Saudi Arabia to host two mega sports events in 2018

Agencies
October 19, 2017

Jeddah, Oct 20: Saudi Arabia will host the first World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight final in May next year as well as its first-ever international motorsport event, featuring stars from Formula One, World Rally Championship, IndyCar, NASCAR, sportscars and touring cars competing against each other.

President of Saudi Arabia’s General Sports Authority Turki Al-Sheikh signed agreements with organizers during a trip to London this week.

“This agreement is part of our broader commitment and work to develop the sport of boxing in Saudi Arabia,” Al-Sheikh said.

Saudi capital Riyadh will host Race of Champions early next year, becoming the 10th different country to host the event.

The Red Sea city of Jeddah will organize in May World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight final.

The two-day racing competition will take place at the 75,000-capacity King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.

“Our organization is honored to be working with the President of the General Sports Authority, Turki Al-Sheikh, to bring Race of Champions to the region for the first time in the event’s 30-year history,” Race of Champions President Fredrik Johnsson was quoted as saying.

“As motorsport’s most forward-thinking property, ROC is an event perfectly suited to Saudi Arabia, which is emerging as a modern sports market on the global stage,” he added.

“With women able to drive in Saudi Arabia from 2018, we feel this is an auspicious moment to be bringing a motorsport event to Riyadh. Race Of Champions is more than just a race: it is a truly global contest that includes many of the world’s best drivers along with top-quality entertainment for families,” Johnsson said.

In a related development, World Boxing Super Series organizers announced on Tuesday that the May final of the eight-man tournament, which includes four of the major world titleholders, will take place in Jeddah.

The announcement followed an agreement signed in London between World Boxing Super Series organizer and owner Comosa AG and the General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia.

“This agreement is part of our broader commitment and work to develop the sport of boxing in Saudi Arabia,” said President of the General Sports Authority Turki Al-Sheikh.

“Having the first final of such a high-profile and groundbreaking tournament take place in Saudi Arabia is a key milestone for us. The interest in boxing among the young generation is there and growing rapidly, which is why the GSA is also working to form a grass-roots partnership with one of the largest international boxing federations to promote the sport,” he said.

“This is fantastic news, not just for World Boxing Super Series but for boxing and for the sport in Saudi Arabia,” said Comosa AG CEO Roberto Dalmiglio.

“I am sure that Saudi Arabia will lay on a fitting finale to the first year of the WBSS and first award of the Muhammad Ali Trophy. We are proud to be working with the Saudi General Sports Authority on what will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the 2018 sporting calendar in Jeddah,” he added.

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News Network
March 29,2020

New Delhi, Mar 29: Former Indian batsman Wasim Jaffer on Sunday picked his all-time IPL team and appointed wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni as its captain.

Jaffer's team's feature opener Rohit Sharma, current Indian skipper Virat Kohli, all-rounder Hardik Pandya, spinner R Ashwin, and pacer Jasprit Bumrah as seven domestic players.
While the foreign players spot have been occupied by West Indies' swashbuckling batsman Chris Gayle, all-rounder Andre Russell, Afghanistan's spinner Rashid Khan, and Sri Lanka's veteran pacer Lasith Malinga.
Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been picked as 12th man by Jaffer.

Earlier this month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to postpone the IPL to April 15, 2020, as a precautionary measure against COVID-19 outbreak.
The board also assured that it will work in unison with the Sports Ministry and will adhere to the guidelines issued.

The 13th edition of IPL was scheduled to commence from March 29. 

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News Network
March 3,2020

Sydney, Mar 3: Former Australia pacer Brett Lee foresees a "different" looking India making their maiden T20 Women's World Cup final and attributed their rise to the emergence of star players like 16-year-old Shafali Verma.

Besides opener Shafali, experienced leg-spinner Poonam Yadav has been the other match-winner for India in the competition. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side topped the group stage with four wins in as many games and play their semifinal here on Thursday.

"They've never reached the final but this is a different India team from the one they’ve seen before. They've combined match-winners in Shafali Verma and Poonam Yadav with consistent players with both bat and ball," Lee was quoted as saying by ICC.

"We've always known they have some of the best players in the world but now Harmanpreet Kaur has a team around her that can support the big players, and fill in the gaps when they have an off day."

Only a special effort from their opponents can stop India from reaching their maiden final, feels Lee.

They'll go into the semi-finals full of confidence and it will take an excellent team to stop them from reaching the Final."

Talking more about Shafali, who has got 47, 46, 39, and 29 so far, Lee backed the teen sensation to make a bigger score in the semifinal.

"Shafali Verma has been excellent at the top of the order, she’s brought a fearless energy to India’s batting and been brilliant to watch.

"You feel she can go even bigger as well – she hasn't reached 50 yet, which is both exciting for those watching and worrying for the bowlers.

"We saw from the opener against Australia just how good India can be, and it’s no surprise they’ve continued that form to top Group A," he added.

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Agencies
April 12,2020

London, Apr 12: Former Formula 1 legendary driver Stirling Moss died at the age of 90 on Sunday.

"All at F1 send our heartfelt condolences to Lady Susie and Sir Stirling's family and friends," Formula 1 said in a statement.

Often referred to as the greatest driver never to win the world championship, Moss contested 66 Grands Prix from 1951 to 1961, driving for the likes of Vanwall, Maserati and Mercedes, where he famously formed a contented and ruthlessly effective partnership with lead driver Juan Manuel Fangio.

In his 10-year-long stint at the tracks, Moss took 16 wins, some of which rank among the truly iconic drives in the sport's history - his 1961 victories in Monaco and Germany in particular often held up as all-time classics.

Moss won the 1955 Mille Miglia on public roads for Mercedes at an average speed of close to 100mph, while he also competed in rallies and land-speed attempts.

Following an enforced retirement from racing (barring a brief comeback in saloon cars in the 1980s) after a major crash at Goodwood in 1962, Moss maintained a presence in Formula 1 as both a sports correspondent and an interested observer, before retiring from public life in January of 2018.

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