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Al-Ahram Weekly 5 - 11 August 1999 Issue No. 441 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 5 - 11 August 1999 Issue No. 441
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Focus Interview Features Travel Living Sports Time Out Chronicles People Cartoons Letters Clash of tennis egos
THE NUMBER one tennis player, Pat Rafter, blamed the media for his fall-out with competitor Pete Sampras. At the same time, the Australian champ reiterated previous criticism of Sampras, namely accusing the latter of having an attitude problem and not enough respect for his opponents. Rafter's statements came after Sampras had announced that he and Rafter had patched up their differences. Rafter was careful to point out that his comments were not personal and were purely related "to the way we go about our business as competitors." The dispute erupted after a cutting remark made by Sampras before his successful defence of the US Open title last year. When asked what the difference between himself and Rafter was, he replied, "Ten grand slams." "We're all out there busting our backsides every week and if I can find an edge to beat Pete, then I'll use it." concluded Rafter.Football fans reigned in
FOOTBALL matches can sometimes prompt situations bordering on riots and even war. This is what seems to have happened last Saturday in central Serbia when police were called in to break up a clash between the supporters of opposing teams. According to Radio Belgrade, police fired into the air, used water jets and even tear gas to put an end to the row. The private SOS Kanal television station, cited by the independent Beta news agency, said that several dozen people were injured. The incident took place at a match between the local Borac team and Belgrade's Red Star on the first day of the Yugoslav championships.Football's first foetal fan
A SOCCER-mad British couple hope to score a footballing first by signing their unborn child up for club membership of English second division Club Reading. Paul and Celestine Taylor, who live in the Cypriot capital, Nicosia, have applied for their baby -- due in two months -- to become the Reading's youngest official supporter. To overcome the problem of supplying the club with a recent photograph of the baby for the membership card, the couple sent a picture of the baby's scan. The father, Paul Taylor, who works at the British High Commission, said he had not yet received confirmation from the club about the child's membership. Although the expectant parents had intended the application to be a joke at first, it now seems likely that the club will accept the membership of their unborn son.Urine in the clear
ALL URINE tests performed as part of anti-doping measures during the Tour de France were negative, announced cycling's international governing body, the UCI last Saturday. Also searches for corticoids and synthetic hormones -- which were conducted for the first time this year -- came up with nothing.All 180 riders were tested on July 3. The top 10 riders in the overall standings also passed blood tests ordered by the UCI prior to the start of the 18th stage.
This year's Tour -- won by the American, Lance Armstrong -- was free of the drug scandals which had blighted the race in 1998, although French rider Christophe Bassons withdrew before the 12th stage after claiming that the use of illegal drugs was still widespread among the riders.
Swedish world record
THREE Kenyans failed in world record attempts at the Stockholm grand prix last Friday, with Japheth Kumuati falling short of his bid to break the oldest record in the books.The Swedish Olympic and world champion Ludmila Engquist, who has been battling breast cancer for more than a year, delighted a cheering home crowd by winning the 100 metres hurdles in 12.68 seconds.
Injured in 400 metres
OLYMPIC champion Michael Johnson pulled up clutching his thigh less than midway through the 400 metres at the Stockholm grand prix last Friday. He sat on the track while his thigh was strapped and ice was applied.What a week!
THE SCALP of Alexander Popov plus four gold medals in five days have turned Pieter van den Hoogenband into the hero of the European swimming championships.He anchored the Dutch 4x100 metres freestyle team to victory last Monday, won the 50 butterfly last Tuesday, dethroned the once-invincible Popov in the 100 freestyle last Wednesday, set the fastest 200 freestyle semifinal time last Thursday, and won the 200 last Friday. And guess what? He's still waiting for more!
Doubly significant in Holland
THE 1999 World Table Tennis Championships, postponed because of the Kosovo crisis, finally began in Eindhoven, Holland, last Monday. China, who won all four Olympic golds in Atlanta and 13 of the 14 possible golds in the 1995 and 1997 World Championships combined, can reasonably be expected to sweep all five individual golds on offer this time.The three doubles events and the women's singles are expected to go to China with only the men's singles really holding a threat from the rest of the world's nations.
This championship is doubly significant because the top 20 singles players on the world list published just after the world championships will be automatically eligible for the Olympics, but only two from the same country.
This week witnesses only the individual events that will be contested for the first time. The world team championships will be held in Kuala Lumpur next February.
