sports
Indian trailblazer Mirza bows out of Grand Slam tennis
Britain opposed to Russia, Belarus athletes being at Paris Olympics
IOC's move to reintegrate Russia into Olympics meets opposition
IOC's move to reintegrate Russia into Olympics meets opposition
U.S. Soccer crisis deepens as top team officials quit
NewsAFP News'Where's the money gone?' Jamaicans ask after Bolt fraud case
It is the question on the lips of every Jamaican -- and none more so than the country's most famous athlete, eight-time Olympic gold medal sprinter Usain Bolt.So much so that one of the country's top dance hall artists, Gage, quickly released a song "SSL," whose chorus repeatedly asks the above question in Jamaican patois.
SportAFP NewsConfident Djokovic primed for Tsitsipas in Australian Open final
Novak Djokovic will be strong favourite to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian Open final on Sunday and equal Rafael Nadal's haul of 22 Grand Slam crowns.Tsitsipas will have something to say about that as he pursues a first Grand Slam crown.
SportAFP NewsRwanda arrests six for insulting trailblazing female football ref
Rwandan authorities on Saturday said they had arrested six people for allegedly hurling insults at a woman who made history as one of the first female referees chosen for the men's World Cup.The 34-year-old made history last year by becoming the first woman to referee at the Africa Cup of Nations.
SportAFP News'Spin shock' as New Zealand down India in T20 opener
Opener Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell hit quickfire fifties to set up a convincing 21-run victory for New Zealand in the first T20 international against India on Friday.Conway raised his fifty in 31 balls and found another attacking partner in Mitchell, who hit five sixes in his 30-ball blitz, as they added 36 for the fourth wicket.
SportAFP NewsConway, Mitchell help New Zealand down India in T20 opener
Opener Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell hit quickfire fifties to set up a convincing 21-run victory for New Zealand in the first T20 international against India on Friday.Conway raised his fifty in 31 balls and found another attacking partner in Mitchell, who hit five sixes in his 30-ball blitz, as they added 36 for the fourth wicket.
NewsAFP NewsDjokovic says images of father with Russian flags 'misinterpreted'
Novak Djokovic hit out Friday at what he said was a "misinterpretation" of images showing his father posing at the Australian Open with a Russian flag that had Vladimir Putin's face on it.- Demand for apology - A video posted to a pro-Russian Australian YouTube account on Thursday showed Djokovic's father posing with a man holding a Russian flag with President Putin's face on it.
SportAFP NewsFired-up Djokovic has point to prove in Australian Open semi-finals
Novak Djokovic will hope to let his tennis do the talking and take the attention off his father when he plays Tommy Paul in the Australian Open semi-finals on Friday.The 35th-ranked Paul is playing his first Grand Slam semi-final.
NewsAFP NewsDjokovic father filmed with fans holding Russian flags at Australian Open
Novak Djokovic's father has been filmed posing with fans brandishing banned Russian flags at the Australian Open, including one featuring Vladimir Putin, in scenes Ukraine's ambassador Thursday slammed as "a disgrace".Spectators are banned from having Russian or Belarusian flags at the Grand Slam after Ukraine's ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, demanded action when they were seen among the crowd last week.
SportAFP NewsMan City face Arsenal showdown, Liverpool eye revenge in FA Cup
Manchester City and Arsenal take a break from an intense Premier League title race this weekend -- only to face each other in a heavyweight FA Cup clash at the Etihad.City are five points behind Arsenal, who have a game in hand, but the champions still have to play the Gunners twice in the league, making their FA Cup showdown a tantalising appetiser ahead of the main course.
SportAFP NewsRashford stars as Man Utd crush Forest to close in on League Cup final
Marcus Rashford scored a dazzling solo goal as Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final on Wednesday to virtually book a place at Wembley next month.Newcastle, chasing their first domestic trophy since 1955, beat Southampton 1-0 on Tuesday in their first-leg match.. jw/lp
SportAFP News49ers' Omenihu will play despite arrest says Shanahan
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Charles Omenihu will play in Sunday's NFC Championship game despite being arrested by police on suspicion of domestic violence head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Wednesday.Under the NFL's personal conduct policy, Omenihu could face a six-game suspension if the allegation of domestic violence is confirmed.
NewsAFP NewsArgentine prosecutor seeks life for eight rugby players over murder
Prosecutors in Argentina on Wednesday asked for life imprisonment for eight rugby players on trial over the killing of a teenager outside a nightclub three years ago, a crime that shocked the nation.In a nation marked by wide social inequality, rugby is traditionally played and watched by the wealthy.
NewsAFP NewsIOC says will explore pathway for return of Russia, Belarus athletes
The International Olympic Committee, ignoring calls from Ukraine to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from next year's Paris Summer Olympics, said Wednesday that a pathway for their athletes' participation should be "further explored".While most international federations followed the IOC's recommendation in February to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the question is already being asked over their participation at the 2024 Games.
SportAFP NewsIndian field hockey dreams of return to glory days
Kids with sticks dribble balls, weave and bob in Sansarpur, the cradle of Indian field hockey.There is improvement in Indian hockey but in Sansarpur it so happened that families, which produced top players, moved out of this village and many went overseas," Popinder told AFP. - 'Bright future' - But there is hope for the future of Indian hockey on the other side of the country in the eastern state of Odisha.
SportAFP NewsPremier League clubs set new record for January spending
Premier League clubs have broken the record for transfer spending during the January window with a £440 million ($542 million) spree, according to sports finance experts Deloitte.In the January 2022 window, Deloitte said Premier League clubs' gross spend was £105 million with one week to go and finished up at £295 million.
SportAFP NewsDjokovic is no 'villain' - took me 10 years to get over cheat storm: Azarenka
Victoria Azarenka said it took her 10 years to get over being accused of cheating when she last won the Australian Open, and defended Novak Djokovic who has been accused of dramatising his injury during this year's tournament.Azarenka went on to turn the match around and eventually lift the trophy, but she had to defend herself from accusations of gamesmanship and cheating.
SportAFP NewsIndia top ODI rankings after 3-0 sweep of New Zealand
Blazing centuries from skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill powered India to a 3-0 series sweep of New Zealand and go top of the one-day international rankings on Tuesday.The victory takes India to the top of the ODI rankings ahead of World Cup holders England and New Zealand who slip from second to fourth behind Australia.
SportAFP NewsShiffrin claims historic 83rd World Cup ski win
Mikaela Shiffrin was overcome with emotion after becoming the most successful woman in World Cup skiing history by claiming the 83rd victory of her illustrious career on Tuesday.Shiffrin then gathered herself enough to try and explain the range of emotions that she had been hit with following a historic victory which allowed her to move top of the giant slalom standings, 49 points ahead of Italian Marta Bassino who finished 10th.
SportAFP NewsRohit, Gill power India to 3-0 ODI series sweep of New Zealand
Skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill hit attacking centuries to help India sweep the one-day international series against New Zealand with a 90-run victory in the third match on Tuesday.But it all started with Gill smashing Lockie Ferguson for four fours and a six in a 22-run eighth over and Rohit joined the party with a few big hits over the fence.
SportAFP NewsGlasgow sack Scotland wing McLean over abuse case
Scotland wing Rufus McLean has had his contract terminated by Glasgow Warriors after pleading guilty to domestic abuse charges, the club announced Tuesday.
NewsAFP NewsFrench rugby chief Laporte questioned over alleged tax fraud
French police on Tuesday detained for questioning rugby federation president Bernard Laporte as part of an investigation into suspected tax fraud, financial prosecutors said.
SportAFP NewsTen Hag intent on ending Man Utd's trophy drought
Erik ten Hag has pledged to do everything in his power to end Manchester United's worst trophy drought in 40 years ahead of their League Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
NewsAFP NewsThailand, Cambodia brawl over kickboxing event name at SEA Games
Thailand will boycott a kickboxing event at the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia in May, officials said Tuesday, in a row with the hosts over what to call the sport.He said Cambodia would retaliate and not send fighters to Thailand when it hosts the 2025 Games.
SportAFP NewsShiffrin earns record-breaking 83rd women's World Cup win
Mikaela Shiffrin became the woman with the most alpine skiing World Cup wins after claiming Tuesday's giant slalom in Kronplatz to take her tally of victories to 83.
