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SPORTS Friday 29 November 2019
AP Interview: Boxing champ Klitschko proud to be Ukrainian

By GRAHAM DUNBAR Klitschko, a gold medalist at
AP Sports Writer the 1996 Atlanta Olympics,
NYON, Switzerland (AP) — celebrated Ukraine — like
As world heavyweight box- the national soccer team
ing champions for more qualifying for the 2020 Euro-
than a decade, Wladimir pean Championship.
Klitschko and his brother Vi- "Have you seen what
tali helped establish Ukraine Shevchenko has done for
on the sports map. the team?" he enthused.
Now that Ukraine and its Like Klitschko, Ukraine
capital city of Kyiv — where coach Andriy Shevchen-
Vitali is mayor — are part ko is a beloved athlete at
of the United States' daily home trying to give some-
news agenda, learning thing back to fans.
about the eastern Euro- "Ukrainians, as a nation,
pean country's place in the we are super-talented,"
world is not so difficult. Klitschko said, praising hit
"Not anymore," Wladimir HBO drama Chernobyl for
Klitschko told The Associ- showing the toughness of
ated Press in an interview its people. "We are well
at the home of European educated, we are serving
soccer body UEFA, where society."
he is a trustee of the group's The Klitschko Foundation
children's charity founda- has involved more than 1.8
tion. "There is no doubt that million children and youths In this Saturday, April 29, 2017 file photo, British boxer Anthony Joshua, left, fights Ukrainian boxer
Wladimir Klitschko for Joshua's IBF and the vacant WBA Super World and IBO heavyweight titles at
at least people will know, in in Ukraine since being cre- Wembley stadium in London. Joshua won with an 11th round stoppage.
the U.S. especially." ated in 2003, the year Associated Press
The younger Klitschko Wladimir's first world title
brother visited Switzerland reign ended. He regained be the driving force in your tial impeachment process, good is always going to be
after spending time this versions of the heavy- community, in the school." soon turns 42. neighbors."
month in New York, where weight belt in 2006 and When Klitschko talks about Klitschko noted: "(We're) He supports closer ties with
rolling cable news cover- stayed unbeaten for nine Ukrainian leaders, a com- trying to bring more for this the European Union and
age is repeating a theme more years. mon thread emerges link- talented nation." expressed admiration for
that corruption is rife in his One of its established proj- ing men born in the 1970s in He is cautious, however, leadership values in Ger-
home country. ects, to equip schools with the former Soviet Union. when asked if a nation of many, where both brothers
"With something bad, there sports equipment, was He and Shevchenko are 44 million people prefers often fought title bouts.
is also something good," among 42 schemes that 43. So is the co-founder public leaders they already It's been more than 2½
said Klitschko, who projects won UEFA Foundation for of WhatsApp, Jan Koum. admired in another field. years since his final fight
positive thinking and de- Children funding this month Mayor Vitali Klitschko is 48. "The trust needs to be stron- — an 11th-round loss to
veloped a Swiss university worth a combined $5.2 mil- Ukrainian president Volody- ger," Klitschko said. "But Anthony Joshua in front of
course in innovative man- lion. myr Zelenskiy, the former trust comes only with time 90,000 people at Wembley
agement. "It is much more "We are trying to motivate," comic actor and producer and corruption needs to Stadium, a modern record
fun to solve a challenge Klitschko said. "You need who has an unwitting cen- be reduced. We probably crowd for a heavyweight
than to have a problem." to be active. You need to tral role in the U.S. presiden- cannot get rid of it. Evil and contest. q

European Tour lets players wear shorts for first time

MALELANE, South Africa wildlife reserve in northern so long on all of the tours
(AP) — Golfers were al- South Africa. around the world ... I think
lowed to wear shorts during "We felt that in this situation this could be a game-
a European Tour event for it was a good move," said changer for golf which
the first time on Thursday the European Tour's David could end up enhancing
because of sweltering tem- Williams, the tournament the product."
peratures. director. "The temperatures When the U.S. PGA Tour an-
The decision to relax rules will increase as the week nounced in February it was
at the 2020 season-open- goes on, which is uncom- allowing shorts for practice
ing Alfred Dunhill Champi- fortable and could be a and pro-ams, it said it not-
onship in South Africa was health issue for the players. ed the opinions of leading
made after discussions be- "A lot of players were con- players.
tween players, European cerned about it. In these Asked for his view on allow-
Tour CEO Keith Pelley, and temperatures it can be ing shorts, Tiger Woods said:
tournament host Johann pretty uncomfortable out South Africa's Brandon Grace lines up a shot during play in the "I would love it. We play
European Tour in Malelane, South Africa, Thursday, Nov. 28,
Rupert. It applies for this there in trousers." 2019. in some of the hottest cli-
event only. In 2016, the European Tour Associated Press mates on the planet."
Temperatures are predict- allowed players to wear Rory McIlroy said: "It makes
ed to reach 40 degrees shorts for practice rounds Four-time major winner a tournament. the guys a lot more com-
Celsius (104 F) over the next and pro-ams but not tour- Ernie Els said allowing "It's going to get up to 40 fortable. I don't think there's
few days at the Leopard nament play. The U.S. PGA shorts this week was "com- degrees here and it's the anything wrong with profes-
Creek Country Club, which Tour brought in the same mon sense" and hoped it right thing to do," Els said. sional golfers showing the
borders the Kruger Park policy this year. wouldn't be the last time in "It's been talked about for lower half of their leg."q