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Mixed Martial Arts Bouts and More Added to ONE: NO SURRENDER

Jul 16. 2020

By THE NATIONONE Championship™ (ONE) announced the addition of two mixed martial arts bouts and another ONE Super Series bout, completing the blockbuster ONE: NO SURRENDER card scheduled to be broadcast and streamed on July 31 in Bangkok.

Reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon puts his World Title on the line against former ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Petchdam “The Baby Shark” Petchyindee Academy in the highly-anticipated main event showdown.

• In the first co-main event, a battle for the ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Championship will take place with reigning champion Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy scheduled to face perhaps his biggest challenge yet in “The Boxing Computer” Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex. 
• In the evening’s second co-main event, a ONE Super Series Kickboxing Super-Bout, striking superstars Superbon Banchamek and “The Killer Kid” Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong will battle for the first time in the ONE Championship ring.
• ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Stamp Fairtex of Thailand will face Sunisa “Thunderstorm” Srisen of Thailand, while Mark “Tyson” Fairtex Abelardo of New Zealand and the Philippines will square off against Fabrício “Wonder Boy” Andrade of Brazil.
• Additionally, Thai stars Panpayak Jitmuangnon and Superlek Kiatmoo9 lock horns in a ONE Super Series Muay Thai contest with 4 oz. gloves.

See complete bout information below. All matches are subject to change.

Rodtang Jitmuangnon, ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion, stated: “I am glad we are able to get back in the ONE Championship ring again to perform. I know the fans will truly appreciate it, and I’m excited to defend my title. I have a lot of respect for anyone willing to step into the ring with me, including Petchdam. We’ve faced each other twice before. I think this third fight is going to be the best one yet. It’s another go-around for me and Petchdam. It’s time to settle the score on the ONE Super Series stage with millions of people watching.”

Petchdam Petchyindee Academy, former ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion, stated: “This will no doubt be one of the toughest fights of my career. I know Rodtang and I know his style. It is a difficult challenge for me, but I’m working very hard in training. My team and I are coming into this fight with a great game plan. He’s a good, strong fighter, and I have to prepare myself well. This third fight is very important to me, and I will do everything that I can to claim victory.”

Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy, ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion, stated: “Facing a legend like Yodsanklai is an honor. But I’m the ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion, and I will do everything in my power to keep the belt around my waist. Of course, I am thankful to ONE Championship for giving me the opportunity to compete again. The fans will be looking for an exciting fight, and I want to give them one.”

Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex, ONE Super Series Athlete, stated: “I’ve had many wars in my career. Now I find myself competing against the best strikers in the world in ONE Super Series. They say I’m a legend, and that I’ve accomplished a lot in my career. But I’m not resting and taking it easy until I have the ONE Super Series title over my shoulders. I’m working hard in training and come 31 July, it’s time to perform. I owe it to fans to showcase the best Yodsanklai they’ve ever seen.”

Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong, ONE Super Series Athlete, stated: “It’s both an honor and a privilege to be able to join ONE Super Series and compete against some very big names. I am very much looking forward to my debut. I know fans from all over the world will be watching, so I want to put together a performance that will inspire them and give them hope. Coming into this third fight against Superbon, a win will put this rivalry behind me. I’m ready to go.”

Superbon Banchamek, ONE Super Series Athlete, stated: “I am so looking forward to making my ONE Super Series debut. It’s an honor for me to compete on this global stage. My first bout is a tough one. I know because I’ve faced Sitthichai twice before, and each time we’ve given the fans a good show. I have no doubt this time we will put on another spectacle. I can’t wait to climb through those ropes and enter the ONE Championship ring.”

Stamp Fairtex, ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion, stated: “It feels good to get back into training full swing, and of course, I’m happy to be fighting again after taking a break for a few months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I’m excited to get in the ring with my opponent. I’ve studied her style from her previous fights. She’s strong and has very good speed. I’ll see what I can do in this fight. It’s definitely a worthy challenge. I’ve also improved a lot since my last bout. I want to thank all the fans for their continued support.”

Sunisa Srisen, ONE Athlete, stated: “Taking on a superstar like Stamp Fairtex in my first outing for ONE Championship, I know it’s a big challenge for me. I know I’m going into this fight as the underdog. Everyone in the world will be expecting Stamp to beat me. But I’m prepared for that. I’m prepared to walk into a hostile environment, and I’m prepared to score the upset. I just want to say thank you for giving me the opportunity. I will give it my very best.”

Mark Fairtex Abelardo, ONE Athlete, stated: “The entire world is reeling right now, and if by stepping into the ring and showcasing my skills can help inspire people to soldier on, I’m glad to do it. I’m thankful we can get back to competing again. This is what I live for, and I have so much I want to do in this sport. The next step starts in Bangkok.”

Fabrício Andrade, ONE Athlete, stated: “Making my ONE Championship debut in Bangkok is very exciting for me. It’s still early in my career, but I can say I’ve improved a lot over the last few years. I’m laser-focused right now on making a successful debut. I know my opponent is very powerful, so I’m getting ready with a strategy to handle his power. I want to show the fans what I can do.”

Panpayak Jitmuangnon, ONE Athlete, stated: “I’m very thankful to get the chance to compete in ONE Championship again. In the world now that is filled with uncertainty, it’s just fortunate that we can still do what we love to do. I want to keep fighting and rising through the rankings, until I get the chance to fight for the World Championship. My next opponent is a tough one. We’ve faced each other in the past, so we know each other’s style quite well. All I can say is the fans can expect fireworks. I can’t underestimate him at all.”

Superlek Kiatmoo9, ONE Athlete, stated: “I’m excited to return to the bright lights of Bangkok to compete in this huge event. I’d like to thank the ONE Championship organization, which has given Thai athletes tremendous opportunities. Panpayak is a very good, well-rounded fighter. I’ve faced him before and we’ve always had good fights. I can say, we will probably have another good one again. I’ll do my very best and train my hardest, regardless of the result. Let’s put on an awesome show.”

ONE: NO SURRENDER

Bangkok, Thailand

Friday, 31 July

ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship

Rodtang Jitmuangnon (C) vs Petchdam Petchyindee Academy

Muay Thai (4oz. gloves): 61.2kg

ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Championship

Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy (C) vs Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex

Muay Thai (4oz. gloves): 70.3kg

ONE Super Series Kickboxing Super-Bout

Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong vs Superbon Banchamek

Kickboxing (10oz. boxing gloves): 70.3kg

Stamp Fairtex vs Sunisa Srisen

Mixed Martial Arts: 52.2kg

Mark Abelardo vs Fabrício Andrade

Mixed Martial Arts: 67.0kg (Catch Weight)

Panpayak Jitmuangnon vs Superlek Kiatmoo9

Muay Thai (4oz. gloves): 61.2kg

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MotoGP™ is back – and Viñales is back on top

Jul 16. 2020

By THE NATIONThe sweet sound of MotoGP™ returns with a one-day test at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto

Quartararo was behind Viñales in a Yamaha 1-2 Marquez leads Viñales, but not on the timesheets

Jack Miller was top Ducati in testing Aleix Espargaro gets back in the groove

as does Miller

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Aegerter lays down the gauntlet in MotoE™ test

Jul 16. 2020

By THE NATION

The rookie tops the timesheets as the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup gets back on track

Granado in action Simeon in his new team colours

De Angelis tips it in Di Meglio looks to win races again in 2020

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Woods gets back to work at Memorial Tournament

Jul 16. 2020Tiger Woods (Getty Image)Tiger Woods is back on the tee. There is little need to overcomplicate the storyline beyond that.

 The 82-time PGA TOUR winner and the world’s most talked-about player is set to make his much-anticipated return this week at the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide, his first appearance since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the sport in mid-March.

 When Woods launches his opening ball off the tee Thursday at Muirfield Village, it will be his first competitive start in five months, dating back to the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in February. Woods, who has won this event five times in his career, will be part of a featured grouping Thursday and Friday alongside Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka.

 “It feels great to be back,” Woods said Tuesday.

 “I hadn’t played on a tournament venue in a while, and it’s been since February, so it’s been a long time for me. Then to get out there and to play with Justin Thomas today was a bunch of fun. It’s certainly a different world, different environment that we’re in. To play practice rounds like this and to watch as the Tour has evolved and started back and to see no fans, it’s just a very different world out here.”

 Golf has eagerly awaited Woods’ return since he first displayed a midseason form in May at Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Charity. Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Woods said that performance briefly left him considering an earlier return to competition before ultimately opting against it.

 “I did consider playing, trying to figure out if I should play or not. But I just felt it was better to stay at home and be safe,” he said. “I’m used to playing with lots of people around me or having lots of people have a direct line to me, and that puts not only myself in danger but my friends and family. I’ve just been at home practicing and social distancing and being away from a lot of people.”

 Woods watched from afar as the TOUR worked through its new health and safety protocols, which include no on-site fans and frequent COVID-19 testing throughout the week. Confidence in those measures are what ultimately brought him to Ohio this week. 

 “That’s the risk that I’m taking, that’s the risk that all of us are now taking,” Woods said. “I know the TOUR has done a fantastic job of setting up the safety and trying to ensure that all of us are protected and are safe, but it is a risk that we are now undertaking when we walk on the property and are around individuals that you don’t know where they’ve been or what they’ve been doing.

 “But the screening, the testing we’ve done, the protections that we’ve tried to implement on the TOUR have shown that we’ve had to make adjustments, but it’s a risk that I’m willing to take.”

Yes, there was ample time for Woods to practice during the hiatus at his home course, Medalist Golf Club, but there was also plenty of backyard tennis with his children, Sam and Charlie, and quiet moments to read horror novels by one of his favorite authors, Dean Koontz.

 But now it’s back to work, and a chance to erase the memories of his last competitive start. When golf fans last saw Woods on Tour, he finished last among players to make the cut at 11-over and closed with rounds of 76 and 77 the final two days.

 “Physically, I was very stiff in Los Angeles, and I was not moving that well,” he said. “Back was just not quite loose, it was cold, I wasn’t hitting the ball very far, wasn’t playing very well, and consequently I finished dead last.

 “ … I feel so much better than I did then. I’ve been able to train and concentrate on getting back up to speed and back up to tournament speed, so how I was moving at The Match and being able to progress since then, being out here today and being able to play with J.T., it was a lot of fun for both of us.”

 One thing that won’t be in his way are the throngs of fans sure to follow him during an event, as the TOUR will remain closed off to fans through at least the end of the FedExCup Playoffs in August.

 Perhaps that will bring some comfortable familiarity to Woods, who won the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in November after surging into a second-round lead that was played without fans due to weather. That win coincidentally also came after a lengthy two-month layoff.

 Is a repeat performance in the cards this week?

 “I think for me in particular, I’m going to have to just put my head down and play,” Woods said. “But it’s going to be different, there’s no doubt about it. For most of my career, pretty much almost every competitive playing round that I’ve been involved in, I’ve had people around me, spectators yelling, a lot of movement inside the gallery with camera crews and media.

 “Watching the players play over the last few weeks, that hasn’t been the case, and that’s very different, and for the players that are a little bit older and that have played out here for a long time and have experienced it, it is very different.”

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PGA TOUR’s International Tours to start new series of U.S.-based events

Jul 16. 2020

Eight-tournament LOCALiQ Series includes the reward of PGA TOUR playing opportunities

The PGA TOUR’s International Tours announced Tuesday that it is partnering with LOCALiQ, the Official Digital Marketing Services Firm of the PGA TOUR, to conduct the LOCALiQ Series, a set of tournaments designed for members from PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR Series-China.

The eight-tournament Series, featuring seven 54-hole stroke-play tournaments and a season-ending 72-hole event, begins in August, with the first seven events played in the Southeastern U.S., and the Series-ending tournament at a site to be determined. The champion of the final tournament and the top-two players on the Series-long points list will receive sponsor exemptions into a 2021 PGA TOUR tournament. The TOUR plans to announce other performance benefits for players in the future.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to make this announcement. We have so many gifted, hard-working players who were anxious to play this season on their respective Tours before the affects of COVID-19 caused us to change our plans. To be able to provide this Series and these quality playing opportunities is very gratifying,” said Rob Ohno, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President, International Tours. “And we’re thrilled to be working with a TOUR partner in LOCALiQ on a series of events that we know is going make a difference for these players.”

Each field in the LOCALiQ Series will be filled with 144 players, primarily those who are active members of one of the TOUR’s International Tours. The purse at each tournament will be a minimum of U.S. $100,000 with a full field, the winner’s share set at $16,000.

The Series begins the first week of August, with three events in Georgia—with two in Alpharetta and the third in Callaway Gardens. The fourth is in Auburn, Alabama. The fifth and sixth events are in the Florida cities of Jacksonville and Lady Lake.

The seventh tournament is at The Club at Weston Hills in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., previous host to PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Qualifying Tournaments.

The Series concludes October 26-30. The closing tournament will be a limited-field tournament with the top-78 eligible players from the points list invited.  

LOCALiQ, the sales and marketing arm of Gannett Co., Inc., is committed to the communities in its network and helping them build relationships with their local businesses. “We could not think of a better way to leverage our relationship with the PGA TOUR than to bring professional golf to local communities,” said Michael Flanagan, President and General Manager of LOCALiQ’s Sports and Entertainment division. “As a comprehensive provider of digital marketing services, LOCALiQ enables local businesses and their communities to thrive.”

Tournament officials are rightfully proud of the caliber of golf courses secured in a short amount of time. Ohno said the Series’ goal has always been to provide players with high-quality venues that will give them a different look each week the Series plays. Testing the players’ skills on a variety of layouts was the goal as the Series put its schedule together.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the owners and operators who have stepped up and made their golf courses available to these players. Our aim is always to provide players with a PGA TOUR-like experience. I truly believe the players will be delighted each week when they arrive at the tournament sites,” Ohno added.

A complete list of players competing will be distributed in the coming weeks. 

LocaliQ Series Tournament Schedule

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Petchdam working on careful strategy against Rodtang

Jul 15. 2020Petchdam Petchyindee Academy and Rodtang Jitmuangnon

By THE NATION

Former ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Petchdam “The Baby Shark” Petchyindee Academy is ripped and ready to go ahead of his high-profile rubber match with reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon.

The two Thai warriors are scheduled to face off in the ONE Championship ring in the main event of ONE: NO SURRENDER on Friday, 31 July in Bangkok, Thailand. It’s the third meeting between Petchdam and Rodtang, and one that will break the tie in their rivalry.

The 22-year-old Petchdam is thrilled for the opportunity and is preparing well to exact revenge on his peer.

“I think Rodtang is a superstar. I am so happy that I have a chance to fight with this superstar,” Petchdam told ONE Championship.

“We fought each other two times before, so I know him well. He is good, and he doesn’t have any weak points, plus he has very strong punches. Since we are fighting with 4-ounce gloves on, I have to be careful.”

Petchdam met Rodtang for the first time in 2017 at Bangkok’s famed Rajadamnern Stadium. He won a close decision after a tough bout. In their rematch almost a year later, it was Rodtang who came out on top at the same venue.

“I got hit so hard by Rodtang and showed my weakness. The referee didn’t [administer a] count, but I could not walk straight and lost to him by decision,” said Petchdam.

The two left their rivalry at one win apiece, and later on both joined ONE Super Series.

Petchdam strung together a trio of impressive wins to kick off his ONE Championship career, eventually earning the right to challenge for the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Title, which he captured with a technical decision over Elias Mahmoudi in May of 2019.

However, “The Baby Shark” was hit with a setback when he was stopped by Ilias Ennahachi months later, surrendering the title to the Dutch Moroccan superstar. Petchdam bounced back with a majority decision over Momotaro this past January, setting up the blockbuster showdown with Rodtang.

Working with various trainers to prepare himself for the onslaught that Rodtang will surely bring, Petchdam is confident his skills, and a solid game plan, will bring him to victory.

“My trainer ‘Boonberkfah’ trains me hard about protecting myself and footwork, so I can avoid Rodtang’s hits or get hit as little as possible. My other trainer, Chatchai Sasakun, trains me specifically on my boxing,” said Petchdam.

“I am confident that I can win this fight, but not by walking forward and backward [like Rodtang would want]. The point is, I will not play his game. That is for sure.”

Petchdam needs to bring his A-game into the ring on 31 July, if he plans to upset the reigning champion, who many consider the pound-for-pound best in Muay Thai today. Rodtang is unlike any opponent Petchdam has faced before, and will require every bit of strength in his body to beat convincingly.

The co-main event at ONE: NO SURRENDER features reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy who is set to defend his title against the legendary Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex. Also a co-main event is a ONE Super Series Kickboxing Super-Bout between Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and Superbon Banchamek.

Mixed martial arts bouts for the card are expected to be announced soon.

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Veterans vs rookies: MotoE™ ready to race in 2020

Jul 15. 2020

By THE NATION

The inaugural FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup made headlines for all the right reasons. Season two only promises even more…

The time is finally nigh and the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup is ready to get back on track. After an incredible first season packed full of awesome races that went right down to the wire, season two returns with a few familiar faces – and a few new ones.

The Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto hosts the opener and it’s a track the grid know well from testing, which could make for a bit of a leveler for the newcomers. Reigning Cup winner Matteo Ferrari (Trentino Gresini MotoE) is most definitely the man with a target on his back as season two begins though, and he looks to have lost none of his pace in testing. That added to the confidence of returning as the man to beat will only add to the mountain the rest have to climb, but the grid will be as close as ever.

Eric Granado (Avintia Esponsorama Racing), the 2019 third place man, is sure to be a contender for both the Cup and the first win of the year. The Brazilian aced testing ahead of the inaugural Cup before the best laid plans of mice and former European Moto2™ Champions went awry, but by the end of the season he was on a roll and ended the year with a double win. He’ll be looking to pick up where he left off and more.

The other 2019 winners – Mike Di Meglio (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Niki Tuuli (Avant Ajo MotoE) – will also have their eyes on the prize. Consistency and injury respectively hurt their campaigns last year, but now it’s a complete reset for a new season and they’ll be wanting to stay near the top – or at it – in what’s a competitive field. Xavier Simeon was another fast man in 2019 and he’s now at LCR E-Team alongside Niccolo Canepa, and the likes of Alex De Angelis (Octo Pramac MotoE), Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse), Maria Herrera (Openbank Aspar Team) and Josh Hook (Octo Pramac MotoE) all bring their experience back for season two.

And then there are the new faces. Moto2™ race winners Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) move to MotoE™ this year, as does Moto3™ veteran Jakub Kornfeil as the Czech rider gets the call up to replace Bradley Smith at WithU Motorsport. He’s going in almost blind too, just to add to the challenge – and will likely be the busiest man in the test on Wednesday.

Lukas Tulovic (Tech 3 E-Racing) is another new to the class – and another with plenty of Moto2™ experience – and a good few faces he now races in the Moto2™ European Championship are also heading from their season openers in Estoril and Portimao in the FIM CEV Repsol to get back on track in MotoE™. They include Tuuli, Alessandro Zaccone (Trentino Gresini MotoE), Alejandro Medina (Openbank Aspar Team) and Xavier Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing), all of whom will be eager to hit the ground running.

Tommaso Marcon (Tech 3 E-Racing) is another of a similar profile, but the Italian is instead on the way back from an injury sustained in testing. Will that affect his debut? Or will the shorter race distance of MotoE™ and his couple of weeks of recovery time work in his favour?

It’s a mouthwatering cast of riders in the 2020 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup. From experienced veterans to fresh faces, every CV is packed with experience from 125s and 250s to Moto3™, Moto2™ and MotoGP™, as well as WorldSSP, WorldSBK and more – making a true melting pot of a grid. Who will strike first?

Find out from the 17th to the 19th of July at Jerez, after a day of testing on Wednesday gives us a glimpse of the how the cards may have shuffled ahead of lift off.

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China’s Li excited to be back at Memorial, WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational

Jul 15. 2020Haotong Li (Getty Image)

By THE NATION

China’s Haotong Li is anxious to see how his golf game will stand up against the stars from the PGA TOUR when he makes his long-awaited return to golf in this week’s Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide and World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational later this month.

It has been nearly four months since the 24-year-old Chinese star last struck an official golf shot before the coronavirus pandemic forced all major tours around the world to suspend competition. During the break, he focused on getting stronger and sharper in his game and hopes to reap the fruit of his labour over the next few weeks.

“I’m very excited and can’t wait to get back to the game. It’s been more than three months since I left the tour and I really miss everything on the course,” said Li, who is exempted into Muirfield Village this week and TPC Southwind later this month by virtue of being a member of the 2019 Presidents Cup International Team. “To be honest, I was imagining it’s me on the tee or on the green while watching the video and highlights on TV (when the PGA TOUR resumed play).”

The slender Li, who was the 2014 Order of Merit winner on PGA TOUR Series China and a regular on the European Tour where he has won twice, placed T37 in the Memorial Tournament and T20 in the WGC event last season.

A second appearance at the Memorial, which is hosted by golf legend Jack Nicklaus, is a mouth-watering prospect as 82-time PGA TOUR winner Tiger Woods will also be making his first competitive appearance since the break.

“The course is very good for me and it’s a big honour to play in Jack Nicklaus’ tournament,” said Li. “Jack is one of the legends of golf and I’ve been playing on a course designed by him (Lake Malaren Golf Club, Shanghai) since my childhood. I‘m looking forward to a better result in this event. The line-up will be strong and challenging in the World Golf Championships event but personally there is not much difference for me. I just hope to keep myself in a good state (of mind).”

Li expects some competitive rust but believes the physical work he has put in will pay off. “I think it’s about getting back into the pace of the game and putting myself in the best condition to play against the top golfers. Obviously, it may take some time but I’m confident in myself,” he said.

“I always pay attention on physical training. Both my swing speed and distance have increased during the past couple of months. It looks like every player has improved and I am really surprised by them, especially Bryson (DeChambeau). It’s unbelievable. Fitness is the basis of golf so we cannot fall behind in this regard.

“It’s always been one of my dreams to have a place on the PGA TOUR and that’s still what I’m thinking about at present. There is, of course, a difficulty under the unusual circumstances this year. However, I still have confidence in myself and I’m excited about the next few weeks.

“I hope I can keep healthy first of all and to be able to find my pace back and improve my world ranking. Of course, it would be great if I can win a championship.”

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Activists, politicians, players weigh in on Redskins name change: ‘Start of the new era’

Jul 14. 2020A helmet with the team logo is painted on artificial turf outside FedEx Field, home stadium of the Washington Redskins. The team announced Monday that it was retiring the name. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Katherine Frey

By The Washington Post · Roman Stubbs, Scott Allen · SPORTS, FOOTBALL 

In the minutes after Washington’s NFL team announced Monday morning that it would be retiring its Redskins name and logo, some Native American leaders across the country quietly celebrated.

It was a relief for some, surreal for others. The announcement brought a semblance of closure for Ray Halbritter, the Representative of Oneida Nation who had started the Change the Mascot campaign to fight the team’s name years ago.

“It closes a painful chapter of denigration and disrespect toward Native Americans and other people,” Halbritter said. “This is about our children, about our future.”

Some Native American advocacy groups wondered about that same future Monday, about the momentum they now have in fighting against other sports teams using Native American names and iconography. But Monday was also a time for reflection – not just for activists who had protested the name for decades, but for politicians, sports journalists and current and former players.

“It’s sort of surreal after three decades and then poof,” said David Glass, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe and president of the National Coalition Against Racism In Sports and Media, which has long called for Washington to change its name. Glass was among those who said that the franchise and owner Daniel Snyder was “forced” into the change, noting the recent pressure from sponsors like FedEx, but he said that the announcement was nonetheless a positive development.

“Let’s not kid ourselves. Money talks at the end of the day,” Glass said. “Our efforts have had an effect on FedEx, Nike, PepsiCo, and some of the minority shareholders. Having acknowledged that, we will take the congrats and revel in the change with more to come.”

Glass, like Halbritter and hundreds of other Native American activists, had pleaded with the team and the NFL to have input on the name-change in the days after the team announced it would launch a review on July 3. Many questioned whether Snyder, who has staunchly opposed changing the name for years, really cared about Native American voices as he weighed the potential change.

Mike Florio, the founder of Pro Football Talk, an NBC analyst and a longtime critic of the Washington team name, said the franchise’s statement struck him as “one final act of defiance” by Snyder. The team used the former name and logo in the statement, and won’t change the name on its official materials until it has a new name in place.

“Why are you saying we’re going to retire the name later when we have a new name?” Florio told NBC Sports Washington. “You’re acknowledging that this name has to go, but . . . the name was plastered all over the press release and the logo was plastered on the press release. Why are you not just abandoning the name now and waiting to unveil the new name when you have all the trademarks lined up?”

The embattled owner’s intentions were at the forefront of the conversation Monday.

“The reality of the situation is that if Daniel Snyder’s bottom line wasn’t being affected . . . there would be no change,” ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said Monday on “First Take.” “Daniel Snyder did not change this name out of the goodness of his heart. He changed the name because financial pressure was brought to bear.”

Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District’s nonvoting delegate to the House of Representatives, said in a phone interview that FedEx and other sponsors deserve credit for applying financial pressure on Snyder to change the name. But she, like Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, said they were nonetheless pleased with the announcement.

“This reflects the present climate of intolerance to names, statues, figments of our past that are racist in nature or otherwise imply racism are no longer tolerated,” Norton said.

Former Washington cornerback Fred Smoot said he knew a name change was inevitable from the time he saw a group of Native Americans protesting outside Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City before his first preseason game with the Redskins in August 2001.

“I took the time to think to myself then, ‘We’re going to look this in the face one day,'” Smoot said Monday while co-hosting a show on The Team 980. “That day is today; 2020 has been the year of corrections, has been the year of clarity, has been the year of change. . . . Today is the start of the new era and that’s how we should look at it.”

For Smoot, the impetus of Snyder’s decision matters little.

“Everybody is going to say, ‘[Snyder] only did it because they forced [him] to do it.'” Smoot said. “Well, guess what? Once you need change, I don’t care why the change happened.”

As for the next generation of players, Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins said in a Twitter post that as someone who went to high school in the D.C. area, “it’ll always be #HTTR,” referring to the team’s “Hail to the Redskins” motto. But, he added, he is “looking forward to the future.”

#ศาสตร์เกษตรดินปุ๋ย : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

RacingAhead: are you ready for Jerez?

Jul 14. 2020

By THE NATION

After months of anticipation, the ‘if’ became ‘when’. But now the biggest question is who’s ready… and who’s not