Iran’s national basketball team has joined the nationwide protestsagainsthijab laws, by refusing to sing the national anthem at the qualifier matches for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. The protests have erupted in response to the death of MahsaAmini, who was detained for wearing her headscarf inappropriately.
Daniil Medvedev, who has qualified in two consecutive ATP Finals, has declared that will never call himself the favourite to win a tournament, as he believes that it can bring him bad luck. The 26-year-old is known to deflect questions on whether he thinks he will win, and instead focuses on hoping that he can perform to his best abilities. Apart from Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, Medvedev is expected to face tough competition at the ATP Finals, from the biggest players in tennis today, including Rafael Nadal.
Amidst consistent controversy related to human rights and working conditions, Qatar is gearing up to host the FIFA World Cup in a few days. The attention that the host nation has come under has largely been negative, bordering on a boycott of the tournament, with former FIFA president Sepp Blatter even suggesting that it was a “mistake” to award Qatar the opportunity in 2012, which subsequently led to a modification in the guidelines adhered to while selecting hosts.
India have yet again failed to end their campaign successfully at the T20 World Cup, though the reasons are arguably difficult to pin down. With Virat Kohli,whowas experiencing a slump in form, regaining his supremacy on the pitch, Suryakumar Yadav being at his best, and K.L. Rahul also recovering from a loss in form, having scored two half-centuries before the final, India’s batting order have looked in good shape. The same cannot be said for India’s bowlers, who had failed to give the team a conclusive advantage in any match at the World Cup. Nevertheless, India’s 10-wicket defeat at the hands of England is unprecedented and requires reckoning, and the warning bells may have been ringing for a while.
In a poll ranking the most beloved NHL mascots, Harvey the Hound of the Calgary Flames has placed last. He has also been voted the second-most “obnoxious” mascot during a game, as well as the third scariest. This may be heartbreaking for the mascot who also happens to be NHL’s first mascot.
Formula One has announced that a racing series for women is to be held next year, which is likely to play a role of a support series for a weekend during the regular F1 season. The series, named the F1 Academy, will have a funding of 150,000 euros per car, which is to be matched equally by the driver, and intends to increase racing opportunities for women which has been dwindling with the recent cancellation of the W-Series mid-season.
Star cyclist Guillaume Martin has warned about the effects of climate change on the sport of cycling. In an interview he has recounted about the experience of racing the Vuelta a Espana last year, which involved cycling uphill at temperatures above 33 degrees centigrade. Other cyclists have had similar experiences in recent races, with the Tour de France having to deal with a heatwave in the middle of the event, by engaging trucks to spray water on the over-heated tarmac, and riders requiring breaks under parasols and wearing ice-vests.
R. Ashwin has come to the defence of ex-cricketer and current team head coach Rahul Dravid, who has faced criticism for being rested during the ongoing tour of New Zealand. As a substitute, ex-cricketer VVS Laxman, who is the head of the National Cricket Academy, has been asked to take the reins of the team which does not include Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami and Ashwin.
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