The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Top Australian jockey Oliver banned for 10 months
- Czechs beat Spaniards to add Davis Cup to their Fed Cup triumph
- SRAM upgrade meet to promote squash at social level
| Top Australian jockey Oliver banned for 10 months Posted: 19 Nov 2012 06:46 PM PST MELBOURNE - Champion jockey Damien Oliver was Tuesday banned from racing for 10 months after blaming his marriage breakdown for a decision to put money on a rival horse that won a race in which he was riding. The Australian two-time Melbourne Cup winner was suspended for eight months over the betting scandal and was slapped with another two-month ban for using a mobile phone in the jockeys' room prior to the race, which is prohibited. "I want to apologise to the racing industry. I'm deeply sorry for my actions," Oliver said in brief comments after the Racing Victoria hearing. The betting charge related to a race two years ago at Moonee Valley in Melbourne in which Oliver, 40, breached the rules by betting Aus$10,000 (US$10,400) via a third party on eventual winner and favourite Miss Octopussy. Oliver's horse, second favourite Europa Point, finished sixth. Jockeys are banned from betting on any horse, while betting on a horse in the same race is one of the "gravest breaches" of Australian racing laws. During the hearing, Oliver reportedly broke down in tears as he admitted the offences, telling of psychological stress brought on by a temporary split from his wife and a battle with alcohol. "I felt despondent and had lost my belief in my ability as a jockey," Oliver told the hearing, ABC radio reported. "It was a highly stressful time. I feared I would lose my marriage. It was the only time I had ever placed a bet on a rival horse. I didn't consult any other jockey or trainer." In a statement afterwards, he said he had no plans to retire. "I look forward to continuing my career in racing in the future. I know I have to work hard to restore people's trust in me," he said. "People must not assume that my misdeed (and) lack of judgement on that day in 2010 reflects on the jockeys and the industry broadly." The scandal blew up in the press on the morning of the Melbourne Cup earlier this month, overshadowing the Aus$6 million showpiece event. Oliver was one of the favourites to win but finished 11th. Oliver is one of the nation's most successful jockeys, and is one of only seven riders to win Australia racing's grand slam of the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper. - AFP |
| Czechs beat Spaniards to add Davis Cup to their Fed Cup triumph Posted: 19 Nov 2012 05:13 PM PST PRAGUE: The Czech Republic won the Davis Cup after a team led by Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek beat holders Spain 3-2 in the 100th final here on Sunday. In Sunday's games, Berdych lost to David Ferrer before Stepanek stunned Nicolas Almagro in the decisive rubber. The Czech Republic lifted their first Davis Cup since gaining independence following a 1993 split with Slovakia. The victory has handed the Czechs a rare team double after their women lifted the Fed Cup here two weeks ago – a feat last achieved by the United States in 1990. The former Czechoslovakia won the trophy in 1980 with a team led by then 20-year-old Ivan Lendl, who received the Davis Cup Award of Excellence before Sunday's rubbers. As if inspired by Lendl, Stepanek, the world number 37, beat 11th-ranked Almagro 6-4, 7-6 (7-0), 3-6, 6-3 on the super-fast hardcourt of Prague's O2 Arena in front of a frantic crowd of more than 14,000 fans. "It's amazing, we've written history here in our country," the 33-year-old Stepanek said before lifting the Davis Cup and singing the Czech anthem and 'We Are The Champions' with his team-mates. "There are no words to say. Undescribable. This is the best thing that can be," said his team-mate Berdych. The wild home crowd was all that Stepanek needed on Sunday to shake off the fatigue from Friday's singles and Saturday's doubles. Combining patience with aggressivity and pulling off a series of winning volleys, Stepanek took the first two sets, the second in an impressive 7-0 tiebreak. Almagro, 27, fought back in the third set, but Stepanek, red hot and propelled by the crowd, finished the job in just under four hours. "I came on the court with a mindset that I have to stay calm, hungry, motivated, concentrated, and always know what I'm doing. And that's what I did," Stepanek said. "I played very aggressive today, I didn't want to leave anything behind, I wanted to be the one who is active, who is controlling the game," he added. Visibly upset, Almagro said he had tried his best but it simply was not enough. "He was better than me and he's the winner," he said. In Sunday's first match, Ferrer, the world number five, beat sixth-ranked Berdych in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. The 27-year-old Berdych never quite caught up with his 30-year-old rival and admitted he was "way behind" throughout the rubber. "I played very focused, very aggressive, I started really good and maybe that was the key," said Ferrer, praising his first serve and forehand. "It's very difficult to beat Tomas in three sets but I played one of the best matches of my career in Davis Cup," he added. On Friday, Ferrer beat Stepanek 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and Berdych then put the Czechs level after beating Almagro 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3. In Saturday's doubles rubber, Berdych and Stepanek beat Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-3 for their 12th victory in Davis Cup doubles against a single loss. Spain, who had won the Davis Cup three times in the past five years, were missing world number four Rafael Nadal, who is recovering from a knee injury. They also won the Davis Cup in 2000 and 2004. — AFP |
| SRAM upgrade meet to promote squash at social level Posted: 19 Nov 2012 03:29 PM PST PETALING JAYA: The Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) will continue their efforts to promote squash at a social level by holding the Riger Centurian Squash Challenge at the Lakeview Sports Centre, Subang Jaya, from Nov 23-25. The tournament is an upgrade on last year's inaugural Riger League and is now a team tournament with SRAM targeting a total of 32 teams from the states and clubs. SRAM president Datuk Syed Mustafa Syed Ali, who is a firm supporter of social squash, said the event has been given a boost by the positive feedback from last year's Riger League. "We know that there are many social players of all ages who still enjoy the game. Scores of squash lovers and followers are actually anticipating the return of this tournament," said Syed Mustafa. "We want to give these players the opportunity to pit their skills among fellow enthusiasts and the Riger Centurian Squash Challenge will provide the opportunity. "SRAM intend to increase the interest and participation in the game and we are also hopeful that competitions like this will attract more participants and supporters of the sport. "Social squash has not been very active in the past decade and it's important that we revive that interest to show that squash is accessible to everyone in order to aid the bid to get the sport into the 2020 Olympics." Syed Mustafa also lauded the Riger Corporation's sponsorship of the event as it will provide a boost in promoting the game to a wider spectrum of players. Riger Corporation increased their sponsorship from RM50,000 to RM70,000 – which means more attractive prizes for the participating teams. Besides the Riger Centurian Squash League, the Riger group also sponsors SRAM's other social squash activities and there are plans to involve more universities in the future. |
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