Tag: Paris Olympics 2024

Reigning Ballon d’Or Aitana Bonmati scored one goal and helped create another as World Cup holders Spain came from behind to beat Japan 2-1 in their first game of the Paris Olympics women’s football tournament on Thursday.

Spain are making their Olympic women’s football debut at the Paris Games but are leading contenders to win the gold medal after their World Cup triumph in Australia and New Zealand last year.

They fell behind against Japan in the western French city of Nantes to Aoba Fujino’s early free-kick, but Bonmati soon equalised before Mariona Caldentey netted the winner in the 74th minute.

It is the perfect start for Spain in Group C of the Paris Olympics’ women’s football, in which rivals Nigeria and Brazil meet later.

With 12 teams split into three groups of four, there is margin for error as the two best third-placed teams will advance to the quarter-finals.

That will provide some comfort for Japan, who won the silver medal at London 2012.

Spain’s starting XI featured seven players who were in the line-up for last year’s World Cup final win over England in Sydney, plus Alexia Putellas, the two-time former Ballon d’Or winner.

Japan’s side included Hinata Miyazawa, the top scorer at the World Cup, but it was Fujino who opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a fine strike from a dead ball which proved too powerful for goalkeeper Cata Coll.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

However, Spain bossed possession and drew level midway through the first half when Bonmati was played in by Athenea del Castillo and rounded the goalkeeper to score.

They then grabbed what proved to be the winner when Caldentey came in from the left and played a quick exchange of passes with Bonmati before firing in.

Meanwhile, reigning Olympic champions Canada shrugged off a spying scandal to come from behind and start their campaign with a 2-1 win over New Zealand in Saint-Etienne.

Mackenzie Barry gave New Zealand the lead before an embarrassingly sparse crowd at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, the same venue where the men’s game between Argentina and Morocco was affected by crowd trouble on Wednesday.

However, Arsenal’s Cloe Lacasse levelled in first-half stoppage time for Canada, who beat Sweden on penalties in the final in Tokyo three years ago.

Evelyne Viens then latched onto a long ball forward to fire in the winner 11 minutes from the end.

Canada’s build-up had been overshadowed after an assistant coach and an analyst were sent home from the Olympics on the eve of their opening game.

The analyst, 43-year-old Joey Lombardi, was also given a suspended eight-month prison sentence for flying a drone over a New Zealand training session this week in Saint-Etienne.

Lombardi pleaded guilty when he appeared in court in Saint-Etienne on Wednesday.

The assistant coach was Jasmine Mander, to whom Lombardi reported.

Head coach Bev Priestman apologised and decided to take no part in the game against New Zealand as a result because she felt it would not be appropriate.

Canada and New Zealand are in Group A along with hosts France and Colombia, who meet later in Lyon.

Record four-time gold medallists the United States meet Zambia later in Group B, which also sees Germany take on Australia.

READ: Nooh Dastgrit Butt blames authorities over Paris Olympics absence

Pakistan weightlifter Nooh Dastgir Butt lamented the lack of support from the sports institutions of the country for his absence from the Paris Olympics, scheduled to run from July 26 to August 11.

Butt appeared at ARY News’ show Sports Room and expressed his disappointment over not being able to represent Pakistan in the biggest sporting event.

“The athlete from New Zealand, whom I beat in the Commonwealth Games, is participating in the Olympics but I am not. All because of the [authorities], neither I participated in any qualifying event nor was sent for international training,” said Butt.

“They should have sent me for international training right after the Commonwealth Games and also for qualifying events so that I would participate in the Olympics and win a medal for Pakistan,” he added.

When probed about the difficulties in his professional career, Butt termed the sports institutions as the biggest hurdle before going on to appeal to the government for an ample platform.

“The biggest difficulty for me currently is the sports institutions of Pakistan, who did not send me for Olympics qualifiers. But now, all I can do is appeal to the government to provide me an international platform so that I can prepare for upcoming events like Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Olympics,” Butt said.

In May this year, weightlifter Nooh Dastgir Butt shared that he has been sidelined from this year’s Asian Games and Paris Olympics 2024 for allegedly being part of a parallel weightlifting interim committee.

However, the Commonwealth Games gold medalist has refuted the accusations made against him and categorically denied his affiliation with any interim weightlifting committee.

Taking to his Instagram account, Nooh Dastgir Butt shared an official letter, that he received from the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWF), which expressed reservations over his inclusion in the weightlifting event of the ongoing National Games.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by 𝘔𝘶𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘥 𝘕𝘰𝘰𝘩 𝘋𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘨𝘪𝘳 𝘉𝘶𝘵𝘵 (@noohdastgirbutt)

“I, unfortunately, won’t be able to participate in future weightlifting competitions — be it National Games (2023) or international competitions like Asian Games (2023) or Olympic Games (2024) — as I have been alleged to be a member of a parallel weightlifting interim committee by the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWF). As a result, I won’t be given an opportunity or platform to participate in future competitions,” Butt wrote on his official Instagram account.

READ: Only seven athletes in Pakistan’s 18-member contingent for Paris Olympics

Andy Murray withdrew from the tennis singles at the Paris Olympics on Thursday but the two-time gold medallist will play doubles in what will be the final event of his glittering career.

The British former world number one, who will retire at the end of his fifth Games, has still not fully recovered from back surgery last month.

He believes the men’s doubles, where he is playing with Dan Evans, offers his best chance of another medal.

“I’ve taken the decision to withdraw from the singles to concentrate on the doubles with Dan,” said the 37-year-old.

“Our practice has been great and we’re playing well together. Really looking forward to getting started and representing GB one more time.”

Murray won gold in singles at the London Olympics in 2012 and in Rio four years later, as well as silver in mixed doubles with Laura Robson in 2012.

His withdrawal means his final singles match was his brief second-round appearance at Queen’s Club against Jordan Thompson last month before he was forced to pull out because of a spinal cyst.

For the unversed, Andy Murray confirmed on Tuesday that he would retire after the Paris Olympics.

“Competing for Great Britain has been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get to do it one final time,” the three-time Grand Slam champion posted on social media.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Murray has been ravaged by injuries in recent years, slumping to 121st in the world. He has played with a metal hip since 2019 and suffered ankle damage earlier this year.

Murray was not fit enough to play singles at Wimbledon this month due to his back surgery but played doubles with his brother Jamie and was defeated in the first round before an emotional tribute arranged by tournament chiefs.

“It’s hard because I would love to keep playing, but I can’t,” admitted Murray at the All England Club.

“Physically it is too tough now, all of the injuries, they have added up and they haven’t been insignificant.”

Murray ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s champion at Wimbledon when he triumphed in 2013, defeating rival Novak Djokovic in the final.

He added a second title in 2016, taking his career majors total to three after breaking his duck at the 2012 US Open.

Murray won gold at the 2012 Olympics on an emotional day at the All England Club when he defeated Roger Federer just weeks after he had lost the Wimbledon final to the Swiss on the same Centre Court.

Four years later, he defeated Juan Martin del Potro to become the first tennis player, male or female, to win two Olympic singles golds.

Murray also led Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015, the country’s first in 79 years. He has won 46 titles in all and banked around $65 million in prize money.

READ: Top-ranked Jannik Sinner out of Paris Olympics

Chaos and confusion reigned on Wednesday as Morocco beat Argentina 2-1 in their opening game of the men’s Olympic football tournament.

Argentina were disallowed a late equaliser, while the final minutes were played out in an empty stadium following crowd trouble.

The South American side thought they had escaped from the Group B match in Saint-Etienne with a 2-2 draw when Cristian Medina scored in the 16th minute of added time.

But as their players celebrated, projectiles including bottles and plastic cups rained down from the stands and several spectators entered the pitch, with the referee promptly blowing the whistle.

The teams left the playing area, but the referee had not blown for full-time and the outcome of the match was completely unclear until the sides finally reappeared two hours later to play out three more minutes in a stadium by now emptied of spectators.

Medina’s goal was eventually disallowed for offside following a VAR review, and Morocco held on for all three points.

It was an undignified start to the sporting action at the Paris Games, and a bad day all around for Argentina, whose players were booed as they emerged onto the pitch and during the national anthem by the crowd, most of whom were supporting Morocco.

That welcome came after Argentina players were filmed singing racist chants following their victory in the recent Copa America.

“It is a circus,” complained Argentina coach Javier Mascherano. “At no point did they tell us our goal was not valid… this would not even happen in a neighbourhood tournament. It’s pathetic.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Beyond the Olympic spirit, the organisation needs to be up to standard. At the moment it is not, unfortunately.”

Argentina are looking to win men’s football gold for the third time after success in 2004 and 2008, but Mascherano’s side trailed 2-0 following a brace by Soufiane Rahimi.

Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi, the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) full-back, set up Rahimi for the opener in first-half stoppage time.

The reigning African Under-23 champions doubled their lead six minutes into the second half from the penalty spot, Rahimi converting after Ilias Akhomach was brought down.

Mascherano, who starred in the teams that won gold in Athens and Beijing, had at one point hoped to persuade Lionel Messi to feature among the three permitted overage players in his squad otherwise limited to those under 23.

Messi turned him down, and the biggest names in their side here were Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez and captain Nicolas Otamendi, the Benfica defender.

Giuliano Simeone, son of former Argentina star Diego, came off the bench to pull one back midway through the second half.

Medina then thought he had saved a point in the 106th minute as he nodded in after Otamendi and Bruno Amione both hit the woodwork in a frantic few seconds of action, only for Argentina to be denied.

Argentina’s next game will be in Lyon on Saturday against Iraq, who came from behind to beat Ukraine 2-1 in their opener.

READ: Shoaib Malik backs THIS batter as Pakistan’s next white-ball captain

Men’s tennis number one Jannik Sinner withdrew from the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, days before it begins, after falling ill with tonsillitis.

The Italian said he was “sad and disappointed” to drop out, adding that he had started feeling unwell on Monday after a practice week in Monaco.

“After seeing my doctors on Tuesday and waiting an extra day to give myself some more time to see if my condition would improve, things unfortunately got worse,” Sinner, 22, said in a statement.

“I was looking forward to competing with my teammates and the rest of the Italian team, but for now that will have to wait.

“As advised by my medical team, I will now take some time to rest and recover to full health. I’d like to wish the whole team Italia the best for this important event and hope to be back stronger in the future.”

Sinner said the Olympics had been “one of my main goals for this season” and was due to play in the men’s singles and the doubles with Lorenzo Musetti.

Wimbledon semi-finalist Musetti will now have to play in the men’s doubles tournament with either Luciano Darderi or Matteo Arnaldi.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Italian media reported that Andrea Vavassori ranked 207 in the world, will replace Jannik Sinner in the men’s singles. Sinner dropping out deprives Italy of a great shot at a medal.

He has long been the great hope of Italian tennis and after finishing runner-up to Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals in November last year, he has moved up a level.

Sinner won his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open at the start of this year and then became the first Italian to top the world rankings after his recent run to the semi-finals at the French Open.

He has also won three other tournaments this year, including his second Masters 1000 crown in Miami.

Sinner withdrew from the Madrid Open before the quarter-finals with a hip injury and missed the tournament in Rome in the run-up to Roland Garros, where the Olympic tennis will be played between July 27 and August 4.

He needed a lengthy medical timeout after feeling dizzy and appearing to almost lose his balance during his quarter-final defeat to Daniil Medvedev at Wimbledon.

READ: PCB to send Wahab Riaz to Maldives for ICC’s coaching workshop

Star javelin thrower, Arshad Nadeem on Wednesday, expressed his ambition to end Pakistan’s 32-year-long wait for an Olympic medal at the 2024 Paris Games.

Pakistan last won a medal in the Olympics during the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona, however, Arshad is hopeful that he will once again bring the glory to the country.

“I’m fit and well-prepa­red and I’ve worked rea­lly hard for this prestigious ev­e­nt,” he told reporters in Lahore. “I feel I can achieve my goal of winning a medal.”

“I will continue my training in Paris to bring further improvement before competing in the event and if everything goes to plan, I will get a medal for the country at the Olympics,” he added.

Arshad Nadeem will compete in the qualification round on August 6, with the final scheduled for two days later.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Notably, Pakistan will compete in shooting, athletics and swimming in the Paris Olympics. Out of the seven athletes four of them earned direct qualification while sprinter Faiqa Riaz and swimmers Jehanara Nabi and Mohammad Ahmed Durrani will feature in the biggest sporting event on the basis of the universality places.

Pakistan failed to qualify for major disciplines like Hockey, Wrestling, Volleyball, Boxing and Weightlifting.

Pakistan contingent for Paris Olympics:

Athletics: Arshad Nadeem, Faiqa Riaz, Salman Iqbal Butt (support staff), Dr. Ali Sher Bajwa (support staff).

Swimming: Mohammad Ahmed Durrani, Jehanara Nabi, Lt Col (retired) Ahmed Ali Khan (support staff).

Shooting: Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, Gulfam Joseph, Kishmala Talat, Col Junaid Ali (support staff), Gennady Solodovnikov (support staff).

Contingent officials: Mohammad Shafiq (chef de mission), Javaid Shamshad Lodhi (deputy chef de mission); Zainab Shaukat (admin officer).

READ: ‘If not him, who else should be captain?’ Former Pakistan skipper backs Babar Azam

Former world number one and three-time Grand Slam title winner Andy Murray confirmed on Tuesday that he will retire after the Paris Olympics.

“Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament @Olympics. Competing for Great Britain have been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get do it one final time,” the 37-year-old wrote on social media.

Now ranked at 121, and playing with a metal hip since 2019, time has caught up with Murray who suffered ankle damage this year and underwent surgery to remove a cyst from his spine which ruled him out of singles at Wimbledon.

Instead, he played doubles with his brother Jamie and was defeated in the first round.

“I want to play forever, I love the sport and it’s given me so much. It’s taught me loads of lessons over the years I can use for the rest of my life. I don’t want to stop so it is hard,” admitted Murray at the All England Club.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Andy Murray famously ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s champion at Wimbledon when he triumphed in 2013, defeating career-long rival Novak Djokovic in the final.

He added a second title in 2016, taking his career majors total to three after breaking his duck at the 2012 US Open.

Murray won gold at the 2012 Olympics on an emotional day at the All England Club where he defeated Roger Federer just weeks after he had lost the Wimbledon final to the Swiss on the same Centre Court.

Four years later, he defeated Juan Martin del Potro to become the first player, male or female, to win two Olympic singles golds.

Murray also led Britain to the Davis Cup in 2015, the country’s first in 79 years.

READ: India’s chief selector reveals why Hardik Pandya was denied T20I captaincy

Three Pakistan shooters departed earlier today to participate in the upcoming Paris Olympics, scheduled to commence on July 26.

Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, who will be representing Pakistan in the Olympics for the third time, departed from Karachi, while Gulfam Joseph departed from Islamabad to participate in the event for the second time.

Female shooter Kishmala Talat, who is set to feature in her first-ever Olympics, also departed for Paris from Islamabad.

For the unversed, only seven athletes were named in Pakistan’s contingent for the upcoming Paris Olympics.

The 18-member contingent, announced by the Pakistan Olympics Association (POA) on Saturday, features 11 officials who will travel with the seven athletes to Paris for the Games and will return to the country upon completion of their respective competitions.

Pakistan will compete in shooting, athletics and swimming in the Paris Olympics. Out of the seven athletes four of them earned direct qualification while sprinter Faiqa Riaz and swimmers Jehanara Nabi and Mohammad Ahmed Durrani will feature in the biggest sporting event on the basis of the universality places.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Meanwhile, star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and swimmer Jehanara Nabi have been chosen as Pakistan’s contingent flag-bearers for the prestigious event.

Among the 11 officials, six are the officials of the contingent, including the chef de mission, deputy chef de mission and an admin officer.

Four more officials include Dr Syed Meesaq Hussain Rizvi (chief medical officer), Kashif Jameel (NOC Olympic Attaché ), and Rizwan Ahmed (welfare officer) while the rest are either athletes’ coaches or managers.

Pakistan failed to qualify for major disciplines like Hockey, Wrestling, Volleyball, Boxing and Weightlifting.

Pakistan contingent for Paris Olympics:

Athletics: Arshad Nadeem, Faiqa Riaz, Salman Iqbal Butt (support staff), Dr. Ali Sher Bajwa (support staff).

Swimming: Mohammad Ahmed Durrani, Jehanara Nabi, Lt Col (retired) Ahmed Ali Khan (support staff).

Shooting: Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, Gulfam Joseph, Kishmala Talat, Col Junaid Ali (support staff), Gennady Solodovnikov (support staff).

Contingent officials: Mohammad Shafiq (chef de mission), Javaid Shamshad Lodhi (deputy chef de mission); Zainab Shaukat (admin officer).

READ: Former Pakistan cricketer criticizes Gary Kirsten’s PCB report remarks

LAHORE: Only seven athletes were named in Pakistan’s contingent for the upcoming Paris Olympics, scheduled to commence on July 26.

The 18-member contingent, announced by the Pakistan Olympics Association (POA) on Saturday, features 11 officials who will travel with the seven athletes to Paris for the Games and will return to the country upon completion of their respective competitions.

Pakistan will compete in shooting, athletics and swimming in the Paris Olympics. Out of the seven athletes four of them earned direct qualification while sprinter Faiqa Riaz and swimmers Jehanara Nabi and Mohammad Ahmed Durrani will feature in the biggest sporting event on the basis of the universality places.

Meanwhile, star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and swimmer Jehanara Nabi have been chosen as Pakistan’s contingent flag-bearers for the prestigious event.

Among the 11 officials, six are the officials of the contingent, including the chef de mission, deputy chef de mission and an admin officer.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Four more officials include Dr Syed Meesaq Hussain Rizvi (chief medical officer), Kashif Jameel (NOC Olympic Attaché ), Rizwan Ahmed (welfare officer) while the rest are either athletes’ coaches or managers.

For the unversed, Pakistan failed to qualify for major disciplines like Hockey, Wrestling, Volleyball, Boxing and Weightlifting.

Pakistan’s contingent for the Games will depart for Paris on July 19.

Pakistan contingent for Paris Olympics:

Athletics: Arshad Nadeem, Faiqa Riaz, Salman Iqbal Butt (support staff), Dr. Ali Sher Bajwa (support staff).

Swimming: Mohammad Ahmed Durrani, Jehanara Nabi, Lt Col (retired) Ahmed Ali Khan (support staff).

Shooting: Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, Gulfam Joseph, Kishmala Talat), Col Junaid Ali (support staff), Gennady Solodovnikov (support staff).

Contingent officials: Mohammad Shafiq (chef de mission), Javaid Shamshad Lodhi (deputy chef de mission); Zainab Shaukat (admin officer).

READ: PCB chairman makes major decisions to improve Pakistan cricket

LAHORE: Pakistan’s star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem has departed for Paris from here in the wee hours of Thursday to participate in the Diamond League before the Paris Olympics 2024.

Diamond League will be played in the capital city of France on July 7.

The star athlete shared that he was eager to end Pakistan’s medal drought at the Olympics.

“It has been too long that Pakistan has not won any medal at the Olympics, what was it, 1992 that we won it last in hockey? I am aiming to win that medal really, and I will do all that I can in my power to achieve that,” stated Nadeem.

The star athlete resumed his training for the upcoming events last week under his trainer after recovering from a leg injury a few weeks ago.

The leg injury forced Nadeem to withdraw from a couple of events in Finland but the star athlete shared that he is undergoing rehab and is “feeling better”.

“I have to go to Paris to play Diamond League, pray that I stay fit,” said Nadeem.

“I have been suffering from injuries for a long time, but that is part of the game.

“I played an event a year after the Tokyo Olympics. If I am fit, I will try to do my best throw in the Olympics.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

For the unversed, besides clinching the gold medal at the CWG in 2022, Arshad Nadeem also secured the silver medal in the World Athletics Championship 2023 in Budapest.

He created history by becoming the first Pakistani to earn a medal at the World Athletics Championship.

He also earned his qualification for the Paris Olympics during the World Athletics Championship.

The automatic qualifying benchmark for the Paris Olympics was 85.50 meters, which Nadeem breached with an amazing 86.79-meter throw.

The star player also got his hands on the gold medal in the ongoing 34th National Games last year. He proved his mettle once again as he recorded the longest throw of 78.02m in his third attempt.

READ: Lionel Messi doubtful for Copa America quarter-final against Ecuador