Wed, Dec 20, 2023 page7

• SPORTS BRIEFS

  • Agencies
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  RUGBY UNION

  Contepomi replaces Cheika

  Felipe Contepomi on Monday was named to replace Michael Cheika as Argentina’s head coach. The former Argentina fly-half, who played 87 times for Argentina, moves up from the national staff to the top job at the age of 46. “The Argentinian Rugby Federation [UAR] announces that Felipe Contepomi will be the new head coach of the Pumas, continuing the work begun with Michael Cheika in 2022,” the federation said in a statement. Australian Cheika led the Pumas to the semi-finals at this year’s Rugby World Cup in France, where they lost heavily to New Zealand. Argentina went on to lose a hard-fought third-place playoff against England. Contepomi played in four World Cups and was a key figure in the Argentina team who in 2007 finished third after beating France 34-10 in the playoff.

  BOXING

  Wilder slams Joshua camp

  Former world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder said the main reason he has not fought Anthony Joshua yet is because the British boxer’s promoters are afraid of losing their “cash cow.” The pair are to fight separate opponents on the same bill at a mega-show in Riyadh on Saturday, with former WBC title holder Wilder taking on Joseph Parker and Joshua, the former WBA, IBF and WBO champion, facing Otto Wallin. Wilder and Joshua could fight each other next year if both win at the weekend, but while previous negotiations between the two camps reportedly broke down due to financial issues, the American said that was not the case. “Money hasn’t been the issue,” he told BBC Sport. “It comes with not having the heart, the will, the courage to step in the ring. I don’t really just blame it on Joshua. I blame it on his handlers, on his promotion and his management, because let’s face it, Joshua is the cash cow of the company,” he said. “Without him, no money is drawn into Matchroom. Not only do I feel Joshua is intimidated of me, but I feel his promoter is as well.”

  OLYMPICS

  Coe drops Russian hint

  Russian competitors remain banned from track and field events at next year’s Paris Olympics, but Sebastian Coe on Monday said that “the world changes” and the situation was being monitored. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) earlier this month said that athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus would be able to compete in Paris as neutrals, outside of team events and as long as they did not support the war in Ukraine. That move changed the position of their original blanket ban following Russia’s invasion last year. However, World Athletics president Coe said after the IOC’s move that his sport would not allow Russians or Belarusians to compete in Paris — and in a conference call he said that position had not changed. “There is no change,” Voe said. “The most important thing is that everybody is beginning to recognize that the autonomy and independence of international federations to make these judgements is really important. We made a judgement which we believe was in the best interest of our sport.” However, “the world changes every five minutes, the situation could change,” Coe added. “We do have a working group that is monitoring the situation within the sport and it will advise and guide the council on what circumstances might need to exist for any exclusion to be lifted.”
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