Angry Algeria coach says Ramazan is matter for players

June 30, 2014

Angry AlgeriaPorto Alegre, Jun 30: Algeria coach Vahid Halilhodzic on Sunday turned on reporters repeatedly asking whether his players are observing Ramazan on the eve of their World Cup clash with Germany.

Germany take on the Algerians in Porto Alegre on Monday in their last 16 clash, but repeated questions about the Muslim month of fasting drew the coach's wrath.

“Stop asking me about Ramazan or I will get up and leave,” fumed the Bosnia-born Halilhodzic as Ramazan started on Saturday.

“When you ask the question, you lack respect and I'd like you to focus on the football and nothing else.

“This is not the first time I coach a team with Muslims, I'm a Muslim myself.

“I have always allowed the players to make their own decision.“

The 61-year-old is riled by criticism from the Algerian press who alleged he had advised his players not to follow Ramazan.

“Unfortunately, I have read some newspapers, and one in particular, who continue to tarnish my image and question my honour and integrity,” he fumed.

“They have called for hatred and aggression against Vahid and his entourage, that's disgusting!“

The clash at Porto Alegre's Beira-Rio Stadium has drawn plenty of questions about the 'Shame of Gijon' which remains a sore point in Algeria, three decades later.

Despite beating West Germany 2-1 in their group games, Algeria was eliminated from the 1982 World Cup after the Germans played out a mutually beneficial 1-0 win over Austria in Gijon.

“No one has forgotten what happened in 1982, the players will be motivated to get their revenge, but the Germans will also be doing everything to get to the quarter-finals,” said Halilhodzic.

A 1-1 draw against Russia in the group stages put Algeria in the knock-out phase and Halilhodzic said his side are dreaming of a place in Friday's quarter-final against either France or Nigeria in Rio de Janeiro.

“We had a lot to lose against Russia, but we have nothing to lose against the Germans,” said Halilhodzic.

“We are living through good times and we want them to continue, we want to go to Rio to at least visit the Copacabana -- that would be nice.

“The Germans are really impressive, they finish very well and are very fit.

“I have talked to the players and tried to get the underdogs feeling out of them.

“We'll prepare for this as if it is the most important match in our careers.

“We will give it our utmost, but we will try and leave this wonderful tournament as well as possible.”

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Agencies
May 9,2020

Tokyo, May 9: As the world continues to grapple with coronavirus pandemic, the organisers of Tokyo Game Show have cancelled 2020 showpiece event.

TGS 2020 was slated to be played from September 24 to September 27 at the Makuhari Messe convention center. However, there now talks going on for holding an online event instead.

According to the Verge, this is the first time that TGS has ever been cancelled since it started in 1996.

TGS 2020 gained more attention because of its status as the last major trade show before the launch of the upcoming next-gen consoles, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

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News Network
June 10,2020

Jun 10: "It is never too late to fight for the right cause," said opening batsman Chris Gayle as he came out in support of former T20 World Cup-winning skipper Darren Sammy. The debate around racism in sport has kickstarted once again after former Windies T20 World Cup-winning skipper Darren Sammy alleged racism during his stint with SunRisers Hyderabad in the 2014 Indian Premier League. Taking note of Sammy's revelation, Gayle tweeted: "It's never too late to fight for the right cause or what you've experienced over the years! So much more to your story, @darensammy88. Like I said, it's in the game".

Earlier, Gayle had also revealed that he too has been a victim of racism, and added that racism is something that has been bothering cricket as well.

On Tuesday, Sammy had released a video specifying that the racial slurs against him were used within the SunRisers camp.

"I have played all over the world and I have been loved by many people, I have embraced all dressing rooms where I have played, so I was listening to Hasan Minhaj as to how some of the people in his culture describe black people," Sammy said in a video posted on his Instagram account.

"This does not apply to all people, so after I found out a meaning of a certain word, I had said I was angry on finding out the meaning and it was degrading, instantly I remembered when I played for SunRisers Hyderabad, I was being called exactly the same word which is degrading to us black people," he added.

Sammy said that at the time when he was being called with the word, he didn't know the meaning, and his team-mates used to laugh every time after calling him by that name.

"I will be messaging those people, you guys know who you are, I must admit at that time when I was being called as that word I thought the word meant strong stallion or whatever it is, I did not know what it meant, every time I was called with that word, there was laughter at that moment, I thought teammates are laughing so it must be something funny," Sammy said.

The former Windies skipper has been a vocal supporter of the protests that are currently going on in the United States over the death of an African-American man named George Floyd.

Sammy had also made an appeal to the ICC and other cricket boards to support the fight against social injustice and racism.

Ever since the demise of Floyd, protests erupted from the demonstrations in cities from San Francisco to Boston.

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Agencies
August 3,2020

Silverstone, Aug 2: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton on Sunday won his seventh British Grand Prix title after a dramatic last-lap at the Silverstone Circuit.

Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas were at the first and second spot respectively until tyre drama struck.

Second-placed man Bottas was the first to suffer as his tyre deflated on lap 50, resulting in 11th place finish. Hamilton also suffered a similar issue before the final few seconds of the race.

However, with Max Verstappen having opted to pit a few laps from the end to try and claim the fastest lap, Hamilton had enough time in hand to just cross the line first, five seconds ahead of Verstappen and the third-placed Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

McLaren's Carlos Sainz had been set to finish fourth, but his own last lap tyre issue saw him eventually come home P13, allowing Renault's Daniel Ricciardo to claim fourth, following a late pass on the sister McLaren of Lando Norris.

Renault's Esteban Ocon finished sixth, having enjoyed a race-long battle with Lance Stroll's Racing Point, with Pierre Gasly having enjoyed a fine race to finish seventh for AlphaTauri.

Alex Albon finished eighth for Red Bull, having recovered from a lap 1 tussle with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen that saw him fall to last, while Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel rounded out the top 10, Vettel holding off a late charge form the recovering Mercedes of Bottas.

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