Olympic torch begins journey across France after festive welcome in Marseille before Summer Games

Olympic torch begins journey across France after festive welcome in Marseille before Summer Games
First torch carrier in France French Olympic swimmer Florent Manaudou holds the Olympic torch after leaving The Belem, the three-masted sailing ship in the old port of Marseille, southern France. (AP)
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Updated 09 May 2024
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Olympic torch begins journey across France after festive welcome in Marseille before Summer Games

Olympic torch begins journey across France after festive welcome in Marseille before Summer Games
  • French Olympic swimmer Florent Manaudou became the first torch carrier in France after the Olympic flame arrived in Marseille’s Old Port
  • Marseille’s Mayor Benoit Payan said that more than 230,000 people attended Wednesday’s ceremony

MARSEILLE, France: Tens of thousands of people welcomed the Olympic torch Wednesday in the southern French city of Marseille, marking another milestone in the leadup to the Summer Games in Paris.

French Olympic swimmer Florent Manaudou became the first torch carrier in France after the Olympic flame arrived in Marseille’s Old Port on a majestic three-mast ship from Greece for the welcoming ceremony amid tight security.

The ship sailed into Marseille’s old port with the French national anthem “La Marseillaise” echoing from the embankment and a French Air force flyover with planes first drawing the five Olympic rings and then the red-blue-white colors of the nation’s flag.

The ship docked on a pontoon resembling an athletics track and Manaudou carried the torch to mainland France. He handed it to French Paralympic sprinter Nantenin Keita, who won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, to carry it to rapper Jul, a Marseille native, who lit a cauldron as tens of thousands cheered on the shore and thousands of others waved from balconies and windows.

“We can be proud,” said President Emmanuel Macron, who attended the ceremony to welcome the torch.

“The flame is on French soil,” Macron said. “The games are coming to France and are entering the lives of the French people.”

Marseille’s Mayor Benoit Payan said that more than 230,000 people attended Wednesday’s ceremony.

“Tonight, the people of Marseille won the first gold medal of these Olympic Games,” Payan said, beaming with pride.

The torch was lit in Greece last month before it was officially handed to France. It left Athens aboard a ship named Belem, which was first used in 1896, and spent twelve days at sea.

Paris 2024 Olympics Organizing Committee President Tony Estanguet said the return of the Olympic Games to France was cause for a “fantastic celebration.”

“As a former athlete, I know how important the start of a competition is. That is why we chose Marseille, because it’s definitely one of the cities most in love with sports,” added Estanguet, a former Olympic canoeing star with gold medals from the 2000, 2004 and 2012 Games.

Safety of visitors and residents has been a top priority for authorities in Marseille, France’s second largest city with nearly a million inhabitants. About 8,000 police officers have been deployed around the harbor.

Thousands of firefighters and bomb disposal squads have been positioned around the city along with maritime police and anti-drone teams patrolling the city’s waters and its airspace.

“It’s a monumental day and we have been working hard for visitors and residents of Marseille to enjoy this historical moment,” said Yannick Ohanessian, the city’s deputy mayor.

The torch relay will start on Thursday in Marseille, before heading to Paris through iconic places across the country, from the world-famous Mont Saint-Michel to D-Day landing beaches in Normandy and the Versailles Palace.

Heavy police and military presence was seen patrolling Marseille’s city center Tuesday, as a military helicopter flew over the Old Port, where a range of barriers have been set up.

French Interior Ministry spokesperson Camille Chaize said officials were prepared for security threats including terrorism.

“We’re employing various measures, notably the elite National Gendarmerie Intervention Group unit, which will be present in the torch relay from beginning to end,” she said.

The Olympic cauldron will be lit after the Games’ opening ceremony that will take place on the River Seine on July 26.

The cauldron will be lit at a location in Paris that is being kept top-secret until the day itself. Among reported options are such iconic spots as the Eiffel Tower and the Tuileries Gardens outside the Louvre Museum.


Harry Kane set to return for Bayern Munich next week after injury

Updated 1 min 6 sec ago
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Harry Kane set to return for Bayern Munich next week after injury

Harry Kane set to return for Bayern Munich next week after injury
  • Kane’s missed three games since then and Kompany says Kane won’t be available for Saturday’s Bundesliga game at Mainz
MUNICH: Harry Kane is set to make his return for Bayern Munich next week following a muscle injury, coach Vincent Kompany said Friday.
The England captain hasn’t played since he went off in Bayern’s 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund on Nov. 30 after receiving treatment on his right thigh.
Kane’s missed three games since then and Kompany said Kane wouldn’t be available for Saturday’s Bundesliga game at Mainz, either, but could return next week ahead of playing Leipzig on Dec. 20.
“It’s actually gone really quickly and well for Harry. It was tight for this game, but it looks good for Leipzig,” Kompany said.
“I’m obviously only focused on Mainz now but regarding Harry, it’s great. It’s not the case that we’ve had a setback or something. It looks good.”
Kane has scored 20 goals in 19 games for Bayern in all competitions this season.

Historic FIFAe Finals 2024 conclude with two more champions crowned

Historic FIFAe Finals 2024 conclude with two more champions crowned
Updated 13 December 2024
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Historic FIFAe Finals 2024 conclude with two more champions crowned

Historic FIFAe Finals 2024 conclude with two more champions crowned
  • Indonesia secure console competition of ‘FIFAe World Cup featuring eFootball’, while Minbappe from Malaysia win mobile edition

RIYADH: Minbappe, from Malaysia, and Indonesia on Thursday secured their places in FIFAe history as history’s first champions of this new e-sports title in the growing FIFAe ecosystem.

After two weeks of football e-sports action at the SEF Arena in BLVD City in Riyadh, the FIFAe Finals 2024 concluded with the crowning of the console and mobile champions at the “FIFAe World Cup featuring eFootball” evnt.

There were 18 countries competing in the console division in a 2v2 tournament, while 16 countries contested 1v1 mobile edition of the event. 

Minbappe from Malaysia won the mobile division after outplaying AN10_Tienes from Morocco in a thrilling final on Thursday.

On console, Indonesia claimed the coveted title ahead of a stacked field, including a win over Brazil in the final.

Saudi Arabia secured the inaugural “FIFAe World Cup featuring Rocket League” last week.

Hosted in collaboration with the Saudi Esports Federation, the second edition of the FIFAe Finals produced three world champions, with total prize money of $450,000 distributed to the participants.

 


Juan Soto looking at baseball ‘dynasty’ after blockbuster Mets deal

Juan Soto looking at baseball ‘dynasty’ after blockbuster Mets deal
Updated 13 December 2024
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Juan Soto looking at baseball ‘dynasty’ after blockbuster Mets deal

Juan Soto looking at baseball ‘dynasty’ after blockbuster Mets deal
  • Soto said at his formal unveiling on Thursday that he opted for the Mets after being impressed by the team’s long-term vision and determination to challenge for championships
  • The Mets’ billionaire owner Steve Cohen, meanwhile, said Soto’s signing was a statement of intent as the team attempts to improve on last season’s surprise run to the National League Championship Series

NEW YORK: Juan Soto said Thursday the prospect of being part of a “dynasty” with the success-starved New York Mets had prompted his record-breaking $765 million move to the club.

Free agent Soto stunned the baseball world earlier this week after agreeing to a 15-year deal with the Mets in what is the richest contract in the history of North American sport.

The New York Yankees had hoped to re-sign the 26-year-old Dominican, who helped the Bronx Bombers reach last season’s World Series, while the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers had also been in pursuit of the star outfielder.

But in the end Soto opted to join the Yankees’ cross-town rival Mets, whose last Major League Baseball championship victory came in 1986.

Soto said at his formal unveiling on Thursday that he opted for the Mets after being impressed by the team’s long-term vision and determination to challenge for championships.

“The Mets are a great organization, and what they have done in the past couple of years — showing all the ability to keep winning, to keep growing a team, to try to grow a dynasty — is one of the most important things,” Soto said.

“The future that this team has, it had a lot to do with my decision. What they showed me, and how the organization runs things, and how they’re gonna manage things, and how they look at their future — that was one of the things that opened my eyes a little bit more.

“How hungry they are to win a championship, to want to make a dynasty with the New York Mets.”

Soto batted .288 last season for the Yankees with 41 home runs, 109 runs batted in and 129 walks.

The Mets’ billionaire owner Steve Cohen, meanwhile, said Soto’s signing was a statement of intent as the team attempts to improve on last season’s surprise run to the National League Championship Series.

“It’s obviously a huge move,” Cohen said. “It just puts an accent on what we’re trying to do. It accelerates our goal of winning championships.

“But more importantly, my goal was to change how the Mets were viewed. And I think we’re really on the path of changing that.

“We’re never gonna stop. We’re always in a constant state of improvement. But that’s my goal.”


China jails former Premier League star Li Tie 20 years for corruption

China jails former Premier League star Li Tie 20 years for corruption
Updated 13 December 2024
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China jails former Premier League star Li Tie 20 years for corruption

China jails former Premier League star Li Tie 20 years for corruption
  • A court in central Hubei province said Friday that Li had been sentenced to “fixed-term imprisonment of 20 years” after being found guilty of a string of offenses relating to giving and receiving bribes
  • The 47-year-old is one of China’s biggest football names, serving as national team coach from January 2020 to December 2021, after racking up nearly 100 international caps and playing as a midfielder for English Premier League side Everton

BEIJING: China on Friday jailed former Premier League star and men’s national coach Li Tie for 20 years for bribery, snaring one of the country’s greatest football figures in a sweeping government crackdown on corruption in sport.

President Xi Jinping has waged an unrelenting campaign against deep-seated official corruption since coming to power over a decade ago.

Anti-graft authorities took aim at the sport industry in 2022 and have announced a string of convictions for former football administrators this week.

In the highest-profile case to date, a court in central Hubei province said Friday that Li had been sentenced to “fixed-term imprisonment of 20 years” after being found guilty of a string of offenses relating to giving and receiving bribes.

The 47-year-old is one of China’s biggest football names, serving as national team coach from January 2020 to December 2021, after racking up nearly 100 international caps and playing as a midfielder for English Premier League side Everton.

But state broadcaster CCTV said he used his status as China coach to extract nearly 51 million yuan ($7 million) in bribes in return for selecting players for the national team or helping them sign for clubs.

Li also “asked others to help him” become the national coach in 2019 and handed the unnamed people one million yuan the following year, according to CCTV.

During his tenure at now-defunct Chinese Super League (CSL) side Wuhan Zall, Li also colluded with club chiefs to hand out bribes in an effort to secure the national team job, the broadcaster said.

It also listed other accusations that Li and his previous clubs had paid the equivalent of millions of dollars in bribes to seal player transfers and fix match results stretching back to 2015.

A photograph of Li published by CCTV showed the disgraced sportsman in the court dock, wearing a black hooded sweater and flanked by two police officers.

China’s legal system is tightly controlled by the ruling Communist Party and courts have a near-100 percent conviction rate in criminal cases.

Li’s conviction seemed certain after he pleaded guilty earlier this year to accepting over $10 million in bribes.

He also featured in a documentary aired by CCTV in January about widespread corruption in Chinese football.

CCTV occasionally airs confessions by criminal suspects before they have appeared in court, a practice widely condemned by rights groups.

In the program, Li said he had arranged nearly $421,000 in bribes to secure the head coach position and helped fix CSL matches.

“I’m very sorry. I should have kept my head to the ground and followed the right path,” said Li during the show.

“There were certain things that at the time were common practices in football.”

Chinese authorities have announced a spate of corruption convictions this week, and state media said the sentencing of the former vice-chief of the national sport administration was also expected on Friday.

On Wednesday, Liu Yi, who was secretary general of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), was handed an 11-year sentence and fined 3.6 million yuan ($495,000) for taking bribes.

The same day, the former head of the CFA’s referees management office Tan Hai was given six and a half years and a 200,000-yuan fine for the same crime.

And on Tuesday, Qi Jun, the CFA’s ex-chief of strategic planning, was sentenced to seven years and slapped with a 600,000-yuan penalty.

Former CFA chief Chen Xuyuan was jailed for life in March for accepting bribes.

Proponents of Xi’s corruption crackdown say the policy promotes clean governance, but others say it also serves as a means for him to purge political rivals.

Xi is a self-proclaimed football fan who wants China to host and win the World Cup one day, but the men’s national team has long failed to impress.

FIFA currently ranks China 90th in the world, one place above the tiny Caribbean island of Curacao.


Pakistan Test team head coach Gillespie resigns

Pakistan Test team head coach Gillespie resigns
Updated 13 December 2024
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Pakistan Test team head coach Gillespie resigns

Pakistan Test team head coach Gillespie resigns
  • Gillespie refused to join  squad on tour of South Africa over disagreements with country's cricket board
  • Pakistan, with history of sacking coaches, have had six different coaches in all formats in the last four years 

KARACHI: Jason Gillespie resigned from his role as coach of the Pakistan Test team on Thursday after refusing to join the squad on their tour of South Africa over disagreements with the country's cricket board.

The former Australia bowler was appointed head coach on a two-year deal in April, with former South Africa opener Gary Kirsten named white-ball coach.

Kirsten resigned in October for similar reasons.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed Gillespie's resignation.

"The PCB has named former Pakistan paceman Aaqib Javed as interim red-ball head coach following the resignation of Gillespie," a PCB statement said.

Aaqib, who also replaced Kirsten as interim white-ball coach, will now oversee the two-Test series in South Africa, starting in Centurion from December 26.

The second Test will be played in Cape Town from January 3-7.

Pakistan's white-ball squad is currently in South Africa for a three-match T20 series and three one-day internationals.

Gillespie was removed from the selection panel following Pakistan's 2-0 whitewash at the hands on Bangladesh in September and losing the first Test by an innings against England a month later.

Pakistan won the next two Tests against England, taking the series 2-1, on sharply spinning pitches.

Gillespie did not hide his sentiments, saying he was frustrated.

"I think there's always frustrations from time to time," Gillespie said, in an interview with Sky Sports during the second England Test.

"It wasn't what I signed up for, I'll be completely honest."

After the England series, Gillespie served as white-ball coach on Pakistan's tour of Australia but was not given the job for the series in Zimbabwe.

Gillespie was reportedly not happy after the contract of his assistant Tim Nielsen was not renewed by the PCB.

Pakistan have a history of sacking coaches in the recent past. They have had six different coaches in all formats in the last four years.