Sports Fix: Britain eases tax laws to lure Usain Bolt
- From: News Limited Network
- February 08, 2013
BRITAIN is waiving its tax rules to lure Usain Bolt and other top international athletes to compete at this summer's Diamond League event in London's Olympic Stadium.
The British government has agreed to an amnesty that will allow foreigners to compete tax-free at the London Grand Prix on July 27 - the anniversary of the opening ceremony of the London Games.
British treasury chief George Osborne says he is "delighted to grant this exemption'' and that the government "is determined to do everything possible to secure the Olympic legacy''.
Britain imposes taxes on appearance fees and prize money for non-resident athletes when they compete in the country.
Bolt, the Olympic 100 and 200-metre champion, hasn't raced in meets in the UK since 2009 because of the tax rule.
Rossi targets podium on Yamaha
VALENTINO Rossi believes podium places on his Yamaha are within reach following three days of pre-season MotoGP testing in Malaysia.
The nine times world champion, whose two-year spell at Ducati yielded a paltry three podiums, added he was eager to make up for lost time as he reunites with his former bitter rival Jorge Lorenzo of Spain.
"The first test for us is so positive. I had (initially) some doubt. I did not know how much competitive I can be. But now we can fight for some important results,'' he said.
Rossi kept himself in the top group with the third fastest time, 0.442 seconds behind Honda's Dani Pedrosa who remained the fastest rider on 2 minutes 00.100 seconds.
World champion Lorenzo was second while Honda's MotoGP rookie Marc Marquez was fourth.
Rossi said while he had to improve his riding skills on the much faster M1, the bike itself had the potential to ensure him victories following the strong and consistent lap times during testing.
"I can start the championship with the target to fight Lorenzo and Pedrosa,'' adding that he was inspired ``one thousands times more than in the last two years.
"Before, you know, you can only fight for the maximum sixth place,'' he added.
Rossi, 33, said Lorenzo, the reigning champion who also won in 2010, had a good shot for the championship.
Messi makes it official with Barca
LIONEL Messi has signed a new contract that will tie him to Barcelona until 2018.
Barca had already signalled Messi's intent to sign a new deal, along with teammates Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernandez, back in December and the four-time World Player of the Year has now put pen to paper.
"After Puyol and Xavi, this afternoon it has been Leo Messi's turn. The Argentinean star, accompanied by his father, has signed an extension to his contract with the club until June 30, 2018," said a statement on the club's website.
"The contract was signed in the Barcelona offices with president Sandro Rosell, vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu and sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta all present."
The contract retains the same 250 million euros ($328 million) buy-out clause as his previous deal and Messi will reportedly earn a net salary of 11 million euros ($14.4 million).
Chelsea look to halt slump
THE English Premier League summit increasingly out of sight, Chelsea's priority now is avoiding sliding out of the top four.
A loss at Newcastle last weekend after a draw against Reading has seen Chelsea's grip on third place loosened considerably.
Tottenham are just a point behind and can dislodge Chelsea by beating Newcastle tomorrow if their faltering London rivals lose to Wigan.
Chelsea's prospects of halting a four-game winless run - including two cup draws - aren't helped by injuries to two key players: Goalkeeper Petr Cech has broken a finger, and striker Demba Ba has broken his nose.
There could however, be better news about Frank Lampard's future.
The midfielder had been told he was surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge after this season, but each goal and influential display for Chelsea and England has made that decision seem all the more perplexing.
121229 Rafael Nadal
Nadal wants doping cheats named
RAFAEL Nadal says athletes implicated in the "Operation Puerto" trial into blood doping must be named.
In an interview with the French sports daily L'Equipe, the Spanish tennis star said he felt his reputation, and that of Spanish sport as a whole, had been tarnished by the trial.
A judge has refused to demand that doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, the suspected mastermind of one of the sporting world's biggest blood doping rackets, provide the names of athletes implicated in the scandal.
The ruling could avert a huge fall-out from the high-profile trial in Madrid but Nadal said that naming names would have been the correct thing to do.
"What is happening in Spain, I don't understand it," he told the magazine.
"I don't understand why Dr Fuentes is not giving names. And I don't understand why the judge has not asked him to do so.
"I don't understand why we never get to the bottom of these things. We need to clean everything up. I believe this doctor has worked with foreign athletes but because he is Spanish it is Spanish sport that is being prejudiced.
"As an athlete that hurts me. Because of people like (US cyclist Lance) Armstrong, we all have a dubious image."
Balotelli fined by traffic cops
AC Milan denied reports striker Mario Balotelli was involved in an argument with police after parking illegally.
"Today at Milan airport local police carried out a normal check on the Audi car being used by Mario Balotelli," the club said in a statement.
"Contrary to what has been reported by some sources, there was no argument between the parties and at the end of the check Mario Balotelli went to Milanello as usual for training."
Earlier, Italian media reports said Balotelli, who was on his way to collect friends, was told to move his car when he stopped in a no-parking zone in front of Milan's Linate airport.
The Italy striker did so, but then parked again illegally. Balotelli was fined by the traffic police for not having his insurance documents on him.
Balotelli allegedly reacted badly, getting into a heated discussion with them, and passing police had to intervene to calm the situation
Becks may play for PSG next weekend
PARIS Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti hinted that David Beckham could make his debut for the club next weekend.
The veteran Englishman, who signed a contract with the Ligue 1 leaders until the end of the season just before the January transfer window closed, will start working with the squad after the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Valencia next Tuesday.
Ancelotti left open the possibility that the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Los Angeles Galaxy could then appear at the Stade Bonal on Sunday, February 17.
"At the moment we have allowed him to stay in London. He has been working well and will continue to do so for the rest of this week," said the Italian coach.
"Next week, when we return from Valencia, he will be with us.
"He needs two weeks to work, but he will perhaps be available to play Sochaux or for the following week.
"There is no major issue, he just needs to improve his physical condition, but there is a possibility that he could play against Sochaux."
Carragher to retire at season's end
LIVERPOOL defender Jamie Carragher will retire from football at the end of this season.
"This will be my last season at Liverpool and my last as a professional footballer," said Carragher.
"I'm making this announcement now because I don't want the manager (Brendan Rodgers) or the club to be answering questions on my future when I've already decided what I am going to do."
The 35-year-old former England international - a one-club man - joined home-town side Liverpool as a youth player and has since made over 700 senior appearances following his debut in 1997.
Carragher, second behind only Ian Callaghan in Liverpool's all-time appearances list, has won several major honours in his career, including the Champions League, the UEFA Cup and two FA Cups.
He confirmed his intention to continue playing for the remainder of the campaign, but added that he would be making no further statement about his future between now and the end of the season.
"I will be fully committed between now and the end of the season to doing the very best for Liverpool Football Club, as I've done my entire career since joining aged just nine years old," he said.
"It has been a privilege and an honour to represent this great club for as long as I have and I am immensely proud to have done so and thankful for all the support I have had.
Massa fastest in pre-season testing
BRAZIL'S Felipe Massa topped the time charts on the third day of pre-season Formula One testing.
Massa, whose future at Ferrari had been the subject of much speculation after his disappointing eighth place finish last season, clocked 1min 17.879sec as he thrived in the absence of teammate Fernando Alonso, who is sitting out the four-day session.
His time just edged the week's previous best set by Lotus driver Romain Grosjean on Wednesday.
Massa was the only driver to dip below the 1min 18sec mark with Mercedes' Nico Rosberg setting the second fastest time of 1:18.766 and Sebastian Vettel, in the new Red Bull RB9, clocking 1:19.052.
Rosberg's performance was a welcome relief after the German had managed just 15 laps on Tuesday, his track time limited by mechanical trouble.
His Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton's car had suffered a brake failure on its first outing on Wednesday.
"I'm very happy with today and I think it was probably a personal record for me to do almost 150 laps," said Rosberg, whose 148 laps beat the Mercedes record of 132 in a day set by Michael Schumacher last year.
"I've never been so well-prepared physically as I am this season; I feel on top form and it was no problem to complete the programme. To drive the distance from Silverstone to Spa in one day with no problems whatsoever is a fantastic achievement from the team."
Vettel did over 100 laps before heading back to the pits where his mechanics quickly erected a black screen to frustrate the prying eyes of rival teams eager for a look at the team who have guided the German to three successive world titles.