Formula 1 fans have reacted with anger after a deal was announced to stage races in Qatar, which will step in to fill a slot in this year’s calendar in November while also signing a 10-year arrangement.
This year’s race at the Losail International Circuit in Doha on November 19-21 will replace the Australian GP, which has been unable to go ahead due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The event will also kick-start the first of three races to end the 2021 season which will be staged across the Arabian Peninsula, with the Saudi Arabian GP and the Abu Dhabi GP scheduled to take place in early December.
A statement from F1 said: “There was a strong will from Qatar to be helpful to F1, and in the course of this process, the vision for a longer partnership was discussed and agreed for 10 years.”
BREAKING: F1 will race in Qatar for the first time on 19-21 November
The statement added that Qatar views hosting races as a way to showcase the country after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali was full of praise, saying: “We are very pleased to welcome Qatar to the Formula 1 calendar this season and for the longer term from 2023.
“We have shown that we can continue to adapt and there is huge interest in our sport and the hope from many locations to have a Grand Prix.”
Abdulrahman Al-Mannai, who is President of the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation, said: “This is a very special day for Qatar Motorsport and our nation’s ambitions as a host of major sporting events.
“I’m very proud that we’ve been able to support Formula 1 by stepping in and hosting a race in our country in such a short time frame, while also securing a ground-breaking long-term deal with F1.”
After this season’s race, Qatar will take a break from the calendar next year due to the football World Cup, but will continue with a 10-year deal from 2023 at a location yet to be decided.
While the officials welcomed the announcement, the same cannot be said of some fans who took to social media to question the decision to award Qatar the race.
Many pointed to the country’s human rights record and the allegations of thousands of migrant worker deaths during the construction of infrastructure for next year’s World Cup.
“And its lights out and away with human rights,” read one popular tweet.
Many also poked fun at F1’s hashtag of WeRaceAsOne as being meaningless, instead saying “we race for money.”
“Another highly oppressive state, and there’s already a lot of tracks in the Middle East. Of course most countries have done terrible things, but just look at their free speech and workers’ rights,” raged another fan on Twitter.
Another countered that argument by saying: “OK let’s cancel the GP’s or ban them in every country where there’s been restrictions on free speech and workers’ rights. Silverstone [UK] will go first, then France, Germany, China, Japan, Italy, Australia, Austria, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and Hungary. Where should we have them?”
Ride onboard with @MotoGP ace @PeccoBagnaia for a lap around our newest venture, Losail International Circuit
Amnesty International has questioned the decision and called on drivers to speak out on the human rights issues in the country.
A statement from Amnesty said: “It’s no secret that rich countries in the Middle East see top-level sport as a means to rebrand and sportswash their images, and a Grand Prix in Qatar would be more of the same.
“Drivers and their teams should be prepared to speak out about human rights in Qatar in the lead-up to this race, doing their bit to break the spell of sportwashing and image-management.”
Formula 1 responded to the criticism by saying: “We take our responsibilities very seriously and have made our position on rights clear to all our partners and host countries who commit to respect our responsibilities in the way their events are hosted and delivered.”
A comprehensive new UK report into transgender participation in sport has determined that trans women retain physical advantages when competing in female categories, even if they suppress testosterone levels.
The guidelines from the five main sports councils in the UK – which came after an 18-month investigation and reviewed the latest science – concluded that it is not possible to guarantee safety and competitive fairness in some activities if trans women compete against female-born rivals, instead urging “innovative and creative ways to ensure nobody is left out.”
Concerning the contentious issue of male-born athletes enjoying advantages even after transitioning to female, the report said that the latest evidence “made clear that there are retained differences in strength, stamina and physique between the average woman compared with the average transgender woman or non-binary person registered male at birth, with or without testosterone suppression.”
The guidance compiled by Sport England, Sport Scotland, Sport Northern Ireland, Sport Wales and UK Sport covers community sport up to national level, and does not apply to international, professional or elite level competition.
Governing bodies in specific sports were urged to come up with ways to ensure transgender inclusion, which could mean creating new “universal admission” categories outside of existing male/female ones, or even adapting the rules to allow for transgender athletes to compete in new versions of sports, particularly ones that involve combat, contact or collision.
It noted that different criteria may be applicable depending on the sport, and that the focus could vary between inclusion, competitive fairness and safety.
“Sport must be a place where everyone can be themselves, where everyone can take part and where everyone is treated with kindness, dignity and respect,” the report added.
While governing bodies in individual sports will be free to adapt the guidelines as they see fit, the landmark report is significant as the five UK councils are major investors and are seen as extremely influential.
In noting the differences between male and female sport, the report pointed to “an understanding of the gap between two sexes” which “can be recognized by results of practice matches between national senior women’s football teams against underage boys’ teams in recent years.
“The national teams from Australia, USA and Brazil were beaten comprehensively (7-0, 5-2, 6-0 respectively) by club teams of 14- and 15-year-old boys,” it said.
Citing the latest science, the report said adult male athletes have a 10-12% performance advantage on average over female competitors in swimming and running events, as much as a 20% advantage in jumping events, and 35% greater performance in sports such as weightlifting when comparing similar-sized athletes.
Concerning transgender people competing in men’s sports, the report said that evidence indicated it is fair and safe for them to do so in most cases.
The results were treated with cautious optimism by groups advocating for more protection for female-born athletes.
Our statement on the new guidelines for transgender participation in sport published by the UK Sports Councils /1https://t.co/7oUU2bH803
Dr Nicola Williams, the director of Fair Play For Women, said: “It is now increasingly recognized that the existing approach to transgender inclusion in sport is out of date and no longer fit for purpose. We commend the Sports Councils for taking the lead to address this difficult and sensitive issue.
“This comprehensive review confirms what we all know: sex matters in sport. That’s why we have always needed a separate protected category for females, and still do…
“This guidance puts an end to the idea that it is possible to allow people who were born male into the female sports category without women and girls paying the price.”
However, Williams added that she would like to see the sports councils go even further by completely ruling out any possibility of trans people playing in the sex category of their choice.
“It cannot be right that a sport could continue to prioritize trans people’s wishes over fairness and safety for women,” she said.
“The Sports Councils have put forward an option that is fair and inclusive for everyone in sport: an open category for all alongside a fair and safe female sex category. If sports really want to be maximally inclusive, that’s what they’ll do.”
Former British Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies – another activist for women’s rights – also welcomed the report, tweeting: “This is very good, and fair news, based on the science & truth.”
In contrast, trans activists are likely to argue that the guidelines will lead to trans women facing more barriers to entry into female sport.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently delayed its new guidelines on the issue, but an updated version is expected after the Winter Games in Beijing in February.
The IOC’s medical and science director admitted in July that the science had “moved on” since the last guidelines from the organization in 2015.
Currently, the IOC says trans athletes can compete in elite sport as a woman, as long as their testosterone levels are below 10 nanomoles per liter for at least 12 months before their first competition.
The issue came to the fore at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the summer, where New Zealand’s Laurel Hubbard competed in the weightlifting.
Hubbard, 43, initially competed as a male before transitioning in 2012. Hubbard failed to register a lift in the women’s +87kg, although that did not stop anger from many quarters over the Kiwi’s participation at the Games.
The private driver of football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly waited almost seven hours to fill up his luxury Bentley a few miles from the Portuguese icon’s home near Manchester, but left the station without a drop.
The $295,000 vehicle was spotted at a Shell station in Wilmslow, with the UK currently struggling through a fuel crisis that has seen many drivers left without gas to get to work and carry out everyday tasks.
A Ranger Rover, which was driven by a member of the 36-year-old’s security entourage, was also parked alongside the Bentley.
The pair pulled up at around 2.20pm on Wednesday, and hoped that a tanker would arrive on the premises to deliver more supplies.
Ronaldo’s driver waited seven hours to fill up £220k Bentley – but left without a drop
The drivers pulled up at 2.20pm, hoping a tanker would arrive at the filling station with supplies. But having waited six hours 40 minutes, they realised none was coming and drove away at 9pm. pic.twitter.com/3n98KnNGZy
After waiting some six hours 40 minutes, though, they decided to cut their losses and drive away at 9pm as Ronaldo was in action against Villarreal in the Champions League and scored a late winner some 50 minutes later.
A source told The Sun that “even with all Ronaldo’s money, he’s in the same boat as the rest of us”.
“His security waited for hours obviously hoping a tanker would eventually arrive but they were forced to drive off.
“The two men looked so fed up waiting in the rain. Ronaldo might be housebound like everyone else if this keeps up,” it was added.
Cristiano Ronaldo is closely followed by his private bodyguards as he drives to Manchester United's Carrington Training Ground in his brand new Bentley Flying Spur. #OleIn#CarabaoCup#OleOutpic.twitter.com/UPnKzLQMKM
Even if the tanker had arrived, though, the most the driver and security personnel could have purchased was just £30 ($40) in fuel with Shell having introduced a cap to curb panic-buying.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner recently bought the Bentley Flying Spur to compliment his £17million ($22.8 million) collection of supercars that also includes Ferraris, two Rolls-Royces, a Porsche 911 Turbo S, several Audis and Mercedes Benzes, Lamborghinis, McLarens and a Koenigsegg CCX.
Also boasting a Continental from Bentley, he has been spotted cruising to United’s Carrington training ground in the Flying Spur over the past week but might have to arrange alternative transport given his driver’s woes.
Ronaldo in the Champions League:
• Most UCL appearances ✅ • Most UCL goals – 136 ✅ • Most UCL knock-out stage goals ✅ • Most UCL goals in a season – 17 ✅ • Scored in three finals ✅ • Five time winner of the competition ✅
As said, Ronaldo was pivotal in last night’s victory over Villarreal which was their first in the Champions League this season after losing to Young Boys last time out.
Post-match, he remarked to BT Sport: “Now everything is possible, everything is open, and we believe we will go through”
“This is why I came back, I missed this club a lot. I made history in this club, and I want to do it again.
“I have to say thank you to all of them [the fans], not just for me, but [for pushing] the team which will be very important especially this season,” Ronaldo concluded.
Former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte says the London club are yet to understand how to deploy big-money summer signing Romelu Lukaku, as the Belgian saw his goal drought continue in the Champions League loss at Juventus.
Despite dominating the possession, the defending European Champions were only able to land one shot on target and ultimately lost to a Federico Chiesa goal just 10 seconds into the second half which gave the hosts the win and was the fastest recorded goal ever scored in a second half of a Champions League game.
45:10 – Federico Chiesa has given Juventus the lead just 10 seconds into the second half against Chelsea, the earliest second half goal Opta have on record in a Champions League match (since 2003-04). Sleeping. pic.twitter.com/Gdbalsift5
Lukaku’s last goal came against Zenit St. Petersburg on match day one in the Champions League and the big forward has since failed to score against Tottenham, Manchester City, Aston Villa, and now Juventus.
This run of fixtures have led some to go back to the old cliché of the Belgian star failing to score in big games against higher quality opponents, something which was often used to criticize him with while at Manchester United.
Speaking prior to last night’s game, the former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte spoke about how to get the best out of Lukaku.
“He is a very specific striker. Bringing Lukaku into the box, he is dangerous. However, when he starts from midfield, he is incredibly quick. It is very difficult to find a player who is both a target man, but can also run from midfield,” Conte told Sky Sport Italia, according to Football Italia.
Conte signed Lukaku for Inter Milan and together the pair won Serie A last season, ending Inter’s 11-year wait to regain the Scudetto.
Despite Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich paying £97.5 million ($131 million) to bring Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge, Conte believes Chelsea don’t yet know how best to use Lukaku and thinks both club and player can improve.
“I think he can still do better, above all with his technique. He is already at a very high level, but a player must keep improving until the day he retires,” said the Italian.
“During the game, there are moments when Lukaku needs to be turned on, but other than that he is one of the toughest forwards to play against, because he can do damage in any area of the pitch.
“If you have a centre-forward like that, you need to use him and I don’t think Chelsea have quite figured out how to use him yet.”
Romelu Lukaku has scored 4 goals for Chelsea this season from just 8 shots on target.
Chelsea’s next game before the international break is at home against Southampton on Saturday in the Premier League, where the expectation will be on Lukaku to get back on the score sheet, before he links up with Belgium back in Turin for the UEFA Nations League semi-final against France.
President Joe Biden’s chief Covid adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci has responded to NBA stars such as Kyrie Irving, who are accused of spreading misinformation on Covid vaccines, in an interview with a conservative radio host.
It has been widely reported that around 90% of NBA stars have been vaccinated, with LeBron James finally coming out and confirming that he has received his jabs after doing his own “research.”
And while it has been threatened that unvaccinated stars will be docked pay and could potentially lose millions if they are unable to play, the likes of the Brooklyn Nets’ Irving and Orlando Magic’s Jonathan Isaac stand accused of being anti-vax by a Rolling Stone piece last week.
More specifically, Irving is said to have been spotted ‘liking’ outlandish conspiracy theory posts on social media, with the theorist in question claiming that “‘secret societies’ are implanting vaccines to connect Black people to a master computer as part of ‘a plan of Satan’.”
“This Moderna microchip misinformation campaign has spread across multiple NBA locker rooms and group chats, according to several of the dozen-plus current players, Hall-of-Famers, league executives, arena workers and virologists interviewed for this story over the past week,” according to the Rolling Stone article.
“Kyrie Irving and other major stars in the NBA refused to get vaccinated,”noted Hewitt to Fauci on the former’s podcast.
“They suggest there’s a lot of things wrong with the vaccine. Would you speak directly to Kyrie about the damage he is doing by spreading vaccine lies?” the host asked.
“I think you have to put it into perspective of what is going on in the country with regard to Covid-19, the now, you know, inching close to 700,000 deaths with a vaccine that unequivocally from a scientific and public health standpoint has been shown to be highly effective and safe,” Fauci responded.
“And although I do respect people’s individual rights to make their decisions, there is also a part of it, Hugh, that is what I refer to as societal responsibility.
“And although there are individual choices that people can make, when you’re dealing with a deadly pandemic, you’ve got to also understand your responsibility to the society within which you live.
“So I wouldn’t want to be pointing a finger at this young man, but I would hope to be able to get him to understand that by allowing the virus to infect you, even though as an individual you say ‘I’ll take my own chances, I don’t care, I’m young, I’m healthy, the likelihood that I’m going to get a serious disease is low’, which is true.
“You can’t deny that. But what happens is that when you do get infected, it’s very well likely that you might pass that infection on to someone who would suffer very terribly from that virus. So you don’t want to be a vehicle for the propagation of an outbreak that unequivocally has devastated society,” Fauci finished.
I didn’t even notice this. Kyrie Irving’s aunt says Irving is going to present alternate “research” about why you “necessarily don’t have to take the vaccine” and refers to Fauci as “False-y.” Okay. pic.twitter.com/Tl23qThtWd
Hewitt tried to push Fauci into responding to the likes of Irving directly for putting “stuff online that suggest that the vaccine is dangerous.”
“Well, you know, you tell them that it’s untrue,” began Fauci.
“The fact is these are people, they’re not stupid people. And yet, they [have] somehow or other, been convinced of things that are just not factual.”
“I mean, you look at the data. The data are overwhelming that these are highly effective and safe,” he went on.
“And if you look at the track record of vaccines in general, what they’ve done for society and the benefit/risk ratio overwhelmingly weighs in favor of the benefit.
“And it’s just factual. I mean, it’s, sometimes it’s inexplicable that people can look at data and just say it doesn’t exist. I mean, it does,” Fauci concluded.
Kyrie Irving on if he expects to play in home games this season:
“Everything will be released at a due date once we get this cleared up. As of right now, please respect my privacy.” pic.twitter.com/W7fqrFkWY5
Meanwhile, New York City mayor Bill Blasio has implored Irving to get vaccinated as continuing in his current predicament would ban him from playing home games in Brooklyn during the upcoming NBA season.
“We have a rule that has to be applied, whether you’re famous, whether you’re not famous, you know, whether you’re everyday working man or woman – get vaccinated because that’s what makes us all safe,” de Blasio said when asked if figures such as Irving could use “wiggle room” around the Big Apple’s rules that require “proof of at least one dose of vaccination for all workers and individuals in indoor entertainment and performing arts venues”.
“Look, I’m a fan,” de Blasio said more specifically regarding the 29-year-old. “I’m a fan of the Nets. I live in Brooklyn. I’m a fan of Kyrie. I would just appeal to him, get vaccinated.
“Your fans want to see you. We all want you back. Your teammates want you back. Look, there are teams now that are 100 percent vaccinated. That’s a great example to everyone else,” the mayor signed off.
