Author: AFP

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday it was reintroducing testing for gender, starting from the 2028 Los Angeles Games, to determine eligibility to compete in the female category, preventing transgender women from competing.

The screening will mean Olympic women’s sports at the 2028 Los Angeles Games will be limited to biological females, which would also rule out those with differences in sexual development (DSD) from competing.

The IOC is abandoning rules it brought in in 2021 which allowed individual federations to decide their own policy and implementing a policy across all sports.

“Eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females, determined on the basis of a one‑time SRY gene screening,” the IOC said in a statement.

The test will be carried out through a saliva sample, cheek swab or blood sample.

IOC president Kirsty Coventry said: “The policy we have announced is based on science and has been led by medical experts.

“At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat.

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“So it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”

The IOC is bringing in the new policy after the women’s boxing competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics was rocked by a gender row involving Algerian fighter Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan.

Khelif and Lin were excluded from the International Boxing Association’s 2023 world championships after the IBA said they had failed eligibility tests.

However, the IOC allowed them both to compete at the Paris Games, saying they had been victims of “a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA”.

Both boxers went on to win gold medals.

Lin has since been cleared to compete in the female category at events run by World Boxing, the body that will oversee the sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Gender testing was first introduced at the 1968 Olympics and last used at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta but then scrapped after criticism from the scientific community.

READ: ‘Get out’: Max Verstappen removes reporter from Japan press conference

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was involved in a flashpoint ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix on Thursday when he refused to start his press conference until an English journalist had left the room.

The Red Bull driver sat down to speak to reporters at the team’s hospitality suite in Suzuka, but then said, “I’m not speaking before he’s leaving”, and gestured at a journalist from The Guardian newspaper.

The journalist asked Verstappen if his demand was because of a question he had asked the driver last season, to which Verstappen replied “yes” and told him to “get out”.

The reporter left, and Verstappen continued with the press conference.

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The reporter later told AFP that the incident stemmed from a question he had asked Verstappen after the Dutchman missed out on a fifth world title to Lando Norris by two championship points at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December.

The question centred on the impact of a penalty that Verstappen had picked up for ramming Mercedes driver George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix in June.

For the unversed, Max Verstappen is currently eighth in the championship standings after two races of the season, 43 points behind the leader, George Russell of Mercedes.

Verstappen took a break from F1 by competing at a four-hour race in Germany last weekend, but even that did not lift his gloom as he was disqualified after winning.

READ: PSL 11 final squads revealed ahead of season opener

India will host Australia in a high-profile five-match Test series starting January next year to end the 2026/27 home season, the country’s cricket board announced on Thursday.

“The season will culminate with the prestigious and much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy, featuring a five-match Test series against Australia, beginning on January 21, 2027, in Nagpur,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said.

“The contest will then move to Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi and Ahmedabad,” the board said.

India suffered a 2-0 Test whitewash against South Africa at home last year and are placed sixth in the World Test Championship (WTC) table, led by Australia.

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India’s home season will begin with a white-ball series, comprising three one-day matches and five T20 Internationals against the West Indies, starting on September 27.

The cricketing powerhouse will host Sri Lanka in December 2026 for a white-ball series, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is.

Zimbabwe will be in India for three 50-over matches in January.

India home fixtures 2026/27

West Indies Tour of India (2026)

• 1st ODI: Sun 27 Sep, 2:00 PM – Trivandrum
• 2nd ODI: Wed 30 Sep, 2:00 PM – Guwahati
• 3rd ODI: Sat 03 Oct, 2:00 PM – New Chandigarh
• 1st T20I: Tue 06 Oct, 7:00 PM – Lucknow
• 2nd T20I: Fri 09 Oct, 7:00 PM – Ranchi
• 3rd T20I: Sun 11 Oct, 7:00 PM – Indore
• 4th T20I: Wed 14 Oct, 7:00 PM – Hyderabad
• 5th T20I: Sat 17 Oct, 7:00 PM – Bengaluru

Sri Lanka Tour of India (2026)

• 1st ODI: Sun 13 Dec, 2:00 PM – Delhi
• 2nd ODI: Wed 16 Dec, 2:00 PM – Bengaluru
• 3rd ODI: Sat 19 Dec, 2:00 PM – Ahmedabad
• 1st T20I: Tue 22 Dec, 7:00 PM – Rajkot
• 2nd T20I: Thu 24 Dec, 7:00 PM – Cuttack
• 3rd T20I: Sun 27 Dec, 7:00 PM – Pune

Zimbabwe Tour of India (2027)

• 1st ODI: Sun 03 Jan, 2:00 PM – Kolkata
• 2nd ODI: Wed 06 Jan, 2:00 PM – Hyderabad
• 3rd ODI: Sat 09 Jan, 2:00 PM – Mumbai

Australia Tour of India (2027) – Border-Gavaskar Trophy

• 1st Test: Thu 21 Jan – Mon 25 Jan, 9:30 AM – Nagpur
• 2nd Test: Fri 29 Jan – Tue 02 Feb, 9:30 AM – Chennai
• 3rd Test: Thu 11 Feb – Mon 15 Feb, 9:00 AM – Guwahati
• 4th Test: Fri 19 Feb – Tue 23 Feb, 9:30 AM – Ranchi
• 5th Test: Sat 27 Feb – Wed 03 Mar, 9:30 AM – Ahmedabad

READ: PSL 11 final squads revealed ahead of season opener

Mohamed Salah will leave Premier League champions Liverpool at the end of the season, the Egyptian forward announced on Tuesday as he started a farewell to what the club said were nine “illustrious” years at Anfield.

The 33-year-old arrived from Roma in 2017 and has made 435 appearances for Liverpool to date, scoring 255 goals to be third on the club’s all-time goalscorers chart behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.

Salah has won four Premier League Golden Boots and starred for Liverpool in both their 2019/20 and 2024/25 title triumphs, as well as lifting the 2019 Champions League trophy.

His Liverpool honours also include a Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup and two League Cups.

Salah has scored just five Premier League goals this season, compared with 29 in last term’s title-winning campaign.

His Anfield future became the subject of intense speculation after a dramatic bust-up with Liverpool manager Arne Slot in December.

He accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was benched for three games in a row and said he had no relationship with the Dutch boss.

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Salah, in a video on social media featuring highlights of his time with Liverpool, said: “Hello everyone. Unfortunately, the day has come.

“This is the first part of my farewell. I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

“I wanted to start by saying that I never imagined how deeply this club, this city, these people would become part of my life. Liverpool is not just a football club.

“It’s a passion, it’s a history, it’s a spirit. I can’t explain in words to anyone not of this club.”

Salah, who, in common with many Liverpool players and staff, was deeply affected by the death of team-mate Diogo Jota in a car crash in July, added: “We celebrated victory, we won the most important trophies, and we fought together through the hardest time in our life.

“I want to thank everyone who was part of this club throughout my time here, especially the teammates, past and present.

“And to the fans, I don’t have enough words. The support you showed me through the best time of my career, and you stood by me in the toughest times. It’s something I will never forget and something I will take with me always.

“Leaving is never easy. You gave me the best time of my life. I will always be one of you. This club will always be my home, to my family, and to me.

“Thank you for everything. Because of all of you, I will never walk alone,” insisted Salah in a reference to the Liverpool fans’ anthem.

READ: Mir Hamza backs David Warner’s leadership as Karachi Kings gear up for PSL 11

A consortium of investors, including US asset management giant Blackstone, on Tuesday announced the takeover of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), one of the founding clubs of the Indian Premier League (IPL), for nearly $1.8 billion.

The announcement comes just days before the start of the lucrative T20 tournament on Saturday.

The franchise, which won the IPL for the first time last year, was sold by United Spirits Limited, the Indian unit of British alcoholic beverage giant Diageo, for 166.6 billion rupees ($1.77 billion).

In a statement, the acquiring consortium said it was “proud to become custodians of RCB.”

The group includes Bolt Ventures, run by leading sports investor David Blitzer, Indian media conglomerate The Times of India Group, along with Blackstone and Indian corporate giant Aditya Birla Group.

RCB’s “championship-winning culture” and its connection to the southern city of Bengaluru and “one of the most passionate fanbases in world sport make this an extraordinary opportunity.”

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“We are committed to taking RCB to new heights, on the pitch and beyond.”

Praveen Someshwar, chief executive at United Spirits Limited, said the deal was a milestone “as we sharpen focus on our core beverage alcohol business to unlock its true potential with sustained growth.”

The sale announcement came hours after RCB announced it will keep 11 seats at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium empty in memory of the fans crushed to death in title celebrations last year.

Eleven supporters, aged between 14 and 29, died in a stampede outside the stadium in June a day after RCB won the final against Punjab Kings and returned to a homecoming trophy parade.

Earlier this year, RCB’s women’s team won their second Women’s Premier League title.

READ: Griezmann to leave Atletico for Orlando at end of season

Antoine Griezmann will leave Atletico Madrid for Major League Soccer (MLS) side Orlando City at the end of the season, the two clubs announced on Tuesday.

Atletico’s all-time record goalscorer has agreed a two-year deal with Orlando and will become the latest veteran star to move to North America.

“The forward travelled to Orlando, with the club’s permission, during the two days of rest granted to the first team, to finalise his contract with the Florida side,” Atletico said in a statement.

The 35-year-old Griezmann will be hoping to sign off in style and cap his 10th season as an Atletico player with a second major trophy at the Rojiblancos, after the 2018 Europa League.

“Let’s leave the future in the future for now: because I’m not leaving yet,” he said in an Instagram post.

“I have months left with this shirt, months to give my all in this stadium and away, to lift that Copa del Rey and to dream of going as far as possible in the Champions League.”

Atletico will face La Liga rivals Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals next month and take on Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final on April 18 in Seville.

Griezmann, who won the 2018 World Cup with France, retired from international football in 2024 after scoring 44 goals in 137 caps for Les Bleus.

He has netted 211 times for Atletico, surpassing the previous record of 173 set by Luis Aragones.

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Antoine Griezmann joined Atletico Madrid in 2014 from Real Sociedad and has made 488 appearances for the club, who he left for Barcelona in 2019 before returning two years later, initially on loan.

Griezmann has scored 13 goals in 43 appearances for Diego Simeone’s Atletico this season.

The MLS will add Griezmann to the ranks of well-known players to have made the switch from Europe in recent seasons, including his former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

“He is one of the most gifted, accomplished and influential players of his generation, and his decision to choose Orlando City reflects the mission and culture of our club,” said Orlando City owner Mark Wilf.

“Our focus is on consistently building a championship-calibre roster every year, and adding a world-class player like Antoine reinforces that commitment and our belief in what the club can achieve.”

Orlando, who have played in MLS since 2015, have never won the MLS Cup and have lost four of their first five games of the 2026 season.

Atletico sit fourth in La Liga this term, but are comfortably placed to qualify for next season’s Champions League, with a 13-point lead over fifth-placed Real Betis.

Griezmann will make his move to Orlando in July.

READ: Miami Open: Jannik Sinner edges Alex Michelsen to reach quarter-finals

Jannik Sinner powered into the Miami Open quarter-finals on Tuesday, defeating unseeded American Alex Michelsen in straight sets to stay on course for the “Sunshine Double”.

Italian second seed Sinner, who is bidding to follow up his triumph at Indian Wells with victory in Miami, bided his time before completing a 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) win in 1hr 41min.

The four-time Grand Slam champion, who will face 19th seed Frances Tiafoe in the last eight, was made to work hard by the 40th-ranked Michelsen.

After a cagey opening, Sinner began to put pressure on Michelsen’s serve in the ninth game of the first set, carving out three break points.

Michelsen rode out that storm, but Sinner finally broke through in the 11th game before serving out for the first set.

Michelsen hit back in the second set, breaking Sinner for a 4-2 lead before holding to go 5-2 up.

Michelsen appeared to struggle with the bright late afternoon sunlight on the Hard Rock Stadium’s main court, and Sinner came roaring back to force a tiebreak.

Sinner sealed the win with a thumping serve that Michelsen could only return wide.

“I feel like I served very well in important moments and that helped me out, especially in the tough moments,” said Sinner, who unfurled 15 aces to Michelsen’s three.

“But today was not easy, I played a night match yesterday and today in the daytime, so the conditions were very different.”

Home hope Tiafoe advanced to his quarter-final date with Sinner after battling past France’s Terence Atmane 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.

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Spanish qualifier Martin Landaluce, ranked 151st in the world, upset American 32nd seed Sebastian Korda to score a 2-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 victory.

The win marked another impressive victory for the 20-year-old Landaluce, who eliminated Russian 14th seed Karen Khachanov.

Korda, who had beaten world number one Carlos Alcaraz in the previous round, had a match point late in the second set, but Landaluce survived to set up a quarter-final against Czech 21st seed Jiri Lehecka.

Landaluce, who had failed to register a single win at tour level in 2026 before arriving in Miami, dedicated his latest success to his late grandmother.

“She would have been 101 last week, and she passed away a few months ago. I wanted to give her the victory,” Landaluce said.

Lehecka booked his place in the quarter-finals by ousting sixth seed Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2 in 2hr 25min.

“I just felt that in the third set, if I wanted to beat a guy like Taylor, I just needed to go for it and be aggressive,” Lehecka said.

American 22nd seed Tommy Paul set up a quarter-final against France’s Arthur Fils after cruising past Argentina’s Tomas Etcheverry 6-1, 6-3.

Fils beat Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4.

Argentina’s 18th-seeded Francisco Cerundolo followed up his upset of Daniil Medvedev on Monday with a comfortable 6-4, 6-3 defeat of French 31st seed Ugo Humbert.

Cerundolo will face Alexander Zverev in the last eight after the German third seed defeated France’s Quentin Halys 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/1).

READ: Ben Duckett exits IPL 2026 to save England career

Tiger Woods will make a tentative return to competitive action when he plays Tuesday in the TGL golf league, weeks after the 15-time major champion said that the Masters in April was not “off the table”.

The 50-year-old underwent disc replacement surgery in October, the latest in a series of operations and injuries that have kept the American great sidelined from top-level competition since the 2024 British Open.

Woods will play for Jupiter Links in the finals of the TGL, said the indoor simulator league, which combines technology with players from the PGA Tour.

Woods has won five Masters titles, the most recent an epic 2019 victory that ended his 11-year major championship drought.

However, he suffered severe leg injuries in a 2021 car crash.

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The 2026 Masters at Augusta National are on April 9-12.

Speaking last month, he refused to rule out playing at the Masters, stating that he had progressed from chipping and putting practice to hitting full shots.

“I keep working on it, trying to get stronger, trying to get more endurance in this body and trying to get it at a level at which I can play at the highest level again,” he said.

READ: Peshawar Zalmi rope in Brian Bennett for PSL 11

Ben Stokes reckons the past three months have been the “hardest period” of his time as England captain, but is determined the current leadership group can oversee a revival in the Test team’s fortunes.

Earlier on Monday, the chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Richard Gould, confirmed that Stokes, managing director Rob Key, and coach Brendon McCullum would all remain in their posts despite the team’s 4-1 loss on their five-Test tour of Australia, which concluded in January.

Key denied suggestions that Stokes and McCullum had fallen out in Australia, despite the pair offering contrasting messages during a desperately disappointing series loss.

Stokes, in an emotional Instagram post, said he was determined to learn from his mistakes following the lowest period of his near four-year spell as England captain, with Key and McCullum still the right men to be alongside him.

“Being England captain is the greatest honour a player can be given, and I do not take it for granted,” Stokes wrote.

 

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A post shared by Ben Stokes (@stokesy)

“It has its highs, and it has its lows; it makes you want to smile, it makes you want to cry. It completely and utterly consumes you and feels like it’s the only thing in your life at times.

“The last 3 months has without a doubt been the hardest period of my captaincy journey, it’s tested me in so many different ways, and I’m sure every other captain has gone through this as well.

“Baz (McCullum), Rob and myself have the passion and desire to take this team forward, we are going to give you everything we have, we know we made mistakes along the way and we have learnt from those mistakes, you learn more from failure than success.”

In addition to England’s poor performances on the field, there were reports of excessive drinking by players on a break, raising concerns about the dressing-room culture.

Revelations followed that vice-captain Harry Brook had been involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer on the pre-Ashes visit to New Zealand.

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A midnight curfew has since been enforced, while the ECB are trying to recruit a new national selector after Luke Wright resigned for family reasons.

Ben Stokes has not played since suffering a groin injury in the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney in January, but is set to feature for Durham in the County Championship ahead of this season’s home Test programme.

England have three Tests against McCullum’s native New Zealand in June, followed by a trio of matches against Pakistan in August and September.

“We all appreciate every single person who supports us. We do what we do for many reasons but one of those reasons is to bring our supporters and fans happiness and a sense of pride and we will aim to do those things as much as we can in the future,” Stokes said.

“See you all in June for the start of the Test Match summer.”

READ: PSL 11 official anthem ‘Khelenge Beat Pe’ released

World number one Aryna Sabalenka stayed on course for a rare “Sunshine Double” on Monday, downing China’s Zheng Qinwen in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals of the Miami Open.

Sabalenka, who is aiming to defend the Miami title she won for the first time last year, eased past 2024 Olympic champion and 23rd seed Zheng 6-3, 6-4 in 1hr 25min to book her place in the last eight.

The 27-year-old four-time Grand Slam champion is bidding to join an elite group of women who have won both the WTA Indian Wells and Miami Open in the same year.

Only four other women — Steffi Graf in 1994 and 1996, Kim Clijsters in 2005, Victoria Azarenka in 2016 and Iga Swiatek in 2022 — have achieved the feat.

Sabalenka, who beat Elena Rybakina to win in Indian Wells earlier this month, will face unseeded American Hailey Baptiste in the quarter-finals.

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On Monday’s form, few would bet against the big-hitting four-time Grand Slam champion from Belarus, who comfortably disposed of 23rd seed Zheng in 1hr 25min.

“She’s a tough opponent, and I’m super happy with the level I played at today,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. “I can definitely say that it felt like home.

“I feel like I’m getting better, serving better, getting used to these conditions, which are tricky. But I’m getting more and more comfortable with every match,” added Sabalenka, who faces unseeded American Hailey Baptiste in the quarter-finals.

Baptiste was one of three American women to advance to the last eight on Monday.

READ: Saud Shakeel eyes ODI World Cup spot with strong PSL 11 showing