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                        <title>Latest Sports News &amp; Updates | The Express Tribune</title>
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                        <description>The Express Tribune keeps you up to date with all the latest happenings from Pakistan and across the world!</description>
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			<title>Norris finds pace to edge Hamilton</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620221/norris-finds-pace-to-edge-hamilton</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620221/norris-finds-pace-to-edge-hamilton#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 14:05:50 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620221</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He clocked one minute and 17.939 seconds]]>
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				<![CDATA[World champion Lando Norris topped the times for McLaren ahead of Ferrari&#39;s Lewis Hamilton in Saturday&#39;s third and final free practice ahead of Sunday&#39;s Hungarian Grand Prix.

On a day of dust and heat at the Hungaroring circuit, Norris clocked one minute and 17.939 seconds to beat Hamilton by 0.117sec.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was third-fastest for Mercedes, 0.129 adrift.

It was the first time this year that a Mercedes had not topped the final practice session ahead of qualifying, confirming how closely-contested this weekend&#39;s racing has been.

Charles Leclerc was fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren with George Russell sixth for Mercedes ahead of the Red Bulls of four-time champion Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.

Liam Lawson was ninth for Racing Bulls and Nico Hulkenberg 10th for Audi while the two Aston Martins, using the team&#39;s new B-spec cars, wound up 17th and 18th with two-time champion Fernando Alonso edging ahead of Lance Stroll.

Following overnight repairs to the track&nbsp; in response to driver complaints about the bumpy surface, the session began with Franco Colapinto leading out in his Alpine in sizzling heat with a track temperature of 52 degrees Celsius.

After 15 minutes, there were only Valtteri Bottas, Hulkenberg and Lance Stroll, his Aston Martin newly repaired after a suspension failure on Friday, had joined Colapinto.

Piastri and Leclerc then ventured out.

Alpine&#39;s impressive rookie Arvid Lindblad was absent, until the final minutes, with a power-unit problem discovered after the team had performed curfew-breaking repairs on Colapinto&#39;s car following his Friday crash.

A red flag halted the action after 21 minutes when Sergio Perez&#39;s Cadillac came to a halt at turn two, re-named Hamilton this year,&nbsp; brakes ablaze after over-heating.

After a five-minute pause, the action resumed with Antonelli and Verstappen joining the fray.

With 35 minutes gone, Antonelli was 20th, his best lap erased for exceeding track limits but after pitting he went second and then top.

The Italian had rediscovered his vim and his Mercedes was much improved overnight.

Norris responded with a faster lap before Ferrari sent both cars out on new soft tyres with 10 minutes remaining.

Hamilton, showing pure pace, took command, only for Norris to drive the first lap under 1min 18sec and edge Hamilton by a tenth of a second.]]>
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			<title>Shaheen unhappy after getting 'dropped' during LPL match</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620209/shaheen-lodges-complaint-against-lpl-franchise</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620209/shaheen-lodges-complaint-against-lpl-franchise#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 10:33:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Saleem Khaliq]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620209</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He was about to return home from the league]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Controversies continue in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) as Pakistan T20I captain Shaheen Afridi has lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Unit after being &ldquo;dropped&rdquo; during a match.

The upset Pakistani fast bowler was about to return home, but franchise officials and organizers apologized and persuaded him to stay.

Even before the start of the League, the Indian owner of Jaffna Kings, Manjot Karla, was arrested by Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Special Investigation Unit on allegations of fixing. The organizers later revoked the team&rsquo;s ownership rights, and organising company and Sri Lanka Cricket is now managing the situation.

Recently, a strange incident involving Shaheen Afridi also came to light. Sources say that the Kandy Royals team management informed the Pakistani pacer before a match against Colombo Capitals that he would participate as an &ldquo;impact player.&rdquo;

This rule, introduced in the IPL, allows a team to nominate a player before the match who can replace another player and either bat or bowl up to four overs. The replaced player cannot take further part in the match.

In the said match, Kandy batted first. During the middle of the innings, the coach apologized to Shaheen, saying that due to an analyst&rsquo;s mistake, his name had not been included as the &ldquo;impact player.&rdquo; The pacer was surprised and reported the matter to an Anti-Corruption Unit official.

Shaheen immediately decided to return to Pakistan, and the issue came to the attention of the match referee. Later, team management and league organizers apologized and convinced him to stay.

In his team&rsquo;s first match of the event, Shaheen took 1 wicket for 41 runs. After the incident, he took 2 wickets for 34 runs in the second match and 1 wicket for 32 runs in the third. He did not participate in the most recent match.

It is worth noting that Pakistani cricketers Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Wasim Jr., and Aaqib Javed are also participating in the event, while umpire Asif Yaqoob has been appointed as well.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the LPL said that the issue with Shaheen Afridi occurred due to the submission of an incorrect team sheet to the referee.]]>
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			<title>Pogacar breaks Alpe d'Huez record</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620204/pogacar-breaks-alpe-dhuez-record</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620204/pogacar-breaks-alpe-dhuez-record#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:57:34 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620204</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[It's very cool to win up here, says the race leader]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Tadej Pogacar stormed to victory in a record-breaking time on Alpe d&#39;Huez amid a &quot;crazy atmosphere&quot; on Friday&#39;s 19th stage as he extended his overall lead at the Tour de France.

Having launched his attack with 12km left, the reigning champion finally caught Richard Carapaz and Lenny Martinez inside the final two kilometres.

He then surged clear with 800m left and in doing so broke late Italian Marco Pantani&#39;s 31-year-old record for the Alpe d&#39;Huez ascent.

&quot;It&#39;s very cool to win up here -- it was a crazy atmosphere,&quot; said Pogacar.

&quot;It was thanks to all the team that I could pull it off in the end.

&quot;I was riding for the team-mates today and it was a great victory.&quot;

Several of Pogacar&#39;s UAE Emirates-XRG team-mates have been suffering with illness and injury, while Brandon McNulty abandoned the race on Thursday with flu-like symptoms.

Pogacar had made up close to three and a half minutes since the foot of the climb and once he caught the leaders, he wasted little time in leaving the pair in his wake.

His time of 35min 26sec was more than a minute quicker than Pantani&#39;s mark from 1995.

&quot;I just wanted to do a good race and to win. A 30-something years record finally broken is good for us,&quot; said Pogacar.

It was a fifth stage victory this year for the 27-year-old Slovenian and a 26th in total since the four-time winner&#39;s Tour debut in 2020.

And, incredibly, it was Pogacar&#39;s first stage victory on Alpe d&#39;Huez -- a remarkable statistic for a man who has dominated cycling for the last six years.

Martinez trailed home six seconds behind Pogacar, with Carapaz, who had won the 18th stage the day before, third at 9sec.

Pogacar increased his lead in the overall standings to more than seven minutes on Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel, who finished the stage sixth, two and a half minutes down.

The two-time world champion is now within touching distance of a record-equalling fifth Tour victory.

Evenepoel managed to eke out a few more seconds in his advantage over third-placed Isaac Del Toro, who did likewise to Paul Seixas in fourth.

Del Toro is now at 9min 42sec with Seixas at 10:06, meaning that their battle for the best young rider&#39;s white jersey will head to Saturday&#39;s decisive penultimate stage before Sunday&#39;s procession around Paris.

Martinez did enough to jump two places to fifth overall, just nine seconds ahead of Mattias Skjelmose, who finished the stage in eighth at 2min 45sec.]]>
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			<title>Croatia Olympic official quits</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620207/croatia-olympic-official-quits</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620207/croatia-olympic-official-quits#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 10:26:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620207</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Damir Segota, and his wife were arrested on Thursday]]>
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				<![CDATA[A Croatian Olympic Committee official arrested over alleged corruption has quit, the body said Friday in the latest fallout from a graft scandal at the country&#39;s ski federation.

The arrest comes as investigators seek the extradition of former alpine ski director Vedran Pavlek, who is currently held in Kazakhstan, over allegations that he led a scheme that siphoned off nearly 30 million euros ($35 million) from the national ski federation - a case that has shocked the country.

The director of the committee&#39;s Olympic programme, Damir Segota, and his wife were arrested on Thursday, their lawyers confirmed.

The pair were questioned, and the wife was released.

Searches were carried out in the Olympic Committee offices of Segota and secretary general Sinisa Krajac.

Investigators questioned the latter as a witness, and no criminal proceedings had been launched against him, the committee said earlier.

Segota was remanded in one-month detention on Friday over concerns he could influence witnesses.

&quot;Individual cases must not cast a shadow on the thousands of athletes, coaches, sports workers and national sports federations who, with their work, contribute to the development of Croatian sport every day,&quot; the committee said in a statement announcing Segota&#39;s resignation.

In March, prosecutors launched an investigation into six people, including Pavlek. He was later arrested in Kazakhstan.

On Friday, prosecutors said they had expanded the investigation with allegations of bribery and money laundering, adding Segota as another suspect.

Pavlek, the prime suspect in the affair, allegedly bribed Segota to &quot;unlawfully favour&quot; the ski federation, a prosecutors&#39; statement said.

Prosecutors allege that the ski federation&#39;s funding was then increased by more than two million euros.

Segota is suspected of receiving at least 160,000 euros in cash bribes through an intermediary, as well as nearly 10,000 euros for his son&#39;s scholarship.

He attempted to conceal the alleged illegal gains by purchasing investment gold, the statement said.

The scandal has already triggered the resignation of long-time Olympic Committee head Zlatko Matesa.

&quot;This whole matter must be fully cleared up, there can be no doubt about that,&quot; Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told reporters on Friday.

&quot;It is clear that there were individuals who abused their positions within the sports system.&quot;

Pavlek&#39;s tenure marked Croatia&#39;s most successful era in skiing when siblings Janica and Ivica Kostelic won 10 Olympic medals.

The country of just 3.8 million people boasts remarkable sporting successes -- from Olympic gold medallists to football World Cup finalists.

But with virtually no domestic ski infrastructure, the Kostelic siblings&#39; achievements were a particular source of national pride.]]>
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			<title>Pirlo set for Italy job after Guardiola rejection, report says</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620203/pirlo-set-for-italy-job-after-guardiola-rejection-report-says</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620203/pirlo-set-for-italy-job-after-guardiola-rejection-report-says#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:41:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[REUTERS]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620203</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The 47-year-old is currently in charge of Dubai United]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has reached an agreement with &zwnj;former Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo to become the national team&#39;s coach on a four-year deal, Italian daily La Repubblica reported on Friday.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in history, Pirlo won the 2006 ​World Cup with Italy and enjoyed a distinguished club career with Inter Milan, ​AC Milan and Juventus.

The 47-year-old is currently in charge of Dubai United, ⁠who compete in the UAE First Division League.

Pirlo managed Juventus during the 2020-21 season, ​guiding the Turin club to the Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup titles.

Reuters has contacted ​the FIGC for comment.

Guardiola turns down job

The reported agreement came hours after former Manchester City and Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola rejected an approach to take charge of Italy, a source familiar with the discussions told ​Reuters on Friday.

The 55-year-old Spaniard held talks over becoming Italy&#39;s head coach, with FIGC president Giovanni ​Malago suggesting financial flexibility could be shown for a candidate of his stature.

Italy have been searching for a &zwnj;new ⁠coach since Gennaro Gattuso stepped down in April after the four-times world champions failed to qualify for a third successive World Cup finals.

FIGC also sounded out Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Guardiola left City at the end of last season after a glittering decade in charge in which he won ​six Premier League titles, ​including an unprecedented four ⁠in succession, as well as three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League.

Before arriving at City in 2016, Guardiola enjoyed great ​success at Barcelona, where he won two Champions League titles and three ​LaLiga crowns, ⁠before adding three Bundesliga titles during his spell at Bayern Munich.

Italian football is facing one of its deepest crises in decades, and the appointment of a new national team coach is seen ⁠as the ​first step in a wider effort to rebuild a ​youth development and talent pathway system that has deteriorated significantly in a country where football remains a national obsession.

Earlier, Italy approached ​Carlo Ancelotti about the national team coaching job before discussing the role with Pep Guardiola, Italian &zwnj;technical director Paolo Maldini said on Thursday.

Italy have been searching for a new coach since Gennaro Gattuso stepped down in April after the four-time world champions failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

&ldquo;We cannot hide the fact ​that we also spoke to Carlo Ancelotti before talking to Pep. Frankly, it seemed right to ​start with those we considered the best in the world,&rdquo; Maldini told reporters ⁠during a press conference.

The Brazilian Football Confederation has confirmed Ancelotti, an Italian and former team mate of ​Maldini at AC Milan, will remain in charge of the five-time world champions despite their defeat by Norway in ​the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.]]>
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			<title>Organisers panic after Sinner, Djokovic pull out</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620202/organisers-panic-after-sinner-djokovic-pull-out</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620202/organisers-panic-after-sinner-djokovic-pull-out#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:23:36 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620202</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Both stars withdraw from next week's tournament in Montreal]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Canadian Open expressed disappointment over the withdrawals of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic from next week&#39;s tournament in Montreal, saying the recurring absence of top players from ATP 1000 events had become a broader issue for the sport.

Sinner withdrew on Friday to ​prioritise his health nearly two weeks after retaining his Wimbledon title, while 24-times Grand Slam winner Djokovic continued to &zwnj;manage his workload, leaving the U.S. Open tune-up short of star power.

With Carlos Alcaraz still nursing a wrist injury that has kept him out since April, the August 1-13 tournament will again be without three of the sport&#39;s top names after Alcaraz, Sinner and Djokovic also missed last year&#39;s edition in Toronto.

&quot;We are obviously ​very disappointed that Jannik and Novak won&#39;t be joining us in Montreal this year, especially after they also withdrew from ​last year&#39;s tournament in Toronto,&quot; said the event&#39;s tournament director, Valerie Tetreault.

&quot;We respect their decisions and understand ⁠that, with such a demanding schedule, players&#39; health must remain the priority.

&quot;That said, we believe the frequency of these last-minute withdrawals in ​the last few years raises a broader issue for our sport. Masters 1000 events are among the flagship tournaments on the tour, and fans ​rightfully expect to see the world&#39;s best compete.&quot;

Tetreault added in her statement to the Canadian media that organisers were in discussions with men&#39;s governing body the ATP to ensure that the issue would receive &quot;serious consideration&quot; going forward.

&quot;We firmly believe adjustments are needed in the near future to better protect the integrity of ​our Masters 1000 events while remaining mindful of the realities players face,&quot; she said.

The ATP did not immediately respond to a Reuters ​request for comment outside regular business hours.

CRITICISM OVER LONG SEASONS

Sinner&#39;s pullout from Montreal was particularly noteworthy given the world number one had the chance to &zwnj;claim all ⁠nine ATP 1000 titles in a single season, having won the first five at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome.

The withdrawal also brought fresh focus to a packed schedule some players believe has become too demanding, with world number two Alexander Zverev among those critical of the expanded 12-day format used at seven ATP 1000 events.

More broadly, the men&#39;s and women&#39;s circuits have faced criticism due to ​their 11-month seasons, and both the ​tours came under fresh scrutiny ⁠during last year&#39;s &quot;Asian swing&quot; of events when extreme heat and humidity led to injuries and withdrawals.

Concerns about player availability extend beyond the ATP Tour, with top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek among the leading women ​to skip this year&#39;s Dubai Championships as they balanced their schedules and recovery needs.

ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi defended the ​crowded calendar last ⁠year, saying scheduling remains the players&#39; choice and the tour was working to set clear incentives so the right number of matches are played across the season.

The WTA told Reuters previously that athlete welfare is a top priority and it listened to views on the calendar, through the ⁠players&#39; council ​and representatives on the WTA board, to improve the circuit structure in 2024 ​and boost compensation.

Sinner and Djokovic are expected to return to action at the Cincinnati Open next month, with defending champion Alcaraz also on the entry list, as they ramp up ​preparations for the year&#39;s final Grand Slam beginning in New York on August 30.]]>
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			<title>Lyles wins US 100m title in world-leading 9.79sec</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620201/lyles-wins-us-100m-title-in-world-leading-979sec</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620201/lyles-wins-us-100m-title-in-world-leading-979sec#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:21:35 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620201</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[This was his third US 100m title]]>
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			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Olympic gold medallist Noah Lyles powered to his third US 100m title in a world-leading 9.79sec on Friday at the US athletics championships.

Lyles, trailing at the start, surged over the final 30 meters for a convincing victory over veteran Ronnie Baker, who edged Kenny Bednarek for second.

Both were credited with a time of 9.88, with Bednarek taking third. Former world champion Christian Coleman came in fourth in 9.93.

&quot;In my head, the distance was already made up,&quot; Lyles told broadcaster NBC of the early gap he erased. &quot;Coach said &#39;put my hand in their pocket, don&#39;t let &#39;em get away.&#39;

&quot;I saw where Christian was and I said: &#39;Oh yeah, my hand is all the way in there,&#39; and I just pulled him back and I did what I do,&quot; added Lyles.

He matched the personal best he set in winning Olympic gold in Paris in 2024 and improved on the previous world leading time this year of 9.82 set by Oblique Seville at the Jamaican championships in June.

Sha&#39;Carri Richardson, the 2023 world champion and 2024 Olympic silver medallist, clocked 10.77sec (wind 0.9m/sec) to win her third national 100m title.

The 26-year-old Texan, whose difficult 2025 campaign saw her finish off the podium in her 100m world championship defense, pulled away relentlessly from training partner Kayla White, who finished second in 10.90.

Tamari Davis was third in 11.00.

&quot;It just feels phenomenal to be back in a better place, just healthy mentally, physically and emotionally,&quot; Richardson said. &quot;Everything me and coach have been working on, it&#39;s starting to show consistently.&quot;

Lyles will be back in action Saturday in the 200m heats.

In a year with no World Championships or Olympic team berths on the line, some well-known names opted out of the national championships or tweaked their programs at Icahn Stadium in New York City.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who swept 100m, 200m and 4x100m gold at last September&#39;s World Championships, skipped the 100m and will launch her campaign in the 200m heats on Saturday.

Quincy Hall, the 400m gold medallist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, failed to advance from the heats as his 46.47 left him in 16th place in a field led by Khaleb McRae&#39;s 44.65.

Cooper Lutkenhaus, the 17-year-old sensation who has bagged two Diamond League victories this year in his first season on the elite circuit, moved safely into the men&#39;s 800m final, winning his heat in 1:45.83.

Lutkenhaus clocked the third-fastest time of the first round, led by Wes Ferguson&#39;s 1:45.17.

Donovan Brazier, the 2019 world champion who held off Lutkenhaus to capture the national title last year, failed to advance.]]>
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			<title>Youthful Bearman believes he can win</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620200/youthful-bearman-believes-he-can-win</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620200/youthful-bearman-believes-he-can-win#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:18:44 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620200</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The Englishman started his second full season strongly for Haas]]>
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				<![CDATA[Oliver Bearman has made a spotty start to his Formula One career, but he told AFP he has &quot;what it takes to become a world champion&quot;, hopefully for Ferrari.

At just 21, the Englishman started his second full season strongly for Haas, with top-10 finishes in the first two races but has since picked up only one more point.

Part of a quintet of youngsters in the paddock, Bearman trails behind Franco Colapinto and Isack Hadjar, in their early twenties, as well as 18-year-old Arvid Lindblad.

But they have all been overshadowed by Kimi Antonelli, who turns 20 next month and tops the driver standings with more points than the other four put together.

Talking exclusively to AFP, Bearman said that having competed with Antonelli at youth level, he is encouraged by the Italian&#39;s success.

&quot;I raced alongside Kimi. I was comparing myself with him for one year,&quot; said Bearman.

&quot;He&#39;s racing in the World Championship fight, so that gives me confidence that one day, if I have the best car, I can do the same.

&quot;I know I have what it takes to become a world champion.&quot;

Nonetheless, Bearman conceded that &quot;there&#39;s a lot of external factors which are out of the driver&#39;s hands&quot;.

&quot;There&#39;s been lots of drivers who are deserving of a world champion who never got it,&quot; the Chelmsford native said.

&quot;I have the confidence in myself that I have what it takes.

&quot;If you don&#39;t have that, then you shouldn&#39;t turn up to the track.&quot;

He said he is progressing as a driver even though Haas are battling to stay competitive.

&quot;We started incredibly strong, which is a really cool moment for the team and everybody. In terms of personal performance, I feel like I&#39;m in a really good place. I&#39;m really happy with what I&#39;m doing,&quot; Bearman said.

Bearman joined the Ferrari driver academy aged 16. At 18, he became the Scuderia&#39;s youngest Formula One driver when he finished seventh in Saudi Arabia in 2024. Later that season he raced twice for Ferrari-powered Haas, recording a pair of top-10 finishes.

Last season, Bearman became a full-time Haas driver. The high point was fourth place in Mexico which, in the team&#39;s 11th season, was one of their best ever finishes.

The Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps last weekend was the 10th of potentially 24 scheduled races this season.

&quot;I see a good amount of evolution, a good amount of growth,&quot; he said.

&quot;If I compare what I was doing, my mindset heading into Spa last year versus this year, I&#39;m a much more complete driver. I&#39;ve learned so much. I understand my place within the team. I understand how to get the most out of the team and the most out of myself as well.&quot;

&nbsp;

&#39;Love to drive in red again&#39; 

In the new hybrid-car era, with teams continually updating their cars as they grapple with the technological challenges, Bearman said that mid-table rivals Racing Bulls, Alpine and Audi &quot;seem to have jumped ahead of us&quot;.

&quot;It&#39;s also a big motivator for us to keep pushing,&quot; he said.

&quot;After the summer break, we have some more stuff coming and hopefully that can get us back to where we started this season.

&quot;I feel like I&#39;m performing at a really good level, but the car is not giving me what it takes to get in the points.&quot;

As Formula One approaches its annual game of musical car seats, Bearman&#39;s future is uncertain.

&quot;I don&#39;t have a contract for next year. It&#39;s tough on one hand because it&#39;s not nice to be unsure about what the future holds,&quot; he said, adding: &quot;I&#39;m deserving of a seat in Formula 1.

&quot;I have had a lot of trust put in me by Ferrari who put me here.

&quot;I would love to drive in red again one day.&quot;]]>
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			<title>Scott splits Australian swim dominance</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620199/scott-splits-australian-swim-dominance</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620199/scott-splits-australian-swim-dominance#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:16:22 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620199</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He set a Games record to win the 200-metre individual medley]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Duncan Scott delivered hosts Scotland&#39;s first gold medal of the Commonwealth Games to break up Australia&#39;s dominance of the pool on the first full day of action in Glasgow on Friday.

With the programme nearly halved to just 10 sports, swimming is the highlight of the schedule across the opening weekend.

Scott set a Games record of 1min 56.38sec to win the 200-metre individual medley from New Zealand&#39;s Lewis Clareburt and England&#39;s Thomas Dean.

The 29-year-old now has four Commonwealth golds and 14 medals in total.

&quot;It was a tough one because you really want to give the team some good momentum early doors and being one of the senior members of the team, the onus was on me,&quot; said Scott.

&quot;I was a bit nervous before that. Those boys made it tough, but I&#39;m happy with that. It&#39;s a good way to start the meet.&quot;

Elsewhere, Australia&#39;s green and gold topped the podium, with an extra bonus for those who emerged victorious.

Mining baron Gina Rinehart, Australia&#39;s richest person, is funding an incentive scheme of 20,000 Australian dollars ($14,000) for every gold medal and 30,000 Australian dollars for breaking a world record.

Aussie swimmers dominated in Birmingham four years ago, taking home nearly half of the 52 gold medals on offer, and won four of the five finals on opening night.

Lani Pallister was first to cash in as she led an Australian 1-2-3 in the women&#39;s 400m freestyle.

Jenna Forrester took bronze in the first medal race of the night and then denied Katie Shanahan a Scottish gold to narrowly edge the women&#39;s 200m backstroke.

Australia led home England and South Africa in both the men&#39;s and women&#39;s 4x100m freestyle races.

The Australian men&#39;s team of Flynn Southam, Kai Taylor, Harrison Turner and Kyle Chalmers set a new Games record of 3mins 09.49sec.

By securing South Africa&#39;s bronze on the final leg of the men&#39;s race, Chad le Clos set a record with his 19th Commonwealth medal, more than any other male athlete.

Adam Ramsay-Peaty cruised into the final of the men&#39;s 100m breaststroke back at the scene of his first international medals at the 2014 Games.

The three-time Olympic gold medallist set the fastest time in the semi-finals.

&nbsp;

Canada win disrupted gymnastics 

Canada claimed gold in the men&#39;s gymnastics team final, but the event was overshadowed by a sickening fall for England&#39;s Gabriel Langton.

England were second heading into the final apparatus on the high bar when Langton slipped off and came down head first.

The 19-year-old was able to move his arms and legs before being carefully stretchered away from the arena, but the competition was held up for 20 minutes as he received medical attention.

The fall also allowed Canada to ease to gold, with England taking silver and Australia edging out Scotland for bronze.

&quot;It was really tough. We just had to reset, try to put it to one side mentally and focus on the job we had to do. I think everyone should be proud of the way we carried on after Gabe&#39;s fall,&quot; said England&#39;s Luke Whitehouse.

Mark Swan won the first gold of the Games with a dramatic victory in the men&#39;s lightweight category of the para powerlifting.

Swan thought he had come up short after failing with his final lift, but he had in fact topped the standings ahead of Nigeria&#39;s Roland Ezuruike by the slimmest of margins, based on a coefficient related to body weight.

Swan lifted 222kg, more than three times his body weight, with his second lift, but said: &quot;I came back off the third lift and thought, &#39;Well, I&#39;ve got bronze&#39;. My coach said &#39;good job on gold&#39;. I thought he was winding me up!&quot;

Nigeria dominated the other para powerlifting events with three golds, including a world record of 175kg for Folashade Oluwafemiayo in the heavyweight division.]]>
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			<title>James hopes to bring title magic to 76ers</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620198/james-hopes-to-bring-title-magic-to-76ers</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620198/james-hopes-to-bring-title-magic-to-76ers#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:14:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620198</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He has won four titles in a 23-year career]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[LeBron James announced on Friday he will play for the Philadelphia 76ers next season, with the 41-year-old NBA superstar hoping to transform another franchise into a championship team.

James, the NBA all-time scoring leader and a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, has won four titles in a 23-year career, most recently with the Los Angeles Lakers.

But &quot;King James&quot; announced on June 30 that he would depart the Lakers as a free agent, sparking a frenzy of speculation as to his next team.

&quot;I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time,&quot; James posted on X.

James sparked the Miami Heat to NBA crowns in 2013 and 2014, brought his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers a title in 2016 and delivered a championship for the Lakers in 2020.

He&#39;s looking to become the first player to win a title with four different clubs by making the same magic happen in what Rich Paul, James&#39;s agent, tells ESPN will be a two-year deal worth $8 million.

The NBA legend was considering several clubs but will join a 76ers team that traded for forward Jaylen Brown from Boston and boasts a lineup that will also include star center Joel Embiid and guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

&quot;#throwtheballup&quot; Brown posted on X in reaction to the news while Maxey, who called fellow Paul client James to entice him to Philly, was screaming with joy on social media over his &quot;recruiting&quot; skills.

James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals a game for the Lakers last season and said he was considering retirement when the campaign concluded.

&quot;I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn&#39;t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game,&quot; James posted on X.

&quot;I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game.&quot;

James rekindled his desire to play while pondering his future.

&quot;I still truly love this game, and I have more to give,&quot; he posted. &quot;The last few weeks have really been special. I&#39;ve never been able to have no clue what to do and take real time to just think. I&#39;ve had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out.&quot;

Paul played up the potential clubs James could join during more than three weeks of mystery about where he might sign.

Would James return home to Cleveland, return to Miami, join pals Stephen Curry and Draymond Green at Golden State or find another contender?

&quot;This is my last decision,&quot; James, who had made three prior heavily scrutinized free agent moves in his career, posted. &quot;I&#39;m not going for money. I&#39;m not going for family.

&quot;What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.&quot;

James did send his regrets to some of his other suitors, posting: &quot;Thank you LA. Miami I&#39;ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always be home!&quot;

The indecision had become a strain for the business side of the NBA, commissioner Adam Silver saying he could not commit to a schedule for the upcoming season until he knew where James landed, telecasters hoping to fill their lineups with LeBron and his new teammates.

&nbsp;

No title since 1983 

The Sixers have reached the playoffs in eight of the past nine years but never advanced beyond the second round, where they were swept out this past season by eventual champion New York.

The 76ers last reached the NBA Finals in 2001, losing to the Lakers, and last won the title in 1983 -- when Julius Erving sparked a Finals sweep of the Lakers.

James and Embiid were teammates on the US squad that captured gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse, who celebrated his 59th birthday on Friday, guided the Toronto Raptors to the 2019 NBA title.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro declared it LeBron James Day in the state, saying, &quot;Welcome to the City of Brotherly Love KingJames.&quot;

NFL running back Saquon Barkley, who sparked the Philadelphia Eagles to the 2025 Super Bowl title, offered area golf advice, posting on X: &quot;Welcome to the city! Let me know when you tryna tee it up.&quot;]]>
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			<title>Shaheen unhappy after getting 'dropped' during LPL match</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620209/shaheen-lodges-complaint-against-lpl-franchise</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620209/shaheen-lodges-complaint-against-lpl-franchise#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 10:33:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Saleem Khaliq]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620209</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He was about to return home from the league]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Controversies continue in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) as Pakistan T20I captain Shaheen Afridi has lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Unit after being &ldquo;dropped&rdquo; during a match.

The upset Pakistani fast bowler was about to return home, but franchise officials and organizers apologized and persuaded him to stay.

Even before the start of the League, the Indian owner of Jaffna Kings, Manjot Karla, was arrested by Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Special Investigation Unit on allegations of fixing. The organizers later revoked the team&rsquo;s ownership rights, and organising company and Sri Lanka Cricket is now managing the situation.

Recently, a strange incident involving Shaheen Afridi also came to light. Sources say that the Kandy Royals team management informed the Pakistani pacer before a match against Colombo Capitals that he would participate as an &ldquo;impact player.&rdquo;

This rule, introduced in the IPL, allows a team to nominate a player before the match who can replace another player and either bat or bowl up to four overs. The replaced player cannot take further part in the match.

In the said match, Kandy batted first. During the middle of the innings, the coach apologized to Shaheen, saying that due to an analyst&rsquo;s mistake, his name had not been included as the &ldquo;impact player.&rdquo; The pacer was surprised and reported the matter to an Anti-Corruption Unit official.

Shaheen immediately decided to return to Pakistan, and the issue came to the attention of the match referee. Later, team management and league organizers apologized and convinced him to stay.

In his team&rsquo;s first match of the event, Shaheen took 1 wicket for 41 runs. After the incident, he took 2 wickets for 34 runs in the second match and 1 wicket for 32 runs in the third. He did not participate in the most recent match.

It is worth noting that Pakistani cricketers Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Wasim Jr., and Aaqib Javed are also participating in the event, while umpire Asif Yaqoob has been appointed as well.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the LPL said that the issue with Shaheen Afridi occurred due to the submission of an incorrect team sheet to the referee.]]>
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			<title>Sameer Minhas reflects on cricketing journey</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620058/sameer-minhas-reflects-on-cricketing-journey</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620058/sameer-minhas-reflects-on-cricketing-journey#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 26 18:33:48 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620058</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He was picked by Islamabad United for the HBL PSL 2026]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan&rsquo;s emerging batter Sameer&nbsp;Minhas&nbsp;has credited street cricket, family support, structured age-group&nbsp;programmes&nbsp;and a fearless mindset for shaping his development as a cricketer.

&ldquo;My journey began with street cricket and playing at home with my brother. My father later enrolled us at an academy and that is where my serious cricketing journey started,&rdquo; Sameer recalled in the latest episode of Straight Drive with Salman Butt.

Sameer revealed that he initially started as a leg-spinner and tried to copy&nbsp;Yasir&nbsp;Shah before developing into a batter. He also acknowledged the contribution of his long-time coach, Tahir&nbsp;Mehmood&nbsp;Faiz.

&ldquo;My coach&nbsp;recognised&nbsp;my batting and fielding talent and encouraged me to take the game seriously. I have been working with him since 2013.&rdquo;

Highlighting the importance of fitness, Sameer said his father&nbsp;emphasised&nbsp;training and diet from an early age.

&ldquo;If you want to play for a long time, training and diet are very important. I began training seriously after the U16 level because I knew U19 cricket was the next major step.&rdquo;

Sameer praised the age-group camps, saying exposure to different coaches and trainers helped players improve.

&ldquo;The camps were highly beneficial. The U19&nbsp;programme&nbsp;in Multan brought together leading performers from across the country, provided quality preparation and played an important role in forming the team.&rdquo;

Explaining his batting approach during the ACC U19 Men&rsquo;s Asia Cup, Sameer said: &ldquo;My plan was to look for at least one boundary in every over, particularly during the&nbsp;Powerplay&nbsp;and then rotate the strike. Against India, the coaches told us to play fearless and positive cricket without worrying about the result. We followed that message.&rdquo;

Reflecting on his HBL PSL experience, Sameer thanked Islamabad United&rsquo;s management and Luke&nbsp;Ronchi&nbsp;for giving him confidence.

&ldquo;They told me not to worry whether I scored zero, 10 or 100, but to enjoy my batting and express myself. That support removed the pressure.&rdquo;

Sameer said he wants to represent Pakistan across all three formats, adding that red-ball cricket develops patience and technique, while white-ball cricket&nbsp;demands calculated aggression.]]>
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			<title>West Indies meet Pakistan at new Test venue</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620055/west-indies-meet-pakistan-at-new-test-venue</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620055/west-indies-meet-pakistan-at-new-test-venue#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 26 18:24:41 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620055</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The two-match series is set to begin at the Brain Lara Stadium]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[West Indies and Pakistan meet at Test cricket&#39;s newest venue in Trinidad on Saturday at the start of a two-match series in which the home side will be enjoying rare&nbsp;favoured&nbsp;status against the unsettled visitors.

Brian Lara Stadium, located in the south of the island, has previously hosted one-day and T20 internationals along with regional first-class fixtures.

It becomes the nation&#39;s second Test match&nbsp;venue&nbsp;and 13th in the West Indies, drawing it alongside Queen&#39;s Park Oval in the capital, Port of Spain, the venue of the second Test a week later.

Roston&nbsp;Chase enjoyed his first match and series wins as West Indies Test captain just three weeks ago when the Caribbean team demolished Sri Lanka by an innings and 217 runs and then played out a draw in the second and final Test, both matches played in Antigua.

Chase missed the recent ODI series loss to New Zealand with an injury to his right index finger.

&quot;Roston&nbsp;is a fighter. I know he&#39;s not going to want to miss any Test cricket,&quot; West Indies head coach Daren Sammy said.

&quot;I&#39;m pretty sure Dr.&nbsp;Byam&nbsp;(team physio Denis&nbsp;Byam) has a way of keeping guys on the park, so I&#39;m pretty sure&nbsp;Roston&nbsp;will be ready for the first Test.&quot;

It was their first home Test series triumph since a 2-0 sweep of Bangladesh in 2022, a result which also gave them their last consecutive series wins anywhere as the whitewash of the Bangladeshis was preceded by a notable 1-0 home triumph over England in a&nbsp;three-Test contest.

West Indies are not expected to make significant alterations to the winning combination from the Sri Lankan series, although left-arm spinner&nbsp;Jomel&nbsp;Warrican&nbsp;is likely to come into consideration at the expense of fast-medium bowler Anderson Phillip given the expectation of a pitch&nbsp;favouring&nbsp;spin later in the match.

In-form Ali&nbsp;

In stark contrast, Pakistan have once again revamped their squad in the aftermath of a 2-0 series loss in Bangladesh two months ago with senior batsman Babar&nbsp;Azam&nbsp;returning as captain in place of Shan Masood in hope of reviving their Test fortunes.

Babar and opening batsman Azan&nbsp;Awais&nbsp;both compiled hundreds in the lone warm-up match against a West Indies Select XI at the weekend while most of the other main batsmen also got confidence-boosting runs.

However&nbsp;the most encouraging aspect of the match in batting-friendly conditions for the tourists was the bowling of pacer Mohammad Ali, who took five wickets in the first innings and will be relied upon,&nbsp;together with the other members of the restructured pace&nbsp;armoury, to give Pakistan a chance to end a miserable run of seven consecutive Test match losses away from home.

Their last visit to the Caribbean in 2021 finished in a 1-1 draw after two Tests in Kingston while the teams&#39; most recent Test encounters were in the spin-dominant Multan in January of 2025 when the West Indies trumped Pakistan at their own game in the second match to also leave that series at 1-1.

This meeting of two unpredictable sides carries the additional dimension of intervention by the elements as the July/August period is usually one of significant rainfall in the southern Caribbean.

While Trinidad has enjoyed hot, sunny conditions in the days leading up to the first Test, there is certainly no guarantee that such pleasant cricketing weather will be sustained over the&nbsp;fortnight of this short series.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>PSL faces payment delay</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619872/psl-faces-payment-delay</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619872/psl-faces-payment-delay#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 26 18:25:14 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Saleem Khaliq]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619872</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Franchises are currently awaiting their share from the central pool]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The likelihood of an important meeting regarding the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on July 29 has increased. Franchises are currently awaiting their share from the central pool, while the board is expecting pending payments from a major stakeholder.&nbsp;

Officials and franchise owners will discuss these matters in the meeting.

According to details, the 11th edition of the PSL concluded on May 3 with Peshawar Zalmi winning the title.&nbsp;

A meeting expected on July 29 will address key issues related to the tournament. Since most franchise owners are currently abroad, the meeting will be held virtually.&nbsp;

Their availability has already been confirmed, and July 30 has been kept as an alternate date.

Sources say that the accounts for the 11th edition have not yet been finalized, and franchises are still waiting for their central pool share. This matter will be discussed in the meeting. As per the agreement, 50% of the payment was supposed to be made within two months.&nbsp;

However, since the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) covers expenses such as player payments, travel, and accommodation, these costs are deducted from the franchises&rsquo; share. Additionally, 10% of the share is withheld.

Sources further revealed that the delay is due to non-payment of dues by a major stakeholder. A stakeholder from the previous edition also failed to clear payments.&nbsp;

However, officials remain hopeful that these issues will be resolved.

It is worth noting that with the addition of two new franchises, a total of eight teams participated in PSL 11.&nbsp;

The PCB assured the seventh and eighth teams a minimum central pool income guarantee of Rs 850 million for the next five editions starting from PSL 11.&nbsp;

If the share from any tournament falls below this guaranteed amount, the board will cover the shortfall.&nbsp;

Alternatively, the new franchises may be given a discount equivalent to the shortfall in the next tournament&rsquo;s fee. However, typically, the central pool share exceeds Rs 850 million.]]>
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			<title>Pirlo set for Italy job after Guardiola rejection, report says</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620203/pirlo-set-for-italy-job-after-guardiola-rejection-report-says</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620203/pirlo-set-for-italy-job-after-guardiola-rejection-report-says#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:41:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[REUTERS]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620203</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The 47-year-old is currently in charge of Dubai United]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has reached an agreement with &zwnj;former Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo to become the national team&#39;s coach on a four-year deal, Italian daily La Repubblica reported on Friday.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in history, Pirlo won the 2006 ​World Cup with Italy and enjoyed a distinguished club career with Inter Milan, ​AC Milan and Juventus.

The 47-year-old is currently in charge of Dubai United, ⁠who compete in the UAE First Division League.

Pirlo managed Juventus during the 2020-21 season, ​guiding the Turin club to the Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup titles.

Reuters has contacted ​the FIGC for comment.

Guardiola turns down job

The reported agreement came hours after former Manchester City and Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola rejected an approach to take charge of Italy, a source familiar with the discussions told ​Reuters on Friday.

The 55-year-old Spaniard held talks over becoming Italy&#39;s head coach, with FIGC president Giovanni ​Malago suggesting financial flexibility could be shown for a candidate of his stature.

Italy have been searching for a &zwnj;new ⁠coach since Gennaro Gattuso stepped down in April after the four-times world champions failed to qualify for a third successive World Cup finals.

FIGC also sounded out Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Guardiola left City at the end of last season after a glittering decade in charge in which he won ​six Premier League titles, ​including an unprecedented four ⁠in succession, as well as three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League.

Before arriving at City in 2016, Guardiola enjoyed great ​success at Barcelona, where he won two Champions League titles and three ​LaLiga crowns, ⁠before adding three Bundesliga titles during his spell at Bayern Munich.

Italian football is facing one of its deepest crises in decades, and the appointment of a new national team coach is seen ⁠as the ​first step in a wider effort to rebuild a ​youth development and talent pathway system that has deteriorated significantly in a country where football remains a national obsession.

Earlier, Italy approached ​Carlo Ancelotti about the national team coaching job before discussing the role with Pep Guardiola, Italian &zwnj;technical director Paolo Maldini said on Thursday.

Italy have been searching for a new coach since Gennaro Gattuso stepped down in April after the four-time world champions failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

&ldquo;We cannot hide the fact ​that we also spoke to Carlo Ancelotti before talking to Pep. Frankly, it seemed right to ​start with those we considered the best in the world,&rdquo; Maldini told reporters ⁠during a press conference.

The Brazilian Football Confederation has confirmed Ancelotti, an Italian and former team mate of ​Maldini at AC Milan, will remain in charge of the five-time world champions despite their defeat by Norway in ​the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.]]>
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			<title>Klopp handed task of reviving Germany</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620062/klopp-handed-task-of-reviving-germany</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620062/klopp-handed-task-of-reviving-germany#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 26 18:44:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620062</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The 59-year-old spoke publicly of his desire to take on the role]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Jurgen&nbsp;Klopp&nbsp;has been named Germany coach, the former Liverpool manager given the task of rebuilding the struggling European giants, the national federation (DFB) announced on Friday.

Klopp&#39;s&nbsp;appointment was widely expected for weeks and his contract will see him through to the 2030 World Cup co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, as well as the three centenary matches planned for that year in South America.

The 59-year-old spoke publicly of his desire to take on the role after predecessor Julian&nbsp;Nagelsmann&#39;s&nbsp;resignation earlier in July.

Nagelsmann&nbsp;fell on his sword after a disappointing last-32 defeat at the hands of Paraguay, Germany&#39;s third consecutive early World Cup exit since winning the tournament in 2014.

As the German FA&#39;s preferred candidate,&nbsp;Klopp&#39;s&nbsp;willingness to take the job accelerated&nbsp;Nagelsmann&#39;s&nbsp;departure.

&quot;It&#39;s a great&nbsp;honour&nbsp;for me to be sitting here today,&quot;&nbsp;Klopp&nbsp;told a press conference called by the DFB to announce his appointment in Frankfurt.

&quot;This is ideally the high point of my career, of my life, my professional life. I will give it everything I have,&quot; he said.

However he warned the assembled reporters that &quot;if you tomorrow you start saying: &#39;He&#39;s crap&#39;, then I&#39;m off&quot;.

DFB President Bernd&nbsp;Neuendorf&nbsp;said&nbsp;Klopp&#39;s&nbsp;contract would start on August 15 and run until summer 2030.

Since 2025,&nbsp;Klopp&nbsp;has been under contract until 2029 with Austrian energy drink maker Red Bull as &quot;Head of Global Soccer&quot;, where he oversaw the football clubs affiliated with the company such as RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg and the New York Red Bulls.

Neuendorf&nbsp;thanked Red Bull for their willingness to end the contract early as&nbsp;Klopp&nbsp;would need his &quot;full concentration&quot; for the new job.

The DFB did not have to pay a fee but will instead make a donation of a million euros ($1.1 million) to Red Bull&#39;s Wings for Life charity foundation, which supports research into spinal cord injuries.

World Cup failure&nbsp;

Having repeatedly said his time in the dugout was over,&nbsp;Kloppreturns with the mammoth task of returning the struggling Germans to the top of the international game.

Germany have won four World Cups -- the equal most of any European team -- and three European Championships, one behind record holders Spain, but have struggled in recent years.

The team crashed out of this summer&#39;s World Cup after losing to Paraguay on penalties in the round of 32.

It was the third successive World Cup failure for the Germans since winning their fourth title in 2014.

In a decade since making the semi-finals of Euro 2016, Germany have won just one knockout match across three World Cups and two Euros.

Having also tasted success as manager of Mainz and Borussia Dortmund,&nbsp;Klopp&nbsp;stepped down as Liverpool coach in 2024 after a wildly successful spell, winning all available trophies.

Under&nbsp;Klopp, Liverpool won the Premier League to break a 30-year drought and lifted the Champions League trophy for the sixth time.

The DFB had long courted&nbsp;Klopp&nbsp;and believed he was the perfect candidate to take over from&nbsp;Nagelsmann.

Klopp&nbsp;will work alongside Rudi&nbsp;Voeller, the 1990 World Cup winning striker has been the team&#39;s sporting director since autumn 2023 and whose contract runs for another two years.

The challenges facing&nbsp;Klopp&nbsp;and his staff are numerous.

The new coach will look to build the team round the young talent of Florian&nbsp;Wirtz&nbsp;and Jamal&nbsp;Musiala, both 23.

Joshua&nbsp;Kimmich&nbsp;has worn the captain&#39;s armband since autumn 2024, but will be 33 by the time of Euro 2028.

In goal, Manuel&nbsp;Neuer&nbsp;came out of international retirement for one last stint at the World Cup at the age of 40.

Klopp&#39;s&nbsp;hotly anticipated first squad will come in mid-September for four Nations League matches, the first being against the Netherlands on September 24.]]>
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			<title>A glimpse into the Maradona trial</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619869/a-glimpse-into-the-maradona-trial</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619869/a-glimpse-into-the-maradona-trial#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 26 18:10:12 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619869</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Legal proceedings have been ongoing since April]]>
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				<![CDATA[The fraught and fiery trial of late football legend Diego Maradona&#39;s medical team has at times been as turbulent as the life of Number 10 himself.&nbsp;

Legal proceedings have been ongoing since April over allegations that negligence by seven medical workers contributed to the Argentine star&#39;s death in 2020.

The larger-than-life footballer died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema -- a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs -- two weeks after undergoing surgery.

The trial was supposed to conclude in August, but almost 70 witness and defendant statements and over 25 hearings later, it remains uncertain when the legal psychodrama will end.

The defendants, who insist Maradona died of natural causes, have spent months in a courtroom alongside the footballer&#39;s distraught daughters.

As proceedings enter yet another month, AFP takes a look at the standout moments of the often dramatic case.

Diligent defendant

Maradona&#39;s personal doctor Leopoldo Luque -- the main accused, since he was viewed by many as being in charge at the time -- has adopted a meticulous strategy as a defendant.

He has attended every single hearing, taking the stand every time he feels a statement implicates him.

The doctor has already racked up nine interventions, during which he plays audio recordings, presents scientific papers and points out what he views as contradictions.

He once even instructed his own lawyer about how to connect a HDMI cable to show the autopsy of Maradona.

Luque&#39;s team succeeded in showing the footage, which subsequently rattled Maradona&#39;s daughter, who yelled curses at the defendant and fled the room in tears.

Her lawyer followed his client and the hearing was suspended.

Luque claims he hadn&#39;t realized she was there, but the Maradona family says they don&#39;t believe him.

Childish lawyers

Judges have often had to act as a different kind of referee when attendees get tangled up in heated disputes.

&quot;It&#39;s impossible to stop them like children, all the time,&quot; said Judge Alberto Gaig following one particularly thorny debate between legal representatives.

But the rivalry between the lawyer of Maradona&#39;s daughters, Fernando Burlando, and that of the defendants, Francisco Oneto, is proving impossible to resolve.

Burlando once told his counterpart to &quot;go back to elementary school.&quot;

The remark earned an equally childish snub from Oneto, who told his foe to &quot;pick up a dictionary.&quot;

Their bickering even led to the suspension of one hearing, but that didn&#39;t stop the pair from hurling expletives at each other outside the courtroom in front of other lawyers, police officers and journalists.

Eating your feelings

Others have tried to ease tensions with edible gifts.

One chilly June morning, a defense attorney entered the courtroom hauling a huge bag that was full to the brim with &quot;alfajores,&quot; traditional Argentine sweets.

One month earlier, another brought Paraguayan cheese rolls known as &quot;chipas&quot; from his wife&#39;s bakery.

The gesture proved a business-savvy move when attorneys from both legal teams followed her brand on Instagram.

Miniature home

To the surprise of many, a miniature model of the house where Maradona died has become a centerpiece of the trial.

University of Belgrano students built the replica of the footballer&#39;s home in the town of Tigre, north of Buenos Aires.

Measuring roughly two-by-one meters (six-by-three feet), the mock-up is heavy enough to require four people to carry it to and fro whenever a witness needs to point at different parts of the building.

Retake

The wacky intricacies of the proceedings are all surpassed by the oddest detail of all: the fact that the trial should have been completed last year.

The first iteration was thrown when it emerged that one of the presiding judges, Julieta Makintach, was secretly taking part in a documentary about the celebrity case.]]>
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			<title>Chelsea sign Rogers from Villa</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619666/chelsea-sign-rogers-from-villa</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619666/chelsea-sign-rogers-from-villa#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 26 15:58:18 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619666</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The 23-year-old forward becomes the most expensive British player]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Chelsea signed England midfielder Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa on Tuesday in a deal British media valued at &pound;117 million ($157 million), a price that smashed the transfer record for a British player.

&quot;The 23-year-old forward has signed a contract at Stamford Bridge until 2033,&quot; the London club posted on their web site.

Rogers passed a medical on Monday following his return from the World Cup in North America.

&quot;I&#39;m so excited,&quot; said Rogers. &quot;For me, Chelsea are the biggest club in London and a club I&#39;ve always admired since I was a kid,&quot; Rogers was quoted as saying by the club.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;m really excited about the project with the new manager, the players we&#39;ve got and where the club is heading. That&#39;s why I&#39;m here and I can&#39;t wait to get started.&quot;

The transfer surpasses the previous record fee for a British player set by Manchester City when they signed England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for &pound;116 million earlier in July.&nbsp;

Rogers is the most expensive signing in Chelsea&#39;s history, eclipsing the &pound;107 million paid to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica in 2023.

The swoop is a significant statement of intent from Chelsea, who convinced Rogers to leave Villa even though -- unlike his former club -- the west Londoners will not play in the Champions League in the coming season.

Chelsea had been chasing Rogers for two years and beat Arsenal to his signature after the Premier League champions refused to match the eye-watering fee demanded by Villa.

Rogers&#39; departure is another blow for Villa boss Unai Emery after Youri Tielemans&#39; move to Manchester United and Lucas Digne&#39;s expected switch to Paris Saint-Germain.

&quot;A player with impeccable behaviour and commitment, Morgan leaves Aston Villa with the best wishes of everyone at the football club for both his service to the club and for his future career,&quot; said Villa on their website.

Championship side Middlesbrough will receive 20 percent of the fee due to a sell-on clause in the deal when they sold Rogers in Villa in 2024.

Rogers scored 21 goals in 85 league appearances for Villa and was a key figure in their Europa League final victory over Freiburg in May.

&#39;Cold&#39; celebration

He enjoyed a breakout campaign last season, netting 14 times and producing 11 assists in 55 appearances.

&quot;He will always remain a core part of our recent great moments and memories,&quot; said Villa.

Chelsea&#39;s new manager Xabi Alonso will have to find a way to fit Rogers, Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto, Estevao Willian and another close-season signing Geovany Quenda into his attacking midfield positions.

Following Rogers&#39; arrival at Stamford Bridge, Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho is expected to be sold by Chelsea before the transfer window shuts.

Rogers is close friends with Palmer after their time together in Manchester City&#39;s youth academy.

Palmer&#39;s famous &#39;cold&#39; celebration was inspired by Rogers, who first struck the pose as a Middlesbrough player.

Rogers&#39; signing shows Chelsea can still attract top-class signings despite their failure to qualify for Europe after a dismal 10th place finish in the Premier League last season.

Rogers will link up with Chelsea after taking a break following his role in England&#39;s run to the World Cup semi-finals.]]>
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			<title>PHF announces international coaching team to lead national hockey revival</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2616329/phf-announces-international-coaching-team-to-lead-national-hockey-revival</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2616329/phf-announces-international-coaching-team-to-lead-national-hockey-revival#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 26 14:46:31 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Zulfiqar Baig]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2616329</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[A key objective of these appointments is the development of Pakistan's own coaching infrastructure]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is pleased to announce the selection of an internationally acclaimed high-performance coaching team as part of its comprehensive strategy to revive Pakistan hockey and restore the country&#39;s standing among the world&#39;s leading hockey nations.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation has finalized the selection of the following international experts, who will soon join Pakistan&#39;s national hockey coaching ecosystem upon completion of contractual formalities:

Mr. Herman Kruis &ndash; Overall National Hockey Coaching Advisor and Head Coach

Mr. David Dwyer &ndash; Fitness &amp; High-Performance Coach

Mr. Adnan Zakir &ndash; Junior Talent Identification Coach

Mr. Bob Johan Veldhof &ndash; Goalkeeping Coach

Mr. Chris Bowen &ndash; Sports Psychologist

Mr. Herman Kruis, an internationally renowned Dutch hockey coach with decades of elite coaching and technical leadership experience, will serve as the Overall National Hockey Coaching Advisor. He will lead the development of Pakistan&#39;s modern coaching philosophy, oversee technical standards, advise the senior national management, and establish a long-term performance pathway for Pakistan hockey.

Fitness and High-Performance Coach Mr. David Dwyer brings extensive expertise in sports science, athlete conditioning, injury prevention, strength and conditioning, and elite performance management. He will introduce modern physical preparation systems aimed at ensuring Pakistan&#39;s players meet international fitness benchmarks.

Junior Talent Identification Coach Mr. Adnan Zakir possesses extensive experience in youth talent identification and player development. He will establish a structured national talent identification programme to discover, nurture and develop future international players from across Pakistan.

Goalkeeping Coach Mr. Bob Johan Veldhof is a highly respected goalkeeping specialist with vast international coaching experience. He will develop specialized training programmes for Pakistan&#39;s goalkeepers, modernize goalkeeping techniques, and mentor local goalkeeping coaches.

Sports Psychologist Mr. Chris Bowen will introduce modern mental performance systems focusing on confidence building, leadership, resilience, pressure management, team culture, motivation, and psychological preparation for international competition.

The international coaching team will work with all Pakistan national hockey teams, including the senior, junior, under-18 and youth teams, as well as the national women&#39;s hockey programme. Their mandate extends beyond preparing national teams for international competitions to building a sustainable, world-class hockey development system.

A key objective of these appointments is the development of Pakistan&#39;s own coaching infrastructure. The international experts will work closely with Pakistani coaches through structured mentoring, technical workshops, practical training sessions, coaching education, and continuous knowledge transfer to establish a modern and self-sustaining national coaching ecosystem.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation believes that the future revival of Pakistan hockey depends upon building a strong technical foundation. Through the expertise of these internationally respected coaches, PHF aims to transform player development, strengthen coaching standards, identify young talent, improve physical preparation, and introduce world-class high-performance systems across all national teams.

The entire international coaching programme will function under the strategic supervision of the PHF Development Committee, led by Olympians Hassan Sardar and Islahuddin Siddiqui, who will oversee the implementation of the Federation&#39;s long-term technical development strategy.

Speaking on the occasion, the Pakistan Hockey Federation stated:

&quot;These appointments mark the beginning of a new era for Pakistan hockey. We are bringing together international expertise to rebuild every aspect of our game&mdash;from player development and sports science to coaching education and high-performance systems. Alongside preparing our national teams, these experts will mentor our local coaches and establish a sustainable coaching architecture that will benefit Pakistan hockey for generations. The Federation remains fully committed to restoring Pakistan&#39;s rightful place among the world&#39;s leading hockey nations.]]>
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			<title>PHF appoints Herman Kruis as hockey advisor</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2615964/phf-appoints-herman-kruis-as-hockey-advisor</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2615964/phf-appoints-herman-kruis-as-hockey-advisor#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 26 17:12:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Zulfiqar Baig]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2615964</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He will work closely with the senior and junior national teams]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Herman Kruis as the National Hockey Coaching Advisor for Pakistan on an initial two-year engagement.

Mr. Kruis is a highly respected Dutch hockey coach and high-performance expert with decades of international experience. Throughout his distinguished career, he has coached and advised national teams and elite hockey programmes across Europe, Asia, and other regions. He is widely recognized for building modern coaching systems, developing young talent, enhancing high-performance programmes, and preparing teams for major international competitions. His expertise extends beyond coaching to the development of sustainable hockey structures, coach education, and long-term player development.

As National Hockey Coaching Advisor, Mr. Kruis will advise and guide the Pakistan Hockey Federation in strengthening the country&#39;s hockey ecosystem. He will work closely with the senior and junior national teams, assist in building modern coaching and player development systems, and help establish a sustainable high-performance framework for Pakistan hockey.

He will also provide technical guidance while working alongside specialist coaches in various disciplines and contribute to the development of Pakistan&#39;s overall hockey infrastructure, coaching pathways, and talent identification programmes.

Mr. Kruis will join the Pakistan team at the commencement of the upcoming World Cup, where he will work alongside the coaching staff during a transition period. Following the World Cup, he will formally lead the planning and preparation of the Pakistan senior and junior teams for major international competitions, including the Asian Games and other international events.

The appointment of Mr. Herman Kruis is the first in a series of international technical engagements planned by the PHF as part of its comprehensive strategy to revive Pakistan hockey. Additional world-class specialist coaches and technical experts will be announced in the coming months, Insha&#39;Allah.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation warmly welcomes Mr. Herman Kruis and looks forward to benefiting from his vast international experience, technical expertise, and leadership as Pakistan embarks on a new chapter in restoring its proud hockey legacy.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan storm into U18 Asia Cup semis</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611273/pakistan-storm-into-u18-asia-cup-semis</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611273/pakistan-storm-into-u18-asia-cup-semis#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 26 15:01:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Zulfiqar Baig]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2611273</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Green shirts set up India clash after crushing Bangladesh 5-2]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan qualifies for the semi-finals after defeating Bangladesh 5-2 in a thrilling contest.

Pakistan will face arch-rivals India in the semi-final on June 5th.

​Kakamigahara, Japan: In an exciting match of the Under-18 Asia Cup 2026&mdash;organized by the Asian Hockey Federation and being played from May 29 to June 6 in Kakamigahara, Japan&mdash;Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 5 goals to 2.

​Pakistan opened the scoring early in the game, with Abdullah netting two goals, starting in the 3rd minute. Adeel, Asam, and Yahya chipped in with one goal each. For Bangladesh, Tarikul Islam and Manna Islam scored the goals, Pakistan&#39;s Muhammad Yahya was named the Player of the Match.

​Throughout the game, Pakistan&#39;s forwards capitalized effectively on scoring opportunities, while the midfield and defensive lines maintained firm control for most of the match. With this spectacular victory, Pakistan has asserted its ambitions as a strong contender for the championship trophy.

​President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani congratulated the players and team management on this magnificent achievement, praising the team&#39;s discipline, determination, and performance. He stated that this success is the result of the tireless efforts of the players, coaches, and support staff, who are striving to restore Pakistan hockey&#39;s lost glory on the international stage.

​He added that the junior team&#39;s advancement to the semi-finals is a significant milestone that will further boost the development of junior hockey in the country. The national team will now prepare for the semi-final clash, aiming to maintain their winning momentum and step closer to the final and the championship title.]]>
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			<title>DHA Hockey Academy a landmark initiative for revival of Pakistan hockey</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2607491/dha-hockey-academy-a-landmark-initiative-for-revival-of-pakistan-hockey</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2607491/dha-hockey-academy-a-landmark-initiative-for-revival-of-pakistan-hockey#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 26 10:52:34 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Riaz Ahmad]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2607491</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PSWF president urges young players to restore national game’s lost glory through hard work]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[President of the Pakistan Sports Writers Federation and Secretary General of AIPS Asia, Amjad Aziz Malik, has termed the DHA Hockey Academy, Lahore a major step towards the revival of Pakistan hockey, urging young players to dedicate themselves to restoring the country&rsquo;s lost glory in the national game.

He expressed these views while addressing under-30 players participating in training sessions at the DHA Hockey Academy at Manzoorul Hassan Hockey Stadium. Former Olympian Manzoorul Hassan and ex-World Cup player Colonel Saeed Khan were also present on the occasion.

Malik received a warm welcome upon his arrival at the stadium, where he was introduced to the young players. Addressing the participants, he described hockey as a symbol of Pakistan&rsquo;s identity, national pride and glorious sporting traditions. He stressed that the younger generation must work with commitment, discipline and patriotic spirit to bring Pakistan back among the leading nations in world hockey.

Recalling Pakistan&rsquo;s historic achievements, he said the country had earned global recognition by winning Olympic gold medals, World Cups, Champions Trophy titles and Asian Games championships. He paid tribute to the legendary hockey players who brought fame to Pakistan through their outstanding performances on the international stage.

He advised the young athletes to focus not only on sports but also on education, physical fitness, discipline and character building. According to him, these players have the potential to represent Pakistan at the international level and carry the national flag with pride in future competitions.

Highlighting the significance of the DHA Hockey Academy, he said such initiatives were vital for nurturing fresh talent and strengthening the future of Pakistan hockey. He remarked that success in sports could only be achieved through continuous hard work, sacrifice and determination rather than talent alone.

Encouraging the players to remain focused on their dreams, he urged them to move forward with confidence and national spirit so that Pakistan could once again reclaim its former stature in world hockey.

On the occasion, Malik also paid rich tribute to Manzoorul Hassan, who is currently serving as head coach of the Pakistan Hockey Federation. He presented the latest edition of the AIPS Asia magazine to the Olympian in recognition of his services to the sport.]]>
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			<title>Organisers panic after Sinner, Djokovic pull out</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620202/organisers-panic-after-sinner-djokovic-pull-out</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620202/organisers-panic-after-sinner-djokovic-pull-out#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:23:36 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620202</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Both stars withdraw from next week's tournament in Montreal]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Canadian Open expressed disappointment over the withdrawals of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic from next week&#39;s tournament in Montreal, saying the recurring absence of top players from ATP 1000 events had become a broader issue for the sport.

Sinner withdrew on Friday to ​prioritise his health nearly two weeks after retaining his Wimbledon title, while 24-times Grand Slam winner Djokovic continued to &zwnj;manage his workload, leaving the U.S. Open tune-up short of star power.

With Carlos Alcaraz still nursing a wrist injury that has kept him out since April, the August 1-13 tournament will again be without three of the sport&#39;s top names after Alcaraz, Sinner and Djokovic also missed last year&#39;s edition in Toronto.

&quot;We are obviously ​very disappointed that Jannik and Novak won&#39;t be joining us in Montreal this year, especially after they also withdrew from ​last year&#39;s tournament in Toronto,&quot; said the event&#39;s tournament director, Valerie Tetreault.

&quot;We respect their decisions and understand ⁠that, with such a demanding schedule, players&#39; health must remain the priority.

&quot;That said, we believe the frequency of these last-minute withdrawals in ​the last few years raises a broader issue for our sport. Masters 1000 events are among the flagship tournaments on the tour, and fans ​rightfully expect to see the world&#39;s best compete.&quot;

Tetreault added in her statement to the Canadian media that organisers were in discussions with men&#39;s governing body the ATP to ensure that the issue would receive &quot;serious consideration&quot; going forward.

&quot;We firmly believe adjustments are needed in the near future to better protect the integrity of ​our Masters 1000 events while remaining mindful of the realities players face,&quot; she said.

The ATP did not immediately respond to a Reuters ​request for comment outside regular business hours.

CRITICISM OVER LONG SEASONS

Sinner&#39;s pullout from Montreal was particularly noteworthy given the world number one had the chance to &zwnj;claim all ⁠nine ATP 1000 titles in a single season, having won the first five at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome.

The withdrawal also brought fresh focus to a packed schedule some players believe has become too demanding, with world number two Alexander Zverev among those critical of the expanded 12-day format used at seven ATP 1000 events.

More broadly, the men&#39;s and women&#39;s circuits have faced criticism due to ​their 11-month seasons, and both the ​tours came under fresh scrutiny ⁠during last year&#39;s &quot;Asian swing&quot; of events when extreme heat and humidity led to injuries and withdrawals.

Concerns about player availability extend beyond the ATP Tour, with top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek among the leading women ​to skip this year&#39;s Dubai Championships as they balanced their schedules and recovery needs.

ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi defended the ​crowded calendar last ⁠year, saying scheduling remains the players&#39; choice and the tour was working to set clear incentives so the right number of matches are played across the season.

The WTA told Reuters previously that athlete welfare is a top priority and it listened to views on the calendar, through the ⁠players&#39; council ​and representatives on the WTA board, to improve the circuit structure in 2024 ​and boost compensation.

Sinner and Djokovic are expected to return to action at the Cincinnati Open next month, with defending champion Alcaraz also on the entry list, as they ramp up ​preparations for the year&#39;s final Grand Slam beginning in New York on August 30.]]>
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			<title>Sinner, Djokovic withdraw from Montreal Masters</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620196/sinner-djokovic-withdraw-from-montreal-masters</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620196/sinner-djokovic-withdraw-from-montreal-masters#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:09:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620196</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The duo had deep runs at Wimbledon earlier this month]]>
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				<![CDATA[Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have pulled out of next month&#39;s ATP Montreal Masters, organizers Tennis Canada said Friday.

In a packed schedule, world number one Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic both had deep runs at Wimbledon earlier this month, where Italian Sinner won the men&#39;s title and Serbian Djokovic reached the semi-finals.

&quot;After carefully considering all the factors together with my team, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw from Montreal,&quot; Sinner said in a statement.

&quot;It is never easy to miss such an important event, but we believe this is the right decision to prioritize my health.&quot;

The Montreal men&#39;s event, which takes place August 1-13, is an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, and a key pre-US Open stopping point.

The parallel women&#39;s WTA 1000 tournament takes place this year in Toronto, with the two competitions switching between the cities on alternate years.

Organizers expressed disappointment at the last-minute withdrawals, noting that the two men also pulled out of last year&#39;s event in Toronto.

&quot;We respect their decisions and understand that, with such a demanding schedule, players&#39; health must remain the priority,&quot; tournament director Valerie Tetreault said in a statement.

&quot;That said, we believe the frequency of these last-minute withdrawals in the last few years raises a broader issue for our sport.&quot;

&quot;Masters 1000 events are among the flagship tournaments on the tour, and fans rightfully expect to see the world&#39;s best compete.&quot;

Tetreault said organizers are in discussions with the ATP over &quot;adjustments&quot; that are &quot;needed in the near future to better protect the integrity of our Masters 1000 events while remaining mindful of the realities players face.&quot;

World number two Alexander Zverev -- this year&#39;s French Open champion and Wimbledon finalist -- is now expected to be the Montreal top seed, followed by Quebec native Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Third-ranked Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz had already withdrawn from Montreal over a lingering wrist injury.

He is targeting a return at the Cincinnati ATP Masters 1000 tournament, which begins immediately after Montreal.

The US Open, the year&#39;s final Grand Slam, starts on August 30 in New York.]]>
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			<title>Junior tennis stars in the making shine at Peshawar camp</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620059/junior-tennis-stars-in-the-making-shine-at-peshawar-camp</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620059/junior-tennis-stars-in-the-making-shine-at-peshawar-camp#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 26 18:37:37 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Riaz Ahmad]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620059</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[International coach trains 15 young talents as K-P Tennis Association aims to nurture future champions]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Tennis Association has launched a comprehensive junior tennis camp at the Peshawar Sports Complex, hiring international coach Inam Gul to impart advanced techniques to budding players.

Around 15 youngsters aged five to 14 are undergoing rigorous training twice daily, in the morning and afternoon sessions. The camp, which began on June 10, will continue until August 20.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, General Secretary of the Association Umar Ayaz Khalil said the Pakistan Tennis Federation has provided 200 tennis balls for the camp, while the association has also purchased second-hand balls to meet the demand.

&ldquo;A new ball costs Rs700 in the market and most of the players come from poor families who cannot afford them,&rdquo; Khalil said.

Coach Inam Gul highlighted the structured training approach being followed at the camp.

&ldquo;We teach five-year-old players basic techniques while the others are being trained on technical points. We also arrange matches between them,&rdquo; Gul said.

He identified several under-15 players with exceptional potential, including Shayan Afridi, Fayzan Afridi, Rayan Khalil, Sheheryar, Salaar and Danyal. &ldquo;There is no lack of talent in these children but they need permanent international-level coaches and better facilities to polish their skills,&rdquo; the coach added.]]>
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			<title>Irrepressible Sinner outlasts Zverev</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618016/irrepressible-sinner-outlasts-zverev</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618016/irrepressible-sinner-outlasts-zverev#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 26 16:07:44 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2618016</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He recovered from losing the opening set to clinch the title]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Jannik&nbsp;Sinner was at his clinical best as he successfully defended his Wimbledon title with a bruising four-set victory over French Open champion Alexander&nbsp;Zverev&nbsp;in Sunday&#39;s final.

The world number one recovered from losing the first set in a match largely dominated by serve, eventually wearing&nbsp;Zverevdown to secure a 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 6-4 win.

The Italian was rewarded for his perseverance in an attritional contest with his first Grand Slam title since lifting the trophy at the All England Club 12 months ago.

Sinner&#39;s fifth Grand Slam crown is just two behind the majors tally of his injured rival Carlos&nbsp;Alcaraz&nbsp;after notching his 100th match win at tennis&#39; four biggest events.

He hit 58 winners against only 25 unforced errors in three hours and 46 minutes on Centre Court, refusing to buckle against an in-form&nbsp;Zverev&nbsp;who brought a 13-match winning streak at the majors into the final.

Sinner has banished the memories of his shock second-round exit from the French Open at the hands of Juan Manuel&nbsp;Cerundolo&nbsp;when he blew a two-set lead last month.

The closest Sinner came to crashing out of Wimbledon was in the first round when he had to come from behind to beat&nbsp;MiomirKecmanovic&nbsp;in five sets.

It was plain sailing from then on for Sinner, who has become a fearsome force on grass.

The 24-year-old now boasts a remarkable 44-3 win-loss record this year after winning his sixth title of the season.

Zverev&nbsp;had never even reached the quarter-finals in nine previous visits to Wimbledon, but had been a man reborn in London after finally breaking his Grand Slam duck in Paris.

He managed to take a first set off Sinner in seven meetings, but could not kick on to snap a now 10-match losing streak against a seemingly unbreakable rival.

Zverev, who was bidding to become the first German man to win the trophy since Michael Stich in 1991, will climb above&nbsp;Alcaraz&nbsp;to second in the ATP rankings on Monday.

Zverev&nbsp;left frustrated&nbsp;

Zverev&nbsp;saved the only break point of a tight first set dominated by serve as it went to a tie-break.

The first 15 points of the breaker went with serve, with both men saving set points, before&nbsp;Zverev&nbsp;clinched with a fizzing forehand winner.

There were no break points in the second set as the players again efficiently bludgeoned their way to 6-6, but this time Sinner stepped it up in the tie-break to level the match.

Zverev&nbsp;finally created his first break point in the seventh game of the third set, but slipped when Sinner dinked over a drop-shot winner.

He clutched his knee and Sinner crossed the net to check on his injured opponent as the crowd held its breath, but was helped to his feet by the Italian.

Sinner made his move in the next game as&nbsp;Zverev&#39;s&nbsp;serve finally broke down.

Zverev&nbsp;threw his racquet angrily across the turf after looping a forehand long on a break point which had seen Sinner lying flat on the turf earlier in the rally.

The top seed immaculately served it out to love, sealing a two-sets-to-one lead with an ace.

Zverev&nbsp;gamely tried to prolong the contest but his race was run when Sinner broke for a 4-3 advantage in the fourth set.

He wrapped up the title on serve despite a dramatic final game featuring arguably the two best rallies of the match, falling to the turf in celebration after slapping away a forehand winner on his first match point.]]>
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			<title>Arrogance or pride? Argentina grapples with World Cup villain label</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619454/arrogance-or-pride-argentina-grapples-with-world-cup-villain-label</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619454/arrogance-or-pride-argentina-grapples-with-world-cup-villain-label#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 26 11:12:12 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category><category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619454</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Critics argue the team is FIFA's darling, received favorable referee calls such as penalties, cards shown to opponents]]>
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				<![CDATA[Critics blasted Argentina for dirty tactics and poor sportsmanship during their 1-0 loss to Spain, cementing the country&#39;s status as World Cup villain that grew throughout the tournament.

But Argentines argue they are just passionate and misunderstood.

&quot;I think we deserve some credit for not being very well-liked, because of this tendency to be arrogant and look down on most people from a pedestal,&quot; said Leo Simone, 55, a lawyer, from his home north of Buenos Aires.

&quot;They confuse arrogance with pride,&quot; his wife chimed in, preferring not to give her name.

While star Lionel Messi is beloved around the world, anti-Argentina sentiment grew as critics argued they were FIFA&#39;s darling and received favorable referee calls such as penalties and cards shown to opponents.

Then came the final, replete with fouls, brawls on the pitch, and the Argentine squad turning their backs when Spain received the World Cup trophy.

The New York Times called it a &quot;tetchy, petulant and distasteful performance.&quot;

Former Germany player Thomas Hitzlsperger wrote on X that the team were &quot;disgusting sportsmen&quot; and British television personality Piers Morgan said, &quot;they basically just went around whacking as many Spanish players as they could.&quot;



I thought the Paraguay team was bad but Paredes, E Fernandez, Otamendi the lot - disgusting sportsmen
&mdash; Thomas Hitzlsperger (@Hitz_the_Hammer) July 19, 2026



Near Ezeiza Airport, where thousands of fans welcomed the players returning to Buenos Aires on Monday night, Maximiliano Heredia, a 35-year-old construction worker, said: &quot;We&#39;ve always been criticised, we&#39;re used to it. But we always give it our all.&quot;

&#39;We love it&#39;

Many Argentines online wore the criticism as a badge of honor.

&quot;There&#39;s something about Argentine irreverence that they can&#39;t tolerate. Our rebelliousness irritates them, enrages them...they call us cocky, cheaters, dirty. And we love it, it fills us with pride,&quot; journalist Pedro Rosemblat wrote on his Instagram.

Sports journalist Ezequiel Fernandez Moores told AFP that some criticism was justified,&nbsp;&quot;Sometimes we think we&#39;re the center of the universe, that God and our own navel are Argentine.&quot;

Read:&nbsp;Spain lifts FIFA World Cup 2026: The story behind football&#39;s iconic gold trophy and the man who designed it

He said local football codes of provocation, mockery, and boasting did not translate to a global audience. &quot;We can&#39;t expect the world to understand us, our way of being, feeling, and expressing ourselves,&quot; he said.

Nevertheless, the team turning their backs on Spain as they received the cup was &quot;not right,&quot; he said.

The lawyer Simone rejects the notion that physical play makes Argentina a violent team. &quot;Argentina is a team that fights hard, like almost all South American football, but Spain also resorted to tactical fouls,&quot; he said.

&quot;It&#39;s football: if you don&#39;t like being hit, play volleyball.&quot;

For Evelio Rubio, a 47-year-old Venezuelan neurologist who has lived in Argentina for a decade, it is impossible to understand from outside how &quot;football is experienced here.&quot;

For a Venezuelan accustomed to his national team not winning titles, experiencing that passion from within &quot;is spectacular.&quot;

Racism accusations

Argentine fans and some players have also faced accusations of racism -- such as a chant sung by the team in the past mocking the Black players on the French team as not being really French.

There is also a long history of club-level fans throwing bananas on the field or making monkey gestures at Brazilian fans or black players.

Read More:&nbsp;Pakistani celebrities react to Spain&#39;s World Cup final win over Argentina

During this World Cup, FIFA condemned racism in a statement after an Argentine supporter told a Black US influencer known as IShowSpeed to go &quot;cry at the zoo&quot; during a livestream.

American actor Samuel L&nbsp;Jackson stirred controversy when he urged black people in an Instagram story not to support Argentina, which he dubbed one of &quot;the most racist countries in the world.&quot;

Sociologist Ivan Schuliaquer of the National University of San Martin said people should not take racism related to football and apply it generally to Argentine society and history.

This racism exists and should not be denied, he said. &quot;But, in many cases, these labels come from colonising countries that have not yet fully resolved the issue of racism.&quot;]]>
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			<title>Spain unites in joy at second World Cup crown</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619319/spain-unites-in-joy-at-second-world-cup-crown</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619319/spain-unites-in-joy-at-second-world-cup-crown#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 26 17:09:20 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619319</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Spain fans wave flags and cheer in the streets of neighbourhood where Spain's teenage forward Lamine Yamal grew up]]>
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				<![CDATA[Thousands danced in the streets, set off fireworks and launched red ​flares in Madrid as the party went on into the early hours of Monday after Spain beat Argentina &zwnj;1-0 to win the World Cup.

Waving red and gold flags, Spaniards and fans from around the world watched as La Roja realised the dream of winning the trophy for the second time following an extra-time goal by Ferran Torres in New Jersey.

As red flares pierced the night and ​revellers sang &quot;A Viva Espa&ntilde;a&quot;, Mario, from Barcelona, said he had travelled from the Catalan capital to Madrid to watch ​the match.

&quot;I drove here from Barcelona to see the game with the fans here ⁠in Madrid because I am from Barcelona. And tomorrow we&rsquo;ll wait for the players here to celebrate with them,&rdquo; he ​told Reuters.

Islem took a flight from Tunisia to Madrid to cheer on Spain in the Spanish capital.

&ldquo;I know it was worth ​it and I knew they would win, Viva Espa&ntilde;a,&rdquo; he said.

Alvaro, who had come from Malaga to Madrid to watch the game on a giant screen, was overcome by Spain&#39;s victory.

&quot;I&rsquo;m so happy. It&rsquo;s so beautiful!&rdquo; he said early on Monday morning.

After a tense match that ​went to extra time, fans exploded in joy in cities and towns across Spain as the final whistle blew in New ​York.

In Barcelona, where many of the Spanish team play for the La Liga champions, revellers set off fireworks and partied on the beaches &zwnj;at the start of what promised to be a long night of celebrations.

Spain fans waved flags and cheered in the streets of the neighbourhood where Spain&#39;s teenage forward Lamine Yamal grew up.

The 19-year-old Lamine learned to play football on the streets of Rocafonda, a working-class, multi-ethnic area of Mataro, a coastal city about 30 kilometres north of Barcelona.

One of their own

The residents of Rocafonda, who ​include his grandmother and a ​cousin, still regard Lamine, who ⁠plays for Spain and Barcelona, as one of their own.

On the community pitch, where Lamine honed his skills as a boy, there is a mural featuring the player who is a symbol ​of the possible.

Lamine, who was born in Spain to a Moroccan father and mother from ​Equatorial Guinea, has ⁠never forgotten his roots.

Throughout his career, he has honoured Rocafonda with his trademark &quot;304&quot; hand gesture after scoring goals,&nbsp;a reference to the neighbourhood&#39;s postal code.

During the World Cup, he has sported a headband with &quot;Rocafonda&quot; on it, worn the flags of his parents&#39; countries of ⁠origin on ​his boots, and said football was an example of racial and social integration.

Pedro ​Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, posted on X: &quot;We are World Champions!! Our national team was great! Thanks, team!&quot;



&iexcl;&iexcl;SOMOS CAMPEONES DEL MUNDO!! 🇪🇸

&iexcl;Enorme nuestra Selecci&oacute;n!

Gracias, equipo. https://t.co/COdzwptze2
&mdash; Pedro S&aacute;nchez (@sanchezcastejon) July 19, 2026


US President Donald Trump and Sanchez, who have had ​a frosty relationship, exchanged a brief handshake before the match, Spanish newspaper El Pa&iacute;s reported.]]>
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			<title>Fact check: Viral clips don't show Moroccan fans rioting in Paris after losing to France in FIFA World Cup</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617568/viral-clips-dont-show-moroccan-fans-rioting-in-paris-after-losing-to-france-in-fifa-world-cup</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617568/viral-clips-dont-show-moroccan-fans-rioting-in-paris-after-losing-to-france-in-fifa-world-cup#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 26 18:34:14 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Fact Check By iVerify]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2617568</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Viral videos do not show Moroccan fans rioting in Paris; they are old clips from unrelated incidents]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Multiple users, including Indian propaganda accounts, have been sharing multiple visuals on social media platforms X and Facebook since July 10, 2026, claiming that it shows Moroccan fans rioting in Paris after losing to France in the FIFA World Cup. However, the videos are old and unrelated.

Morocco faced a 2-0 quarter-final defeat to France on July 10, 2026. Morocco was the last African team left in the 2026 World Cup and became the first nation from the continent to reach the quarter-finals in consecutive tournaments.

How it started 

On July 10, an X user, who appears to be a football fan based on his previous posts, shared a collage of videos showing people protesting with the following caption: &ldquo;Paris right now. Morocco fans have taken to the streets of Paris after losing the World Cup to France.&rdquo;

The post racked up 945,000 views.

An Indian propaganda account based on its past posts shared the same collage with the following caption: &ldquo;Breaking: Moroccan migrants are rioting in Paris after losing 2-0 to France in the World Cup knockouts.&rdquo;

It garnered 706,000 views.

The same clip was shared by another Indian propaganda account based on its past posts with a similar caption, accumulating 48,200 views.

An Indian propaganda page, The Jaipur Dialogues, also posted the same collage with the following caption: &ldquo;Morocco Migrants riot in France after World Cup loss of 2-0 against France.&rdquo; It gained 28,500 views.

The posts by the propaganda accounts had many people commenting in agreement, showing a high level of believability.

Several other X users also shared the same video, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, and here; collectively gaining 11,000 views.

Similarly, a different video of the alleged rioting was also being shared on X.

On July 9, an account shared a video, allegedly showing people vandalising Paris and setting vehicles on fire with the following caption: &ldquo;Today sees France play Morocco in the World Cup. Regardless of the result, it&rsquo;s inevitable that French Cities everywhere will end up looking like this by the end of the night again. This is Paris. This is Europe now. &rdquo;

The post gained 227,700 views.

On July 10, another user on X shared the same video with the caption: &ldquo;Fierce riots in Paris with overturned and set-on-fire vehicles, vandalised bus stops, broken windows, debris littering the streets, and groups of criminals smashing everything in their path during the France-Morocco match. Muslims gear up to set Paris ablaze. &rdquo;

The post gained 525,100 views.

Another account on X, which frequently shares Islamophobic content based on its previous posts, shared the same video on the same day with similar captions, gaining 64,500 views.

The same video was subsequently shared by several other users on X, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here, collectively gaining 20,000 views.

Methodology

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its high virality and keen public interest in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

A keyword search was conducted to check whether any local French or International media had reported on any of the viral videos in question, which yielded several news outlets, such as Phile News, Sports TV, Mirror Now, reporting on clashes and celebrations in Paris after Morocco lost to France in the World Cup. However, none shared the same viral videos.

For the first video, a reverse image search was conducted on the keyframes that yielded one of the clips from the video shared on May 31, 2026, by a football fan page on Facebook with the caption: &ldquo;Fires and clashes near Parc des Princes after PSG beat Arsenal in the Champions League. Scooters and bikes torched, riot police deployed. Familiar scene after major PSG wins.&rdquo;



https://www.facebook.com/TheCasualUltra/videos/fires-and-clashes-near-parc-des-princes-after-psg-beat-arsenal-in-the-champions-/2227696091301388/



According to the Facebook post, the video shows violent clashes and fires that erupted near the Parc des Princes in Paris following Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) beating Arsenal in the Champions League. Radical groups and rioters hijacked legitimate celebrations. These crowds clashed with law enforcement by torching e-bikes, setting off flares, and vandalising property.

The video carried a Wall Street Journal logo. A keyword search yielded the same video compilation shared by the Wall Street Journal on its website on June 1, 2026, with the title: &ldquo;Soccer glory in France spurs violence again &mdash; and political backlash&rdquo;.

According to the news article, the capital erupted on May 31 with honking car horns and fireworks as thousands of soccer fans took to the streets waving PSG flags after the Parisian team won its second successive title in Europe&rsquo;s premier club competition, defeating London-based Arsenal in a penalty shootout in Budapest.

A further keyword search yielded several mainstream media outlets, such as El Canciller, BBC, Reuters, and Deutsche Welle, reporting Champions League riots in Paris on May 31, 2026, with similar visuals.



[AHORA] En el marco de los festejos por el t&iacute;tulo del PSG, en Par&iacute;s agredieron a la polic&iacute;a con fuegos artificiales y proyectiles. https://t.co/a34eSnQJOR pic.twitter.com/hZckVJo6js
&mdash; ElCanciller.com (@elcancillercom) May 30, 2026


&nbsp;



[DEPORTES] En Par&iacute;s, as&iacute; celebraron los hinchas del PSG el t&iacute;tulo en la Champions.

📹 @CLPRESSFR https://t.co/qAqE4ezxd3 pic.twitter.com/QRsOQtZYXy
&mdash; ElCanciller.com (@elcancillercom) May 30, 2026


For the second video, a reverse image search yielded the same clip shared by British journalist Remy Buisine on X on December 24, 2022, with the following caption: &ldquo;Chaos in the centre of Paris, vehicles overturned and set on fire. Clashes ongoing.&rdquo;



Chaos dans le centre de Paris, des v&eacute;hicules retourn&eacute;s et incendi&eacute;s. Affrontements en cours. pic.twitter.com/h5JvCTZo94
&mdash; Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) December 24, 2022


The post shows the viral video is old and unrelated to the current chaos in Paris.

The same video was also shared by a Paris-based French media outlet, Brut, on its official Facebook page on December 25, 2022. The caption translates: &ldquo;Violent clashes in the heart of Paris, the day after the attack outside a Kurdish cultural centre. Footage by R&eacute;my Buisine, reporting on the scene for Brut.&rdquo;



https://www.facebook.com/brutofficiel/videos/des-affrontements-violents-en-plein-c%C5%93ur-de-paris-au-lendemain-de-lattaque-devan/925387985311603/



A keyword search conducted to further corroborate the claim yielded several international media outlets such as News.com.au, Voice of America, Al Jazeera, France 24, The New York Times, and BBC reporting the same with similar visuals on Dec 24-25, 2022.



&nbsp;

According to news articles, a 69-year-old man was arrested on Dec 9, 2022, after two men and a woman were shot dead at a Kurdish cultural centre and nearby Kurdish cafe in Paris. The killings stunned a community and prompted protests that led to clashes with police.

Fact-check status: False 

The claim that viral clips show Moroccan fans rioting in Paris after losing to France in the football world cup is false.

The videos are old from two different incidents and do not show Moroccan fans rioting.

This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan &mdash; a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.]]>
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			<title>Fact check: Viral video of Lionel Messi winking at referee is not from July 7 match with Egypt</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617146/fact-check-viral-video-of-lionel-messi-winking-at-referee-is-not-from-july-7-match-with-egypt</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617146/fact-check-viral-video-of-lionel-messi-winking-at-referee-is-not-from-july-7-match-with-egypt#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 26 12:02:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Fact Check By iVerify]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2617146</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The video is from the Argentina-Cape Verde July 4 contest]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Multiple users have been sharing a video on social media platforms X and Facebook on Wednesday, claiming that it shows Lionel Messi winking at a referee during the Argentina vs Egypt match on July 7. However, the video is from the Argentina-Cape Verde contest, which took place on July 4.

Messi and Argentina received backlash over match-fixing accusations after their 3-2 comeback win over Egypt. Football fans called out a controversial VAR decision, which disallowed the third goal for Egypt. The referee ruled that Egypt&rsquo;s Marwan Attia had fouled Argentina defender Lisandro Mart&iacute;nez in the opposite penalty box.

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan also argued with the referee after they were denied two penalty calls inside the box, particularly after an alleged foul on Mohamed Salah prior to a decisive Argentinian breakaway.

How it started

Today, an X user, who appears to be a football fan based on his previous posts, shared a video showing Messi winking at a referee with the following caption: &ldquo;Messi was spotted winking at the referee after Argentina were 2:0 down.&rdquo;

The post racked up 1.5 million views.

Another user shared the same clip on Facebook with the following caption: &ldquo;Messi winked at the referee, no words needed.&rdquo;

It gained 753,000 views.

Another account posted the same video with a similar caption, accumulating 691,000 views.

The same clip was posted by another user on X with the following caption: &ldquo;Messi was spotted winking at the referee after Argentina were trailing 2-0.&rdquo;

It garnered 15,700 views.

Several other X users also shared the same video, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here; collectively gaining 24,000 views.

Although none of the viral posts explicitly claimed the clip was from the Argentina vs Egypt match, many implied it by referencing Egypt&rsquo;s 2&ndash;0 lead and sharing the video shortly after the game. The clip circulated amid controversy over refereeing decisions, with some users using it to support allegations that Messi had influenced the referees.

Methodology

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to high virality and keen public interest in the controversy surrounding the Argentina vs Egypt match.

An analysis of the viral clip revealed a username appearing in the video. A subsequent keyword search on the said username yielded a TikTok post dated July 4 with the caption: &ldquo;Cape Verde Had it&rdquo;.



@simply_nikkib_

Cape Verde HAD it #worldcup #fifa #worldcup2026
♬ original sound - SimplyNikkiB



This showed that the clip predates Argentina&rsquo;s July 7 match against Egypt, while the caption claims it shows scenes from the Argentina-Cape Verde game.

A visual review of the video also showed that at the six-second mark, the venue of the match, visible under the FIFA logo, was Miami, while the Egypt-Argentina match was played at the Atlanta Stadium, also known as the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in Georgia.



According to FIFA&rsquo;s official website and several other mainstream media outlets such as Al Jazeera, Reuters, and The Guardian, Argentina played Cape Verde in Miami on July 4.

Moreover, a reverse image search yielded several social media posts dated July 4 &mdash; the day of the Argentina vs Cape Verde match &mdash; wherein the viral video was shared, as can be seen here, here, here, and here.

A further review of the video of the Argentina-Cape Verde match showed the moment Messi winked at the referee after the final whistle, at the 2:24:17 mark. This proves that the clip circulating online was not from the July 7 Argentina-Egypt game.

Fact-check status: misleading

The claim that a viral video shows Messi winking at the referee after Argentina&rsquo;s July 7 match against Egypt is misleading.

The clip shows scenes from Argentina&rsquo;s match with Cape Verde on July 4.

This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan &mdash; a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.]]>
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			<title>Fact check: Viral video does not show Norwegian footballer Haaland congratulating Israeli soldier on killing Palestinians</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2615772/fact-check-viral-video-does-not-show-haaland-congratulating-israeli-soldier-on-killing-palestinians</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2615772/fact-check-viral-video-does-not-show-haaland-congratulating-israeli-soldier-on-killing-palestinians#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 26 15:30:47 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Fact Check By iVerify]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2615772</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Haaland did call an Israeli soldier, but not to congratulate him on killing Palestinians]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Multiple pro-Palestinian users on social media platform X have been sharing a clip since Monday, claiming it showed Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland calling an Israeli soldier to congratulate him on killing Palestinians. However, Haaland&rsquo;s call was actually to ask about the soldier&rsquo;s well-being after his captivity and had nothing to do with Palestinians.

Omer Shem Tov, a 22-year-old Israeli national, spent 505 days in Hamas captivity after he was captured at the Nova Music Festival in Israel on October 7, 2023.

How it started

On June 29, a pro-Palestinian user, based on their username and past posts, shared a video on X showing Haaland video calling an Israeli soldier who was held in Gaza.

The caption of the post read: &ldquo;Norwegian Manchester City player &lsquo;Erling Haaland&rsquo; calls an Israeli soldier who was a prisoner in Gaza, to congratulate him on killing 100,000 Palestinians, most of whom are children and women. Before you support or encourage any non-Muslim player, you must know his background and positions on clear humanitarian issues&rdquo;

The post gained 2.8 million views.

Another pro-Palestinian user, based on their past posts, shared the same video with the same caption on X. The post gained 95,000 views.

The same video was also shared by multiple other users on X, further amplifying the virality, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

Methodology

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to high virality and keen public interest in the FIFA World Cup and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The transcription of the clip is provided below:

Haaland: &ldquo;How are you doing?&rdquo;
Shem Tov: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m good, I&rsquo;m good, thank you. Thank you so much for calling me. Thank you.&rdquo;
Haaland: &ldquo;No problem. We just wanted to say hi. Everything going good with you today?&rdquo;
Shem Tov: &ldquo;Amazing, amazing, amazing. Thank God. I really appreciate what you&rsquo;re doing, and I really appreciate&hellip; I really like you, Haaland.&rdquo;
Haaland: &ldquo;Thank you so much.&rdquo;
Shem Tov: &ldquo;How you play, you&rsquo;re amazing.&rdquo;
Haaland: &ldquo;Thank you.&rdquo;
Shem Tov: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s amazing. I&rsquo;m so excited to&hellip;&rdquo;

As the transcript shows, Haaland only asked Shem Tov how he was doing. He did not mention Palestinians or congratulate him on killing Palestinian civilians.

A reverse image search yielded the same video shared by Israeli sports outlet Sports 5 on April 16, 2025. According to Sports 5, Haaland called to ask about the safety of hostage survivor Shem Tov.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIg-jiSO8q1/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

A keyword search also yielded several news reports by local Israeli media outlets such as Y Net News, I Sports, and Israel Hayom sharing the same video, mentioning that Haaland had a video call with Shem Tov and asked him how he was doing. None of the outlets reported that Haaland congratulated him for killing Palestinians.

To confirm his military status, keyword searches were conducted, which yielded an interview with Shem Tov shared on March 3, 2026, by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University on YouTube, where he can be heard mentioning that he had just completed his mandatory service in the Israeli Army before he was taken captive. A report by the Israeli newspaper, Jewish Exponent also stated the same.

As per these reports, he did serve in the Israeli Defence Forces just before being taken captive by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/live/qd3FQdSumWU?si=6tM-OLS5JFDrSanX

Fact-check status: misleading

The claim that a viral video shows Norwegian player Erling Haaland calling an Israeli soldier who was held in Gaza to congratulate him on killing 100,000 Palestinians is misleading.

Haaland did make a video call to Shem Tov, but only to ask how he was doing. He did not mention Palestine or congratulate him for killing Palestinian civilians.

This fact check was&nbsp;originally published&nbsp;by iVerify Pakistan &mdash; a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.]]>
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			<title>Norris finds pace to edge Hamilton</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620221/norris-finds-pace-to-edge-hamilton</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620221/norris-finds-pace-to-edge-hamilton#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 14:05:50 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620221</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He clocked one minute and 17.939 seconds]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[World champion Lando Norris topped the times for McLaren ahead of Ferrari&#39;s Lewis Hamilton in Saturday&#39;s third and final free practice ahead of Sunday&#39;s Hungarian Grand Prix.

On a day of dust and heat at the Hungaroring circuit, Norris clocked one minute and 17.939 seconds to beat Hamilton by 0.117sec.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was third-fastest for Mercedes, 0.129 adrift.

It was the first time this year that a Mercedes had not topped the final practice session ahead of qualifying, confirming how closely-contested this weekend&#39;s racing has been.

Charles Leclerc was fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren with George Russell sixth for Mercedes ahead of the Red Bulls of four-time champion Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.

Liam Lawson was ninth for Racing Bulls and Nico Hulkenberg 10th for Audi while the two Aston Martins, using the team&#39;s new B-spec cars, wound up 17th and 18th with two-time champion Fernando Alonso edging ahead of Lance Stroll.

Following overnight repairs to the track&nbsp; in response to driver complaints about the bumpy surface, the session began with Franco Colapinto leading out in his Alpine in sizzling heat with a track temperature of 52 degrees Celsius.

After 15 minutes, there were only Valtteri Bottas, Hulkenberg and Lance Stroll, his Aston Martin newly repaired after a suspension failure on Friday, had joined Colapinto.

Piastri and Leclerc then ventured out.

Alpine&#39;s impressive rookie Arvid Lindblad was absent, until the final minutes, with a power-unit problem discovered after the team had performed curfew-breaking repairs on Colapinto&#39;s car following his Friday crash.

A red flag halted the action after 21 minutes when Sergio Perez&#39;s Cadillac came to a halt at turn two, re-named Hamilton this year,&nbsp; brakes ablaze after over-heating.

After a five-minute pause, the action resumed with Antonelli and Verstappen joining the fray.

With 35 minutes gone, Antonelli was 20th, his best lap erased for exceeding track limits but after pitting he went second and then top.

The Italian had rediscovered his vim and his Mercedes was much improved overnight.

Norris responded with a faster lap before Ferrari sent both cars out on new soft tyres with 10 minutes remaining.

Hamilton, showing pure pace, took command, only for Norris to drive the first lap under 1min 18sec and edge Hamilton by a tenth of a second.]]>
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			<title>Pogacar breaks Alpe d'Huez record</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620204/pogacar-breaks-alpe-dhuez-record</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620204/pogacar-breaks-alpe-dhuez-record#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:57:34 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620204</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[It's very cool to win up here, says the race leader]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Tadej Pogacar stormed to victory in a record-breaking time on Alpe d&#39;Huez amid a &quot;crazy atmosphere&quot; on Friday&#39;s 19th stage as he extended his overall lead at the Tour de France.

Having launched his attack with 12km left, the reigning champion finally caught Richard Carapaz and Lenny Martinez inside the final two kilometres.

He then surged clear with 800m left and in doing so broke late Italian Marco Pantani&#39;s 31-year-old record for the Alpe d&#39;Huez ascent.

&quot;It&#39;s very cool to win up here -- it was a crazy atmosphere,&quot; said Pogacar.

&quot;It was thanks to all the team that I could pull it off in the end.

&quot;I was riding for the team-mates today and it was a great victory.&quot;

Several of Pogacar&#39;s UAE Emirates-XRG team-mates have been suffering with illness and injury, while Brandon McNulty abandoned the race on Thursday with flu-like symptoms.

Pogacar had made up close to three and a half minutes since the foot of the climb and once he caught the leaders, he wasted little time in leaving the pair in his wake.

His time of 35min 26sec was more than a minute quicker than Pantani&#39;s mark from 1995.

&quot;I just wanted to do a good race and to win. A 30-something years record finally broken is good for us,&quot; said Pogacar.

It was a fifth stage victory this year for the 27-year-old Slovenian and a 26th in total since the four-time winner&#39;s Tour debut in 2020.

And, incredibly, it was Pogacar&#39;s first stage victory on Alpe d&#39;Huez -- a remarkable statistic for a man who has dominated cycling for the last six years.

Martinez trailed home six seconds behind Pogacar, with Carapaz, who had won the 18th stage the day before, third at 9sec.

Pogacar increased his lead in the overall standings to more than seven minutes on Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel, who finished the stage sixth, two and a half minutes down.

The two-time world champion is now within touching distance of a record-equalling fifth Tour victory.

Evenepoel managed to eke out a few more seconds in his advantage over third-placed Isaac Del Toro, who did likewise to Paul Seixas in fourth.

Del Toro is now at 9min 42sec with Seixas at 10:06, meaning that their battle for the best young rider&#39;s white jersey will head to Saturday&#39;s decisive penultimate stage before Sunday&#39;s procession around Paris.

Martinez did enough to jump two places to fifth overall, just nine seconds ahead of Mattias Skjelmose, who finished the stage in eighth at 2min 45sec.]]>
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			<title>Lyles wins US 100m title in world-leading 9.79sec</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620201/lyles-wins-us-100m-title-in-world-leading-979sec</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620201/lyles-wins-us-100m-title-in-world-leading-979sec#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:21:35 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620201</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[This was his third US 100m title]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Olympic gold medallist Noah Lyles powered to his third US 100m title in a world-leading 9.79sec on Friday at the US athletics championships.

Lyles, trailing at the start, surged over the final 30 meters for a convincing victory over veteran Ronnie Baker, who edged Kenny Bednarek for second.

Both were credited with a time of 9.88, with Bednarek taking third. Former world champion Christian Coleman came in fourth in 9.93.

&quot;In my head, the distance was already made up,&quot; Lyles told broadcaster NBC of the early gap he erased. &quot;Coach said &#39;put my hand in their pocket, don&#39;t let &#39;em get away.&#39;

&quot;I saw where Christian was and I said: &#39;Oh yeah, my hand is all the way in there,&#39; and I just pulled him back and I did what I do,&quot; added Lyles.

He matched the personal best he set in winning Olympic gold in Paris in 2024 and improved on the previous world leading time this year of 9.82 set by Oblique Seville at the Jamaican championships in June.

Sha&#39;Carri Richardson, the 2023 world champion and 2024 Olympic silver medallist, clocked 10.77sec (wind 0.9m/sec) to win her third national 100m title.

The 26-year-old Texan, whose difficult 2025 campaign saw her finish off the podium in her 100m world championship defense, pulled away relentlessly from training partner Kayla White, who finished second in 10.90.

Tamari Davis was third in 11.00.

&quot;It just feels phenomenal to be back in a better place, just healthy mentally, physically and emotionally,&quot; Richardson said. &quot;Everything me and coach have been working on, it&#39;s starting to show consistently.&quot;

Lyles will be back in action Saturday in the 200m heats.

In a year with no World Championships or Olympic team berths on the line, some well-known names opted out of the national championships or tweaked their programs at Icahn Stadium in New York City.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who swept 100m, 200m and 4x100m gold at last September&#39;s World Championships, skipped the 100m and will launch her campaign in the 200m heats on Saturday.

Quincy Hall, the 400m gold medallist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, failed to advance from the heats as his 46.47 left him in 16th place in a field led by Khaleb McRae&#39;s 44.65.

Cooper Lutkenhaus, the 17-year-old sensation who has bagged two Diamond League victories this year in his first season on the elite circuit, moved safely into the men&#39;s 800m final, winning his heat in 1:45.83.

Lutkenhaus clocked the third-fastest time of the first round, led by Wes Ferguson&#39;s 1:45.17.

Donovan Brazier, the 2019 world champion who held off Lutkenhaus to capture the national title last year, failed to advance.]]>
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			<title>Croatia Olympic official quits</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620207/croatia-olympic-official-quits</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620207/croatia-olympic-official-quits#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 10:26:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620207</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Damir Segota, and his wife were arrested on Thursday]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A Croatian Olympic Committee official arrested over alleged corruption has quit, the body said Friday in the latest fallout from a graft scandal at the country&#39;s ski federation.

The arrest comes as investigators seek the extradition of former alpine ski director Vedran Pavlek, who is currently held in Kazakhstan, over allegations that he led a scheme that siphoned off nearly 30 million euros ($35 million) from the national ski federation - a case that has shocked the country.

The director of the committee&#39;s Olympic programme, Damir Segota, and his wife were arrested on Thursday, their lawyers confirmed.

The pair were questioned, and the wife was released.

Searches were carried out in the Olympic Committee offices of Segota and secretary general Sinisa Krajac.

Investigators questioned the latter as a witness, and no criminal proceedings had been launched against him, the committee said earlier.

Segota was remanded in one-month detention on Friday over concerns he could influence witnesses.

&quot;Individual cases must not cast a shadow on the thousands of athletes, coaches, sports workers and national sports federations who, with their work, contribute to the development of Croatian sport every day,&quot; the committee said in a statement announcing Segota&#39;s resignation.

In March, prosecutors launched an investigation into six people, including Pavlek. He was later arrested in Kazakhstan.

On Friday, prosecutors said they had expanded the investigation with allegations of bribery and money laundering, adding Segota as another suspect.

Pavlek, the prime suspect in the affair, allegedly bribed Segota to &quot;unlawfully favour&quot; the ski federation, a prosecutors&#39; statement said.

Prosecutors allege that the ski federation&#39;s funding was then increased by more than two million euros.

Segota is suspected of receiving at least 160,000 euros in cash bribes through an intermediary, as well as nearly 10,000 euros for his son&#39;s scholarship.

He attempted to conceal the alleged illegal gains by purchasing investment gold, the statement said.

The scandal has already triggered the resignation of long-time Olympic Committee head Zlatko Matesa.

&quot;This whole matter must be fully cleared up, there can be no doubt about that,&quot; Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told reporters on Friday.

&quot;It is clear that there were individuals who abused their positions within the sports system.&quot;

Pavlek&#39;s tenure marked Croatia&#39;s most successful era in skiing when siblings Janica and Ivica Kostelic won 10 Olympic medals.

The country of just 3.8 million people boasts remarkable sporting successes -- from Olympic gold medallists to football World Cup finalists.

But with virtually no domestic ski infrastructure, the Kostelic siblings&#39; achievements were a particular source of national pride.]]>
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			<title>Youthful Bearman believes he can win</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620200/youthful-bearman-believes-he-can-win</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620200/youthful-bearman-believes-he-can-win#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:18:44 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620200</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The Englishman started his second full season strongly for Haas]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Oliver Bearman has made a spotty start to his Formula One career, but he told AFP he has &quot;what it takes to become a world champion&quot;, hopefully for Ferrari.

At just 21, the Englishman started his second full season strongly for Haas, with top-10 finishes in the first two races but has since picked up only one more point.

Part of a quintet of youngsters in the paddock, Bearman trails behind Franco Colapinto and Isack Hadjar, in their early twenties, as well as 18-year-old Arvid Lindblad.

But they have all been overshadowed by Kimi Antonelli, who turns 20 next month and tops the driver standings with more points than the other four put together.

Talking exclusively to AFP, Bearman said that having competed with Antonelli at youth level, he is encouraged by the Italian&#39;s success.

&quot;I raced alongside Kimi. I was comparing myself with him for one year,&quot; said Bearman.

&quot;He&#39;s racing in the World Championship fight, so that gives me confidence that one day, if I have the best car, I can do the same.

&quot;I know I have what it takes to become a world champion.&quot;

Nonetheless, Bearman conceded that &quot;there&#39;s a lot of external factors which are out of the driver&#39;s hands&quot;.

&quot;There&#39;s been lots of drivers who are deserving of a world champion who never got it,&quot; the Chelmsford native said.

&quot;I have the confidence in myself that I have what it takes.

&quot;If you don&#39;t have that, then you shouldn&#39;t turn up to the track.&quot;

He said he is progressing as a driver even though Haas are battling to stay competitive.

&quot;We started incredibly strong, which is a really cool moment for the team and everybody. In terms of personal performance, I feel like I&#39;m in a really good place. I&#39;m really happy with what I&#39;m doing,&quot; Bearman said.

Bearman joined the Ferrari driver academy aged 16. At 18, he became the Scuderia&#39;s youngest Formula One driver when he finished seventh in Saudi Arabia in 2024. Later that season he raced twice for Ferrari-powered Haas, recording a pair of top-10 finishes.

Last season, Bearman became a full-time Haas driver. The high point was fourth place in Mexico which, in the team&#39;s 11th season, was one of their best ever finishes.

The Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps last weekend was the 10th of potentially 24 scheduled races this season.

&quot;I see a good amount of evolution, a good amount of growth,&quot; he said.

&quot;If I compare what I was doing, my mindset heading into Spa last year versus this year, I&#39;m a much more complete driver. I&#39;ve learned so much. I understand my place within the team. I understand how to get the most out of the team and the most out of myself as well.&quot;

&nbsp;

&#39;Love to drive in red again&#39; 

In the new hybrid-car era, with teams continually updating their cars as they grapple with the technological challenges, Bearman said that mid-table rivals Racing Bulls, Alpine and Audi &quot;seem to have jumped ahead of us&quot;.

&quot;It&#39;s also a big motivator for us to keep pushing,&quot; he said.

&quot;After the summer break, we have some more stuff coming and hopefully that can get us back to where we started this season.

&quot;I feel like I&#39;m performing at a really good level, but the car is not giving me what it takes to get in the points.&quot;

As Formula One approaches its annual game of musical car seats, Bearman&#39;s future is uncertain.

&quot;I don&#39;t have a contract for next year. It&#39;s tough on one hand because it&#39;s not nice to be unsure about what the future holds,&quot; he said, adding: &quot;I&#39;m deserving of a seat in Formula 1.

&quot;I have had a lot of trust put in me by Ferrari who put me here.

&quot;I would love to drive in red again one day.&quot;]]>
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			<title>Scott splits Australian swim dominance</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620199/scott-splits-australian-swim-dominance</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620199/scott-splits-australian-swim-dominance#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:16:22 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620199</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He set a Games record to win the 200-metre individual medley]]>
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				<![CDATA[Duncan Scott delivered hosts Scotland&#39;s first gold medal of the Commonwealth Games to break up Australia&#39;s dominance of the pool on the first full day of action in Glasgow on Friday.

With the programme nearly halved to just 10 sports, swimming is the highlight of the schedule across the opening weekend.

Scott set a Games record of 1min 56.38sec to win the 200-metre individual medley from New Zealand&#39;s Lewis Clareburt and England&#39;s Thomas Dean.

The 29-year-old now has four Commonwealth golds and 14 medals in total.

&quot;It was a tough one because you really want to give the team some good momentum early doors and being one of the senior members of the team, the onus was on me,&quot; said Scott.

&quot;I was a bit nervous before that. Those boys made it tough, but I&#39;m happy with that. It&#39;s a good way to start the meet.&quot;

Elsewhere, Australia&#39;s green and gold topped the podium, with an extra bonus for those who emerged victorious.

Mining baron Gina Rinehart, Australia&#39;s richest person, is funding an incentive scheme of 20,000 Australian dollars ($14,000) for every gold medal and 30,000 Australian dollars for breaking a world record.

Aussie swimmers dominated in Birmingham four years ago, taking home nearly half of the 52 gold medals on offer, and won four of the five finals on opening night.

Lani Pallister was first to cash in as she led an Australian 1-2-3 in the women&#39;s 400m freestyle.

Jenna Forrester took bronze in the first medal race of the night and then denied Katie Shanahan a Scottish gold to narrowly edge the women&#39;s 200m backstroke.

Australia led home England and South Africa in both the men&#39;s and women&#39;s 4x100m freestyle races.

The Australian men&#39;s team of Flynn Southam, Kai Taylor, Harrison Turner and Kyle Chalmers set a new Games record of 3mins 09.49sec.

By securing South Africa&#39;s bronze on the final leg of the men&#39;s race, Chad le Clos set a record with his 19th Commonwealth medal, more than any other male athlete.

Adam Ramsay-Peaty cruised into the final of the men&#39;s 100m breaststroke back at the scene of his first international medals at the 2014 Games.

The three-time Olympic gold medallist set the fastest time in the semi-finals.

&nbsp;

Canada win disrupted gymnastics 

Canada claimed gold in the men&#39;s gymnastics team final, but the event was overshadowed by a sickening fall for England&#39;s Gabriel Langton.

England were second heading into the final apparatus on the high bar when Langton slipped off and came down head first.

The 19-year-old was able to move his arms and legs before being carefully stretchered away from the arena, but the competition was held up for 20 minutes as he received medical attention.

The fall also allowed Canada to ease to gold, with England taking silver and Australia edging out Scotland for bronze.

&quot;It was really tough. We just had to reset, try to put it to one side mentally and focus on the job we had to do. I think everyone should be proud of the way we carried on after Gabe&#39;s fall,&quot; said England&#39;s Luke Whitehouse.

Mark Swan won the first gold of the Games with a dramatic victory in the men&#39;s lightweight category of the para powerlifting.

Swan thought he had come up short after failing with his final lift, but he had in fact topped the standings ahead of Nigeria&#39;s Roland Ezuruike by the slimmest of margins, based on a coefficient related to body weight.

Swan lifted 222kg, more than three times his body weight, with his second lift, but said: &quot;I came back off the third lift and thought, &#39;Well, I&#39;ve got bronze&#39;. My coach said &#39;good job on gold&#39;. I thought he was winding me up!&quot;

Nigeria dominated the other para powerlifting events with three golds, including a world record of 175kg for Folashade Oluwafemiayo in the heavyweight division.]]>
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			<title>James hopes to bring title magic to 76ers</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620198/james-hopes-to-bring-title-magic-to-76ers</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620198/james-hopes-to-bring-title-magic-to-76ers#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 09:14:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620198</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He has won four titles in a 23-year career]]>
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				<![CDATA[LeBron James announced on Friday he will play for the Philadelphia 76ers next season, with the 41-year-old NBA superstar hoping to transform another franchise into a championship team.

James, the NBA all-time scoring leader and a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, has won four titles in a 23-year career, most recently with the Los Angeles Lakers.

But &quot;King James&quot; announced on June 30 that he would depart the Lakers as a free agent, sparking a frenzy of speculation as to his next team.

&quot;I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time,&quot; James posted on X.

James sparked the Miami Heat to NBA crowns in 2013 and 2014, brought his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers a title in 2016 and delivered a championship for the Lakers in 2020.

He&#39;s looking to become the first player to win a title with four different clubs by making the same magic happen in what Rich Paul, James&#39;s agent, tells ESPN will be a two-year deal worth $8 million.

The NBA legend was considering several clubs but will join a 76ers team that traded for forward Jaylen Brown from Boston and boasts a lineup that will also include star center Joel Embiid and guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

&quot;#throwtheballup&quot; Brown posted on X in reaction to the news while Maxey, who called fellow Paul client James to entice him to Philly, was screaming with joy on social media over his &quot;recruiting&quot; skills.

James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals a game for the Lakers last season and said he was considering retirement when the campaign concluded.

&quot;I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn&#39;t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game,&quot; James posted on X.

&quot;I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game.&quot;

James rekindled his desire to play while pondering his future.

&quot;I still truly love this game, and I have more to give,&quot; he posted. &quot;The last few weeks have really been special. I&#39;ve never been able to have no clue what to do and take real time to just think. I&#39;ve had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out.&quot;

Paul played up the potential clubs James could join during more than three weeks of mystery about where he might sign.

Would James return home to Cleveland, return to Miami, join pals Stephen Curry and Draymond Green at Golden State or find another contender?

&quot;This is my last decision,&quot; James, who had made three prior heavily scrutinized free agent moves in his career, posted. &quot;I&#39;m not going for money. I&#39;m not going for family.

&quot;What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.&quot;

James did send his regrets to some of his other suitors, posting: &quot;Thank you LA. Miami I&#39;ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always be home!&quot;

The indecision had become a strain for the business side of the NBA, commissioner Adam Silver saying he could not commit to a schedule for the upcoming season until he knew where James landed, telecasters hoping to fill their lineups with LeBron and his new teammates.

&nbsp;

No title since 1983 

The Sixers have reached the playoffs in eight of the past nine years but never advanced beyond the second round, where they were swept out this past season by eventual champion New York.

The 76ers last reached the NBA Finals in 2001, losing to the Lakers, and last won the title in 1983 -- when Julius Erving sparked a Finals sweep of the Lakers.

James and Embiid were teammates on the US squad that captured gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse, who celebrated his 59th birthday on Friday, guided the Toronto Raptors to the 2019 NBA title.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro declared it LeBron James Day in the state, saying, &quot;Welcome to the City of Brotherly Love KingJames.&quot;

NFL running back Saquon Barkley, who sparked the Philadelphia Eagles to the 2025 Super Bowl title, offered area golf advice, posting on X: &quot;Welcome to the city! Let me know when you tryna tee it up.&quot;]]>
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			<title>Malaysia back in the F1 frame</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620056/malaysia-back-in-the-f1-frame</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620056/malaysia-back-in-the-f1-frame#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 26 18:30:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620056</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Bahrain unlikely to be rescheduled]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Malaysian Grand Prix could return to the Formula One calendar as a stand-in this season as hopes of racing in Bahrain recede due to conflict in the &zwnj;region, informed sources said on Thursday.

April grands prix at Sakhir and Saudi Arabia (Jeddah) were&nbsp;both called off&nbsp;due to the Iran war but attempts to reschedule a round in Bahrain had looked promising until the situation flared up again.

Multiple sources at the Hungarian Grand Prix told Reuters there were a number of replacement options being looked at, with nothing decided, but Malaysia&#39;s Sepang circuit was one of those on the ⁠list.

A likely slot would be between Baku on September 26 and Singapore on October 11.

MALAYSIA OFF THE CALENDAR SINCE 2017

Malaysia last hosted a Formula One Grand Prix in 2017 but has remained on the MotoGP calendar and is of the grade required by governing body the FIA. State oil company Petronas is also a partner of current Formula One leaders Mercedes.

Another alternative in the Asia region was Japan&#39;s Suzuka circuit but one source said there was less appetite from teams to return there for a second time this season.

The Middle East is due to host the year&#39;s last two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi in late November/early December, and &zwnj;while they ⁠remain scheduled at present there is lingering uncertainty.

For logistical reasons, any decision on a replacement for Bahrain would need to be taken before the August break, which follows Sunday&#39;s race at the Hungaroring.

The FIA&#39;s World Motor Sport Council is due to vote this weekend on postponed World Endurance Championship (WEC) rounds scheduled for Bahrain and Qatar in October and November, with ⁠the expectation that they will be moved to European circuits.

Formula One is understood to be awaiting the outcome of that vote.

Portugal&#39;s Portimao circuit,&nbsp;due to return next sea&nbsp;son&nbsp;as part of a two-year deal, has also been touted as a likely host ⁠to increase the number of races should Qatar and Abu Dhabi be forced to drop out while Barcelona may also be an option.

Given the warmer climate in Portugal&#39;s Algarve region, the circuit near Faro is seen as ⁠one of few in Europe able to host Formula One in the winter months.

Formula One&#39;s 2026 season was originally scheduled as a 24-race championship and the addition of replacement races would satisfy broadcast deals and could bring the number back to 22 or 23.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Commonwealth Games 'where champions are made'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619871/commonwealth-games-where-champions-are-made</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619871/commonwealth-games-where-champions-are-made#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 26 18:17:55 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619871</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The competition will take place from 23rd July]]>
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				<![CDATA[The president of Commonwealth Sport, Dr. Donald Rukare, told AFP the Commonwealth Games remains a stage &quot;where champions are made&quot; as Glasgow prepares to host a slimmed down version of the event.

The Games were plunged into crisis when the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as hosts in July 2023, citing rising costs.

Glasgow also played host 12 years ago and was therefore in position to offer the solution of a condensed format using existing venues to minimise taxpayer costs.

A 10-sport and six para-sport event -- down from a 19-sport and eight para-sport programme four years ago in Birmingham -- begins on Thursday with King Charles set to attend the opening ceremony and declare the Games open.

&quot;We had that dark cloud over us in terms of having no Games, but Glasgow stepped in. Scotland the brave as we say,&quot; said Rukare.

First held 96 years ago, the Commonwealth Games evolved out of the British Empire Games and now comprises 74 nations and territories, mainly countries that were once subject to British imperial rule.

Positioned two years either side of the Olympic Games, the Commonwealths have historically served as an important staging post for stars of the future.

&quot;It&#39;s about the athletes,&quot; added Rukare. &quot;For some of the athletes, they&#39;re going to be representing their countries, their territories, for the first time and we believe that the Commonwealth Games is where champions are made.&quot;

Swimming and athletics are now the only two compulsory sports in the Commonwealth programme, designed to give potential hosts more flexibility.

But Rukare is confident that the future of the event is looking up.

The Indian city of Ahmedabad has already been confirmed as host for the centenary games in 2030, with strong interest from New Zealand among other candidates for 2034.

&quot;It won&#39;t remain at the 10 sports for sure, but we&#39;re looking at probably something in the range of between 15 and 18 sports going forward,&quot; he said.

&quot;At the end of the day, what we&#39;re looking for is how do we have a sustainable, smart, agile model, but also responding to the needs and aspirations of the athletes.&quot;

&#39;Mosaic of cultures&#39;

The success or otherwise of the Ahmedabad Games could play a pivotal role in the Commonwealth project.

Six of the last seven editions of the event have taken place in the UK or Australia.

Only twice before have the Games gone to Asia and, despite boasting a huge number of the competing nations, they have never been to Africa.

Ahmedabad&#39;s candidacy is seen in India as a stepping stone towards the goal of hosting the 2036 Olympics and authorities hope it will establish the world&#39;s most populous nation as a sporting destination.

&quot;We&#39;d like to see that the Commonwealth family, Commonwealth Sport, reflect the diversity, the multicultural cultures that we have,&quot; added Rukare, an Ugandan.

&quot;Going to one of the biggest countries in the Commonwealth, building on from Delhi 2010, there&#39;s no doubt that India now is a different place. They are ready to go.

&quot;We&#39;d like to see how India will definitely put on a good show, maybe down the road sometime in the future, Africa could host the Games.

&quot;So we&#39;re really trying to commit to the Games right across the Commonwealth, to be able to show the whole mosaic of the culture and beautiful tapestry that we have of all our 74 territories.&quot;

Amul joins as Official Partner&nbsp;

Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), popularly known as Amul, has been announced as an Official Partner of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and Presenting Partner for the Weightlifting, Para Powerlifting and Boxing competitions.&nbsp;

Amul has also become an Official Supporter of Commonwealth Sport.&nbsp;

Through their role as an Official Partner of Glasgow 2026 and Presenting Partner of Weightlifting, Para Powerlifting and Boxing, Amul aims to further its mission of promoting milk and dairy products as a natural source of energy and nutrition for athletes.&nbsp;

As the world&#39;s largest farmer-owned dairy cooperative, Amul represents 3.6 million farmers and was ranked the world&#39;s leading cooperative in the International Cooperative Alliance&#39;s World Cooperative Monitor 2025. The cooperative collects around 32 million litres of milk each day.&nbsp;

The organisation describes milk as &quot;The World&#39;s Original Energy Drink&quot;.&nbsp;

At Glasgow 2026, the Para Powerlifting competition will take place on 24 July, with Weightlifting running from 26-30 July and Boxing held from 24 July to 1 August.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Making of the Tour de France route</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619667/making-of-the-tour-de-france-route</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619667/making-of-the-tour-de-france-route#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 26 16:01:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619667</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Work on each year's route begins three years ahead of time]]>
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				<![CDATA[As cycling fans on the roadside and watching at home on television marvel at the stunning scenery on view at the Tour de France, organisers ASO are already planning the next editions of the Grande Boucle.&nbsp;

Work on each year&#39;s Tour route begins three years ahead of time, when Tour director Christian Prudhomme settles on the city that will host the Grand Depart for that edition.

After that, he decides which direction the race will set off in, and starts to pick the departure and arrival towns for each of the 21 stages from a list of 300 candidates -- including 50 foreign ones.

Several factors go into that decision-making process.

&quot;If we only took sporting issues into consideration, every year we would be there,&quot; Prudhomme told AFP in his office before the Tour, pointing to the southern half of a map of France pinned to his wall.

&quot;Because that is where you can do anything you want: flat, medium mountains, very tough (mountains).

&quot;But then you also have Brittany, the land of cyclists; the north, who gave us an incredible reception last year; Normandy, where every time there is a crazy number of fans.

&quot;Over a period of four or five years, we go just about everywhere.&quot;

Beautiful scenery is a key consideration because &quot;people also watch the Tour for the beauty of its landscapes&quot;.

Special attention is also paid to weekend stages and the one on Bastille Day -- France&#39;s national holiday -- as those attract the largest television audiences.

And then there are the non-negotiables.

&quot;You could put 50 mountains but if there isn&#39;t the Tourmalet, Galibier, Ventoux or Alpe d&#39;Huez, people will say that there were no mountains,&quot; said Prudhomme.

&#39;10 miracles&#39;

And then there is the sense of history and sentiment, such as when the Tour passed through the village of Castelnau-Magnoac, the birthplace of France&#39;s national rugby team captain Antoine Dupont ahead of the 2023 World Cup in the country.

Back in 2014, there were seven stages that largely followed the World War I frontline of 100 years earlier.

&quot;I love it when a stage can be viewed in different ways,&quot; said Prudhomme.

Once he has decided the 21 departure and finish towns, it is over to route director Thierry Gouvenou to lay out the exact 3,000-kilometre path that the peloton will embark upon.

That begins for the following year once the Tour finishes at the end of July.

&quot;At the end of August, Christian gives me the list of stage towns,&quot; Gouvenou told AFP before the Tour began.

&quot;From that point, it takes up my whole time. Generally, I design the course in one month because it has to be finished by September 25.&quot;

Firstly, he uses mapping and cycling apps to design the route, while he also receives a plethora of messages from cycling enthusiasts with suggestions.

Then, he gets in his car to visit potential &quot;trouble spots&quot; where &quot;things could go wrong&quot;.

The main issue is town centres, which can contain unexpected hazards -- such as traffic calming infrastructure which can provide obstacles to the safe passage of a peloton of more than 180 riders.&nbsp;

Once the route is fixed, Gouvenou sets about driving the course of each and every stage.

&quot;I don&#39;t do it alone. We&#39;re in teams of two. We jot down everything: the dangers, the layout, and we decide already on where to have the intermediate sprints and the climb summits.&quot;

The Tour route is then revealed in October in Paris, nine months before the race begins.

Although, there are always some late crises, such as for the second stage this year when the route had to be diverted away from an area that had seen an outbreak of swine flu.

&quot;The regions are hyper-vigilant. There are often 10 miracles achieved&quot; to avert last-minute problems, said Gouvenou, a former professional cyclist.]]>
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			<title>Burns leads British Open</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619170/burns-leads-british-open</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619170/burns-leads-british-open#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 19 Jul 26 18:29:22 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619170</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He fired a 65 to seize two-shot lead]]>
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			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Sam Burns will take a two-shot lead into Sunday&#39;s final round of the British Open as Rory McIlroy launched a scathing attack on Bryson DeChambeau after his third round on Saturday.

American Burns is one of three players to match the record low score at a major of 62 at Royal Birkdale over the past two days and backed up his historic second round with a 65 to move to 10 under par.

Ryan Fox joined the 62 club with the best round of the day to get to eight under, alongside South Korea&#39;s Kim Si-woo.

DeChambeau&#39;s two-shot penalty after his second round on Friday for &quot;inadvertently improving&quot; his lie as he addressed his second shot at the fifth hole could still prove crucial.

The American was one under for the day to get to six under for the tournament and would likely have been in Sunday&#39;s final group but for the sanction.

DeChambeau appeared to trample down long grass as he addressed his ball for a practice swing.

After an animated discussion with a rules official at the site of the incident, Sky Sports reported DeChambeau had even threatened to withdraw from the tournament late on Friday.

That resulted in a delay to tee times being issued for the third round.

McIlroy&#39;s hopes of adding to his six majors look forlorn after a third round 69 left him at two under for the tournament.

But the Northern Irishman was still the focus of attention after he did not hold back on DeChambeau&#39;s antics.

&quot;I won&#39;t pretend to be up here and defend Bryson. I&#39;m not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it&#39;s performative. I think a lot of it&#39;s for attention,&quot; said the Masters champion.

&quot;To hold the tournament hostage like that, and to have all of us, players, volunteers, everyone waiting on him to depart, I didn&#39;t feel like it was a great look.&quot;

New dad bounce for Burns

Burns is yet to win a major, but finished just one shot behind Wyndham Clark at the US Open last month.

The world number 18 was not even supposed to travel to England&#39;s north-west coast with his daughter due in the middle of July.

But baby Belle arrived 11 days early and Burns was given the go-ahead by his wife to compete.

Burns said becoming a dad eases the pressure and puts things into perspective ahead of a potentially career-defining round.

&quot;Tomorrow all I can do is play my best and see where it puts me. Go out tomorrow and try to execute,&quot; he said.

&quot;Ultimately whatever happens tomorrow it doesn&#39;t define who I am. That&#39;s a very freeing thing to know. I wish my family was here and counting down the minutes to get home and see them again.&quot;

Fox and Kim are his closest challengers after the big names on the leaderboard failed to make a mark on moving day.

There had only been five rounds of 62 in major history prior to this tournament, but there are now eight after New Zealander Fox joined Lucas Herbert and Burns.

&quot;I think it&#39;s just the good weather conditions. The course is brilliant. It&#39;s obviously very firm and fast,&quot; said Fox on the reason for the spate of 62s.

&quot;You feel like you can shoot a score in the morning and the greens are perfect, that if you do roll it well, you feel like you hole everything.&quot;&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Leader Herbert, Burns equal record 62 at British Open, DeChambeau docked two shots</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618928/leader-herbert-burns-equal-record-62-at-british-open-dechambeau-docked-two-shots</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618928/leader-herbert-burns-equal-record-62-at-british-open-dechambeau-docked-two-shots#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 26 21:29:11 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
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				<![CDATA[They equalled the record for the lowest round in major golf history]]>
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				<![CDATA[Lucas Herbert stormed into a two-shot lead at the British Open on Friday after the Australian and American Sam Burns equalled the record for the lowest round in major golf history on Friday with eight-under par 62s.

Bryson DeChambeau had closed to within one shot of Herbert before being hit by a two-stroke penalty for unintentially improving his lie.

World number 97 Herbert doubled over his putter in anguish as a short attempt for par on the 18th slipped by with the chance to become the first man to post a major round of 61.

Burns followed suit less than an hour later after six birdies on the back nine, including a chip on from the bunker on 18, to move to five under for the tournament.

A dramatic second round took another twist after the close of play when two-time US Open champion DeChambeau was penalised for trampling down grass before his second shot at the fifth hole after a lengthy and animated discussion with rules officials.

Under glorious sunshine in Southport on England&#39;s north-west coast, Herbert got off to a flying start with birdies on his opening three holes and added three more at the fifth, seventh and ninth to hit the turn in 28, a British Open record for the front nine.

His momentum continued with birdies at the 12th and 13th before a perfect approach set up another three at the par-four 16th for a shot at history.

Despite a wayward tee shot at the last, he should still have scrambled for a par, but the moment in front of huge crowds seemed to get to the 30-year-old as two tentative putts resulted in his first bogey of the day.

&quot;It was not lost on me the amount of history in major championships and the opportunity I had to obviously break the record,&quot; said Herbert, who has spent the last two years on the breakaway LIV Tour.

&quot;To tie it as well is still something I&#39;m really proud of.&quot;

Burns took the opposite route to 62 with a six-under 30 on the back nine to surge into contention.

The world number 18 sank a 20-foot birdie at the 17th and then chipped in from the greenside at the last for his share of history.

&quot;I caught myself by surprise,&quot; said Burns. &quot;I think the finish there the last three holes was just a bonus.&quot;

Both players equal the course record set by Branden Grace the last time the British Open was held at Birkdale in 2017, one of five previous rounds of 62 at majors.

McIlroy makes the cut 

World number four Cameron Young is well in the running for his first major at six under par, alongside overnight leader Jackson Suber and Ryan Gerard.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is four shots back but could easily have been at least in a share of the lead but for a series of missed short putts with birdie opportunities for the world number one.

Rory McIlroy recovered from a difficult opening round of 72, that included six bogeys, to at least put himself in position to mount a surge up the leaderboard over the weekend

The six-time major champion posted a 67 to move to one under for the tournament.

&quot;I think the main objective today was to be here for the weekend, which I am,&quot; said McIlroy. &quot;I think if I can get off to a decent start tomorrow, be four of five under for the tournament, I&#39;ll be right in it.&quot;

Tommy Fleetwood&#39;s late charge was met with deafening roars around his home town with three birdies in the final five holes to get to four under par.

World number three Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose were among the big names to miss the cut.]]>
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			<title>McIlroy laments 'stupid mistakes'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618800/mcilroy-laments-stupid-mistakes</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618800/mcilroy-laments-stupid-mistakes#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 26 14:32:50 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
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				<![CDATA[He missed three putts inside five feet (1.5m)]]>
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				<![CDATA[Rory McIlroy remained hopeful he can recover from shooting two over par after his opening round of the British Open that left the Masters champion seven shots off the lead.

In a rollercoaster round at Royal Birkdale, McIlroy bogeyed both par threes on the front nine and then dropped a shot at both par fives on the back nine among six bogeys in total.

Four birdies, including one at the last after a sensational second shot, ensured his quest for a first British Open in 12 years did not end on day one.

&quot;Just too many stupid mistakes. But every time I made a stupid mistake, thankfully I made a birdie to sort of keep myself in it,&quot; said the Northern Irishman.

&quot;Not too far away. Hopefully we&#39;ll get the better conditions tomorrow and maybe the greens are a little bit smoother in the morning.

&quot;Go out there and shoot a good one and get myself right back in it for the weekend.&quot;

McIlroy missed three putts inside five feet (1.5m) and admitted his confidence was rocked early on by misses at the fourth and seventh.

&quot;I missed a couple early on that looked like they were going to break one way and they actually went another way, and then when you get the next one, you&#39;re over it and it&#39;s just very hard to trust that the ball is going to do what you think it&#39;s going to do,&quot; added McIlroy.

&quot;Then you maybe don&#39;t make quite as committed of a stroke.

&quot;It seems like when it gets like that on a day like today, you just keep leaving yourself four-footers.

&quot;Then I missed three four-footers in the space of four holes, and that&#39;s tough to get out of that and stay committed to what you&#39;re trying to do on the greens.&quot;

However, he was among the later starters who endured the worst of the conditions as the wind picked up and further dried out a firm course after precious little rain in recent weeks.

That misfortune is set to be reversed for similar conditions on Friday with McIlroy and playing partners Matt Fitzpatrick and&nbsp;Xander&nbsp;Schauffele&nbsp;among the morning starters at 10.09 am (0909GMT).&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Waerenskjold wins fastest ever TdF stage</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618613/waerenskjold-wins-fastest-ever-tdf-stage</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618613/waerenskjold-wins-fastest-ever-tdf-stage#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 26 15:24:23 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[He launched a long-range sprint to claim victory]]>
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				<![CDATA[Norwegian Soren&nbsp;Waerenskjold&nbsp;launched a long-range sprint to claim victory at the Tour de France on Wednesday in the fastest stage in the race&#39;s history.

Dutchman Olav&nbsp;Kooij, who won the fifth stage, took second at the end of the 161km 11th stage from Vichy to Nevers with Belgian Jasper&nbsp;Philipsen&nbsp;third.

At an average speed of 50.91kph, it was the fastest ever road stage in the 113 editions of the Tour.

&quot;It means everything, it&#39;s my biggest win so far,&quot; said the 26-year-old who was second in the seventh stage to Bordeaux and last year won the&nbsp;Omloop&nbsp;Het&nbsp;Nieuwsblad&nbsp;one-day classic.

&quot;When I came here, I knew that there are two or three guys that are faster than me, but if I&#39;m lucky and I have a good sprint like today, then it&#39;s possible.

&quot;Sometimes I have really good confidence and I believe in myself, but there&#39;s many, many times where I feel super tired and it&#39;s impossible to win here.&quot;

Once again, there was a fairly disjointed sprint finish with none of the teams able to&nbsp;organise&nbsp;a sprint train to set up their fast man.

Kooij&#39;s&nbsp;lead-out rider Cees&nbsp;Bol&nbsp;launched off the front as the main sprinters hesitated, but&nbsp;Waerenskjold&nbsp;was the first to chase after the Dutchman.

He instantly put several bike lengths of daylight between himself and the rest and although both&nbsp;Kooij&nbsp;and&nbsp;Philipsencaught him by the line, they did not have enough strength to edge past&nbsp;Waerenskjold.

Philipsen&nbsp;was initially demoted after the race with his compatriot Milan&nbsp;Fretin&nbsp;given third place but that sanction was overturned on appeal.

Belgian Tim&nbsp;Merlier, who had won the seventh and eighth sprint stages, finished a disappointing 14th.

Eritrean&nbsp;Biniam&nbsp;Girmay&nbsp;finish fifth to cut Mads Pedersen&#39;s lead in the sprinters&#39; green jersey competition to 43 points after the Dane could finish only 10th.

It was the second Tour stage victory for the Norwegian Uno-X Mobility team, which is in its first year as a World Tour outfit, after Jonas Abrahamsen succeeded once last year.

The team also held the yellow jersey for two stages this year with Torstein&nbsp;Traeen&nbsp;before he crashed out with a concussion and broken ribs.

&#39;Strong breakaway&#39;&nbsp;

Reigning champion&nbsp;Tadej&nbsp;Pogacar&nbsp;finished safely in the pack to retain his overall lead of more than three and a half minutes to two-time former winner Jonas&nbsp;Vingegaard.

He put down the rapid pace partly to the strength of the breakaway riders.

&quot;There was a lot of chance for the breakaway to go to the finish line, and the sprint teams, they control and they need to catch them,&quot; said the 27-year-old world champion.

&quot;Today was a strong breakaway, that&#39;s why the speed has to be high.

&quot;Once we caught them, we slowed down immediately and it was so funny to ride from 5km to 2km to go -- we ride the slowest of all day.

&quot;The biggest reason is also the tailwind. With the headwind will be much, much less speed.

&quot;But when you have such a strong breakaway in front, you go fast.&quot;

A four-man breakaway had set off early into the stage which began in the ancient spa town of Vichy.

After the suffocating heat of the first 10 days of the Tour -- when temperatures frequently topped 40C -- there was some welcome rain at the start and milder temperatures, although those did not last long.

The break&nbsp;were&nbsp;never allowed a longer leash than 1min 40sec and four became three when Frenchman Julian&nbsp;Alaphilippe, a former world champion and yellow jersey-wearer, was dropped on a short climb with around 40km left.

But Anthon&nbsp;Charmig, Mathis Le&nbsp;Berre&nbsp;and Nelson Oliveira collaborated well together to resist the inevitable return of the peloton.

With 10km to ride their lead was down to just 20sec.

But within four&nbsp;kilometres, their resistance was over and the expected sprint took&nbsp;centre&nbsp;stage.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>France cruise past Japan 42-15</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618965/france-cruise-past-japan-42-15</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618965/france-cruise-past-japan-42-15#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 18 Jul 26 11:29:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[They scored six tries against a Japan side]]>
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				<![CDATA[France beat Japan 42-15 on Saturday to wrap up their Nations Championship southern hemisphere series with a comfortable win in humid Tokyo.

France scored six tries against a Japan side that never gave in but were ultimately outclassed by the Six Nations champions.

The result meant France finished their three games with wins over Australia and Japan and a loss to New Zealand, while Japan beat Italy and lost to both Ireland and France.

&quot;We know the World Cup is a year away and we had that in our minds,&quot; said France captain Maxime Lucu.

&quot;We&#39;ve played three big matches against southern hemisphere teams and we have three more in November.

&quot;We go back with two victories and we are happy.&quot;

The game kicked off in 28 Celsius heat and high humidity in front of more than 50,000 fans at Japan&#39;s National Stadium, although the forecast rain did not arrive.

Matthieu Jalibert and Maxime Lamothe scored two tries each for France, with Alexandre Roumat and Lucu bagging the others.

&quot;We knew that Japan would fight very hard and we were ready for them,&quot; said France wing Theo Attissogbe.

&quot;It was a tough battle but in the end we are happy to get our second win.&quot;

Kippei Ishida and Sojiro Otsuka scored in the first half for Japan.

&quot;The finishers did really well for us,&quot; said Japan coach Eddie Jones.

&quot;The last 20 minutes, I think we had the best of the play.&quot;

Both teams started with completely different front rows from their previous games, anticipating a fierce physical contest.

France scored the opening try in the second minute after winning a lineout and rumbling over the Japan line for Lamothe to touch down.

France were hit with a setback when flanker Lenni Nouchi and lock Florian Verhaege both had to leave the field for concussion checks.

Japan took advantage by scoring a penalty and a try in quick succession, Ishida turning on the afterburners to streak home in the 15th minute.

France hit back with a Jalibert try, with Japan lock Harry Hockings sin-binned in the immediate aftermath.

Roumat, who was making his first international appearance since February 2025, added another try four minutes later to put France in firm control.

Lucu dashed over for France&#39;s fourth of the game, but Japan gave themselves a lifeline when Otsuka scored a try four minutes before half-time.

Jalibert scored again two minutes into the second half, before Lamothe also got his second of the game less than 10 minutes later.

Jalibert was sin-binned midway through the second half for an illegal tackle.

The TMO (television match official) denied Japan another try when substitute Tiennan Costly crossed the line just moments after coming on.]]>
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