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World No. 1 Swiatek takes a break due to injury

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Last season, the 21-year-old lifted the trophy in Miami after beating Naomi Osaka in the final, but the Pole said she won’t defend her title.

“After Doha I was struggling with a strong infection. I was allowed to play, but a strong episode of coughing led to a rib injury. We were trying to handle it and continuing to play as long as it was safe for me,” Swiatek wrote in a statement released on Wednesday.

“We were analyzing the data in recent days and my doctor prepared my diagnosis. Unfortunately, I’m still feeling a lot of discomfort and pain and I can’t compete. I need to take a break to recover. I have to pull out of the Miami Open and Billie Jean King Cup,” she added.

It’s not known when Swiatek will return to the tennis court. “It depends on my process of recovery and the recommendation of my medical team,” the tennis player explained.

The WTA ranking leader admitted that she is facing difficult moments.

“It’s a truly difficult call not to play in Miami and Billie Jean King Cup, but health is the most important. Time to accept it and get well as soon as possible,” the Pole concluded.

Veteran Roy Hodgson returns to save Crystal Palace from relegation

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The 75-year-old former England, Fulham and Liverpool coach, who will be 76 in August, returns to the club he left after four years in charge in July 2021, when Patrick Viera was named as his replacement.

Viera was sacked by Palace last Friday after a run of just one win in 12 games left them without a win in 2023 and in apparent freefall towards the relegation zone.

Hodgson is seen as a safe pair of hands to try and help the club avoid a costly drop into the Championship.

Hodgson already holds the record as the oldest coach to ever work in the Premier League and his return to the club extends that record.

“It is a privilege to be asked to return to the club, which has always meant so much to me, and to be given the important task of turning the team’s fortunes around. Our sole objective now is to start winning matches, and to get the points necessary to ensure our Premier League status,” Hodgson said.

Paris 2024 organizers to recruit 45,000 volunteers

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A web platform will open on Wednesday for those who are interested to participate in the Olympic Games as a volunteer, with a deadline set for May 3.

“They are the ones who gave us their first passion, the first contacts were made by volunteers. They play a leading role in French Sport, they also play a leading role in the organisation of the Games. They will be the face of the Paris 2024 Olympics,” Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet said at a press conference.

In line with Paris’ ambition to stage the Games for everyone, the organizers intend to bring in at least 3,000 volunteers with disabilities.

“People with disabilities often lack confidence in themselves and think of themselves as excluded from all these events,” said the French minister for people with disabilities, Genevieve Darrieussecq. “And here we are telling them, ‘No, on the contrary. Not only are you not excluded and we need you.'”

The candidates need to be at least 18 on January 1st, 2024, speak French or English and be available for a minimum of 10 days at the Olympics or Paralympics.

Paris Olympic Games are to take place from July 26 to August 11 and the Paralympic Games are scheduled from August 28 to September 8 next year.

Historic Moroccan win in Rome Marathon

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Allam is the first Moroccan to win the 42.2-kilometer race through the Italian capital, and becomes just the fifth runner to win the title with a time faster than two hours and eight minutes.

The course record was set a year ago, when Ethiopia’s Fikre Bekele won in two hours, six minutes and 48 seconds. Bekele did not return this year to defend his title.

Betty Chepkwony of Kenya won the women’s event in two hours, 23 minutes and two seconds, the fastest time since Ethiopia’s Alemu Megertu set the course record of 2:22:52 in 2019. Chepkwony’s victory marked the 14th consecutive year the women’s winner has hailed from either Kenya or Ethiopia.

Allam’s triumph snapped a 17-year victory streak in the men’s division for runners from those two countries.

The top Italian overall was Nekagenet Crippa, an Ethiopia-born runner now in the Italian Army, who finished sixth in two hours, 12 minutes and 11 seconds in his first full-length marathon.

Arianna Lutteri was the top Italian woman, finishing eighth in two hours, 47 minutes and nine seconds, one place ahead of compatriot Paola Salvatori.

Italy’s Antonio Solano was the top masters runner (aged 40 or above), finishing in 2:36:19, good for 33rd place overall.

Maggie Hadley from Australia was the top female master, finishing in just under three hours with a time of 2:59:59 that was good enough for tenth place overall.

ANALYSIS: Four things we learned in Spain’s Matchday 26

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1 Barca are Champions Elect

The way the Barcelona players celebrated after beating Real Madrid in Camp Nou on Sunday night made it clear the win had all but assured them the La Liga title, and it’s hard to disagree.

Barca are 12 points clear at the top of La Liga with 12 points remaining, and even if Real Madrid wins all of their remaining games, Barca would have to lose four times. Given that they have suffered just two defeats in La Liga all season, with one of those against Real Madrid, that looks very unlikely.

Xavi Hernandez’s side have not been spectacular this season, but they have been tough to beat, conceding just nine goals in their first 26 matches of the campaign, and it is that low number of goals against them that is what will win them the title

2 Real Madrid can take hope for the Copa del Rey

Although Real Madrid’s league hopes were all but ended on Sunday night, Carlo Ancelotti’s men can perhaps take some hope for their Copa del Rey semifinal tie, which is at Camp Nou on April 5th.

Although Real Madrid trail 1-0 after losing the first leg in front of their fans, they showed enough on Sunday to believe they can overturn that deficit.

Marco Asensio was unlucky to be slightly offside when he had the ball in the net for what would have been 1-2 in the 80th minute and they caught Barca enough times on the break to make you believe that with some better finishing, a Copa del Rey fightback in two weeks is not beyond them.

3 Atletico benefitting from European exit

Although the club’s accounts may not agree, it is hard to argue with the fact that Atletico Madrid’s early exit from Europe this season has helped them find consistency in their league form.

Before the World Cup, Atletico’s form was very irregular, to the extent that there were even questions over the future of coach Diego Simeone. However, the past two and a half months have seen Atletico get back to their best with a run of seven wins and two draws from their last nine matches.

Antoine Griezmann has been outstanding in that period, and World Cup winner Rodrigo de Paul has also taken a step forward in terms of performances in central midfield.

With no European commitments, Atletico have been able to focus fully on La Liga, they have suffered fewer niggling injuries and their form has all but guaranteed them a place in next season’s Champions League.

4 Carlos Carvahal is doing a good job with Celta

Celta Vigo’s 3-1 win away to Espanyol on Saturday lifted them to 10th in the table, with 34 points from 26 games.

Celta are eight points clear of the relegation zone after some difficult weeks and could even have a slight chance of qualifying for Europe next season.

The arrival of Carlos Carvahal as coach has seen a big improvement in form, with youngster Gabri Veiga the club’s hope for the future, while Iago Aspas is back to his best and back in the Spain squad and central defender Unai Nunez is enjoying the continuity he didn’t get with Athletic Club Bilbao.

Carvajal’s side are enjoying themselves, scoring goals and showing that his appointment was a master-stroke.

Inaugural Kenya Beach Games close with hundreds taking part

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The inaugural event, held in the coastal town of Malindi and organized by Olympics Kenya, attracted over 800 athletes from all over the country.

Highlights included the aquathlon, wrestling and boxing, the dhow racing, a demonstration sport, and the first-ever ITF World Ranking Beach Tennis Tournament.

Kenya was using the event to identify talent or help teams ahead of the Africa Beach Games that will be held in Hammamet, Tunisia, in June.

Among the athletes at the event was the Commonwealth and African sprint champion Ferdinand Omanyala.

“Bringing all these athletes together at a multi-sport event, we haven’t seen this before, and I’m thrilled for the future,” Omanyala, the African men’s 100m champion, told reporters on Sunday evening.

In beach soccer, the team Watamu drubbed Likoni 4-0 to lift the men’s title while Moving the Goal Post edged Mombasa Olympic 2-1 to take the women’s trophy.

Pwani Wolves and Coast Queens secured the men’s and women’s beach handball titles.

Besides the sporting activity, the inaugural Kenya Beach Games also showcased the rich culture of the Kenyan coast as well as family entertainment.

Olympics Kenya has earmarked future editions to become a major tourist attraction, with a number of foreigners from Europe and Asia taking part.

“From traditional sports like boxing and judo to unique events like dhow racing and Ajua, there’s truly something for everyone at this year’s games. We hope this event will help put Kenya on the map as a top destination for beach sports and tourism,” Olympic Kenya general secretary Francis Mutuku remarked.

Rwanda signs deal with Veteran Clubs World Championship to promote sports tourism

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Under the deal signed over the weekend through the country’s Visit Rwanda campaign, Rwanda will host the next three editions of the football tournament, according to a statement.

The maiden games scheduled for September 2024 are expected to draw 150 football legends from around the world to play at the Amahoro Stadium in Rwanda’s capital city Kigali.

During the games, the Visit Rwanda branding will be visible in the stadium and on marketing collateral such as the jerseys and tickets, it said.

“Hosting this event puts Rwanda on the world map as a fast-growing sports tourism destination. This is a championship that is expected to attract thousands of not only global football spectators but also leading brands and partners looking to create impact through sports,” RDB Chief Executive Officer Clare Akamanzi said in the statement.

“We are excited at the income and job opportunities the tournament will create for Rwandans and encourage more people to come and host their sporting events in Rwanda,” she said.

The statement does not disclose how much will be paid to the Veteran Clubs World Championship.

“We want the world to come to Rwanda not only to enjoy the tournament but to also visit its wonderful attractions and establish businesses and invest,” said Fred Siewe, founder of the Veteran Clubs World Championship.

Rwanda seeks to position itself as Africa’s sports hub hosting major competitions. The government generated about 6 million U.S. dollars from sports tourism in 2021, according to official data.

The government injected 160 million Rwandan francs (about 150,000 dollars) in 2021 to upgrade the Amahoro stadium and expand its seating capacity from 25,000 to 45,000.

Hughton appointed Ghana football head coach

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The Ghana Football Association said at a ceremony in Kumasi, the country’s second-largest city, that Hughton would be in charge of the team until December 31 next year.

The former Black Stars technical director shared his excitement and said he hoped to lead the four-time African champions back to their glory days.

“To represent Ghana and the Black Stars as the head coach is something I am incredibly proud of. I’ll give everything to make the team as successful as possible,” said British-born Hughton, who is the son of a Ghanaian father, and also won 53 caps for Ireland.

The former Brighton manager was named last month as the replacement for Otto Addo, who resigned following Ghana’s group stage exit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The 64-year-old’s first task will be leading Ghana in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola on Thursday in Kumasi, before traveling to Luanda for the return encounter on March 27.

Man United, Brighton, Sheff Utd continue in FA Cup, Arsenal go 8 clear in Premier League

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The win comes after Erik Ten Hag’s side reached the quarterfinals of the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, but came after a dramatic last 15 minutes when Aleksandar Mitrovic powered Fulham ahead five minutes into the second half.

Fulham were the better side, but everything changed in the 72nd minute when Willian handled a goal-bound shot from Jadon Sancho on the goal-line and was sent off, with Mitrovic following him into the dressing room for his complaints, along with Fulham coach Marco Silva.

Bruno Fernandes scored the resulting penalty and Marcel Sabitzer put United against nine-man Fulham in the 77th minute, before Fernandes scored a third for his side in the 96th minute.

Fourth-tier Grimsby Town’s brave cup run came to an end after they lost 5-0 away to Brighton, who gave them little option and scored four goals in the second half.

Deniz Undav put Brighton ahead after just six minutes, and after the break, 18-year-old Ewan Ferguson scored twice, along with Solly March and Kaoru Mitoma as football logic made itself felt.

Sheffield United qualified for the FA Cup semifinal for the second time in 10 years with a thrilling 3-2 win at home to Blackburn Rovers in an all-second tier tie.

Ben Brereton Diaz’s 21st-minute penalty put Blackburn ahead, only for Sam Gallagher’s own goal to level the scores in the 28th minute.

Sammie Szmodics looked to have put Blackburn into the last four with his 60th minute goal, but Oliver McBurnie equalized nine minutes from time, and Thomas Doyle scored a 91st-minute winner to put United through.

Manchester City booked a semifinal spot on Saturday with a 6-0 pummeling of Championship leaders Burnley.

Erling Haaland scored his second hat-trick of the week and his sixth since arriving at the club, while Julian Alvarez netted twice and Cole Palmer also scored for Manchester City.

In the Premier League, Arsenal took advantage of City’s cup exploits to open up an eight-point lead at the top of the table with a 4-1 win at home to Crystal Palace.

Palace sacked Patrick Vieira as coach on Friday after a run of 12 games without a win, but it made little difference as Arsenal led 2-0 at halftime thanks to goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.

Granit Xhaka made it 3-0 in the 55th minute, and although Jeffrey Schupp pulled a goal back for Palace in the 63rd minute, Saka’s second of the match ended any hopes of a fightback 10 minutes later.

On Saturday, Everton held Chelsea to a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge thanks to goals from Abdoulaye Doucoure and Ellis Simms, after Chelsea had twice led though Joao Felix and Kai Havertz’s 76th-minute penalty.

James Ward-Prowse’s injury-time penalty saw Southampton save a valuable point at home to Tottenham, who had led 3-1.

Pedro Porro put Tottenham ahead in first-half injury time, only for Che Adams to level in the 46th minute. Harry Kane and Ivan Perisic then put Spurs 3-1 ahead, but Theo Walcott gave Southampton hope in the 77th minute and Ward-Prowse capped the comeback from the penalty spot.

Leeds United took a big step towards safety with a 4-2 win away to Wolves, with goals from Jack Harrison, Luke Ayling, Rasmus Kristensen and Rodrigo Moreno, while Wolves duo Jonny and Mateus Nunes were both sent off.

Goals from Douglas Luiz, Jacob Ramsey and Emi Buendia gave Aston Villa a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Bournemouth, while Leicester City ended a four-game losing streak with a 1-1 draw away to Brentford.

Bayern drop second with loss to Leverkusen in Bundesliga

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The Werkself staged a lively opening period and kept Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer busy, but neither Kerem Demirbay nor Jeremie Frimpong was able to break the deadlock.

It was the Bavarians who opened the scoring out of thin air and with their first attempt on target, as Joshua Kimmich’s deflected effort caught Leverkusen custodian Lukas Hradecky flat-footed with 22 minutes gone.

Chances were at premium for the remainder of the first half as Leverkusen were stunned while the visitors lacked in penetration.

Leverkusen took the reins after the restart as VAR intervened in the 55th minute when Bayern’s Benjamin Pavard stepped onto Amine Adli’s heel inside the box. Palacios kept his cool from the spot and sent Sommer the wrong way before slotting the equalizer into the bottom-left corner.

Julian Nagelsmann’s men had problems creating momentum, but Jamal Musisla pulled narrowly wide following a solo run inside the box in the 68th minute.

Leverkusen were awarded another penalty in the 73rd minute when VAR penalized Dayot Upamecano’s foul on Adli. Palacios stepped up again and drilled the ball into the bottom-left corner to turn the tides.

The record German champions pressed frenetically, knowing that a draw would keep them atop the Bundesliga standings, but Leverkusen’s well-positioned defence held firm to secure all three points on home soil.

With the result, Bayern dropped to second place in the standings, one point behind Borussia Dortmund, whom they play in Munich on the next matchday on April 1.

“It is a deserved loss. We were the weaker side today. We lacked in power and didn’t play well overall. It was a sluggish performance. We must beat Dortmund in the top clash otherwise it’s going to be tough to win the Bundesliga,” said Nagelsmann.

Elsewhere, Union Berlin returned to winning ways and jumped into the top three after beating Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 courtesy of second-half goals from Rani Khedira and Kevin Behrens, while Karim Onisiwo’s last-gasp equalizer helped Mainz share the spoils with Freiburg in a 1-1 draw.

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