerlifter pushes for more medal glory

Indonesia’s top Paralympic powerlifter  pushes for more medal glory
Updated 26 August 2024
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Indonesia’s top Paralympic powerlifter pushes for more medal glory

Indonesia’s top Paralympic powerlifter  pushes for more medal glory

SUKATA, Indonesia: Indonesia’s most decorated para powerlifter Ni Nengah Widiasih shouts as she bench presses a heavy weight at her training gym, pushing through a shoulder injury to prepare for her next challenge: winning a third Paralympic medal.

The three-time Paralympian, diagnosed with polio as a child and unable to use her legs, began powerlifting in elementary school — training with her brother in exchange for ice cream.

The Balinese para athlete went on to win bronze at Rio 2016, silver at Tokyo 2020, and even a Toyota sponsorship, and she will bid for gold in the women’s 41kg category at the Paris Games that begin this week.

“Powerlifting has changed my life a lot,” the 31-year-old told AFP at the national training center in Indonesia’s Surakarta city.

“Maybe if I didn’t do powerlifting, I don’t know, I have no idea what I would do.”

Widiasih says wanting to make her family and country proud was a driving force for another shot at a Paralympic medal.

“It’s a personal target. Paris is not easy for me (because of the injury), but I will try as hard as I can,” she said.

“I will do my best for Indonesia, for my family.”

While men dominate Indonesia’s overall Paralympic medal haul, women have always led the way in its para powerlifting representation.

No Indonesian man has ever qualified for the Paralympics in the sport.

Widiasih trains with two other women para powerlifters with their own medal hopes, who will be a part of Indonesia’s largest-ever contingent of Paralympic athletes in Paris.

She will be joined by Siti Mahmudah, in the 79kg category, and Sriyanti, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, in the +86kg class.

Siti, who lost her left leg to amputation, will compete at her second Paralympics.

Sriyanti, who also had polio as a child, has gone from a chicken noodle seller to a Paralympian and silver medallist at the Asian Games in 2022.

Widiasih said the Indonesian women’s feat was all the more impressive because of challenges that men would never encounter, recalling a recent competition day when her menstrual cycle began.

She experienced extreme pains in her stomach but still had to lift tens of kilograms of weight to compete.

“Thank God I could handle it. It was quite disturbing. This won’t be experienced by male athletes,” she said.

Indonesian para powerlifting coach Eko Supriyanto said he is “more than amazed” by the all-woman trio.

But after Widiasih lifted 98kg to take silver in Tokyo, he is managing expectations this time around because of her injury.

“We are pushing them to be able to compete at least for bronze,” he said of the Paris Paralympics powerlifting, which begins on Sept. 4.

“What is important is that we have done our best, worked hard, and are disciplined.”

He hopes that one day a man will join the impressive Indonesian women to compete in para powerlifting.

But for now Indonesia’s top powerlifter Widiasih wants her medals to push more women to start lifting weights.

“I hope a lot of women out there are inspired by us,” she said.

“Whatever our condition, as long as we give our effort, trust ourselves, there is nothing impossible for us.”


PCB appoints mentors for domestic cricket season

PCB appoints mentors for domestic cricket season
Updated 26 August 2024
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PCB appoints mentors for domestic cricket season

PCB appoints mentors for domestic cricket season
  • Waqar Younis, Saqlain Mushtaq, Misbal-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed named mentors
  • Pakistan Cricket Board says initiative will help spot new cricketing talent in the South Asian country

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Monday it had appointed five former cricketers mentors for the domestic cricket season 2024-25, following a “robust and transparent” recruitment process.
These former cricketers include Waqar Younis, Saqlain Mushtaq, Misbal-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed who have cumulatively played 1,621 international matches, with a total score of 32,780 runs and 1,503 wickets.
The development comes a day Pakistan’s loss to Bangladesh in the first of a two-match Test series. It followed Pakistan’s humiliating exit from the World Cup this year.
The decision to appoint mentors was aimed at precisely spotting the new cricketing talent in the South Asian country, according to the PCB.
“Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik and Waqar Younis were today confirmed as mentors of the five Champions Cup sides on three-year contracts following a transparent and robust recruitment process,” the PCB said in a statement on Monday. “Names of their sides and squads will be confirmed in due course.”
It said the first assignment to be undertaken by the mentors would be the Champions Cup being held in the eastern Punjab province on Sep 12-29 after two years.
Of the five mentors, Sarfaraz and Shoaib are two-time ICC event winners, Misbah is the 2012 Asia Cup winning captain, while Saqlain and Waqar were part of the team that played the 1999 World Cup final that Pakistan lost to Australia.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said he was pleased to welcome five “exceptional champions” as mentors of the Champions Cup teams.
“These individuals bring a wealth of cricketing experience, knowledge and expertise, which, combined with their passion for the game we all love, will help the Pakistan Cricket Board identify, develop and nurture the next generation of cricketers across all formats,” he said, highlighting that the initiative will bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket.
Naqvi said the five mentors would play a role in the progression of emerging cricketers that would aid in “strategic planning and team-building processes,” apart from providing leadership and personal development support.
“The PCB is committed to strengthening Pakistan’s cricket through a robust domestic structure that offers a clear and competitive pathway for all cricketers,” he said. “The most talented and skilled players will advance through the ranks to represent Pakistan at the highest level.”