Sun-Journal from Lewiston, Maine • C3

Sports ca FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012 LEWISTON, MAINE BOMBING DEATHS OLYMPICS Saudis may not send women RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) Plans for Saudi Arabia to send women to the Olympics for the first time appear to be injeopardy. Saudi Arabian newspaper Al-Watan reported Thursday that Saudi Olympic Committee President Prince Nawaf does "not approve" of sending female athletes to the London Games. But he left room for Saudi women to possibly compete on their own outside the official delegation, a plan that may not satisfy demands by the International Olympic Committee. A similar arrangement was made at the Youth Olympics in 2010 for Saudi equestrian competitor Dalma Rush- i V.I. 'v VAi- 1 a -Vi x.

F---- i i "ff the International Olympic Committee was lookingor an official affirmation of Saudi discrimination against women in sports, the minister in charge just gave it. Ctirtstopti Wllcks, senior Middle East researcher ASSOCIATED PRESS Four of the five Somali athletes chosen to attend the London Olympic Games, from left, runners Mohamud All, Mohamed Hassan Mohamed, Ayan samow and Amal Ahmed, mourn the deaths of two top Somali sports officials in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Thursday. Somala's Olympic athletes are training for the London Games, a day after the president of Somala's Olympic committee, Aden Yabarow wish and Somal Football Federation Chief Said Mohamed Nurwere Idled in a Mogadishu bomb Mast Somali athletes still training "Yesterday was utterly a black day for Somali sports. As we have lost precious bosses who spent more time and energy in developing Somali sport." Mohamad Haaian Mohamad, runner di Mai has. She won a bronze medal in show jumping.

"I do not approve of Saudi female participation in the Olympics at the moment," Nawaf was quoted as saying by the newspaper. Officials at the Saudi Olympic Committee could not be reached for comment. The IOC has been in talks with the Saudis about sending women to London. "We are still in discussion and working to ensure the participation of Saudi women at the games in London," the IOC told The Associated Press in an email on Thursday. Saudi Arabia is one of three countries that have never included women on their Olympic teams, along with Qatar and Brunei.

The IOC has been hopeful that all three would send female representatives to London, marking the first time for every competing nation. In a statement Thursday, Human Rights Watch said Nawaf comments underline Saudi Arabia's shaky commitment to granting women rights to participate in sports. "If the International Olympic Committee was looking for an official affirmation of Saudi discrimination against women in sports, the minister in charge just gave it," said Christoph Wilcke, a senior Middle East researcher for the New York-based group. "It is impossible to square Saudi discrimination against women with the noble values of the Olympic Charter." A formal proposal for the participation of Saudi women had been scheduled to be submitted to the IOC executive board at its meeting in Quebec City from May 28-25. MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) Somalia's Olympic athletes returned to practice for the London Games, a day after the national Olympic committee president and another top sports official were killed in a bomb blast Four of the country's five Olympic athletes trained at the rubble-strewn playground after Olympic Committee President Aden Yabarow Wiish and soccer federation head Said Mohamed Nur were among 10 people killed in a bomb attack at an outdoor theater on Wednesday.

Runners Mohamed Hassan Mohamed, Mohamud Ali, Ayan Samow and Amal Ahmed were emotional when telling The Associated Press that the bombing, labeled an "act of barbarism" by the IOC, wouldn't stop them going to the games and honoring Wiish. "Yesterday was utterly a black day for Somali sports," said Mohamed, who competes in the 5,000 meters. "As we have lost precious bosses who spent more time and energy in developing Somali sport. "It was a terrifying moment. I did not sleep well all night.

There was a nightmare, but one thing is for sure: that the work of Mr. Wiish will be remembered." Track and field federation head Khadija Aden Dahir was at the former school where the four Olympic hopefuls train and where they sleep and live. She wept as she spoke of the two sports But the athletes said they had renewed determination and were focused on proudly representing their country in London at sport's biggest event. The lost leaders, who were honored by the IOC and FIFA, were widely respected for their roles in trying to normalize sport in a country devastated by years of violence. Wiish and Nur had just last week toured the national soccer stadium in Mogadishu, which is being renovated and brought into line with international standards.

It's major progress for Somalia, whose lowly ranked soccer team had to play all its home matches elsewhere. After the renovation, track and field athletes will practice there rather than a dusty, old school ground surrounded by abandoned buildings. The two men had been leading figures in meetings with government officials last month that hinted at an optimistic future for Somali sport. That hope was shattered when a suicide bomber detonated explosives during a ceremony to celebrate the one-year anniversary of a television station. The theater had only just reopened following years of violence.

"This is a great loss to Somalia at this particular time when people of this courage and tenacity are most needed," Ali said. "Said and Aden Wiish were the eyes of Somalia sports." leaders who died in the suicide bombing. Islamist group al-Shabab took responsibility for the bombing. Samow, who is set to compete in the women's 5,000 in London, and Ahmed also tried to control their emotions as they spoke. "The hopes were high before the death of our beloved boss," Samow said, "but our hopes were dashed in one moment." Ahmed added: "I have been weeping since yesterday." The tragedy was by far the worst in a series of setbacks for the athletes, who have little equipment and run along the dangerous main road through Mogadishu when they train.

They jog past roadblocks of armed militia and security checkpoints, coach Ahmed Xog said, the site of suicide bombings and where dozens of civilians have been shot and killed. Petrino put on leave after crash based on conduct clauses in Petrino's contract, to a possible suspension or firing. "I hope to have a resolution soon," Long said. I certainly don't have all the answers here tonight, as we meet. But again, I have an obligation and responsibility to obtain the information and then act appropriately on that information." Petrino, who is married with four children, didn't mention he had a passenger during a news conference on Tuesday, two days after Sunday's accident, and a school statement that day quoted Petrino's family as saying "no other individuals" were involved.

Petrino said then that he had spent Sunday with his wife, Becky, at a lake and was going for an evening ride. FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) Arkansas put football coach Bobby Petrino on paid leave Thursday after he failed to disclose he had been riding with a female employee half his age when his motorcycle skidded off the road over the weekend. Petrino apologized and said he had been concerned about protecting his family and keeping an "inappropriate relationship from becoming public." "I will fully cooperate with the university throughout this process and my hope is to repair my relationships with my family, my athletic director, the Razorback Nation and remain the head coach of the Razorbacks," he said in a statement issued by the university. Athletic director Jeff Long announced the decision at a late-night news conference and said he had no timeline in determining the 51-year-old Petrino's future with the Razorbacks.

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