Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/779073
50 maltatoday SUNDAY, 29 JANUARY 2017 Sport OLYMPICS FORMULA 1 FUTSAL Bolt returns gold medal from 2008 4x100 relay JAMAICAN Usain Bolt says it is rough losing one of his nine Olympic gold medals after re- lay team mate Nesta Carter was found guilty of doping at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. "It's rough that I have to give back one of my medals and I already gave it back because it was of course required by the IOC", Bolt told the press on Friday in his first comments since the In- ternational Olympic Committee ruling. "I'm not happy about it but it's just one of those things that hap- pen in life. "I can't allow that to deter me from my focus this season, so I am focussed but I am not pleased." Carter was found in re-tests of his sample to have taken the banned stimulant methyl- hexaneamine, the IOC said on Wednesday, meaning the entire Jamaican relay team had to re- turn their gold medals. The loss of the 4x100 metres medal leaves Bolt with eight Olympic golds, and he does not think the ruling tarnishes his glittering career record. He is considered the greatest sprinter of all time, having won an unprecedented treble of con- secutive Olympic golds in the 100m and 200m in 2008, 2012 and 2016. He also was part of the win- ning Jamaican 4x100 relay team in 2012 and 2016. Bolt is credited with being a key factor in maintaining a glob- al interest in athletics at a time when the sport has been ravaged by doping violations. "I think I've still accomplished a lot, it hasn't changed what I have done throughout my ca- reer," said the 100m and 200m world record-holder. "I have worked hard and pushed and done things that no one has done before. I have won three gold medals over the 100m and 200m." Bolt, 30, says he will retire after the 2017 world championships in London. Men's 4x100m relay Asafa Powell, Usain Bolt, Michael Frater, Nesta Carter of Jamaica celebrate after winning the final of the athletics competition in the National Stadium during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Ecclestone dismisses rival series rumours Bernie Ecclestone has denied he will start a rival series to Formula One after losing his position as the sport's chief executive FORMER Formula One chief ex- ecutive Bernie Ecclestone has dis- missed speculation that he might set up a rival series and said he would never want to undermine the existing championship. In a statement on Friday, break- ing a long silence, the 86-year-old Briton said he wished to clear up rumours that spread after he was replaced at the helm by American Chase Carey on Monday. "I have built the championship over the last near 50 years, which is something I am proud of, and the last thing I want is to see it dam- aged," he said. Ecclestone said he hoped fans ap- preciated that Formula One's new owners Liberty Media, who com- pleted their takeover on Monday, intended to put money back into the sport. "The new owner of the com- pany will be able to carry out the administration of the company in a different way to the way I had, which was to produce financial re- sults for the shareholders, the nor- mal actions of a chief executive," he said. "This I have done for the differ- ent shareholders over the last years and also when I owned 100 percent of the company. "I would have loved the luxury of what Chase Carey, the CEO, is able to do. I hope the F1 supporters appreciate this as Chase intends to put money back into the sport." Ecclestone's business model, as chief executive for outgoing con- trolling shareholders CVC Capital Partners, was to maximise the rev- enues from race hosting fees and television contracts. Liberty, owned by U.S. cable television magnate John Malone, have a longer-term vision and have said they want to grow the sport in the Americas, bring in a new and younger audience and secure the traditional European venues. Carey also wants to cut the costs of competing, and introduce a fairer distribution of prize money so teams can compete on a more level playing field. Ecclestone has kept out of the limelight since Monday, avoid- ing public comments about his replacement or the end of his 40-year-reign as Formula One su- premo. He said, however, that he was touched by the support and thanks he had received from the people he had dealt with over the years. Speaking separately to Reuters, Ecclestone indicated he would be attending races in his new, if unde- fined, capacity of 'Emeritus Chair- man' and advisor to the board and had plenty of other business to at- tend to. Talk of the Briton turning his attentions to any rival series had appeared highly unlikely from the outset given his age and undertak- ings given to the new owners. Ecclestone said Formula One would be moving to a new London base to accommodate an expand- ed staff and key executives, such as legal head Sacha Woodward- Hill, would be working for the new management. Although surprised to be moved aside, after being asked last Sep- tember to stay on for another three years, he made clear he was not ready to retire. "I'm not the retiring person," he said. Bernie Ecclestone Spirited Malta denied by last-gasp goal National futsal side lose to Albania in final group game M ALTA were seconds away from opening their account in their final Group D game of the 2018 Euro Futsal Champion- ship preliminary round but their hopes were shattered by a last- gasp goal which gave Albania a narrow 3-2 win this evening. After emphatic victories over hosts Bulgaria (7-1) and England (5-1), Albania were widely fan- cied to end their group commit- ments with another fine win but the Maltese side produced their best performance in this tour- nament to make life difficult for the group winners. Malta, who lost to England and Bulgaria in their opening two games, led 2-1 at half-time after goals from Carl Azzopardi (12) and George Frendo (19). Narcis Alibegu had given Alba- nia a 10th-minute advantage and Azem Brahimi equalised early in the second half but Malta re- tained their composure. Peter Pullicino's side also had a couple of chances to surge ahead in the second half. Albania duly profited as Halim Selmanaj hit the winner with 30 seconds re- maining. "Luck was definitely not on our side," Mark Borg, the president of Futsal Malta who is heading the Maltese contingent in Varna, told w w w.mfa.com.mt. "Group winners Albania were made to sweat and they only managed to edge our team with a last-gasp winner 30 seconds from time. "We were so close to our first international point but yet so far." Albania topped the group with a maximum nine points. MALTA SQUAD Neil Cuschieri (GK); Giancarlo Sammut; Jovica Milijic; Mark Zammit; Andy Mangion; Mat- thew Xerxen (GK); Carl Azzo- pardi; Glenn Bonello; Nicola Del Re; George Frendo; Melvin Borg ; Xavier Saliba; Dylan Musu; Matthew Attard. The Malta futsal players before Friday's game against Albania