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Kayhan Int’l Sport Desk
Iran Fans Cheer on Olympic Dream
 TEHRAN - The Iranian fans have been contributing some
special flavor to the matches played at Osaka Central Gym.
Iran is gradually turning into the real sensation of the
FIVB World Cup here in Japan, especially after the players
mentored by Julio Velasco edged three top teams like Serbia,
Poland and Argentina.
The coach who guided Italy’s “Dream Team” throughout the
‘90s is unanimously perceived as the man that has chiefly
contributed to such terrific results not to forget the Asian
Championship his side claimed this past September in Tehran.
Although volleyball is already quite popular in Iran, still
soccer remains the sport that is attracting much attention
from the population as well as financial resources from the
government.
However, as they are playing far away from home, the guys
around the Argentinean-born head coach are enjoying loud and
passionate support from an Iranian crew that got together
yesterday and today at Osaka Central Gym. Such fans have
been living in Japan for a long time, having settled in the
“Land of the rising sun” as teachers, car traders etc.
They have taken days off from work and did also have to cope
with family affairs but eventually got the chance to cheer
on their heroes that have embarked on the adventure to book
a ticket to the 2012 Olympics in London.
“We came here to support our players as we already did in
the past as some other Iranian teams came to Japan for
international or Asian competitions” they say. Having
enjoyed previous events in futsal, they still feel
volleyball has got a unique appeal and can’t believe their
guys have been able to edge some of the strongest sides out
there. “Coach Velasco is like a magician, he is the one who
has raised the bar and contributed to that speedy
improvement of our national team” they add.
Although they have different professional and educational
backgrounds, they still share the same passion for the
sport, not exclusively for volleyball. “Sport is a unique
ambassador for peace and friendship, it unites people no
matter of their political views, religion, or culture” they
agree.
Having traveled on their own expenses from Shizuoka,
Yokohama or from the neighborhood of Osaka, they may be well
considered the only foreign crew that has been contributing
additional color and flavor to the matches taking place here
in Osaka. And some are set to continue following the team
also for the next rounds of the competition taking place in
Fukuoka and Tokyo.
Their true passion for the sport and loyalty to a message of
friendship is the best legacy someone may take from a wee
chat with that colorful group.
The Iranian fans have been contributing some special flavor to the matches
played at Osaka Central Gym.
Depression Drove Babak Rafati to
Try to Take Own Life
TEHRAN (Press TV) - The German referee Babak Rafati has
confirmed that he is suffering from depression, which
prompted him to try taking his own life last weekend.
The Hanover-based referee was found by his assistant
officials in the bathtub of his hotel room, covered in
blood, hours before a Bundesliga fixture between Cologne and
Mainz. Rafati was taken to hospital. He was discharged a few
days ago.
Rafati is receiving psychological care and has requested, in
a statement made by his solicitor, Dr Sven Menke, to be left
in "peace and quiet".
"Together with his partner and his family, he has decided to
inform the public of his reasons," read the statement, which
has been published by the Bild newspaper. "Mr Rafati has
been diagnosed in recent days by doctors with a form of
depression.
"The symptoms first appeared, according to his recollection,
around one and a half years ago and they have since grown in
intensity. Mr Rafati felt a growing pressure to perform
combined with the media pressure together with the constant
fear of making mistakes, and this was leading to an
ever-increasing burden.
"This burden was even making daily routine problems seem
insurmountable and he no longer felt able to cope. Mr Rafati
has decided to go public with the illness and to face up to
it. He has checked in for professional treatment to receive
therapy for the causes."
The length of the treatment is unforeseeable.
"Babak Rafati would like to referee again at the end of this
therapy," said the statement. "He is therefore requesting
the peace and quiet which he now needs for his healing
process."
Arsenal's Koscielny: Mentality
Helped Recover From Poor Start
LONDON (Goal) - Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny believes
the club's change in mentality was crucial to recovering
from their poor start to the season.
"When we started the season we lost a lot of games and we
had to do something to change that," he told Arsenal Player.
"All the players changed their mentality and we have seen
that we have a good team. All of the players defend and
attack and for us that is very important.
The Gunners are currently on an unbeaten run of nine games
in all competitions and booked their place in the knockout
stages of the Champions League in midweek.
Koscielny, along with fellow center back Thomas Vermaelen,
has played an important role in their recent resurgence, and
the France defender believes the team will continue to
improve.
"For two months we have been strong as a team, we have done
the job well and defended very well," he continued. "We have
the quality to do something good in the Champions League and
Premier League.
"The mentality of the team has changed and we are strong.
Also we have the [attacking] players who can make the
difference, players like Robin."
Laurent Koscielny
French League Opens Investigation
Into Clashes
PARIS (Goal) - The French League has opened an
investigation into violent clashes that erupted at the end
of a Ligue 2 game between Metz and Amiens on Friday.
It is the second case of violence in the French second
division in a month after Venezuela defender Gabriel Cichero
of RC Lens was banned for 10 months, five of them suspended,
for kicking a Bastia official last month.
“Following the unacceptable incidents that happened after
the Metz v Amiens game, the French professional league
president Frederic Thiriez has asked for an investigation to
be conducted as soon as possible,” the LFP said in a
statement.
The incidents started after an Amiens player hit an
opponent, triggering a brawl.
“It is a pity to finish (the game) on such a sad note,” Metz
captain Kalidou Koulibaly told French sports daily L’Equipe
on Saturday.
Golf Format to Change
HAIKOU (AFP) - The format of golf’s World Cup
will change in 2013 to mirror the competition at the 2016
Olympics when the sport makes its return to the Games in
Brazil, organisers told Reuters on Saturday.
The tournament will also command world ranking points and
bring back an individual four-round trophy for the first
time since 1999 when Tiger Woods won the individual award in
Malaysia.
Ken Chu, chairman and CEO of Mission Hills, confirmed the
changes would be taking place for the 2013 event.
“The World Cup will change format, and it will begin
enjoying world rankings points, and it will still be held
biennially and at around this time of year,” he told
Reuters.
“But with golf to be in the 2016 Olympics the equation in
golf changes, and these changes to the World Cup will be
having the Olympics in mind.”
Chu, along with his younger brother Tenniel, Mission Hills
vice chairman, held meetings earlier this week at Haikou
with the Federation of Golf Tours heads, including PGA Tour
Commissioner Tim Finchem and his European Tour counterpart,
George O’Grady.
Chu indicated the Federation would release a joint statement
shortly confirming the changes.
He also rejected suggestions this year’s World Cup will be
the last after some reports in the meda said the event would
fold.
His younger brother said the upcoming announcement on the
changes was “exciting news for the future of the World Cup”.
Chu indicated the Federation would release a joint statement shortly
confirming the changes.
Ireland Closes in on World Cup
HAINAN (AP) — Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell will head
into the final round of the World Cup with a two-stroke lead
after a convincing performance for Ireland in the fourballs
on Saturday.
The Irish duo hit eight birdies to finish the third round
with an 8-under 64, and a 21-under total of 195 at the
Mission Hills complex.
However, the second-ranked McIlroy and 2010 U.S. Open
champion McDowell will be unable to rest easy Sunday with
Germany, South Africa and the United States all tied for
second at 197.
Martin Kaymer and Alex Cekja made 11 birdies in their
11-under 61 on the Blackstone course carved out of cooled
lava rock. That feat was matched by South Africans Charl
Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, who also managed a 61.
The U.S. team of Gary Woodland and Matt Kuchar had 10
birdies and one bogey in a 9-under 63. Australia slipped to
fifth place with a 198 as Brendon Jones and Richard Green on
the wet and humid course had a 67.
Edoardo and Francesco Molinari put defending champion Italy
back into contention with an 8-under 64 that left them tied
for seventh with Mexico at 16 under.
But Ian Poulter and Justin Rose of England saw their hopes
of lifting the trophy slip in the inclement conditions, with
two bogeys in their 4-under 68. They have a share of 15th
with Zimbabwe at 13 under.
Zhang Xinjun and Liang Wenchong of China were at 12 under.
Sunday’s final round of the $7.5 tournament will see a
return to the tricky foursomes alternate shot format.
The World Cup features 28 teams and is being staged
biennially following golf’s inclusion in the Olympics for
2016.
Ireland's Rory McIlroy, right and his teammate Graeme
McDowell
CAS Completes Hearing Into Contador Doping Case
 LAUSANNE (AFP) — Sport's highest court completed a four-day
hearing into Alberto Contador's doping case on Thursday, and
the Spanish rider must now wait until early next year to
find out if he will be stripped of his 2010 Tour de France
title.
Contador made a final, personal appeal to the Court of
Arbitration for Sport panel to complete his defense that
eating contaminated steak caused his positive tests for
clenbuterol during his third Tour victory.
"He spoke for about 15 minutes," CAS secretary general
Matthieu Reeb told reporters after Contador left the court.
"He took the case very seriously. He was present for all the
case and attended all the discussions."
Reeb said the three-man panel would need "six to eight
weeks" to reach a verdict and explain its decision. Contador
did not comment as he left court with members of his legal
team and got into a waiting taxi.
Lawyers for the International Cycling Union and World
Anti-Doping Agency also declined comment.
Cycling's governing body and WADA appealed to CAS for
Contador to get a two-year ban after he was cleared by a
Spanish cycling federation tribunal last February.
If found guilty of doping, Contador can expect to receive a
two-year ban and be stripped of his 2010 Tour win and other
victories including the 2011 Giro d'Italia. He finished
fifth when defending his Tour title in July.
Contador was cross-examined on Wednesday, according to
reports in Spanish newspapers which published daily updates
of evidence presented in the closed-door sessions.
Spanish media also reported that the CAS panel asked for
those involved in the case to stop leaking information.
About 20 witnesses were called to testify in sessions held
mostly at the International Olympic Committee headquarters
in Lausanne.
Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador (C)
Noah: Doping Accusations Wake-Up
Call
PARIS (AP) — Former French Open champion Yannick Noah says
his accusations of doping being rife in Spanish sport were
intended as a global wake-up call to sports authorities he
feels should be doing more to catch drug cheats—yet he
maintains his belief that Spain is tainted.
In an interview with a French newspaper last week, Noah
accused Spanish athletes of widespread doping. He said the
only way to level the playing field for struggling French
and other athletes would be to allow everyone to use the
“magic potion,” or banned drugs.
“If I chose this turn of phrase, it was to address the
authorities … in order to start a debate,” Noah said Friday
on the website of newspaper Le Monde that published his
comments last week.
Those accusations drew criticism from Spanish athletes such
as 10-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, and from the
French Tennis Federation, which distanced itself from Noah.
to me again. But what do I care if he says hello to me or
not?”
Noah, whose son Joakim plays for the Chicago Bulls, refused
to back down from his view that Spain remains tainted by
doping.
He cited cases involving cyclist Alberto Contador’s positive
doping test when he won the 2010 Tour de France, world
steeplechase champion Marta Dominguez, and the Operation
Puerto blood-doping investigation as examples.
Dominguez was among 14 people detained in December 2010 as
part of the “Operation Galgo” doping investigation, but a
Madrid court cleared her of doping and of trafficking
performance-enhancing substances.
This led to an investigation into Spain’s Civil Guard for
irregularities in managing her case.
Seven people linked to Puerto will stand trial in Spain,
facing up to two years in prison. They include sports doctor
Eufemiano Fuentes, former Liberty Seguros team boss Manolo
Saiz and five others arrested in 2006 on suspicion of
providing doping services to cyclists.
Puerto implicated more than 50 cyclists but Spanish sports
bodies could not use evidence to ban athletes because of
Spanish law, which has since changed.
On Thurday, sport’s highest court completed a four-day
hearing into Contador’s 2010 Tour case. Hu must wait until
early next year to find out if he will be stripped of his
title.
Contador’s defense is that eating contaminated steak caused
his positive tests for clenbuterol.
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