‘If my body is healthy, anything is possible,’ Kenya’s affable Faith Kipyegon promises as she breaks 5000m World Record in Paris
Kipyegon took the lead with about 600 metres to go, but Gidey kept close contact. They were about six seconds outside of world record pace, but Gidey also knew what Kipyegon is capable of. The world 10,000m champion knew that Kipyegon had the finishing speed to break Gidey’s world record.
Messi on why he snubbed Saudi petrodollars: I wanted to leave Europe, get out of spotlight and think more about my family
Lionel Messi had wanted to go to a club where he could eventually have an ownership stake, a source with knowledge of the negotiations revealed this week, and his contract is expected to pave the way for him to do so after he retires.
Football’s big stars’ scramble for petrodollar in ME is part of Saudi Arabia’s soft power tactic to control world opinion – expert
PIF is Saudi Arabia’s version, worth some $620 billion (£514 billion), making it the seventh largest such fund in the world. It holds stakes in some of the western world’s best-known companies, including Disney, Uber and Boeing.
With 60 per cent of its citizens overweight, obese or diabetic Saudi Arabia now taps into football icons to fight menace
There is undoubtedly a public health benefit. Seventy per cent of the population are aged under 35, with the government keen to improve the statistic that some 60 per cent of the population are overweight or obese. One aim, given by Al-Misehal, is to increase the number of registered male players from 21,000 to over 200,000. He did not mention a target for female players.
Premier League’s most polished midfielder N’Golo Kante on verge of exiting Chelsea for Saudi’s Al Ittihad
A number of current stars are anticipated to be leaving, including the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Edouard Mendy, Mateo Kovacic, Kalidou Koulibaly and Cesar Azpilicueta. Should Kante leave, the Blues would be left with few players capable of playing in a deeper midfield role, with Kovacic linked with a switch to treble-chasers Manchester City.
Inside Arab world plan to pull rag from under Western cultural dominion, expand the emirate via sports
Saudi Arabia’s announcement will also bring controversy. The nation has a terrible human rights record, homosexuality is illegal and there are severe restrictions on freedom of speech and women’s rights. This relaunch will bring accusations of ‘sportswashing’ – that by repackaging its flagship competition for global consumption, Saudi Arabia is attempting to repackage its reputation in front of a global audience.
Man City’s stock soars above Real Madrid as English clubs dominate Brand Finance ranking
Arsenal’s brand value had risen 16 per cent to £782 million following their strong challenge for the Premier League title. Chelsea’s had risen by two per cent to £742 million off the back of a disappointing campaign and lower half finish, making them only the sixth-highest English club. Spurs’ value rose five per cent to £774 million.
Technology-fuelled racism in football is a haunting throwback to 1980s-style monkey chants and banana-throwing in stadiums
A report last year from Fifa, the governing body of world soccer, showed that more than 50 per cent of players competing in two international tournaments in 2021 – the African Cup of Nations and the European Championship – received some form of discriminatory abuse in more than 400,000 posts on social media. More than a third were of a racist nature.
Expert says racism in football is often caused by jealousy of Black players’ flair, exuberance native Europeans lack
Experts believe the global outrage, widespread reaction and outpouring of support for Vinícius following his latest abuse could mark a turning point in the fight against racism in Spain. It certainly struck a chord in Brazil, where there were protests outside the Spanish Consulate in Sao Paulo, while the Spanish league is now seeking to increase its authority to issue sanctions. Its protocol up to now has been to detect and denounce incidents and pass evidence to courts, where cases are typically shelved.
World Cup winner Lionel Messi ignores Barcelona interest, sets eyes on Arabia’s Al Hilal FC in $1.28 billion deal
PSG suspended Messi for two weeks without pay (although he returned a week earlier than planned) after he missed training earlier this month because of a trip to Saudi Arabia. Messi’s trip to Saudi Arabia was officially explained as being for commercial reasons.
