After more than two years on the sidelines with repeated injury setbacks, St Kilda forward Max King is finally closing in on a return to competitive Australian Rules Football, with an official comeback timeline expected to be finalized by club leadership later this week. St Kilda head coach Ross Lyon announced Wednesday that he will meet with the club’s high-performance team ahead of the Saints’ upcoming match to map out a clear path for King’s return, a milestone that has eluded the talented young key forward since his last AFL appearance.
分类： sports
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‘It is not normal’ – but extraordinary Djokovic defies odds once again
On a tense, electric Centre Court under Wimbledon’s famous floodlights, tennis history unfolded once more on Tuesday, as 39-year-old Novak Djokovic delivered a performance that defies every convention of elite sports and aging to defeat 25-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime in a five-set thriller that secured his spot in the 2024 Wimbledon semifinals. The epic clash stretched to five hours and 15 minutes – the longest match of this year’s tournament to date – so gripping that it forced a delay to the BBC’s flagship 10 PM news bulletin, as a sold-out crowd remained transfixed by every exchange.
What makes Djokovic’s victory so extraordinary is how it pushes every boundary of what is considered normal for a player of his age. Across more than five hours of high-intensity baseline rallies, desperate net rushes to counter drop shots, and blistering second serves clocked at 122 mph, the 24-time Grand Slam champion never let up on his chase of every ball hit toward him. He slid across the grass, glided from corner to corner, and outcompeted a opponent 14 years his junior in sheer stamina to claim the win.
This is the Djokovic legacy: a competitor who has built his career on silencing doubters, and who stands one Grand Slam title away from breaking the all-time record for most major men’s singles titles. In the match, even a mid-match left calf tweak that forced a medical timeout and hampered his movement in the first set could not derail him. Auger-Aliassime, the tournament’s young underdog, drew early support from the crowd, but after dropping the third set, Djokovic drew a roaring cheer from the stands that carried him through to a decisive fifth-set tiebreak. When Auger-Aliassime sent a backhand long to end the match, the crowd rose as one, chanting Djokovic’s name in celebration.
Tennis legends and analysts were quick to praise the historic performance. Britain’s Davis Cup captain Leon Smith told BBC 5 Live: “To be able to come out and play this level of tennis at that age… it’s not normal. It’s really not normal. I know he spent a lifetime on his body, but to do this, the amount of work that we don’t see must be astonishing. It is amazing. He deserves all the respect that he gets.” Former British number one Tim Henman echoed that sentiment on BBC TV, noting: “I’ve been watching this guy for 20 years and time and time again, in the biggest moments, he delivers. This is the response we have all come to expect from Novak Djokovic.”
Speaking after the match, an exhausted but elated Djokovic said he “won that match with a racquet and a lot of heart” – a summary that encapsulates the latter stages of his iconic career. As the last remaining active member of tennis’s legendary “Big Three” era following the retirements of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, many fans have only recently come to fully appreciate how irreplaceable Djokovic’s dominance is. While the sport’s next generation is led by the exciting rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic remains the only player who has consistently beaten both rising stars in major tournaments in recent years, outperforming the younger pair despite their theoretical advantages in youth, power, and speed.
When asked if his current performance level surprises him, Djokovic acknowledged the uniqueness of his run: “Yes and no. I guess yes, at this stage that I’m still able to battle these young guys that have 15 years less than me, that I’m able to beat them at the tightest possible scoreline. In a sense, it is really a nice surprise. But at the same time, I always have the highest expectations for myself. I can be very self-critical, very hard on myself. But I try to enjoy the moments like this.”
All eyes now turn to Djokovic’s upcoming semifinal against Jannik Sinner, where questions remain about how his grueling quarterfinal will impact his performance. Last year, a late, exhausting quarterfinal match left Djokovic hampered throughout the rest of the tournament, allowing Sinner to claim a straight-sets upset. Djokovic has also dealt with consistent minor niggles over the last 18 months, with age-related physical wear becoming a new challenge he has had to adapt to. At this year’s Australian Open, a late five-set win over Sinner left Djokovic fatigued in the final against Alcaraz, where he faded after a dominant opening set.
Djokovic will have two full days to recover before his semifinal clash, but the gap in preparation remains stark: while Djokovic went the full five sets in his quarterfinal, Sinner has not dropped a single set across his four tournament matches so far. Unfazed by the challenge, Djokovic made clear his focus remains on adding another milestone to his career: “I don’t know what tomorrow brings. I still want to go at least one more step further. But this was as good as a final for me. I gave it all that I had.”
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‘Let Palestinians live’: Egypt coach wins global praise after emotional speech
Ahead of Egypt’s highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup matchup against Argentina, Egyptian national team head coach Hossam Hassan has captured global attention and widespread praise for an impassioned speech standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people, delivered during an official pre-match press conference. The remarks came just days after Hassan made headlines for celebrating Egypt’s tournament victory over Australia while holding the Palestinian flag, a gesture that quickly spread across social media to cement his public stance on the ongoing crisis.
Speaking in Arabic during the Monday press briefing, Hassan opened with a stark, unflinching message that resonated across borders: “If there is one person in the world who does not feel for the Palestinian people, then he is not a human being.” He emphasized that this standard holds for every person, regardless of nationality, religion, or regional identity, whether they are Arab, European, American, or from any other corner of the globe.
Hossam went on to condemn what he framed as widespread global indifference to the escalating humanitarian catastrophe facing Palestinians. He highlighted the jarring double standard in global public reaction, noting that communities often mobilize rapidly to protest harm to a single animal, yet thousands of Palestinian civilians — including women and children — are killed daily with little meaningful outcry from the international community.
Appealing directly to the global football community, which commands a massive international audience during the World Cup, Hassan urged athletes, sports organizations, and media professionals across all backgrounds to leverage the sport’s unmatched soft power to amplify Palestinian calls for dignity and survival. “Please, please, all athletes and media professionals, regardless of their religions and countries, maybe through the World Cup, we can send a message: please let the Palestinian people live. They do not want anything, just to live,” he said.
Drawing a connection between football’s core values and the broader fight for human dignity, Hassan tied his remarks to FIFA’s official motto of “respect and fair play.” “Just as FIFA’s slogan says, ‘respect and fair play’, we want fairness in life,” he stated. “We want respect for human beings. We want respect for the fact that a human being should live.”
Since the speech was shared on social media by multiple outlets and public figures, it has sparked an outpouring of support from across the Middle East and beyond. The president of the Palestinian Football Association, Jibril Rajoub, released an official statement thanking Hassan for his “humanitarian and noble” stance, his decision to raise the Palestinian flag, and his “sincere solidarity” with the Palestinian people.
Prominent Egyptian sports journalist Ahmed el-Erian also praised the remarks on social media, noting that he never imagined hearing such a clear, unapologetic statement of support from a leader of the Egyptian national team at a global event of the World Cup’s scale. Erian described Hassan’s words as historic, emphasizing that the coach’s pro-Palestinian stance is long-standing and rooted in genuine emotion, rather than performative activism. Regardless of how Egypt’s match against Argentina unfolds, Erian wrote, the speech has already secured its place as a point of national pride in Egypt’s 2026 World Cup story.
Palestinian writer Yasser Zaatreh echoed that sentiment, writing that Hassan has already earned a glory far greater than any World Cup trophy. Zaatreh argued that by taking a public stand, Hassan won “the match of humanity and principles,” and has been awarded the most meaningful honor: the gratitude of the Palestinian people and all people who support freedom and justice globally.Turkey’s ambassador to Cairo, Salih Mutlu Sen, also publicly praised Hassan’s remarks on social media, affirming shared solidarity with the Palestinian people. Former Egypt and Al Ahly goalkeeper Ahmed Shobeir similarly applauded Hassan’s performance at the press conference, noting that the coach spoke with the clarity and conviction of a leading thinker, while defending the Palestinian right to a dignified life. “The Palestinian flag is in the heart of every Egyptian and Arab,” Shobeir wrote, adding that Hassan gave voice to shared feelings across the region.
Most notably, Al Jazeera shared footage from Gaza showing local residents gathering to honor Hassan and thank him for his public support. Residents of the besieged enclave sent personal messages of appreciation to the coach for his willingness to use the global platform of the World Cup to amplify their struggle.
The wave of positive reactions to Hassan’s speech has underscored a growing demand for sports figures to extend the values of respect and inclusion that define football beyond the boundaries of the pitch, into the most pressing global humanitarian issues of our time.
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Egypt fume at ‘injustice’ and make Messi favouritism claims after exit
In a World Cup round of 16 clash that will be etched into football history for decades, three-time defending champions Argentina pulled off one of the most dramatic late comebacks in tournament history to defeat Egypt 3-2, eliminating the African underdogs and sparking fierce controversy over video assistant referee (VAR) calls that changed the course of the game.
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Dallas Cowboys player who died by suicide diagnosed with brain disease
The promising young career of Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland, who died by suicide at age 24 last November, has prompted urgent new discussions about brain health risks in professional contact sports after scientists confirmed he had developed stage 1 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the time of his death.
The diagnosis was completed by researchers at Boston University’s CTE Center, who conducted a full postmortem analysis of Kneeland’s brain tissue following his passing. Ann McKee, the center’s director, explained that the finding did not come as a surprise to her team. “We have found this progressive brain disease in nearly half of the athletes we’ve studied who have died before the age of 30,” McKee noted in a statement accompanying the research results.
CTE is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated blows to the head that are common in contact sports such as football, rugby, and boxing. The condition develops in four stages, with stage 1 classified as the mildest form. Common early-stage symptoms include persistent headaches and difficulty with focus and concentration. As the disease progresses to its final stage, patients can experience severe cognitive impairment, profound memory loss, and dementia. Currently, CTE can only be definitively diagnosed through postmortem examination of brain tissue.
Decades of research have consistently shown that athletes who participate in high-impact contact sports face a dramatically higher risk of developing CTE over their lifetimes compared to the general public. Dozens of former National Football League (NFL) players have been diagnosed with the disease posthumously in previous studies.
In a public statement released after the diagnosis was confirmed, Kneeland’s family said that the finding provides important context for the personal challenges their son faced in the months before his death. “We share this information to help people understand what NFL and other high-contact sport athletes might be struggling with,” the family wrote, adding that they choose to remember Kneeland for who he was as a person, rather than defining him by the circumstances of his death.
The events leading up to Kneeland’s death unfolded in November 2025 in Texas, when state troopers attempted to pull him over for a traffic violation. The stop escalated into a car chase, which ended when Kneeland crashed his vehicle and fled on foot. He was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the early hours of the following morning.
Kneeland’s path to the NFL began when he started playing tackle football at just 7 years old. He went on to play collegiate football at Western Michigan University, where he drew the attention of NFL scouts. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and went on to play 18 games in his rookie season, including four starts as a defensive end.
Boston University’s CTE Center emphasized that the causes of suicide are multifaceted, and a posthumous CTE diagnosis is not currently established as a direct risk factor for suicide. Even so, leading CTE researchers say Kneeland’s case makes clear that current safety protocols have not done enough to reduce athletes’ risk of developing the disease.
Dr. Chris Nowinski, co-founder and CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation, pointed out that Kneeland competed during an era of modern NFL safety rules, including updated concussion protocols and improved helmet design, yet still developed CTE at a young age. “We have no reason to believe the current generation is at a lower risk of CTE than previous generations,” Nowinski said, echoing growing calls for more investment in prevention and treatment for the condition.
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Switzerland and Colombia scoreless at the half as both teams vie for spot in World Cup quarterfinals
In a tightly contested World Cup round of 16 clash at Vancouver’s British Columbia venue on Tuesday, Switzerland and Colombia headed into the halftime break deadlocked at 0-0, with a coveted quarterfinal berth hanging in the balance for both sides. The winner of this knockout matchup is set to take on tournament defending champions Argentina this coming Saturday at Kansas City, Missouri’s Arrowhead Stadium, setting the stage for a potential high-stakes clash with the reigning titleholders. For Switzerland, the occasion carries significant historical weight: the European side has not advanced to a World Cup quarterfinal since they hosted the global tournament back in 1954, marking a nearly 70-year drought for the nation. Compounding their challenge on Tuesday, the Swiss were forced to play down a key player, starting midfielder Johan Manzambi, who suffered an injury during a training session the day prior and was sidelined for the knockout fixture. Colombia, by comparison, has more recent experience in the late stages of men’s World Cup competition: the South American side advanced to the quarterfinals during the 2014 tournament hosted by Brazil, before ultimately falling to the host nation in their knockout clash. The first genuine scoring opportunity of the opening half went Colombia’s way in the 21st minute, when midfielder Gustavo Puerta uncorked a long-range effort that was parried away by Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel to keep the match scoreless. Switzerland responded with their own dangerous chance nine minutes later, when Fabian Reider fired a powerful strike on goal, which Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas punched down to prevent a breakthrough. Just minutes after that stop, Vargas was called into action again, smothering a close-range attempt from Swiss winger Dan Ndoye to preserve the stalemate heading into the halftime locker room. With 45 minutes of regulation (plus extra time and penalties if needed) still to play, both sides remain locked in a battle to keep their World Cup title hopes alive and advance to face Argentina.
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Tears of relief? Messi adds another incredible chapter to World Cup career
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already delivered its most dramatic contest, a clash that will be remembered as one of the tournament’s greatest underdog comebacks, as an aging but indefatigable Lionel Messi steered defending champions Argentina to a stunning 3-2 victory over Egypt at Atlanta Stadium. When the final whistle blew, the football icon stood center pitch, overcome with tears, collapsing into the arms of his teammates after scripting another legendary chapter in his already unparalleled career.
With less than 20 minutes remaining on the clock, giant screens inside the stadium captured a look of uncharacteristic despair on Messi’s face. Egypt held a comfortable 2-0 lead, and elimination seemed all but certain for Argentina – a fate that would have mirrored the emotional World Cup exit endured by Messi’s contemporary Cristiano Ronaldo just days earlier, when Portugal fell to Spain in stoppage time. But this Argentina side, forged in the fire of championship glory, refused to accept defeat. Over a staggering 14 minutes, they rattled off three unanswered goals to pull off one of the most remarkable turnarounds in World Cup history.
At 39, Messi no longer dominates matches with the blistering pace that defined his peak. He conserves his energy, picks his moments, and relies on the razor-sharp footballing intelligence that has made him a generational talent. Even when his penalty was saved by Egypt’s inspired goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir in the first half – marking the second penalty miss of this tournament for Messi, making him the only player in World Cup history to miss two non-shootout penalties in a single edition – the legend never wavered.
Egypt had put in a near-perfect performance to that point. Yasser Ibrahim opened the scoring in the first half, and Mostafa Zico doubled their advantage after an earlier goal was disallowed by VAR for a foul far from the attacking box. Shobeir’s heroic stop from the spot kept Argentina off the board, and Egypt was on the cusp of pulling off one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
That all changed with 11 minutes left on the clock. Messi delivered a pinpoint cross that Cristiano Romero nodded home, giving Argentina a flicker of hope. Just over four minutes later, Messi struck a blistering left-footed shot that cannoned off the crossbar and past Shobeir to level the score. In stoppage time, Enzo Fernandez headed home the winning goal, breaking Egyptian hearts and sending Argentina through to the quarter-finals.
In the chaotic celebrations that followed, Messi’s teammates lifted their talisman high above their heads, while jubilant Argentine fans stayed in the stands long after the final whistle, singing their team’s anthems to a thundering drumbeat. That collective sacrifice from the side, the hard work off the ball and the willingness to play to their captain’s strengths, has been the backbone of Argentina’s run. As former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, commentating for BBC Radio 5 Live, put it: “That was incredible. Spectacular. Argentina were down and out. They were out of the tournament at one point. Egypt are so frustrated with the refereeing decisions that have gone against them… Then Lionel Messi just stepped in and took over. Beautiful assist, great finish for his goal, and then the substitutions worked for Argentina.”
The result also reshapes the tournament path for England, who had been gearing up for a potential semi-final clash with Egypt if the underdogs held on. Instead, England now faces the prospect of a meeting with Messi and Argentina in the semi-finals, should they get past Norway in the quarter-finals. Even at 39, Messi casts an intimidating shadow over any opponent, as Egypt learned the hard way.
This tournament has already cemented another set of historic milestones for Messi. He became the first player in World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout matches, and currently sits on eight goals at this 2026 tournament – the highest tally by any player through the first five matches of a World Cup since Gerd Muller scored 10 for West Germany at the 1970 Mexico edition. Across his last nine World Cup outings, Messi has now contributed directly to 16 goals: 13 goals and three assists, a run of form that has England bracing for a potential high-stakes meeting with the legend.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni’s side are far from a one-man team, however. They blend attacking flair with defensive steel, anchored by a refusal to accept defeat that carried them through a 3-2 scare against Cape Verde in the knockout round opener. Statistics underscore just how unlikely this comeback was: Opta data gave Argentina just a 0.6% win probability when Romero scored their opening goal, making this the latest any side has come from two goals down to win a 90-minute World Cup match in tournament history.
Amid a tournament already packed with dramatic contests, including England’s 3-2 thriller against Mexico at the Azteca, this matchup between Argentina and Egypt has emerged as the frontrunner for the best game of the 2026 World Cup so far. For Messi, the tears after the final whistle were a reminder that even after more than two decades at the top of global football, the emotion of the World Cup still hits as hard as ever. Now, the champion prepares for his next challenge: a quarter-final clash against the winner of the Switzerland vs Colombia match, with history still within his reach.
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‘This is our sport, not theirs’: Klopp attacks Fifa chief over Balogun red card reversal
A fiery global controversy has engulfed world football after global governing body FIFA overturned a red card issued to United States striker Folarin Balogun, a decision that came after former U.S. President Donald Trump personally lobbied FIFA President Gianni Infantino to revisit the call. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from football figures, politicians and governing bodies, who warn the move has fatally undermined the sport’s core principle of impartial officiating.
The controversy traces back to a recent qualifying match between the U.S. and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where referee Raphael Claus issued Balogun a straight red card for a collision with an opposing player. Per standard FIFA rules, a red card carries an automatic one-match suspension that would have ruled Balogun out of the U.S.’s next fixture against Belgium. That all changed when Trump confirmed on Monday he had directly called Infantino to demand a review of the red card, insisting the incident was not a foul at all.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump framed the call as a personal intervention rooted in his own self-described deep understanding of sport. “That wasn’t even an infraction, that was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other,” Trump said, before launching a personal attack on Claus, calling the referee “very suspect” and hinting at unspecified questionable past conduct. He also praised Infantino, claiming the FIFA chief’s respect had grown “tenfold” following their interaction.
Behind the scenes, the lobbying effort was far broader than a single presidential phone call, reporting from Politico reveals: White House FIFA World Cup Task Force executive director Andrew Giuliani, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and senior United States Soccer Federation officials spent four days organizing and lobbying to overturn the suspension. On Sunday, FIFA stunned the global sports community by reversing the red card, replacing it with a one-year probationary period, by invoking Article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code – a provision that is almost never used in practice. Balogun was cleared to start against Belgium on Monday, though he turned in an underwhelming performance as Belgium secured a comfortable 4-1 victory.
Infantino has pushed back against claims of political interference, insisting the decision was made independently by FIFA’s judicial bodies and not as a result of his conversation with Trump. “During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving Fifa’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies,” Infantino said. “That is how Fifa’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.”
That explanation has done little to quiet widespread outrage. Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, one of the most respected figures in top club football, delivered a rare public rebuke of Infantino in response to the debacle. “This is our sport, not theirs,” Klopp said. “If Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino really sorted this out between themselves, it is madness. It calls everything into question.”
FIFA’s chief of referees, Pierluigi Collina, rushed to defend Claus, the referee at the center of Trump’s attack, calling him an “experienced and highly respected” official and confirming FIFA retains full confidence in his work. The South American Football Confederation echoed that defense in an official statement.
The backlash has extended to political circles in the United Kingdom, where multiple senior politicians have called for Infantino’s immediate resignation. Clive Betts, chair of the UK Parliament’s all-party group for football and a member of the ruling Labour Party, said: “The first thing they’ve got to do is explain their decision and if it literally was just a phone call from Trump then I’m sorry, but I think he has to resign or Fifa has to sack him if he won’t.” Ed Davey, leader of the UK Liberal Democrats, added: “No matter where it’s held, the World Cup belongs to the fans – not gangsters like Trump.” Former British sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe called the situation “appalling”, saying: “This clearly is an appalling situation where politicians and sport executives have ruined the integrity of the game. Infantino should resign immediately and Fifa should hold an immediate inquiry. President Trump admits contacting Infantino.”
Even disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who was banned from FIFA activities in 2015 over a widespread corruption scandal, joined the criticism. In a post on X, Blatter wrote: “Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. If a US President intervenes with the FIFA President – and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match – the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis [where are you going], FIFA?”
European football’s governing body UEFA went a step further, saying the decision to reverse the red card “crossed a red line” in its own official statement. “Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not,” the statement read. “A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted.”
The Belgian Football Association, which was directly impacted by the decision since it was set to face the U.S. with Balogun in the line-up, challenged Balogun’s eligibility to play before the match, noting it would leave “all further actions open” if FIFA allowed him to take the field. FIFA rejected Belgium’s appeal, ruling the association was not an interested party in the proceedings and rendering the challenge inadmissible. After the match, Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin said his squad had been unified by a “sense of injustice” over the off-pitch chaos, saying the team was determined to respond on the pitch. Responding to the controversy, after Romelu Lukaku scored Belgium’s fourth goal the team celebrated by performing the “Trump dance” that the former president popularized during his 2024 election campaign. The Belgian FA also posted a photo of Lukaku cupping his ear to Instagram with the caption “overturn this”, a thinly veiled jab at FIFA’s controversial decision.
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IOC eases restrictions on Russians before 2028 LA Games as anthem, flag ban remains
More than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced a landmark policy shift on Tuesday, rolling back some of the longstanding restrictions on Russian athletes to clear their path to compete in team events and qualifying tournaments for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
In remarks delivered during an IOC meeting in Lausanne, committee president Kirsty Coventry underscored the guiding principle behind the decision, noting that the governing body has long prioritized ensuring no athlete is penalized for the actions of their home government.
While the IOC opened the door to expanded participation, it opted to retain the existing ban on the Russian national anthem and national flag for the time being. The committee also added a strict new stipulation: any Russian athlete seeking to return to international competition must pass multiple anti-doping screenings before being cleared to take part, a measure designed to address lingering distrust stemming from Russia’s decades-long history of state-sponsored doping programs.
The announcement drew immediate pushback from Ukraine, whose own Olympic committee condemned the IOC’s move as premature and unfounded amid the ongoing war that has now stretched into its fifth year. In an official statement, Ukraine’s NOC emphasized that Russia’s full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine remains ongoing, with Russia continuing to violate core principles of international law, peace and global security, making the IOC’s decision out of step with current realities.
Under the framework of new rules laid out by the IOC, individual international sports federations retain the autonomy to decide whether to allow the display of the Russian flag and performance of the anthem at their own standalone events, as well as whether to host competitions on Russian territory. For the 2028 LA Games themselves, which are still two years away, the IOC said it will revisit the question of flags, anthems and national identifiers at a later, more appropriate date.
Russia, for its part, welcomed the IOC’s adjusted policy. In a post on the messaging platform Telegram, Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev framed the decision as a clear signal that the global Olympic movement should remain free from political interference, adding that Russia is fully prepared to send athletes to compete in the Los Angeles qualifying process. Notably, Russia’s reintegration remains more restricted than that of Belarus, which the IOC readmitted fully in early May without any curbs on its national anthem or national symbols.
The original restrictions on the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) were first imposed in October 2023, 18 months after the invasion of Ukraine, after the ROC moved to absorb sports governing bodies from Ukrainian territories annexed by Russia. In its latest statement, the IOC confirmed that the ROC has now committed that it will not conduct any activities in those disputed territories now or in the future, and the committee will maintain close ongoing monitoring of the situation to ensure compliance.
Despite the IOC’s policy shift, the global sports community remains deeply divided on the question of Russian athlete participation. IOC Sports Director Pierre Ducrey acknowledged this split, noting that reintegration will unfold across a “fractured landscape” with different rules applying to different sports.
For example, World Athletics, the global governing body for track and field, reaffirmed its hardline stance just days before the IOC announcement, maintaining a total ban on all Russian and Belarusian athletes, citing the absence of any tangible progress toward peace negotiations between the two countries. By contrast, the international governing bodies for judo and swimming already moved to fully reinstate Russian and Belarusian athletes last November and April respectively, following the lead of the International Paralympic Committee, which approved full participation for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games.
Russia’s suspension from full Olympic participation actually predates the 2022 invasion. The country has been barred from competing under its own national colors and symbols since 2016, when the first revelations of a widespread state-run doping program emerged. Just weeks after the conclusion of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, backed by Belarus, triggered a new wave of sweeping sports sanctions that expanded existing restrictions.
After a period of full exclusion following the invasion, the IOC began a gradual process of reintegration starting in March 2023, allowing Russian athletes to compete as neutral individuals under strict conditions, but barring them from all team events for the 2024 Paris Olympics and 2026 Milan-Cortina Games. For months leading up to Tuesday’s announcement, Coventry had publicly signaled support for broader reintegration, repeatedly emphasizing that sport should remain a neutral space where all athletes can compete freely regardless of the political divisions of their governments.
This principle was formally codified into the Olympic Charter during the IOC’s 142nd session in Lausanne in late June, which explicitly enshrined the organization’s mandate to maintain neutrality at all times, free from pressure from national governments, cultural divides, societal differences or economic interests. As a further step toward reintegration, the IOC Executive Board already recommended last December that Russian and Belarusian junior athletes be allowed to return to junior competition, including team events, competing under their own national flags and anthems.
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Lionel Messi scores his eighth goal of this year’s World Cup, takes lead in Golden Boot race
ATLANTA — When the final whistle blew at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday, Lionel Messi could no longer hold back his emotions. Tears streamed down the Argentina captain’s face, capping off one of the most dramatic comeback wins in recent World Cup history: his side roared back from a two-goal deficit to beat Egypt 3-2, punching their ticket to the tournament’s quarterfinal round.
All three of Argentina’s winning goals came in the final 11 minutes of regulation plus stoppage time, and Messi was directly involved in two of the decisive strikes. In the 79th minute, the captain set up Cristian Romero’s game-opening header with a pinpoint assist that put Argentina on the board. Just four minutes later, he slotted a powerful shot past Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir to level the score at 2-2, shifting the entire momentum of the match.
Inside the sold-out Atlanta stadium, where the stands were flooded with Argentina’s iconic light blue and white stripes from the opening kickoff, the crowd exploded into celebration after Messi’s equalizer. For the Argentina squad, seeing their leader step up to rescue the match was nothing short of expected.
“Watching Leo push himself harder every single day, running the way he does for this team — I told him after the match that he deserved this moment,” Argentina forward Lautaro Martínez told reporters after the win. “He is our role model, our guide, the player that lifts us up at every turn. This team never quits, we keep fighting until the final second, and that spirit starts with him.”
Messi’s 79th-minute strike marked his eighth goal of this year’s World Cup, pushing him to the top of the tightly contested Golden Boot race, awarded to the tournament’s top goalscorer. The goal also extended a historic record: he has now scored in nine consecutive World Cup matches dating back to Argentina’s 2022 title run in Qatar. Across that nine-game stretch, Messi has found the back of the net 13 times.
Heading into Tuesday’s match, Messi had entered tied with France’s Kylian Mbappé and Norway’s Erling Haaland on seven goals apiece, with Mbappé holding a tiebreaker advantage thanks to his two extra assists. England’s Harry Kane also remained in contention heading into the final group stage matches with six goals. The late brace against Egypt now gives Messi a two-goal lead over Mbappé on the all-time World Cup career scoring leaderboard as well.
This isn’t the first time Messi has stolen the show on the World Cup stage: he finished second in the 2022 Golden Boot race behind Mbappé that year, notching seven goals while leading Argentina to their third World Cup title. He also tied for third in the 2014 race in Brazil with four goals. Even so, his performance this tournament has stood out even for a player of his already legendary caliber.
Teammate Julián Álvarez says Messi’s impact on Argentina’s 2024 World Cup run is almost impossible to put into words. “There are truly no words to describe what Leo is doing at this tournament,” Álvarez said. “What he has accomplished is incredible, and all we can do as teammates is support him, help him where we can, and cherish every minute we get to play alongside him. We are so grateful for everything he does for this squad, and for the person he is.”
Whether he holds onto his lead and claims his first career Golden Boot or not, Messi’s standing as one of the greatest players to ever step onto the pitch is already secure, according to his teammates. “He is a legend,” Álvarez said simply. “The greatest in history.”