Saturday 2 July 2011
Man City close on Clichy, eye Nasri
LONDON: Manchester City are close to completing a move for French left-back Gael Clichy and are also interested in signing his Arsenal colleague Samir Nasri, Sky Sports claimed on Thursday.The big-spending FA Cup winners have reportedly stolen a march on Liverpool in the race to sign Clichy and are preparing 20 million pounds ($32.1m) bid for France midfielder Nasri, according to the British television channel.
Nasri, 24, enjoyed his best season in an Arsenal shirt last term, scoring 10 league goals, but has yet to agree a contract extension and is also rumoured to have attracted interest from champions Manchester United.
He joined Arsene Wenger’s side from Marseille in 2008 and has since made over 80 appearances for the club, who have not won a major trophy since the 2005 FA Cup.
Anelka loses case over World Cup insult
PARIS: Former France striker Nicolas Anelka has lost his case for damages over offensive remarks attributed to him during the 2010 World Cup which led to his banishment from the tournament.
French newspaper L’Equipe published the phrase it said was uttered by the Chelsea player to coach Raymond Domenech at halftime of the defeat by Mexico. France went on strike after Anelka had been sent home and the side crashed out in the group stage.
A tribunal prosecutor said on Friday that although there was a debate about the exact remarks, their offensive nature was not contested.
Anelka had demanded 150,000 euros ($212,835) in damages, saying that what was said in a dressing room was confidential.
L’Equipe said it had several sources for the story and pointed out that no one had quibbled when a documentary filmed the dressing room during France’s triumphant 1998 World Cup campaign.
Imran backs ICC ban on government meddling
KARACHI: Pakistan’s legendary former captain Imran Khan on Thursday welcomed a decision from cricket’s governing body to ban political appointments, calling for a total revamp of the national board.
The ICC executive board on Thursday gave cricket boards 12 months to implement free elections and another 12-month grace period to enact the changes before any sanctions would be considered.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), whose chairman Ijaz Butt was appointed by the president, was not immediately reachable for comment but it has threatened legal action in the past if the constitution is changed.
Khan, one of Pakistan’s most vocal opposition politicians, welcomed the amendment.
He told AFP that the PCB now had a chance to become a real institution if the system was overhauled.
“The amendment will help Pakistan as there is no transparency and accountability in the current set-up,” Khan told AFP.
“But to gain full benefit, Pakistan must fix the cricket structure with a new constitution on regional grounds where officials are elected.”
Khan said the changes could allow Pakistan to perform better.
“If we have our cricket structure right, Pakistan has more talent than anywhere in the world, and we will dominate the world,” said Khan, who led Pakistan to their only World Cup title in 1992.
Former PCB chairman Arif Abassi said reform had long been needed.
“I resigned in 1996 because there was uncalled for government interference when I wanted to make the PCB a private company with shares,” said Abassi.
Abassi said the ICC was after Pakistan after a slew of public irregularities and said: “It’s now time we find the right people to overhaul our system and who know how to do it,” he said.
But fellow former PCB chief Khalid Mahmood rejected the ICC imposition as a violation of Pakistan’s independence.
“The ICC has no business to tell us how to run our cricket,” said Mahmood, calling for legal action if necessary.
“We must resist on this and although legal action is the last resort, one has to back it because we have to draw a line on sovereignty,” said Mahmood.
Former spinner Iqbal Qasim thought Pakistan would have trouble in enacting the change.
“While other Boards like England and Australia have a proper system, Pakistan will face some problems in implementing the change and they will need to overhaul the system from grass-root level,” said Qasim.
“We need to think out a proper plan, be it with the government’s help, to implement the change in two years.”
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are also directly affected by the amendment as their cricketing affairs are similarly run on government directives
I have to provide for my family now: Gayle
BRIDGETOWN: West Indies batsman Chris Gayle described West Indies Cricket Board efforts to reconcile with him as “a sham and a mockery” on Friday, saying he realised he was unwanted by the board.
Gayle, overlooked for selection to the West Indies side now hosting test matches against India, said he has decided not to wait on the WICB any longer but will explore opportunities available to him elsewhere.
“I see it as a scam to fool the people of the West Indies and the world into believing that they were serious about my returning to West Indies cricket,” Gayle said.
“My eyes are open, my heart is clean, my conscience is clear and the voice of reason is loud in my ears telling me that I should close this chapter in my life.
The dashing left-handed opener signed a deal on Thursday worth more than US $265,000 to play in Australia’s expanded Twenty20 Big Bash for the Sydney Thunder.
The controversial former captain’s rift with the WICB came after comments he made during an interview on a radio station in his native Jamaica in April.
“I am not going to be the WICB’s whipping boy… We as West Indies players are admired throughout the World for our honesty and sportsmanship.
“Yet the custodians of West Indies cricket, the people who are responsible for the development of our heritage sport, have not dealt with us honestly.”
Gayle said it was his understanding that the WICB and Jamaican cricket boards met to discuss his situation but that he was told nothing.
“I have now reached the stage where I have to say that enough is enough,” he said.
“I can only assume without any positive feedback there has been no
resolution.
“There is a disciplinary process in West Indies cricket. Yet the (board) is allowed to be the complainant, as well as policeman, judge, jury and executioner in my case. When I tried to respond to the accusations made against me, I am deemed to be out of place and trying to destroy West Indies cricket.
“I am now coming close to the end of my shelf-life as a cricketer… and must concentrate on providing for my family now and in the future.”
Gayle said he still held out hope that he could still play again for his native Jamaica and West Indies.
“I wish to make it abundantly clear that I have not yet retired from any form of the game and remain available for selection for both Jamaica and West Indies,” he said.
“However, this is entirely out of my hands.”
Gayle appealed to his West Indies teammates to stand up to WICB officials about his situation.
“West Indies cricket is different from the West Indies Cricket Board,” he said.
“West Indies cricket and West Indies cricketers need help. Since you are the people who represent the fans and all the other stakeholders, it is time for you to act.”
Govt should not keep people in dark: Nawaz
LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif said that a grand alliance should be constituted to get rid of the government and that the government should not keep the people in dark by playing bad politics, Geo News reported.He was addressing media in Lahore after high-level party meeting. He said that the government is not interested in solving common man’s problems and now this kind of politics will not be tolerated. He said that three years have passed and still the government has not been able to solve any problem.
Nawaz said that politics of deception is a gone story now and he is ready to welcome those who want to sit in the opposition.
He said that justice should be served to the people of Balochistan and missing person’s case should be addressed immediately
When asked about Chaudhry Shujaat’s statement on Abbottabad inquiry, Nawaz said that now the give and take kind of politics would not work.
He also added that the rigging in Kashmir polls is evident to everyone and that the aid given for quake victims was used in the elections.
When asked about the drone attacks, he said that the government should not keep the people in dark and bring address all issues openly.
Earlier, while addressing a meeting of the Balochistan PML-N Coordination Committees, PML-N chief said that People’s Party government is an obstruction in the transfer of resources to the provinces and added that the provinces were given responsibilities of the seven ministries, but the government has retained it stranglehold over the resources.
He said that Pakistan sustained huge loss due to injustice in the past also and advised learning lesson instead of repeating the mistakes.
Nawaz said that Pakistan’s prosperity is linked with peace in Blaochistan and happy- satisfied people of Balochistan is the top priority of PML-N.
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