Soccer-Blatter says Qatar World Cup should take place in winter

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Wednesday the 2022 World Cup should be switched to the winter months because of the blistering heat in Qatar during the summer.

Blatter admitted he had to take his share of the blame for not taking the heat problem sufficiently into consideration when awarding the tournament to Qatar in 2010.

“The World Cup must be a festival of the people. But for it to be such a festival, you can’t play football in the summer,” Blatter told a conference in Kitzbuehel, Austria.

“You can cool down the stadiums but you can’t cool down the whole country and you can’t simply cool down the ambience of a World Cup. The players must be able to play in the best conditions to play a good World Cup.”

Blatter had previously said that any request to change the timing of the 2022 World Cup would have to come from the organizers. In March he said the World Cup was a competition “that has to be played in June and July.”

“We must protect our partners, our sponsors, our television partners. We must be very strong about this. We still have enough time. I will open discussions in the executive committee in October,” Blatter told reporters.

“The executive committee will most certainly follow my proposal. And then we will have dealt with the topic for good.”

The head of Qatar’s organizing committee, Hassan Al-Thawadi, told the conference in Austria by video link: “If it’s a wish of the football community to have the World Cup in winter, then we are open to that.” Games are scheduled to be played in air-conditioned stadiums.

Moving the World Cup to the winter would have a seismic effect in Europe. Many leagues outside Britain have a winter break but they would need a hiatus of at least six weeks to accommodate national teams preparing for, and playing at, the World Cup finals.

“We have to have the courage - that is FIFA’s executive committee - to play this World Cup in the winter and to start to work out now what impact this will have on the international calendar,” Blatter said.

“You just have to have the courage to say it at some point because you have to start to get awareness into the leagues that something has to be changed.

“It would only be for one year, afterwards you’d be back to the normal routine. But I will advocate that,” he told Sky Germany television.

Blatter said his change of heart had followed medical information about the effects of the heat on players, but he admitted his standing would be affected by the volte-face.

“I personally have had to take a lot of criticism but I have strong shoulders and it doesn’t really bother me.

“There has been a fresh medical investigation into what it would be like to play football there in the summer and we have to take into account the health, not of the spectators, but of the players,” he told Sky Germany.

“We didn’t underestimate this topic. It wasn’t looked at properly. Because even back then our chief medical officer said you can’t play in June/July.

“But the point is 2022 was a long way away when we decided this in 2010. Now we’re in 2013, three years later and now it’s time to think about what was maybe not done so well.” 

Expectant fans wait for Murray moment

77 years of hurt never stopped these tennis fans dreaming.

Just hours before Andy Murray aims to make history against Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final, hundreds of fans were joining the queue despite being told they were in for a five hour wait.

There is just no stopping these fans, who would go to the ends of the earth to show their support for Murray, tennis and sport.

Not all of these fans are British though, many nationalities have been swept up in Murray Mania.

I ask Joanne Lucic from New Zealand why she was sitting in the scorching sun waiting for hours to see a British tennis player.

“I’m crazy! I’ve been swept away by the hype, my friend Amy is a huge fan. It’s fun queuing with these guys, the whole day is a ball,” the 33-year old said.

“I’ve also been influenced by the media coverage on Murray. I wasn’t keen on him before but now I’m ‘Go Murray’ all the way. The media have brought out his personality a bit more – last year when he cried it was a big winner with the crowd.”

For brand Murray - those infamous tears on Centre Court cannot be underestimated. That was the moment the doubters let Murray into their hearts.

Hill heartbreak

“I was on the hill last year. It was a heartbreaking moment. Everyone was in tears and the whole place went silent. That turned a lot of people to support him and the Olympics as well. People have turned to sport a lot more,” says 28-year old Brit Rachael Evans.

The Olympics showed British people love their sport, but with numerous sporting events taking place over the summer, this love affair isn’t ending anytime soon. Particularly when British sport is on a high with recent cricket, rugby and golf success.

Tennis on the other hand is a different story.

Everybody will be watching Murray and if he wins the happiness factor will be through the roof. And maybe there will be some tears of happiness this time David Brown, Andy Murray fan

“For 17 years I’ve been camping here in the hope of someone British winning the final.”

Not continuously,  57-year old Brit David Brown informs me. 

“Wimbledon is fabulous and quintessentially British. It’s everything about Britain, the queuing, the politeness – I was talking to some Americans tennis fans earlier who said it was light years ahead of other Opens.” 

Whether it's better than other tournaments is debateable, but what makes Wimbledon special is that Murray is contesting a Grand Slam on home soil. Something rare, with a Serbian, Swiss and Spaniard making up the top four.

American Andy Roddick was the last man to win his home grand slam at the U.S. Open a decade ago.

“Everybody is interested, everybody knows he is in the final even those not into sport. They all want to know about it,” says David.

“British love sport and the Olympics proved that. It raised the feeling across the country and it’s the same today. Everybody will be watching Murray and if he wins the happiness factor will be through the roof. And maybe there will be some tears of happiness this time.” 

If you scour the Wimbledon queue hard enough, you will bump into a Serbian fan. And the beauty of it is they won’t be surrounded by aggressive Brits lobbing bottles at their heads.

Tennis, at its best, is very different to football at its worse. Win or lose, fans of all nationalities are going to have a good time. Goodwill defeats aggression.

“I’m not very confident to be honest, it’s intimidating the amount of support Murray has. I support Djokovic but I will be pleased for everyone if Murray wins,” says Serbian Anna Ivanovitch.

One man I passed even sported a sign saying “Keep calm and support Djokovic,” he told me he had received no death threats so far.

Other than the Andy Murray clan itself – the people taking the event most seriously are the kids. During the two weeks I've spent at Wimbledon I have been infected by their youthful enthusiasm and unquestioning support of their hero.

Today, right in front of the big screen, will be a group of little ones screaming his name until their voices run hoarse. And in amongst them perhaps there will be a future Andy Murray.

Lots of these children are right now waiting hour after hour to see him - a remarkable feat achieved without bribery or corruption from parents.

I spoke to brothers Michael and Joseph, from Murray's homeland Scotland, who had been queuing for five hours with their father.

“I don’t care how long I wait as long as I see Andy Murray,” said six-year old Michael.

Children waiting patiently in queue – perhaps this is the best way to describe the Andy Murray phenomenon. 

Joanna Tilley is a freelance journalist working with Al Jazeera on the Sport website and reporting from the Wimbledon Championships.

Barcelona still have cash in the attic

Barcelona's transfer resources have not been exhausted by the $78 million they paid for Brazil forward Neymar, a club spokesman said on Tuesday.

Neymar will line up alongside World Player of the Year Lionel Messi in a formidable forward line for the Spanish champions but they probably need to strengthen a defence that was worryingly porous last season.

"Barca can afford all the transfers the technical staff deem necessary, as has always been the case," Toni Freixa, spokesman for the club's board of directors, told a news conference.

Barca can afford all the transfers the technical staff deem necessary, as has always been the case... But we cannot of course tell the market how much we are prepared to spend Toni Freixa, Barcelona spokesman

"But we cannot of course tell the market how much we are prepared to spend."

The club's 35-year-old captain Carles Puyol has suffered a series of injury problems and Barca's central defensive pairing last season was typically Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano, a converted midfielder.

Barca romped to a fourth title in five years but conceded 40 goals in 38 matches, 11 more than the previous campaign.

Neymar's Brazil team-mate Thiago Silva told reporters this week that Barca coach Tito Vilanova had tried to coax him to the Catalan capital but the centre-back's club, Paris St-Germain, are reluctant to part with him.

Vilanova has seemed reluctant to heap too much responsibility on Spain Under-21 international Marc Bartra. He had a fine European Championship in Israel last month and could play more of a role next season.

Alex Song, another midfielder, was bought from Arsenal because he can also fill in at centre back but has proved a disappointment.

Daniel Alves and Jordi Alba are fixtures at right and left back respectively and Barca have Martin Montoya and Adriano as cover.

The arrival of Neymar may trigger the exit of David Villa, who has not been the same lethal marksman since breaking his leg at the Club World Cup in late 2011 and will be 32 in December.

Aussies on top at Tour de France

Australian Simon Gerrans took the Tour de France leader's yellow jersey when his Orica-GreenEdge outfit won Tuesday's team time trial, 24 hours after he had won the third stage.

The Australian team crossed the line in 25 minutes 56 seconds, making it the fastest stage in the Tour's history.

They finished one second ahead of Belgian world champions Omega Pharma Quick-Step with Britain's Team Sky a further two seconds behind in third.

"It has been a dream start for us," Orica-GreenEdge sporting director Matt White said in a finish-line interview.

"We knew we would be competitive but to win (the time trial), we are very surprised."

Gerrans beat pre-stage favourite Peter Sagan of Slovakia to win Monday's individual honours and now leads the overall standings ahead of team mates Daryl Impey of South Africa and Michael Albasini of Switzerland.

The team were in the limelight for the wrong reasons on Saturday's opening stage when their bus got stuck under the overhead banner at the finish line as the speeding peloton was approaching.

Omega Pharma Quick-Step were hampered by problems with German individual time-trial world champion Tony Martin, who suffered concussion and an elbow wound in a crash in the opening stage, and Briton Mark Cavendish, who has had bronchitis.

Team Sky had their own woes with team pursuit Olympic champion Geraint Thomas of Wales riding despite a small pelvis fracture, though he kept up with his team mates until the finishing stretch.

Lisicki continues her Wimbledon march

Germany's Sabine Lisicki followed-up her shock defeat of Serena Williams with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Estonia's Kaia Kanepi on Tuesday to reach her second Wimbledon semi-final.

The German 23rd seed, who also made the last-four as a wildcard in 2011, goes on to face Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska, the runner-up to five-time champion Williams last year, for a place in the final.

"It was an amazing match yesterday, but I had to make sure that I had calmed down and was ready for today," said Lisicki, who completed victory in her fourth Wimbledon quarter-final just before rain began to fall.

It was an amazing match yesterday, but I had to make sure that I had calmed down and was ready for today Sabine Lisicki, Wimbledon semi-finalist

"I have had experience of other years to help me. I also played the semi-finals in 2011 so that helped me be ready for today."

Her semi-final opponent Radwanska downed China's Li Na in a match between the tournament's top two seeds. 

The Polish fourth seed beat the sixth seed 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-2 in a two-hour, 43 minute thrilling contest on Centre Court. 

Li Na refused to give up the fight saving seven match points to the delight of the crowd, however, the strength of Radwanska was too much for the Chinese top seed.

After downing Williams in the fourth round, Lisicki, who was defeated by Maria Sharapova in the semi-finals two years ago, insisted she felt no pressure coming into Wednesday's match.

"There's no pressure. I just keep playing the game that I love," she said.

It's also a surface she loves - the German's record at Wimbledon stands at 18 wins and just four losses while she is only 16-15 at the three other Slams.

Kanepi has now played and lost six quarter-finals at the majors.

"I hit winners in previous matches and did well, but today I was missing a lot," admitted the 28-year-old.

"But on grass there is no Plan B. I just have to go for my shots. If there is a ball, I have to hit it."

Solid win

Lisicki showed no signs of a hangover from her two-hour, three-set triumph over Williams 24 hours earlier as the 23-year-old Florida-based German broke the world number 46 Kanepi in the opening game on a half-full Court One.

She backed it up with another solid break in the ninth game to take the opening set.

Lisicki, whose ranking slumped to 218 in March 2011 as she battled a career-threatening ankle injury, suffered a brief wobble when she was broken for the first time in the third game of the second set by the 2010 quarter-finalist.

But she levelled immediately before going on to claim five of the next six games to clinch victory inside just 65 minutes on the back of 23 solid winners.

Later on Tuesday, 2011 champion Petra Kvitova, the highest seed left in the bottom half of the draw following the shock first week exits of Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka, takes on Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens.

Czech eighth seed Kvitova, the only player born in the 1990s to win a major, is bidding for a third Wimbledon semi-final.

Flipkens, the 27-year-old 20th seed, is playing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final.

She missed the tournament last year after spending two months away from the sport battling blood clots in her legs, an absence which saw her ranking plummet to 262 in the world.

The winner of that tie will face either French 15th seed Marion Bartoli, the 2007 runner-up, or American 17th seed Sloane Stephens, who was a semi-finalist at the Australian Open this year.

Pirelli introduce stronger tyres in Germany

Formula One teams will have stronger rear tyres at the German Grand Prix this weekend, and a new type from the Hungarian race at the end of this month, Pirelli said on Tuesday.

A series of high-speed tyre blowouts triggered safety fears and driver complaints at Silverstone last weekend.

Six drivers - Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, McLaren's Sergio Perez, Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne and Sauber's Esteban Gutierrez - were all lucky to escape serious incidents after suffering dramatic failures during the race.

Hamilton, who led when his left-rear tyre exploded, said something needed 'to be done straight away' to solve the issue.

I'd like to re-emphasise the fact that the 2013 range of tyres, used in the correct way, is completely safe Paul Hembery, Pirelli's motorsport director

It appears Pirelli have listened to the criticism from all quarters and have been quick in their response.

The Italian company said in a statement that it would bring in rear tyres with inner belts made of Kevlar, a reinforced fibre, which had been made originally for teams to try out in Canada last month but were not used.

From the Hungary race onwards, new tyres that will combine the 2012 structure and 2013 compounds will be introduced after being tested at Silverstone in mid-July.

Pirelli also said teams contributed to the dramatic blowouts by mounting their tyres the wrong way around and using insufficient pressure.

Pirelli said teams had put tyres intended for the right side of the car on the left to gain a competitive advantage, had run them at lower pressures than recommended by the manufacturer and used extreme cambers.

"I'd like to re-emphasise the fact that the 2013 range of tyres, used in the correct way, is completely safe," said Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery.

"What happened at Silverstone though has led us to ask for full access to real-time tyre data to ensure the correct usage and development of tyres that have the sophistication we were asked to provide and extremely high performance that has lowered lap times by more than two seconds on average."

Flipkens upsets former champion Kvitova

Bespectacled Belgian outsider Kirsten Flipkins threw her name into the hat of Wimbledon's giant-slayers as she beat 2011 champion Petra Kvitova 4-6 6-3 6-4 on a floodlit Centre Court to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals on Tuesday.

Kvitova had been the last grand slam champion left in the women's draw but she joined the likes of Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka and Li Na on the All England Club scrapheap after being suffocated under Centre Court's closed roof.

All seemed on track when eighth seed Kvitova took the first set but she came unstuck in the second and called on the trainer after falling behind 5-2.

It's amazing, it's more than a dream come true to be in the semi-final of a Grand Slam, it's ridiculous Kirsten Flipkens, Semi-finalist

She popped a pill and had her temperature checked and although she appeared to get a second wind after surrendering the second set, a rush of blood when she charged to the net and fired a forehand volley long at break point down in the ninth game cost her dear.

Flipkins, who is known as Flipper on the tour, kept her cool to serve out a momentous victory with an ace.

"It's amazing, it's more than a dream come true to be in the semi-final of a Grand Slam, it's ridiculous," Flipkens said.

"Last year I didn't even get into the qualifying of Wimbledon.

"Kim (Clijsters) was one of the few people last year really believing in me.

"I am so happy you cannot imagine. I don't even have tears."

She will next face Marion Bartoli who moved to within one match of a surprise second Wimbledon final appearance after beating American Sloane Stephens 6-4 7-5 in a bizarre rain-interrupted quarter-final that featured eight successive breaks of serve.

There was little to choose between the two players until a two and a half hour rain break late in the first set, which the hyper-active French 15th seed took immediately upon resumption. 

There followed an extraordinary second set that included eight successive dropped service games, most of them to love as Stephens, the only remaining American in the either singles competition, garnered only one point in four service games.

Both women finally managed a hold each before Bartoli, who lost to Venus Williams in the 2007 final and has yet to drop a set in five matches in this tournament, broke to love again to triumph.

In the earlier quarter-finals, Sabine Lisicki defeated Kaia Kanepi to reach her second Wimbledon semi and highest surviving seed Agnieszka Radwanska overpowered China's Li Na.

O'Driscoll axed as Gatland takes a gamble

There will be no fairytale ending to a glittering Lions career for Brian O'Driscoll after the Irish legend was ruthlessly axed from the deciding third Test against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday.

The 34-year-old Leinster centre was hoping to crown his fourth Lions tour with a first series win in 16 years but instead of picking up his 134th Test cap he will have to be content with cheering from the sidelines.

O'Driscoll, sole survivor from the tour against the Wallabies in 2001, took his Lions Test tally to eight in the opening two games this year. The 2005 captain, he has yet to win a series with the Lions and this is the first time he has been dropped.

Alun Wyn Jones will be captain for the first time and one of a record-equalling 10 Welsh players in the starting line-up, with an 11th on the bench. The last time Wales had 10 men in a Lions line-up was the first Test against Australia in Brisbane in 1950, which the Lions won 19-6.

Gamble

Head coach Warren Gatland made five changes to a winning side between the first and second Tests and now he has made a further six changes after losing 16-15 in Melbourne last weekend.

Out of the second Test starting XV go O'Driscoll, scrum-half Ben Youngs, his brother and hooker Tom Youngs, prop Mako Vunipola, No 8 Jamie Heaslip and the injured skipper Sam Warburton.

In come the fit-again trio of centre Jamie Roberts, scrum-half Mike Phillips and prop Alex Corbisiero. Wales No 8 Toby Faletau will win his first Lions cap in a back row that sees Sean O'Brien move off the bench to claim Warburton's No 7 shirt.

England front-rowers Vunipola and Tom Youngs drop to the bench where they are joined by newcomers Richie Gray, Justin Tipuric and Manu Tuilagi. The experienced Tom Croft and first Test try scorer Alex Cuthbert lose their places on the bench from last week.

"It all comes down to Saturday - the winner takes all. We know we can leave nothing in the tank and that only a complete performance will get us across the line," said Gatland.

"Picking this team was not easy and ultimately, with several players available after recovering from injury, the head overruled the heart in many selection decisions.

"Brian O'Driscoll is a great player and has had a wonderful career but for the final Test in Sydney we just felt Jamie Roberts's presence offered us something more."

Gatland was the first coach to pick O'Driscoll for an international match way back in 1999 and he has now become the first one to drop him 14 years later.

"We told him this morning and he was obviously disappointed, as anyone would be. But he appreciated the fact that he was spoken to before the announcement," said the coach.

"It's the first time that any coach has had that decision with him in 15 years of rugby. It's not easy for that to be the first time, but he's still going to be very important for us for the next 72 hours in terms of his experience and leadership.

"It wasn't about leadership - it was about picking what we felt was the best team."

"Alun Wyn gets his opportunity on Saturday. He leads from the front and he's been outstanding in the lead up games and was one of the first names on the sheet when he picked the team for the first two Tests."

British and Irish Lions (15-1) - Leigh Halfpenny; Tommy Bowe, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Jonathan Sexton, Mike Phillips; Toby Faletau, Sean O'Brien, Dan Lydiate; Geoff Parling, Alun Wyn Jones (capt); Adam Jones, Richard Hibbard, Alex Corbisiero.

Replacements: Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola, Dan Cole, Richie Gray, Justin Tipuric, Conor Murray, Owen Farrell, Manu Tuilagi.

Pakistan Cricket Board hope to expedite disgraced fast bowler's return to cricket despite five-year ban for spot-fixing.

The Pakistan Cricket Board intends to find a British-based lawyer to find a way to shave a year off fast bowler Mohammad Amir's five-year ban for spot-fixing.

Amir was one of cricket's rising stars when he accepted his guilt immediately in the spot-fixing scandal around the Lord's test against England in 2010. Unlike senior teammates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, the then-teenage Amir pleaded guilty in court, was out of jail after three months for good behaviour, and did not appeal his ICC ban to the Court of Arbitration of Sport.

Of the trio, he's given the most chance of returning to international cricket, and retains the backing of the PCB. Amir's ban expires in September 2015, but the PCB hope to end Amir's ban before then.

PCB acting chairman Najam Sethi returned home on Wednesday from the International Cricket Council board meeting in London, and said he discussed Amir's ban with fellow PCB members.

"We will soon hire a foreign lawyer in the UK to look at ways to get at least 20 per cent relief for Amir,'' Sethi said in Lahore.

Sethi said Amir was undergoing a rehabilitation program, and a new ICC subcommittee will look into how Amir can return to international cricket when his ban ends.

Controversial appointment

Meanwhile, Sethi confirmed attempts were made by Pakistan organisations to suspend Pakistan's membership in the ICC because of his appointment.

Sethi was chosen as the acting chair last month by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after the Islamabad High Court ordered the government to replace Zaka Ashraf, whose election as PCB chief was challenged.

But Transparency International Pakistan wrote to the ICC to say Sethi's appointment violated the PCB's new constitution.

Sethi's appointment was also challenged in the high court, and the next hearing will be on Thursday.

Asked about attempts to oust him, Sethi said, "It's true,'' but wouldn't reveal names.

Sethi said he was welcomed at the ICC board meeting and "when they met with me they supported the constitution and rejected all the other things going around.''

Also a prominent political analyst, Sethi said he did not want to stay long in the PCB. He wants to resolve key issues like the election of his replacement, and sign off on the team for the tour of West Indies before going back to his political program at a private television channel.

"I am a transparent man and if my appointment is challenged in the courts, I will go and the (Pakistan) tours will be jeopardised,'' he said.

"If the courts now start appointing (chairmen), I want the court to appoint a chairman. And if the team then loses, then the judge who appoints him, it will be his responsibility to explain.''

Sethi said it will solve no purpose if more and more petitions are moved in the courts.

"If a chairman has been appointed on the directions of the court and is also accepted by the ICC, he should be allowed to continue,'' he said.

Pakistan's other major problem was the security fears that prevent foreign teams from visiting since the 2009 deadly attack on the Sri Lanka team convoy in Lahore.

"The maximum we can do is ask the ICC to review each year, but they demand assurances and demonstrable progress,'' he said.

Sethi said he met with the cricket chiefs of West Indies and England to try to arrange unofficial tours by their teams in a bid to restore the confidence of foreign teams.

Olympic hopefuls pitch their wares

The three cities vying to host the 2020 Olympics are making their pitches to IOC members, hoping to seize the momentum in the final two months before the vote.

Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo were laying out their plans on Wednesday to the general assembly of the International Olympic Committee, the first time they have made presentations directly to the electorate.

Of the IOC's 100 members, 86 were attending the proceedings. Among those absent were FIFA president and Swiss member Sepp Blatter and Britain's Princess Anne.

Pivotal moment

It's a potentially pivotal moment for the cities in the run-up to the September 7 vote in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was at a similar meeting in 2009 that Rio de Janeiro won over the members in the race for the 2016 Olympics.

Up first in the presentations was Istanbul, whose bid has been shaken by the anti-government protests that swept Turkey last month. Madrid and Tokyo were to follow.

The meetings were taking place behind closed doors at the Beaulieu convention centre. Each delegation had 45 minutes to make speeches and show videos, with another 45 minutes allotted for questions and answers.

Last week, the IOC released a technical evaluation report on the cities to give members as much factual information as possible. The report did not rank or grade the cities, but Tokyo appeared to come out the best overall.

Istanbul is bidding for a fifth time, Madrid is back for a third consecutive time and Tokyo is trying for a second time in a row.

Istanbul is inviting the IOC to take the Olympics to a new region, to a predominantly Muslim country for the first time, to a city that connects Asia and Europe.

Tokyo claims to be a "safe pair of hands'' at a time of global economic and political uncertainty.

Madrid, despite Spain's severe financial troubles, boasts that it would spend far less money than the others on infrastructure because 80 per cent of its venues are already in place.

Istanbul probably had the most at stake on Wednesday, needing to reassure members in the wake of the unprecedented street demonstrations across Turkey last month that led to a crackdown by the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayypip Erdogan.

"Although the games will be seven years ahead, what's going on (in Turkey) right now is important to the voting of the members,'' senior Norwegian IOC member Gerhard Heiberg said.

"There will be many questions, absolutely. This is a good opportunity for Turkey, for Istanbul, to answer the questions and lay it out in the open how they think, what they're going to do about it.''

On Thursday, the six candidates running to succeed Jacques Rogge as IOC president will present their manifestos to the assembly.

Rogge is stepping down in September after 12 years in office.

The contenders are: IOC vice presidents Thomas Bach of Germany and Ng Ser Miang of Singapore, executive board members Sergei Bubka of Ukraine and C.K. Wu of Taiwan, and former board members Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico and Denis Oswald of Switzerland.

Vettel chases elusive home win

Sebastian Vettel has never won his home German Grand Prix or a race in July, so this week's trip to the Nuerburgring was set to be challenging for the world champion even before last weekend's tyre debacle.

The exploding Pirellis from the British Grand Prix have Formula One drivers on edge but talk of a boycott in Germany has been played down with the Italian firm saying rear tyres will be made stronger in the short turnaround from Silverstone.

While five drivers including pole sitter Lewis Hamilton suffered blowouts last Sunday, championship leader Vettel's retirement was due to a gearbox problem in the usually reliable Red Bull.

Adding to the pressure at the Nuerburgring for the 26-year-old, celebrating his birthday on Wednesday, is Mercedes' strong performance at Silverstone with Nico Rosberg taking victory and eager to impress again on his and his team's home race.

Welcome return

Despite the odds seemingly being against him, Vettel is excited to be returning home.

"I've always had a lot of fun on this track. In 2009, I made it to the podium for the first time (at the Nuerburgring) in Formula 1 and it was a fantastic experience thanks to the German fans," he said in a statement as he discussed never winning in Germany.

"I don't pay much attention to figures and statistics. It may be nice to look at statistics sometimes, but they only show what has happened in the past, not what is still to come."

Vettel, champion the last three years, leads in the driver standings on 132 points from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso on 111 and Kimi Raikkonen on 98 in the Lotus.

Mercedes have moved up to second in the constructors' championship, 48 points behind Red Bull after eight of 19 races. The last race at the Nuerburgring, which alternates with Hockenheim, was in 2011 when Hamilton took the chequered flag and Vettel came fourth.

The German can at least take solace from the fact Red Bull team mate Mark Webber sealed pole at the track two years ago.

Australian Webber will be racing in his final German Grand Prix before quitting F1 at the end of the season and he nearly never had the chance to race the Nuerburgring again with the track in serious financial difficulty.

The race was almost handed to Hockenheim before F1 commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone stepped in to make sure it would take place.

Tyre safety

Drivers thought last Sunday's British Grand Prix was too dangerous with bits of exploding tyres narrowly missing their heads, reminding everyone of when Felipe Massa suffered life-threatening injuries when he was struck by debris in 2009.

In 2005, 14 drivers did not start the US Grand Prix after problems with their Michelin tyres.

Ecclestone does not expect the same to happen in Germany, with kerbs at Silverstone and the teams' management of the tyres possibly contributing to the blowouts even if the Pirellis have been controversial all season due to quick degradation.

Pirelli risked angering drivers further by saying on Tuesday that the teams had mounted rear tyres the wrong way around and run them with low pressures.

"I don't think (a boycott) will happen. I don't think it's something we need to address," Ecclestone said.

The 82-year-old said he would be at the Nuerburgring despite the possible threat of arrest because of allegations he bribed a German banker during the 2005-2006 sale of a stake in Formula One.

Ecclestone denies wrongdoing and Munich prosecutors have not yet indicated if they intended to charge him.

Isco delights Real Madrid fans

Francisco "Isco'' Alarcon delighted the several hundred Real Madrid fans with a solo display of ball control at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday.

Madrid believe he'll be a great team player, too.

"Isco has what it takes to satisfy a club as immensely demanding as Real Madrid,'' club president Florentino Perez said at the 21-year-old midfielder's presentation.

"We believe in you and your talent.''

Summer signing

Isco's transfer from Malaga was completed last week, and his five-year contract was finalised after a medical exam.

Perez praised Isco as one of the most creative and imaginative talents to emerge recently from Spain's youth teams. He said Isco received positive appraisals from experts around the world for his performances for Spain Under-21s.

Isco also has one senior cap, appearing in a friendly against Uruguay in February in Qatar.

"This is your house, welcome to Real Madrid,'' Perez said as he handed Isco a No. 23 shirt with his name on it.

Ten years ago to the day, David Beckham was presented with the No. 23 shirt by Madrid great Alfredo Di Stefano when the former England captain joined the club.

"We all know Beckham is a great player and he was presented 10 years ago on today's date with the same number, but I chose this number because it's my brother's birthdate,'' Isco said.

Isco helped Malaga reach the Champions League quarter-finals last season and guided Spain to the European Under-21 title this summer.

He will have to vie with other attacking midfielders in Madrid's star-studded dressing room, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil, and Luka Modric. There are also persistent media reports that talented but troubled Uruguay forward Luis Suarez might yet arrive at Madrid from Liverpool.

Isco confirmed that he had received offers from other clubs, including Manchester City, where his former coach at Malaga, Manuel Pellegrini, is now in charge.

"But it's impossible to say no to Real Madrid and I'm convinced I will find a spot in the squad, although I am aware that it's not a slot that's going to be given away to me for free, I'll have to fight for it.''

"Pellegrini did want me, but when I saw that Madrid's offer was serious, I decided,'' Isco said.

"I told Pellegrini that it was impossible to say no to Madrid.''

Madrid's new coach, Carlo Ancelotti, praised Isco at his own presentation last week. Isco said he was not fixed on staying an attacking midfielder if Ancelotti thought it best to place him elsewhere on the field.

"I am adaptable and can play wherever the coach decides to place me,'' he said.

Isco is Madrid's second signing this offseason after it paid Bayer Leverkusen to recover right back Daniel Carvajal.

Thai football clubs up in arms

The struggle for power in Thai football showed no signs of abating on Wednesday with 108 clubs threatening to hold their own election unless top ranking official Worawi Makudi brings forward the rescheduled vote.

Worawi's term as Thai Football Association (FAT) chief ended on June 16 but the FIFA executive committee member cancelled elections scheduled for that day after he failed to push through controversial FIFA-backed reforms.

Worawi said elections would instead be held on September 23 after further discussions on the reforms on August 8, but the clubs said they had a big enough majority to call a extraordinary congress and have the election brought forward to July 23.

"The figure we got is more than half of the FA's 179 members. It shows that the majority do not approve of the management under the current regime," Annop Singtothong, vice president of Thai Premier League club Chon Buri FC, told The Nation on Wednesday.

"According to the FA's current rules, the association must conduct the poll within 21 days, or by July 23, of receiving a letter from us.

"Failing to do so would reflect its ill intentions, which would force us to file a suit against it with the administrative court."

Going it alone

Thai Sports Law states that elections must be held within 30 days of the end of the incumbent's mandate and lawyer Peemdej Amornsukhon said the 108 members who signed the petition that was handed to FAT offices on Tuesday would invoke that rule.

"If the FAT fails to organise the election by July 23, then we will formally inform the Sports Authority of Thailand that we will hold the election by ourselves," Peemdej told the Bangkok Post.

"We expect that the election would take place around August 3-5."

FIFA had already threatened the Thais with a ban prior to the latest twist in a shambolic period that comes as Thailand prepares to host high profile friendlies against Barcelona, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.

The controversial Worawi, who has successfully defended himself against accusations of wrongdoing and corruption in the past, had hoped to push through reforms that included dropping the number of eligible voters by more than half.

But lowly club Pattaya FC managed to gain a court injunction blocking discussion of the reforms, leading to Worawi cancelling the election and FIFA pressuring the fourth tier side to stay out of the governance or risk the country being suspended.

Worawi argued the reforms were simply following FIFA protocol but his rivals queried why he was only now making an effort to push them through so close to the election against football fan Pinit Ngarmpring and former national team manager Virach Charnpanich.

Pattaya eventually dropped the order after Worawi's term ended but the 61-year-old, who lost out to Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa in the Asian Football Confederation presidential elections in May, remains adamant he is still in control.

Djokovic sets up Del Potro semi

Novak Djokovic will face Juan Martin del Potro in the Wimbledon semi-finals after the world number one clinched his 13th consecutive Grand Slam last-four spot with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-3 victory over Tomas Berdych on Wednesday.

Djokovic is yet to drop a set in his five matches at this year's tournament and the 2011 champion is now just two wins away from lifting the All England Club trophy for the second time.

Del Potro beat Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) after surviving a nasty fall in the opening game, which left the Argentine eighth seed needing several minutes of treatment on a left knee already heavily bandaged.

Title charge

Berdych had beaten Djokovic in the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2010, but that was one of just two wins for the Czech seventh seed in their 15 meetings.

The losing streak always looked likely to continue once Djokovic took a tight first set in the tie-break, to the delight of Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic, who was cheering on his fellow Serb from courtside.

Djokovic, a six-time Grand Slam champion, recovered from 3-0 down in the second set and surged to victory in his 17th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final appearance.

"It was a close match, it could have gone either way," Djokovic said.

"He was a double-break up in the second set. I don't know how I got out of that, but I was serving and returning well.

"I have a commitment to go far in this tournament. I am playing some of my best tennis on grass even though it's not my preferred surface,"

Berdych added: "I can play better than I played today. If you give him too much then it's a lot."

On Centre Court, Del Potro, 24, was clearly struggling to move at times, but he gritted his teeth through two hours and 16 minutes of gruelling action, unloading 42 winners and 12 aces to finally subdue the battling Spaniard.

It will be del Potro's first Grand Slam semi-final appearance since his breakthrough triumph at the US Open four years ago.

Del Potro is just the second Argentine man to feature in the Wimbledon semi-finals, following in the footsteps of David Nalbandian in 2002.

Asked how close he was to pulling out, del Potro said: "Really close because I felt a lot of pain in the beginning of the match. It was exactly the same like I did before.

"It's really, really painful. I twisted my knee once again but the doctor gave me some magic pills so I could finish the match and I'm so glad to go through."

Ferrer revealed he had been struggling with an ankle injury before the match: "I wasn't able to warm-up properly but it was fine during the match.

"I don't think his injury affected him. He was more focused and aggressive, served really well and deserved to win."

Cavendish triumphs as Gerrans retains lead

Britain's Mark Cavendish won a crash-marred fifth stage of the Tour de France in Marseille on Wednesday as Australian Simon Gerrans retained the race leader's yellow jersey.

Cavendish, of the Omega-Pharma team, finished over a bike length ahead of Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) and Slovakian Peter Sagan (Cannondale) in a reduced bunch sprint after they had avoided a crash inside the final kilometre.

It was the Isle of Man rider's 24th stage win on the race and left him only 10 short of equalling the absolute record of 34 held by Belgian legend Eddy Merckx.

A month after winning five stages at the Giro d'Italia, Cavendish looks to be in unstoppable form but he was quick to pay tribute to his main lead-out man, Gert Steegmans.

"Gert took me in at such a speed and I just kept that speed going. I only had to accelerate in the final 150 metres. I'm super happy with that," added Cavendish, who in recent days has been recovering from a chest infection.

"I'm still not 100 per cent after being ill last week. But it's good to get the account open here at the Tour de France. The morale is good in the team and the only way to make it better is by winning more stages."

Early breakaway

On what was the second-longest stage (228.5 kilometre) of the 100th edition the peloton gave the green light to an early six-man breakaway which formed in the opening kilometres after Belgian Thomas De Gendt had gone on the attack.

By the 37km mark they had built a maximum lead of nearly 13 minutes on the main peloton, which only really decided to start the chase with a little over 100km remaining.

With Gerrans in the race leader's yellow jersey, Orica-GreenEdge spent long spells leading the bunch but with a stage win on a flat home straight up for grabs the other teams with top sprinters soon began sending riders to the front to boost the chase.

Sixty kilometres from the finish the lead had halved to just over six minutes and 10km further on the lead group was split in two as De Gendt, Yukiya Arashiro and Alexey Lutsenko - a former under-23 world champion who is making his race debut with Astana - left their companions behind.

Not wanting to miss out on contending a possible stage win, Arashiro's Europcar teammate Kevin Reza, also a race debutant, dug deep to bridge the gap.

The quartet's lead over the main bunch, however, had been trimmed to 5:05 with 40km to race as riders from Argos, Lotto, and Omega-Pharma joined Orica in the hunt.

Attempts to pull clear at the front by Reza and then Arashiro came to nothing and despite a tough headwind on the Gineste climb the escapees appeared to have little chance of keeping the pack at bay.

It was on the Gineste, whose summit was 12 km from the finish, that a crash in the chasing bunch took down around a dozen riders.

The incident left no visible casualties but delayed several including German Marcel Kittel, the winner of stage one, and Orica's main sprinter Matt Goss.

"Today we had two objectives," Gerrans said. "To try and win the stage and keep the yellow jersey within the team.

"Matt Goss got distanced on the final climb but I still have the yellow jersey on my shoulders and I managed to stay up the front and stay out of trouble."

The main peloton crested the summit only 19secs in arrears and despite Lutsenko taking Reza with him with an ambitious attack the pair were reeled in in succession with 4km to go.

The Lotto team of German sprinter Andre Greipel took command of the race inside the final kilometre after a crash further behind had stopped much of the peloton in its tracks.

Greipel, however, could only finish fifth as Cavendish made his move inside the final 250 metres to claim his first win of this year's race.

Murray downs Verdasco in epic

Andy Murray put the home fans through the wringer as he came back from two sets down to book a place in the Wimbledon semi-finals with an edgy 4-6 3-6 6-1 6-4 7-5 win over unseeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco on Wednesday.

Murray's hopes of ending Britain's 77-year wait for a men's Wimbledon champion were on the verge of being shredded as he found himself playing catch-up while looking jaded and uncomfortable on court.

The 54th-ranked Verdasco put pressure on Murray's vulnerable second serve and came up with a series of rasping winners to force the US Open champion deeper behind the baseline.

Yet with the match slipping out of his grasp, Murray muscled his way back into the encounter, taking the third and fourth sets as Verdasco's level dropped and then grabbed a decisivebreak in the 11th game of the fifth.

He wrapped up the match after three hours and 27 minutes when Verdasco sent a forehand long.

Relief

"There's been a lot of matches where I've been behind and managed to turn it round, I don't know if it is the most emotional match, but it was an unbelievable atmosphere and great to get through," said a hugely relieved Murray, who has now reached five successive Wimbledon semi-finals.

He will face 6-foot-8 Polish beanpole Jerzy Janowicz for a place in Sunday's final.

Murray had reached the final of his last three grand slams, but he found himself under early pressure as Verdasco broke to take the first set after 45 minutes.

That was the first set Murray had dropped all tournament but the world number two shook off the disappointment to take a 3-1 lead in the second.

His tame second serve came back to haunt him, however, and he was broken in the sixth and eighth games. When Murray failed to convert any of the three break points he had in the ninth game, Verdasco surged to a two-set lead.

Faced with a mountain to climb, Murray lost the tightness that had marked the first two sets, breaking twice to take the third comfortably and then edging a close fourth as both players seemed wary of cutting loose.

Yet it was Murray who came out on top in the fifth, rifling down an ace to bring up three match points and then clenching his fist in relief when Verdasco sent a forehand long.

Double delight for India's tennis players

“When I started playing we used to play on courts made out of cow dung, they were literally made out of sh**. I’m not joking, I don’t know why they were but they were made out of cow crap. There were no hard courts in Hyderbad,” India’s top tennis talent Sania Mirza tells Al Jazeera English.

With Hyderbad now hosting WTA tournaments - it is fair to say Indian tennis and Mirza have come a long way in the last 20 years. While seven out of the eight Wimbledon semi-finalist hail from Europe, the doubles competition is showing that Indian tennis is a force to be reckoned with.

Rohan Bopanna, Leander Paes and Mirza are all still in their respective doubles competitions, giving the UK’s large Indian population a lot to cheer.

Bopanna has still got two balls in the air after reaching the semi-finals in the men’s doubles and the quarters in the mixed. 

“It feels good to be alive in both events. This is a playing surface I’ve always loved. I am happy to be in the semis and quarters. Now my target is to win these titles,” says a relaxed Bopanna with smoothie in hand. 

However, there is a tennis wall of epic proportions in front of Bopanna and his partner Edouard Roger-Vasselin – doubles golden-boys - the Bryan brothers. 

“If you are to win a grand slam you have to play the best pair in the world. They have been playing exceptional this year but we are high on confidence. We have got the momentum and have a really good shot at winning.”

But Bopanna, like any other doubles pairing, realises he is facing a phenomenon.

“They are the perfect partnership. They have helped doubles so much as a sport, promoting it all over the world… Doubles teams get recognised through these guys and they give fans interest.”

While Bopanna and Paes are well-known male figures in Indian tennis, the one who has achieved the most is female player Mirza.

The highest ranked Indian female to ever play, Mirza and partner Romania Horia Teciaran ran away with a straight set victory to make the mixed doubles quarter-finals.

Seeded second in the tournament, they will be hopeful of making the final, although Mirza is quick to point out seedings can be academic.

“Seedings as this tournament has shown mean nothing. People you don’t expect win. In mixed doubles they mean even less, most are playing with new people and it's about chemistry and how well you play as a team.”

Parental support

Mirza – who had to quit singles tennis last year because of the toll it took on her body – realises she is lucky to be at Wimbledon.

“As a kid you dream of playing at Wimbledon. And on Centre Court. It’s the mecca of tennis. I am lucky to be achieving my dreams.”

For a female growing up in Hyderabad – the chances of playing grand slam tennis were at best remote. So how come she made it?

Today is better than 20 years ago when I started playing but even today people still have certain notion of what women should do, and it is definitely not holding a racket and hitting tennis balls Sania Mirza, Indian tennis player

“Destiny plays a role. I was lucky to have parents who believed in sport, even with me being a girl. And with my sister too. But they didn’t think I would play at the highest level of a game that is so global,” Mirza says.

“Today is better than 20 years ago when I started playing, but even today people still have certain notion of what women should do, and it is definitely not holding a racket and hitting tennis balls.

“I hope that mentality changes and I’ve played some kind of role in trying to get people to realise you can be a professional sports woman and still be married and have a good family life.”

Both Bopanna and Mirza told me they were glad to find out that their previous rounds had been broadcasted on Indian TV.

"It definitely helps that people are getting to see it. By watching, that’s the start. Hopefully in 10 – 15 years more players will be coming up," says Bopanna. 

Asked about the Indian support Mirza says, “We are everywhere – England has one of largest Indian populations. On Twitter I have a pretty big following. They showed one of our matches yesterday which is pretty big. I found out after the match from Twitter messages saying they watched the match.”

“That’s really big for tennis. Especially as cricket is the biggest sport there and almost like a religion. Not that we are competing with it but it’s good to know people are interested.”

Tennis does have a long, long way to go until it reaches the dizzy heights of cricket, but with Indian players continuing to shine at Wimbledon, and being watched back home, it might be sooner rather than later that Mirza has an Indian rival on tour. 

“There is only one top female tennis player which has been me. There was never any other woman really.”

“When I made it big in 2005 everyone was a little shocked – or pleasantly surprised – everyone took notice. Who was this 18 year old girl who was in the top 30 within a year. Nobody thought that was going to happen from India.”

With Mirza and Bopanna still going strong at the All England club, India’s tennis players could soon be courting more success.

Bahrami: Iran's solo tennis representative

With the singles and doubles tennis tournaments entering their later stages, proceedings on the main courts are getting rather serious. There is no time for tomfoolery from British hope Andy Murray or world number one Novak Djokovic. Winning is the only aim of the game.

The Invitationals bring back former greats such as John McEnroe, Pat Cash, Lindsey Davenport and Martina Hingis to the grass courts of Wimbledon in an attempt to lighten the mood.

One player born to entertain is Iran’s one and only professional player Mansour Bahrami. Despite losing his opening match to the McEnroe brothers on Wednesday, Bahrami - who has been on the Invitational circuit for about 20 years - shows no sign of tiring of it.

“It’s special to be back here, the atmosphere and crowds are fantastic,” Bahrami told Al Jazeera English.

“We are here to entertain. If you want to be a great champion you have to focus. You can either clown around or win – it’s one or the other. We provide the clowning.”

While Bahrami is enjoying the lighter side of tennis, his early playing days were darker than most.

“My father was a gardener in the biggest sport complex in Iran. When I started walking around, when I was two or three, I saw all the sports grounds. I could play anything except tennis because tennis was reserved for the elite and rich,” Bahrami recalls.

From the age of 3 to 13, Bahrami learned how to play by using metal frying pans, pieces of wood and the palm of his hand. Something that has undoubtedly helped him play the trick shots that delight the Wimbledon crowd.

“When I was 13 the federation needed new players so they gave me two rackets and allowed me to play. Three years later I was on the national team and playing in the Davis Cup.”

However, when the Ayatollah took power in 1980 his career took a big step backwards. The Iranian rulers, suspicious of this capitalist game from the West, banned the sport and closed all courts.

Bahrami stopped playing tennis for three years before emigrating to France. By the time he joined the ATP Tour in 1986 - he had already lost the best years of his career.

Bahrami says this with a heavy heart, although it is likely his need to entertain would have prevented him from reaching the heights of Federer and co.  

“Since I was 15 the first thing on my mind was the crowd, to please the crowd. I wanted people to have a good time. There were hundreds of matches I could have won 6-2, 6-3 – but I made them last long and won 7-5 in the third, many I lost.”

'The only one'

Although Bahrami now lives near Paris and has duel French and Iranian passports, I ask him if it is hard to see such an absence of players from his homeland.

“In Iran - there is no tennis, there is no competition, they don’t do much for sport. You can’t have champions if you are not helped." 

“It is sad. In the late '70s, that time we were beating many players sometimes Europeans, Asians, then everything stopped – I’m the only one."

In Iran - there is no tennis, there is no competition, they don’t do much for sport. You can’t have champions if you are not helped Mansour Bahrani, Former Iranian tennis player

Even now at the grand old age of 57, Mansour Bahrami is the only Iranian player to have played professionally – his peak a second round finish at the French Open and two doubles titles.

“There are Iranian tennis players but they aren’t good enough to be professionals. The UAE are at least spending money on tennis, in Iran they don’t spend money for sport. Sport is secondary.”

“If they are Iranians living in London or Paris it is possible. But in Iran you have no possibilities to practice and become a champion.”

The situation is even more desperate for women who would like to one day play at Wimbledon.

“Women can play in closed areas between them, no men can watch. You will not see an Iranian girl coming through. Aravane Rezaï reached number 15 two years ago but was born in France. If she was born in Iran she would never have become number 15.”

Bahrami certainly managed to bring plenty of smiles to Wimbledon on Wednesday but there is a certain darkness to his own story.

Playing matches with Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe have ensured he is now a tennis star in his own right.

But that never would have happened had he not taken that flight to France.