Sports

The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) today reiterated its total commitment to maintaining continuous dialogue with the IOC's Future Host Commission as it moves forward in its bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games for the first time. The QOC presented its initial plans to the Future Host Commission on 3 February 2021 as part of the continuous dialogue phase of the IOC's new bid process. The QOC showcased how its bid is fully aligned with Qatar's National Vision 2030 to advance Human,

The top two seeded players at the Qatar Open were eliminated in the quarterfinals as Victoria Azarenka played through pain to win against Elina Svitolina and Jessica Pegula defeated Karolina Pliskova on Thursday. Azarenka held off a late comeback from top-seeded Svitolina, her doubles partner this week, to seal a 6-2, 6-4 win on her third match point. Azarenka managed an apparent lower back problem with stretches and help from a physiotherapist. "In the warm-up, I just felt a very sharp pain and

Rookie LaMelo Ball has seized the attention of the NBA this season with his highlight reel passes and a surprising ability to score the basketball, including Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan. The six-time NBA champion said when the Hornets selected Ball with the No. 3 overall pick they hoped the crafty 6-foot-6 point guard would eventually rise to the level of becoming an All-Star. Jordan likes the way Ball is trending. "I think Melo has adjusted to the NBA game better than any of us

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs fell short to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV, but one Pro Football Hall of Famer believes Kansas City has what it takes to be the NFL’s next dynasty. Legendary quarterback Joe Montana, who led San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl championships in the ‘80s, knows a thing or two about being a part of a dynasty, especially after he was the ringleader for one of the most successful teams in the history of the league. The Western Pennsylvania native was the first

On Wednesday, Al Shaqab Racing's homebred Calgary won the Prix Daniel Vergez, a Class 2 run over 2,000m on the all-weather circuit at Marseille Pont de Vivaux in France. The three-year-old gelding, trained by Frédéric Rossi of Marseille, is now two for two, having won his only start as a two-year-old on the nearby track of Marseille-Borely. Calgary, ridden by Sylvain Ruis in this five-horse race, settled in fourth place early on thanks to Paco's fast pace. Calgary jumped from third to second

The Pakistan Super League has been indefinitely postponed after three new coronavirus cases were recorded on Thursday, the total number of coronavirus cases in the Twenty20 cricket league to seven. The Pakistan Cricket Board made the decision after the owners of the six teams expressed reservations about continuing, even with the option of a five-day circuit-breaker.' The postponement was induced, Khan acknowledged, by violations of COVID-19 protocols in the bio-secure bubble. 14 of the 20 preliminary round matches have been held in Karachi,

Al Sadd, the reigning champions, thrashed Al Gharafa 5-0 in the Amir Cup semi-finals at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium yesterday, thanks to a brilliant double by Algerian goal machine Baghdad Bounedjah. The Wolves will face Al Arabi in the semi-final after Al Arabi came back from a goal down to beat Al Sailiya 4-1 in the other quarter-final yesterday.  For Xavi Hernandez's Al Sadd, Nam Tae-hee, Akram Afif, and Yousuf Abdurisag were all on track in their search for a record-extending 18th Amir

As Christian Ahlmann competes in the first round of the immensely successful Longines Global Champions Tour on Saturday, he will be looking to add another trophy to his bulging trophy cabinet (LGCT). The LGCT season kicks off today on the hallowed turf of Longines Arena in Al Shaqab, but Ahlmann, who claimed the CHI AL Shaqab trophy last Saturday at the same venue, won't be the only one vying for the coveted title this week. Julien Epaillard, who won the opening event of

Aaron Finch became Australia's highest run-scorer in men's T20 cricket as his side defended 156-6 to set up a series decider against New Zealand. They lost regular wickets on a tricky pitch with Finch making an unbeaten 79 off 55 balls - including taking Kyle Jamieson for 26 off the final over. New Zealand were restricted to 107 in reply, with Kane Richardson taking 3-19 and three others taking two apiece. The final game in the five-match series is at 23:00 GMT on

England wrapped up the series with a comfortable six-wicket win in the second Twenty20 against New Zealand in Wellington. After being put in, New Zealand were restricted to 123-9, with Freya Davies taking a career-best 4-23 including top-scorer Amy Sattherthwaite for 49. England recovered from 30-2 in reply, with Tammy Beaumont making a 53-ball 63 in a stand of 83 with Heather Knight. Amy Jones hit the winning runs as England won with 16 balls to spare. The victory means England extend their

LONDON: Manchester United said its total revenue rose 2.6 per cent in the last three months of 2020, helped by strength in broadcasting. "The rapid rollout of vaccines in the UK and beyond gives us confidence that we are now on a path towards normality, including the return of fans to stadia" Executive Vice Chairman Ed Woodward said on Thursday. Broadcasting revenue, the English Premier League soccer club's largest segment, rose 68% to 108.7 million pounds. The jump was helped by United's participation

MADRID: Barcelona confirmed on Thursday (Mar 4) Gerard Pique has suffered a knee injury, with the defender facing a struggle to be fit to face Paris Saint-Germain in next week's Champions League last 16, second leg. Pique has just returned from three months out due to a partial cruciate ligament injury in the same right knee. But the Spaniard's latest problem, sustained in the Copa del Rey win over Sevilla on Wednesday night, is not thought to be as serious. According to Catalan

LIVERPOOL: Chelsea reclaimed their place in the Premier League's top four as Mason Mount's superb first-half goal earned them an impressive 1-0 victory at champions Liverpool on Thursday. Mount cut in to curl a low shot past Liverpool keeper Alisson in the 42nd minute, after Timo Werner had had a goal disallowed, to give Chelsea a deserved halftime lead. Thomas Tuchel's side then showed great defensive discipline to stand firm in the second period as Liverpool improved. Liverpool, who substituted a disgruntled Mohamed

Five-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky secured an emphatic victory in her first race since March 2020 on Wednesday, winning the 1500-meter freestyle by 21.37 seconds at the TYR Pro Swim Series in San Antonio, Texas. American Ledecky, who has also won 15 world championship titles on top of her Olympic medal haul, finished in 15:42.92, leading a field of US national team and junior team swimmers. Her time is the fastest in the world this year by more than 17 seconds, a

When Tiger Woods crashed his car in Southern California last week, he told sheriff's deputies that he had no recollection of driving or how the accident happened, according to a Los Angeles County affidavit for a search warrant of the vehicle's black box. Woods was driving February 23 in Rancho Palos Verdes, near Los Angeles, shortly after 7 a.m. PT when his Genesis SUV hit a "Welcome to Rolling Hills Estates" sign, crossed a center divider and traveled more than 150 feet across

At 118 years old, the world's oldest living person is preparing to carry the Olympic torch this May in Japan. Kane Tanaka, who has twice survived cancer, lived through two global pandemics and loves fizzy drinks, will take the flame as it passes through Shime, in her home prefecture of Fukuoka. While Tanaka's family will push her in a wheelchair for most of her 100-meter (about 328 feet) or so leg, the supercentenarian -- a person aged over 110 years old -- is

No.4 seed Petra Kvitova came through a stellar hard-hitting clash 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 over Anett Kontaveit to reach her third Qatar Total Open semifinal in one hour and 46 minutes. In the last four, the 2018 champion will face qualifier Jessica Pegula, who needed just 57 minutes to upset No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-1. WTA's official website said that Both players have been in top form this week, reaching the quarterfinals without dropping more than five games in any match, and were

HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani attended Thursday the competitions of day 4 of the 19th Qatar Total Open 2021 for women's tennis held at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex. HH the Amir watched the match between Ukraine's Elina Svitolina and Victoria Azarenka played in the quarter-finals, which ended with a 6-2, 6-4 win for Victoria Azarenka. HH the Amir watched the match between Czech Karolina Pliskova and American Jessica Pegula, where Jessica Pegula secured 6-3, 6-1 win to

Tom Brady and Terry Bradshaw appear to have more in common than just being star NFL quarterbacks who have led their teams to multiple Super Bowl titles. Quirky Research tweeted a photo of a UPI news article from March 3, 1983, with the headline: "Steelers’ ‘Tom Brady’ undergoes arm surgery." The story was about Bradshaw using an alias to check into a hospital to have minor elbow surgery. According to the story, Bradshaw used the name "Thomas Brady" when he was in the Louisiana hospital to

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard was shown two yellow cards after approaching referee John Beaton on the pitch at half-time; Gerrard appeared to be angered by Beaton's decision to book Alfredo Morelos after the Rangers striker went down in the Livingston penalty area Furious Rangers boss Steven Gerrard told John Beaton he was "out of order" after being sent off following a sensational half-time bust-up with the official at Livingston. The Light Blues boss reacted with outrage when Beaton booked Alfredo Morelos for a