Sports

AMMAN — Jordan boxer Obadah Al Kiesbeh set the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, alight by upsetting one of the favourites for the lightweight division with a win on Wednesday, according to a Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC) statement. The youngster beat Berik Abdrakhmanov, 28, of Kazakhstan in his first round, winning 2-1. Abdrakhmanov won the bronze medal at the 2013 World Championships. Earlier on the same day, the squash team lost its second of four Group B matches in the team event, going down 2-1 to favourites Malaysia. The team has two matches left on Thursday to try and qualify against China and Japan.

AMMAN — Week 3 of the 63rd Jordan Professional League kicks off on Thursday after major changes in the standings. 

Titleholders Wihdat were the only team to maintain their standing after a 3-0 win over Ahli.  They will next face Ittihad Ramtha, who held Jazira to a 0-0 draw. 

Ramtha are second on goal difference after they beat Sarih 0-0 and will play Ahli. Faisali beat Hussein Irbid 2-0 and moved from seventh to third and will face Manshieh. 

Shabab Urdun were held 0-0 with That Ras and dropped to fourth and will now play Baqaa. 

In other matches this week, Sarih will play That Ras, Hussein Irbid take on Jazira. 

Following Week 3, teams will have a 20- day break which will include the Eid holiday and a regroup for the national team. 

The preliminary round of the Jordan Cup has ended with the top four teams from each of the two groups moving to the quarters set for October 26.  

Ahli vs. Ramtha, That Ras vs. Jazira, Wihdat vs. Sarih and Faisali vs. Manshieh. Baqaa, Shabab Urdun and Hussein were eliminated.

AMMAN  — Jordan’s U-23 football team plays Kyrgyzstan on Thursday hoping for a win to move to the quarter-finals of  the 17th Asian Games football competition currently under way in Incheon, South Korea.

The squad  moved to Round 2 after topping Group G following a 1-0 win over the UAE and 2-0 against India.

Knockout stage matches on Thursday and Friday will produce the quarter-finalists who will eventually play for the medals. Other matches will see Palestine vs. Japan, Thailand vs. China, South Korea vs. Hong Kong, Iraq vs. Tajikistan, Uzbekistan vs. Saudi Arabi, Vietnam vs. the UAE, North Korea vs. Indonesia.

There was much speculation over the participation of Jordan’s squad at the games as it had a tough time trying to assemble the line-up with players on national team as well as club agendas hampering coach Jamal Abu Abed’s plans. Their impressive start has now given the team the momentum to follow through and compete. They are also set to play at the 2016 Olympic qualifiers set for March 2015. 

On the other hand, the women’s football team did not fare well and were eliminated after humiliating defeats in Round 1 Group B matches, tying Taiwan 2-2, losing to China 5-0 and suffering a crushing 12-0 defeat to Japan.

South Korea, Thailand, Japan, North Korea, China, Vietnam, India and Taiwan have moved to the quarters after the Maldives and Hong Kong were also eliminated as the top two teams from each group and the top two third-placed teams advanced.

Jordan was the only Arab team among 11 competing and had qualified to the Asian Cup finals for the first time after a three-game winning streak — beating Uzbekistan 4-0, Lebanon 5-0 and Kuwait 21-0 in Group A qualifiers.

The early elimination of the senior women’s team was another setback for the squad after a similar exit earlier this year at their first Asian Football Confederation Women’s 2014 Asian Cup where they lost to world champs Japan 7-0, Australia and Vietnam 3-1 in Group A. The top two teams from each group and the best third-placed team qualified to the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada.

This month, Jordan dropped six spots to 58th in the latest FIFA rankings but is still the top ranked Arab and 12th ranked Asian team.

Jordan is competing in 12 sports: football, basketball, taekwondo, karate, boxing, triathlon, cycling, judo, wrestling, squash, wushu and weightlifting. 

The Asian Games conclude on October 4.

BERNE — The public has a “full right to know” the contents of the ethics investigation into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, FIFA executive committee member HRH Prince Ali said on Tuesday.

“In the interest of full transparency, I believe it is important that the much-anticipated report on the ethics investigation that is crucial to ensuring good governance at FIFA is fully disclosed and open to the public,” the prince said on Twitter.

“This will only help the football community move ahead in reforming our institutions in the best interest of the sport,” added Prince Ali, who is the Asian vice president on the executive committee.

“The entire football family as well as its sponsors and those who follow the game worldwide have a full right to know the contents of the report in the spirit of complete openness.”

FIFA’s ethics committee is investigating whether there was any corruption in the turbulent bidding process four years ago which ended in the 2018 World Cup being awarded to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar.

Former US attorney Michael Garcia, FIFA’s ethics investigator, recently completed his report but it has not been made public.

It is now being scrutinised by German Judge Hans-Joachim Eckert who heads the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s ethics committee.

A final decision is not due until the spring and even then FIFA’s ethics code, under a section titled “confidentiality”, states that “only the final decisions already notified to the addressees may be made public”.

On Friday, Garcia himself criticised the lack of transparency surrounding his investigation, adding that he was restricted by the code as to what he could make public.

“As a general matter, I think that the more that is public and the more that people can see what is done and agree with what was done, or disagree with what is done... then those issues can be resolved and the organisation can move on,” he said during a conference on sports in ethics held at FIFA headquarters.

“Beyond any particular case, the public have to have confidence that the process is working in a fair way.”

FIFA and Qatar World Cup organisers have been fending off allegations of corruption ever since the Gulf state was awarded the tournament, while Qatar has also been criticised over its treatment of migrant workers in the construction industry.

Qatar has denied the allegations.

On Monday, Germany’s Theo Zwanziger, another FIFA executive committee member, predicted that the 2022 tournament would not take place there because of the scorching heat.

“I personally think that in the end the 2022 World Cup will not take place in Qatar,” the former German football federation president told Sport Bild.

“Medics say that they cannot accept responsibility with a World Cup taking place under these conditions,” he said.

“They may be able to cool the stadiums but a World Cup does not take place only there,” Zwanziger said.

“Fans from around the world will be coming and travelling in this heat and the first life-threatening case will trigger an investigation by a state prosecutor. That is not something that FIFA Exco members want to answer for.”

BERLIN — Qatar remained adamant it would host the 2022 football World Cup despite a FIFA Executive Committee member suggesting on Monday that the tournament would have to move because of scorching temperatures.

“The only question now is when, not if,” Qatar 2022 communications director Nasser Al Khater said in a statement. “Summer or winter, we will be ready.”

Theo Zwanziger, the former German football association chief who now sits on the executive committee of world football’s governing body, had said earlier that he felt the tournament would have to be held elsewhere.

“I personally think that in the end the 2022 World Cup will not take place in Qatar,” he told Sport Bild. “Medics say that they cannot accept responsibility with a World Cup taking place under these conditions.”

FIFA awarded the tournament to the tiny Middle Eastern country in a controversial decision in 2010, with the understanding that it would be held in the summer despite the searing heat.

Although oil and gas-rich Qatar has insisted that timetable is viable thanks to cooling technologies being developed for stadiums, training areas and fan zones, there is still widespread concern over the health of players and visiting fans.

“They may be able to cool the stadiums but a World Cup does not take place only there,” Zwanziger said.

“Fans from around the world will be coming and travelling in this heat and the first life-threatening case will trigger an investigation by a state prosecutor.

“That is not something that FIFA Exco members want to answer for.” 

Personal opinion 

FIFA officials, contacted by Reuters, said Zwanziger was not giving the view of the all powerful Executive Committee.

“He is expressing a personal opinion and he explicitly says so,” FIFA spokewoman Delia Fischer said. “We will not comment on a personal opinion.”

Qatar organisers said they have already proved that cooling technologies that would be used at the World Cup work.

“We have proven that a FIFA World Cup in Qatar in the summer is possible with state-of-the-art cooling technology,” said Al Khater.

“We have demonstrated that our cooling works in outdoor areas beyond stadiums. This summer we welcomed fans in Doha to an open-air Brazil 2014 Fan Zone with temperatures cooled to a comfortable 22^oC.

“The evolution of environmentally-friendly cooling technologies is an important legacy for our nation, region and for countries with similar climates — promising to expand the reach of hosting major sporting events to countries where it was never thought possible before.”

Despite the resources being thrown at high-tech cooling techniques, sceptism about Qatar’s ability to stage a World Cup in the summer — when temperatures can soar into the mid 40^oC — has not gone away.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter said in May that awarding the World Cup to Qatar was a “mistake” and the tournament would probably have to be held in the European winter.

“The Qatar technical report indicated clearly that it is too hot in summer, but the executive committee with quite a big majority decided all the same that the tournament would be in Qatar,” he said.

FIFA is looking at the option of shifting the tournament to January/February 2022 or November/December 2022 — both of which would be unpopular because of disruption to the domestic seasons in Europe and around the world.

Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa chaired a meeting to discuss the matter earlier this month.

AMMAN — Jordanian brothers Mohammad and Ahmad Seraj came up short against India in the squash team competition at the Asian Games in Incheon, the Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC) said Tuesday. Despite going 1-0 down after Saif Albrikit lost 3-0 to Kush Kumar, Ahmed Seraj "put in a brilliant performance to beat Mahesh Mangaonkar, who is ranked nine in Asia, 3-1", the JOC said in a statement. But Mohammad Seraj could not secure the victory needed against Sandhu Harinder, with Jordan losing 2-1. In basketball, Jordan lost to Mongolia 74-83 in the opening Group 1 match, according to the JOC.

MUNICH — The Bundesliga order looks to have been turned upside down with promoted Paderborn in the lead, followed by Mainz 05 and Hoffenheim while traditional heavyweights struggle at the start of the season after four games. For fans across Germany, who had largely been expecting another Bayern Munich title romp like last season, the current situation is a pleasant surprise. Minnows Paderborn, with a budget of five million euros ($6.43 million) — smaller even than that of many second division clubs — have shot out of the blocks to top the table on eight points with two wins and two draws. At the other end of the table 2007 Bundesliga champions VfB Stuttgart are in last place, behind former European champions Hamburg SV and Schalke 04, who compete in the Champions League this season.

AMMAN — Jordan’s Nabeeh Muammar heads for the UAE next week aiming to take an important step in his bid to reach the top level of motorsport, according to a media statement.

The Royal Automobile Club of Jordan has selected Muammar to represent the country in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia regional qualifying event for the 2015 FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy.

Fifteen young drivers from around the region will take part in the event, which is organised by the Automobile and Touring Club for the UAE (ATCUAE) and takes place at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit from September 28 to October 1.

At stake is a place in next year’s fully funded academy programme, which develops young talent and promotes safety in motorsport.

Muammar is aiming to become the third Arab driver to go through into the academy after the UAE’s Mohamed Al Mutawaa in 2012 and Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Bamogaddam, who came out on top in Abu Dhabi last year.

“The FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy has proved to be very successful in developing the best young talent for careers at the top level of motorsport,” ATCUAE President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, an FIA vice president, was quoted as saying in the statement.

“Competition for the one place available in Abu Dhabi will be fierce, and regardless of who wins, each of the drivers taking part will gain a great deal of knowledge and experience to help them in their own careers.”

The 21-year-old Muammar started karting in Amman in 2007 and the following year won the Rotax Max Challenge national series with three wins in four events. In 2009, he clinched the annual Umniah Karting Cup in Amman, and the same year finished runner-up in the Jordanian National Open Karting Challenge, repeating the feat in 2010.

The following year he claimed second place in the Middle East Easy Karting Cup in Sharm El Sheikh, and over the next two seasons took part in testing for the Formula Renault BARC Series in the UK. 

Among those hoping to come out on top in Abu Dhabi will be the UAE’s Mansour Al Helei, Kuwait’s Ali Makhseed, Oman’s Anas Al Raeesi, Lebanon’s Patrick Njeim and Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah El Khereiji. The other countries represented are Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Sudan, Syria and Tunisia.

The regional qualifying event will consist of a series of tests on the track, and in the classroom, at Yas Marina Circuit, home of the F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Open to nominated drivers aged 15-23, it is one of six regional qualifiers worldwide which will deliver a total of 10 drivers into the 2015 Academy programme.

Previous academy graduates include Formula One reserve drivers Alexander Rossi, Stoffel Vandoorne and Robin Frijns, and World Rally Championship drivers Andreas Mikkelsen, Pontus Tidemand and Craig Breen.

MUMBAI — Former world champions Spain will have to wait to regain their past glory but they need not discard their attractive brand of football that earned them fans and laurels, World Cup winning defender Joan Capdevila told Reuters in an interview.

Spain’s golden spell during which they won the 2010 World Cup and European titles in 2008 and 2012 came to an embarrassing end in Brazil this year when they crashed out of the World Cup after losing their first two games against the Netherlands and Chile.

The debacle was followed by the international retirement of ageing stalwarts such as Xavi and Xabi Alonso, which will severely test the next generation of players in the lead-up to the Euro 2016.

“It’s time for change and bring in some new players,” Capdevila, who was part of the winning sides in Euro 2008 and the World Cup in South Africa two years later, told Reuters.

Spain’s tiki-taka style, which took the world by storm during their golden period, has come under heavy scrutiny but Capdevila, who had 60 caps for the country, fiercely defended the possession-based style.

“The style of playing for Spain is going to be the same, just the players are going to change,” the left back said. 

SINGAPORE — Lewis Hamilton stormed to an emphatic victory at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday to wrest the championship lead from Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg after the German retired with steering wheel problems.

The Briton overcame an extended safety car period midway through the race, as well as the twin Red Bull challenge of Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo, to move three points clear of Rosberg with five races remaining.

"I had a dream this would happen last night... I just want to say huge thanks to my team," Hamilton said in a podium interview.

"I was so excited, I was looking for a clean weekend [without mechanical problems], and I had it. We always strive to get both cars one-two that was our goal, so things still to work on."

Fernando Alonso ended a good weekend for Ferrari with a solid fourth place finish on a hazy Singapore night with Brazilian Felipe Massa rounding out the top five in his Williams.

For Hamilton, the race could not have gone any better after he arrived in Singapore trailing Rosberg by 22 points and in desperate need of a strong finish to ensure he maintained his bid for a second world title after his 2008 triumph.

He saved his best for last in qualifying on Saturday to claim pole position from his teammate and when Rosberg was unable to get his Mercedes moving at the start of the formation lap, the writing was on the wall for the German.

Rosberg was forced to start from the pitlane at the back of the field and when Hamilton stormed clear into the first corner, he always looked on course to record his seventh victory of the season, and 29th overall, in the fastest car on the track.

The German retired in the pits after 14 laps when he could not get the car going again despite another change of steering wheel.

"The whole steering wheel just wasn't working so I didn't have any hybrid power and the shifting I would shift two gears at once all the time and I had no DRS," he told Sky Sports television.

"The car just wasn't working at all. And then there was no point to continue. It was a tough day really."

Only the inevitable safety car period, for seven laps midway through the race following Adrian Sutil's collision with Sergio Perez, added an element of doubt to the proceedings but Hamilton managed his tyres brilliantly to claim victory by 13.5 seconds.

"Coming to the last six races after I had a great race in Monza [where he won], we know we have a car to compete here," Hamilton added.

"I got off cleanly and of course it would have been a hardcore race if Nico was in the race with me... but later on in the race, I was a bit unaware of what I needed to do.

"I was nervous that if a safety car came out it would cause big problems but fortunately we got where we needed to go."

Vettel, Ricciardo and Alonso opted to go all the way to the finish once the safety car came in on the 37th of the 60-lap race, forcing Hamilton to build as big a lead as possible before pitting again to fit some soft “prime” tyres.

When he emerged back on the track on the 52nd lap, Vettel was ahead and Ricciardo snapping at his heels but the Briton was able to make the most of his fresher tyres and performed a magnificent pass on the German through turn seven to reclaim the lead for good.

"It is a circuit I really enjoy," said Vettel, who won the previous three Singapore races and qualified fourth on the grid.

"The atmosphere is great but it is tough. I had a good start, got past Daniel, then had a decent race, but the safety car came at the worst point for us with tyres borderline."

Jean-Eric Vergne drove brilliantly in his Toro Rosso to claim sixth place, his best finish of the season, with Sergio Perez, Kimi Raikkonen, Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen completing the top 10.