Sport stands as one after attack
MANCHESTER United’s Michael Carrick’s rallying call “We’ll stay together and stay strong” summed up the sporting world’s response on Sunday to the latest terror outrage that left seven dead and dozens injured in London.
The 35-year-old midfielder made the remarks in a short speech at his Old Trafford testimonial in front of 70,000 spectators, including families of the victims of the suicide bombing under a fortnight ago in Manchester.
Also present were over 300 members of the emergency services who Carrick had also invited.
Elsewhere, Australia cricket captain Steve Smith paid his respects while expressing his and his teammates satisfaction regarding securit y arrangements for them at the ongoing Champions Trophy tournament hosted in Britain.
The Australians – who postponed a Test series in Bangladesh in 2015 because of a possible security risk – were to take on the Bangladeshis yesterday at London’s The Oval cricket ground, which is close to London Bridge, one of the two sites where the attacks took place late Saturday.
The final of the prestigious one-day international tournament is also due to be played at The Oval on June 18th.
Carrick and Smith joined many from the sporting world to offer their condolences to the victims of the three assailants who smashed a van into pedestrians on London Bridge before attacking revellers in a popular nightlife hub with knives, in the third deadly terror attack in Britain since March.
The Indian and Pakistani cricket teams observed a minute’s silence prior to their Champions Trophy match in Birmingham.
Smith – who along with his teammates were ordered not to leave their hotel on Saturday as the events unfolded – said they had been reassured by the feedback over their security.
“You never want to see that happen- ing around the world – particularly when we’re so close to the events that happened last night,” Smith said at his eve-of-match press conference.
“We’ve been briefed by our security team this morning, and they are comfortable with where security is at.
“For us, it’s about just being diligent with everything that we do and continuing the tournament as usual.”
England bowler Steven Finn said he had no concerns. “We’re all very comfortable that there’s a ring of steel around [the tournament],” he told Sky Sports. “Everyone who is within the ground and we ourselves will be safe.”
Tennis is due to get its annual outdoor swing through England in June, culminating in Wimbledon, but neither Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal nor Denmark’s former women’s world No1 Caroline Wozniacki are countenancing not coming.
“You know, I don’t know what you can do to prevent it,” Wozniacki said after she progressed to the French Open quarterfinals on Sunday.
“In the end of the day, I think they are here [in France] and the UK trying to do everything they can to keep the security at the highest level.”
‘It’s been a tough time’
Nadal for his part said it was now sadly commonplace all over the world. “With these kind of things, you cannot feel 100 percent safe in the one place,” said Nadal. “That’s very bad news for everybody, no?”
London-based football clubs also tweeted their condolences.
Carrick and legendary former manager Alex Ferguson had laid wreaths in the centre circle prior to kick-off of his testimonial.
“This game has now got extra significance in the wake of what has happened over the last couple of weeks,” Carrick said. “It’s been a tough time. I’d like to welcome the families of some of the victims of last week on my behalf.
“I’d like to extend my condolences and my thoughts to those affected in Manchester and in London last night.”