Tough Task Ahead For Iranian Women Taekwondokas

From Page 1
Azarmehr added, “We may partake in the Belgium competition. It’s a good opportunity for us to evaluate our potentialities.”
Iran’s main rivals in the Islamic Solidarity Games are Indonesia and Egypt.
The Islamic Solidarity Games is a multinational, multi-sport event. The Games involve the elite athletes of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. The Islamic Solidarity Games Federation (ISSF) is the organization that is responsible for the direction and control of the Islamic Solidarity Games.
The Women’s Islamic Games started in 1993. The event is organized by the Islamic Federation of Women’s Sport (IFWS). Muslim women of all nationalities are allowed to take part in the Games.
The event has been held in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005 in Iran and normally in 2010 too, however the games were cancelled.

Armstrong ‘Admits to Doping’ in Interview

His fall nearly complete, disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has finally confessed to using performance-enhancing drugs in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, according to a USA Today report.
Although American media had widely speculated that Armstrong would admit to cheating in the interview, neither Winfrey nor Armstrong would confirm the report, in which the newspaper cited an anonymous source, Reuters reported.
“We are not confirming any specific details regarding the interview at this time,” a spokesman for Oprah’s network OWN told Reuters.
The report did not say which drugs Armstrong admitted to using, and the American’s attorney and his spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Armstrong, 41, has always vehemently denied using performance-enhancing drugs and had never tested positive to a doping test. But the evidence against him has been overwhelming.
Oprah, on Twitter, offered little more herself other than to say Armstrong came prepared for the interview, which will be broadcast on Thursday.
“Just wrapped with @lancearmstrong More than 2 1/2 hours. He came READY,” Winfrey tweeted.
But the television host hinted she would provide some more snippets, confirming she would appear on CBS television on Tuesday morning to talk about the interview.
CBS reported Armstrong had indicated he may be willing to testify against others involved in illegal doping and was in talks about repaying part of the taxpayer money he earned during his career.
The unconfirmed reports about his admissions followed Armstrong’s apology to the staff of the cancer foundation he had started over difficulties they may have experienced because of the doping controversy.
“He had a private conversation with the staff, who have done the important work of the foundation for many years,” said Livestrong Foundation spokeswoman Katherine McLane.
“It was a very sincere and heartfelt expression of regret over any stress that they’ve suffered over the course of the last few years as a result of the media attention,” she said.
Shortly after, Armstrong joined his legal team to meet with Winfrey for an interview described as “no-holds-barred.”
The interview was supposed to take place at Armstrong’s Texas home but was switched to a hotel in downtown Austin after news crews camped outside his house before dawn.
A former cancer survivor who went on to become the greatest cyclist the world has seen, Armstrong’s fall from grace has been as swift and spectacular as his rise through the French alps.

Froch-Kessler Rematch Confirmed for Britain

Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler will fight in Britain later this year in a tantalizing super middleweight rematch.
Kessler took Froch’s title and inflicted the Nottingham boxer’s first professional defeat via a controversial points decision in a bout that was a contender for the 2010 Fight of the Year, Eurosport wrote.
Full details on the fight are yet to be but both fighters have expressed their delight that they will once again lock horns.
“First and foremost, I’m really pleased the fight has finally been arranged,” said Froch.
“I feared that Kessler had second thoughts about his promise - but the man has come good on his word.
“Our first fight was pure warfare. We went at each other for every minute of every round and the rematch promises to be even more fiercely contested. I seriously wish I was ringside myself for this fight, because I’m gunning for revenge at all costs and the fight fans are in for a real treat.
“He is a class act both inside and outside the ropes. We are cut from the same cloth and we will be friends yet again after the fight. But the moment I heard the fight was done on the telephone, I was completely switched on and he was the focus of my mind. I can’t wait to get back into camp for this one. I’ve never felt so motivated.
“If Mikkel thinks he saw the best of me in Denmark then he is in for a rude awakening. I give him the utmost respect that he has the guts to board that plane and come collect a serious whooping at the hands of the Cobra--let’s bring it on!

Bayern Keep Quiet Over Guardiola Speculation

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich declined to comment on speculation about a possible deal with former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.
“Unfortunately we will not be commenting on these rumors,” a club official told Reuters when asked about reports that the successful Spanish coach, who has taken a year out, was close to a deal with the Bavarians, Reuters reported.
Current coach Jupp Heynckes, who took over in 2011 and steered Bayern to the Champions League final last season, has yet to win any titles but, judging by his team’s superb performance this season, that could soon change.
Bayern are top of the Bundesliga with a nine-point lead after 17 matches with the best offence and defense of the league, having scored 44 goals while conceding seven.
The Bundesliga resumes this week after a month-long winter break and Bayern also face champions Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup quarter-finals.
They have also advanced in the Champions League to set up a round-of-16 clash with Arsenal next month.
The 67-year-old Heynckes, in his third spell at Bayern, has a contract until June and club boss Uli Hoeness, his close friend, had said he would hold talks with him early in the year to decide whether he would stay for another year or not.
Heynckes, who guided Real Madrid to Champions League victory in 1998, was brought out of retirement to replace the sacked Juergen Klinsmann in 2009 for a handful of season-ending games and returned to Bayern again two years later.
Bayern’s ultimate goal is to win the Champions League after losing twice in the final in the past three seasons. With Guardiola’s stellar record at Barcelona, club bosses could be forgiven for looking towards the 41-year-old Spaniard.

Bulls Shut Down Hawks

Tom Thibodeau sent a strong wake-up message to his team at a heated shootaround Monday morning. He got the response he was looking for.
Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds, Luol Deng scored 18 points and the Chicago Bulls held Atlanta to a franchise-low 20 points in the first half of a 97-58 victory over the Hawks on Monday night, AP wrote.
‘’Early this morning, Tibs was going crazy on us at shoot around. Just waking up early in the morning and having Tibs just screaming at you and screaming at you and screaming at you,’’ center Joakim Noah said, ‘’we didn’t want that to happen to us again.
‘’We were ready for this one. We had the right mindset, played with the edge and we rebounded the ball really well. Everyone came in and stepped up.’’
Reserve forward Mike Scott scored 10 points to lead Atlanta as none of the starters reached double figures. Josh Smith and Kyle Korver had nine points each.
Jeff Teague had a layup with 7.9 seconds left to prevent the Hawks’ lowest scoring total in franchise history.
Atlanta has lost five straight on the road and six of seven overall.
‘’This was very, very embarrassing,’’ Hawks coach Larry Drew said. ‘’From where we were as a team to where we’re at right now, we have lost all sense of team on both ends of the floor. And why that’s happened I really can’t put my finger on it.’’

Karimi Likely to Miss Derby

Persepolis midfielder Ali Karimi is a doubt for Tehran derby after suffering knee ligament damage against Saba football team on Sunday.
“We’ll have to wait and see what the extent of the damage is. Karimi will likely miss the matches against Damash and Esteqlal,” Persepolis Doctor Vajihollah Cheshmesari said.
According to him, Persepolis captain Mehdi Mahdavikia, who has suffered ankle ligament damage in training, will be fit for the derby.
“Mahdavikia is progressing well and I think he will be fit for the derby,” he said.
Tehran derby between Esteqlal and Persepolis has been scheduled for January 25 at the Azadi Stadium.

Eriksson Lands 1860 Munich Role

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson will join the coaching staff of second-tier 1860 Munich to help them climb up the table.
“Yes, we have an agreement that Sven-Goran Eriksson will join our coaching staff,” the club’s board chairman Otto Steiner told reporters on Tuesday morning after an all-night meeting at the club offices, Reuters wrote.
“Alexander Schmidt will remain our coach.”
The exact role of the 64-year-old Swede, who has served as technical director of Thai club BEC Tero Sasana since September last year and has also managed AS Roma, Manchester City, Lazio, Sampdoria and Benfica among others, will still need to be defined, Steiner said.
One of the founding members of the Bundesliga and the city’s most successful club before the arrival of Bayern in the mid 1960s, 1860 have been reduced to a minor role, currently playing in the second division.
Eriksson coached England from 2001-2006, failing to win any trophies.

Evans Stays With Arden For GP2 Move

GP3 champion Mitch Evans will stay with Arden for his graduation to GP2 this season.
New Zealander Evans first joined the MW Arden GP3 squad for the 2011 campaign. His maiden win came in round three at Barcelona, then he triumphed in last year’s ultra-tight title battle, AutoSport reported.
Team boss Julian Rouse was delighted to hang on to Evans for his next move.
“We have a great relationship with him, and have seen him grow in the last two years in a championship that was created to bring great drivers into GP2,” Rouse said.
“We tested Mitch at the Barcelona and Jerez tests at the end of last year and were encouraged by his performance, especially as he was in the top 10 with drivers who have several years’ GP2 experience.
“Also with everyone at Arden knowing Mitch so well, I am sure we can develop him as a front running GP2 driver very quickly and efficiently.”
Evans, a protégé of Red Bull Formula 1 driver Mark Webber, joins race winner Johnny Cecotto Jr in the Arden line-up.
Last year Arden’s lead driver Luiz Razia was Davide Valsecchi’s main rival for the GP2 crown.

Indonesia Minister Threatens To Disband Rivals

Indonesia’s newly appointed sports minister has threatened to disband the country’s two rival soccer factions unless a solution is found to end the rumbling row before FIFA’s latest deadline.
Soccer in the southeast Asian country has been long plagued by infighting between the Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) and the breakaway Indonesian Soccer Rescue Committee (KPSI), with FIFA threatening to suspend them if the dispute was not resolved by Dec. 10, Reuters reported.
But Indonesia somehow dodged a ban and were given a three month extension to resolve the fight for power after emergency talks involving soccer’s world governing body and the Asian Football Confederation.
Roy Suriyo, who was appointed as the country’s new youth and sports minister on Tuesday, was confident of solving the bitter feud before the FIFA deadline, the Jakarta Globe said in a report.
“FIFA has given us a deadline of March 16. So, we have to solve the problems by then,” Suriyo told the newspaper.
“I have neither interests nor attachment to the ... PSSI and KPSI. So, God willing, I will solve it.”
Any government interference, however, is likely to lead to an automatic ban from FIFA, with the world governing body suspending other nations for similar acts in the past.
Soccer fans in Indonesia have become used to the struggles with one crisis routinely following another, their record 10-0 humiliation by Bahrain in a World Cup qualifier in February triggering a FIFA investigation.
At one point, Indonesia had two national teams and still has two domestic leagues with players blocked from competing in the other.

United Confirm Chinese Sponsors

Manchester United’s prolific commercial team have confirmed two new sponsorship deals.