Category: Sport

MEXICO CITY: Decades after hosting victories by Pele’s Brazil and Diego Maradona’s Argentina, Mexico City’s legendary Azteca Stadium is undergoing a major revamp as it prepares to feature in an unprecedented third World Cup. Mexico’s previous World Cups are widely regarded as two of the best ever, evoking the magic of Pele and the 1970… Continue reading Mexico’s iconic Azteca Stadium revamped for third World Cup

Malaysia’s challenge in the British Open 2025 squash tournament ended after the country’s sole representative, S. Sivasangari, bowed out in the quarter-finals to Egypt’s Amina Orfi in Birmingham on Thursday. In the match at The Rep Theatre, the world number nine women’s squash player went down 2-11, 11-4, 7-11, 9-11 to Amina, marking her fourth… Continue reading Squash: Sivasangari crashes out of British Open quarter-finals

National professional men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani led the charge of five Malaysian pairs into the quarter-finals of the 2025 Indonesia Open badminton tournament at Istora Senayan, Jakarta today. In the second round of the Super 1000-level tournament, the world number one pair faced a tough challenge from compatriots Nur Mohd Azriyn… Continue reading Sze Fei-Izzuddin lead five Malaysian pairs into Indonesia open quarter-finals

U.S. PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s directive banning citizens from 12 countries from entering the U.S. exempts athletes, and LA28 officials said on Thursday they were confident the Games have the full backing of the administration. Trump signed the proclamation on Wednesday as part of an immigration crackdown he said was needed to protect against “foreign terrorists”… Continue reading US travel ban will not hinder Los Angeles Olympics, LA28 CEO says

FORMER TOP CYCLIST Luis “Lucho” Herrera appeared before Colombian prosecutors Thursday, to address claims he was involved in the murder of four farmers decades ago. Sixty-four-year-old Herrera voluntarily appeared at the offices of prosecutors in the capital Bogota, AFP reporters witnessed. He was to be questioned about allegations by two former paramilitaries that in 2002… Continue reading Colombian cycling star ‘Lucho’ Herrera questioned over murder conspiracy

INTER MILAN’S bid to bring in Cesc Fabregas as a replacement for Simone Inzaghi stalled on Thursday when Como refused them permission to talk with their coach. Inzaghi left on Tuesday following Inter’s humiliating 5-0 thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. Reports subsequently linked Inter with a move for the former Spain… Continue reading Como block Inter move for Fabregas

FORMER Arsenal player Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was jailed for four years on Thursday for his involvement in a £600,000 ($812,000) drug smuggling plot. The 34-year-old was arrested in September last year after officers seized roughly 60 kilograms of cannabis brought through London’s Stansted Airport by two women he had recruited – his girlfriend and her friend… Continue reading Ex-Arsenal player jailed for drug smuggling plot

CHINA’S hopes of reaching only a second World Cup in their history were ended on Thursday after a 1-0 defeat to Patrick Kluivert’s Indonesia in Jakarta. Ole Romeny scored the only goal, his controversial penalty just before half time following a VAR check leaving China rooted to the bottom of Asian qualifying Group C with… Continue reading China suffer more World Cup heartbreak after Indonesia loss

ARYNA SABALENKA said winning a first French Open title would “mean everything” after she knocked out three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals on Thursday. The world number one snapped Swiatek’s French Open winning streak at 26 matches with a 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 6-0 success and will face second seed Coco Gauff on Saturday… Continue reading French Open title would ‘mean everything’ for Sabalenka

COCO GAUFF said she will try to downplay the magnitude of Saturday’s French Open final against Aryna Sabalenka and learn from her runner-up finish at Roland Garros three years ago. The 21-year-old American swept into her third Grand Slam singles final with a 6-1, 6-2 win that put an abrupt end to surprise French hero… Continue reading ‘Privileged’ Gauff eyes French Open crown after crushing Boisson

WORLD NUMBER one Jannik Sinner locks horns with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the French Open semi-finals Friday, as Carlos Alcaraz tries to keep his title defence on track against Lorenzo Musetti. Sinner has stormed into the last four without dropping a set while Djokovic impressed in a four-set win over last year’s… Continue reading Sinner tackles Djokovic as Alcaraz eyes return to French Open final

ALGERIAN OLYMPIC champion boxer Imane Khelif, who is at the centre of a row over gender eligibility, will not compete in this week’s tournament in The Netherlands, organisers said Thursday. Dirk Renders, spokesman for the Eindhoven Box Cup, confirmed to AFP the boxer would not be taking part, adding: “The decision of her exclusion is… Continue reading Boxer Khelif not competing in latest tournament: organisers

UZBEKISTAN and Jordan made history on Thursday by qualifying for their first World Cup, while the pair will be joined in next year’s tournament by perennial participants South Korea. Uzbekistan, one of the fastest-rising national teams in Asia, drew 0-0 with the UAE in Abu Dhabi to take the second automatic spot in Group A,… Continue reading Uzbekistan and Jordan qualify for World Cup for first time, South Korea through

ITALY will be without Fiorentina striker Moise Kean for their two opening World Cup qualifying matches, away against Norway on Friday and at home against Moldova on Monday, the Italian football federation said. Kean sustained a muscle strain in his right thigh during training on Wednesday, the federation said, adding that he had returned to… Continue reading Kean to miss Italy qualifers against Norway, Moldova

ENGLAND bowler Brydon Carse joked Thursday that he considered amputating a persistently troublesome toe before medical staff persuaded him to consider a less drastic solution, pointing out he would struggle with his balance. The express paceman has battled against longstanding problems with the second toe of his left foot. He was forced to pull out… Continue reading England paceman Carse considered amputation of troublesome toe

AUSTRALIA moved to the brink of the World Cup after beating already qualified Japan 1-0 in Perth on Thursday thanks to Aziz Behich’s 90th-minute winner. In front of a sell-out crowd of 57,226 at Optus Stadium, the Socceroos were outplayed for long periods by an inexperienced Japan side. But then Riley McGree cut the ball… Continue reading Australia on brink of World Cup after dramatic late winner

ITALIAN pair Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori beat Americans Taylor Townsend and Evan King 6-4, 6-2 on Thursday to win the French Open mixed doubles title. It is their second Grand Slam title together following their victory in the same event at last year’s US Open, when Townsend was also on the losing side. Errani,… Continue reading Errani, Vavassori win French Open mixed doubles title

FOUR-TIME Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka and world number three Jessica Pegula have pulled out of the new women’s tournament at Queen’s Club. Pegula, the runner-up at last year’s US Open, was set to be the highest-ranked player at the WTA 500 event, but the American withdrew alongside Japanese star Osaka on Thursday. The Wimbledon… Continue reading Osaka, Pegula pull out of historic women’s event at Queen’s

As the Uefa Champions League season came to a spectacular close at Munich Football Arena, where the excitement on the pitch was matched by a vibrant celebration of football culture, youth development, and cutting-edge fan experiences hosted around the final. As part of the festivities, Oppo, the official smartphone product partner of the Champions League,… Continue reading Oppo elevates the celebration of football with tech, culture, and legends

A year out from kick-off, Iranian football fans are watching their World Cup dream slip away after a US travel ban barred them from entering the land of “Great Satan” to cheer on their team. The 2026 tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, but most matches, including the final, are… Continue reading Iranians’ World Cup dream crushed by US travel ban

MALAYSIA is aiming to secure a slot in the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), which is scheduled to convene this September in Seoul, said Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPM) president Datuk Seri Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin. He said it is to strengthen Malaysia’s role in the development of para sports at both national and global levels. He… Continue reading Malaysia aiming for IPC slot – Megat D Shahriman

JAMIE Overton was on Thursday handed a surprise recall to the England squad for the first Test against India while Jacob Bethell’s return creates a top-order selection headache. Overton has been a regular in England’s white-ball set-up but won his solitary Test cap against New Zealand in 2022, taking two wickets and hitting an unexpected… Continue reading Overton, Bethell back in England Test squad for first India Test

TERENGGANU FC (TFC) have denied allegations that the club is currently in negotiations with Duli Pengiran Muda Mahkota (DPMM) FC of Brunei for the transfer of their agile winger Muhammad Akhyar Abdul Rashid. Terengganu Football Club Sdn Bhd (TFCSB) Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mohd Syahrizan Mohd Zain said that so far, no party has come… Continue reading TFC deny in talks to release Akhyar

SCOTTISH Premiership club Rangers on Thursday confirmed the appointment of former Southampton boss Russell Martin as their new head coach on a three-year deal. The 39-year-old guided Southampton to promotion to the Premier League last year but was sacked in December following one win from their first 16 games. The club were subsequently relegated. Rangers… Continue reading Rangers appoint former Southampton boss Martin as new head coach

SRI Lanka’s former spin bowler Sachithra Senanayake on Thursday became the first to be prosecuted under a new law aimed at stamping out corruption in sport on the island. The 40-year-old was indicted before the High Court in the southern city of Hambantota on match-fixing charges relating to a local tournament in 2020. He is… Continue reading Former Sri Lanka spinner prosecuted for match-fixing

SCORE with Spurs Camp, the highly anticipated football coaching programme by AIA Malaysia in collaboration with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, made an exhilarating return this year – bringing together over 1,300 aspiring junior and adult participants for a three-day football experience at the Eco Ardence Setia Alam Football Arena. Held from 30 May to 1… Continue reading Football fever takes over as 1,300 join AIA’s Score with Spurs Camp

FOUR-DIVISION world champion Kosei Tanaka has called time on his professional career at the age of 29 due to repeated eye injuries, the Japanese fighter said. Tanaka is the fastest boxer to earn belts at four different weights, winning the WBO strawweight, light-flyweight, flyweight and super-flyweight titles in 21 bouts, surpassing American Oscar De La… Continue reading Japan’s four-division world champion Tanaka retires at 29 due to eye injuries

BRAZIL must help striker Vinicius Jr rediscover the form he has displayed at Real Madrid, new national team coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Wednesday. Ancelotti, who guided the Spanish giants to several titles alongside the Brazilian forward, including two Champions League triumphs and two LaLiga crowns, said that his unique ability to unsettle opposing defences… Continue reading Brazil need to get the best out of Vinicius Jr, says Ancelotti

ARGENTINA coach Lionel Scaloni said on Wednesday he had yet to decide whether captain Lionel Messi would start in their next World Cup qualifier against Chile, as he continues to closely monitor the 37-year-old’s fitness. With their place at the 2026 World Cup already secured, Argentina, who lead the South American qualifying standings, travel to… Continue reading Messi role uncertain as Argentina coach monitors fitness ahead of Chile qualifier

DIDIER Deschamps expects the Paris St Germain players to be ready after their Champions League success when France take on Spain in the Nations League semi-finals, with the manager also backing Ousmane Dembele for the Ballon d’Or. PSG secured their first Champions League trophy with Saturday’s 5-0 hammering of Inter Milan, with France’s Warren Zaire-Emery,… Continue reading Deschamps counting on PSG players and backing Dembele for Ballon d’Or

ATHLETES at next year’s Asian Games in Japan will stay on a “floating village” cruise ship and in converted shipping containers, an organising official told AFP, defending the cost-cutting move. The plan will see 4,600 athletes and officials housed on the ship for the duration of the Games, which are being held in Nagoya and… Continue reading ‘Floating village’ to house thousands of Asian Games athletes

KUALA LUMPUR: Just days after securing the Singapore Open 2025 title, national men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik were handed a surprise first-round defeat at the hands of Denmark’s Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard at the Indonesia Open 2025 in Jakarta, today. During the Super 1000 tournament held in Istora Senayan, the third seeds got off… Continue reading Danes send Aaron-Wooi Yik packing early in Indonesia Open

AN Argentine football club has sparked outrage by suspending six nine-year-olds from training and stripping them of scholarships after they posed for a photograph with a professional player from a rival team. The kids, enrolled in the youth academy of Newell’s Old Boys club, had posed with Ignacio Malcorra of Rosario Central when he came… Continue reading Argentine club suspends footballers, 9, over photo with idol from rival team