Category: 6. Sports

Manolo Marquez will be stepping down from his role as head coach of the Indian men’s national football team after the Spaniard and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) mutually decided to part ways.

The decision was formalised during an AIFF Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday.

The decision to part ways comes after India’s 1-0 defeat to lower-ranked Hong Kong China on June 10 in their AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers 2027 campaign. They played out a 0-0 draw against Bangladesh in the opening match of their qualification campaign.

“He did not resign. After discussions, it was mutually agreed that the AIFF and Manolo Marquez cannot continue as India (men) coach. Accordingly, he was let go,” M. Satyanarayanan, the acting general secretary of the AIFF, told Sportstar.

Manolo Marquez was appointed as the head coach of the Indian team in June last year. Under his tutelage, the Blue Tigers picked up just one win in eight matches – a 3-0 victory over the Maldives in a friendly in March.

India’s last competitive win in international football came against Kuwait under former head coach Igor Stimac, whom Marquez had replaced.

The Indian team has also failed to score a goal in their last three matches under Manolo Marquez.

Manolo Marquez took over the top job in Indian football after guiding Hyderabad FC to the Indian Super League (ISL) title in the 2021-22. He also won the Super Cup trophy with FC Goa earlier this year.

Last year, he juggled dual responsibilities, serving as head coach of FC Goa during the 2024-25 season while continuing his role as head coach of the Indian national team.

The Indian football team is currently ranked 127th in the FIFA Men’s World Rankings, having last broken into the top 100 in July 2023 when they reached the 99th position.

The Blue Tigers’ next competitive outing is scheduled to take place in October when they face Singapore in their third match of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers.

India are currently rooted to the bottom of Group B in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers with one point from two games.

The omission of Jasprit Bumrah from the second Test against England in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in Birmingham on Wednesday left several individuals surprised. While experts questioned the decision to leave out Bumrah despite taking a five-wicket haul, India captain Shubman Gill called it a part of workload management on the pacer.

Bumrah was never in contention to play all the five Tests, more so after his injury in Australia earlier this year, which kept him out of action for almost three months. In fact, it was BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar who confirmed that Bumrah will be playing three Tests ahead of the tour.

Former England quick Stuart Broad was one among the surprised. But what baffled Broad was Bumrah’s act of making the revealing the strategy publicly which should have stayed indoors. “A week is a very good time off for a fast bowler,” Broad said in a pre-match show.

“(Bumrah’s omission) does surprise me and what also surprised me was him saying before the series he will only play three of the five Tests. You keep those cards close to your chest and play each week as it comes. They will definitely want Bumrah at Lord’s because of the movement you can get through the air,” added Broad.

What has Jasprit Bumrah said pre-series?

Ahead of the start of the five-match series, Bumrah sat down with former India teammate Dinesh Karthik for an interview with Sky Sports. The Indian pacer stated that he had contacted the BCCI about his workload management after realising that he was being considered for leadership role.

“I called the BCCI and said I don’t want to be looked at in a leadership role because I won’t be able to give [it my] all Test matches coming a five Test-match series. So then, yes, the BCCI was looking at me at leadership. But then I had to say no,” Bumrah had said.

+++ Welsh football legend completes safety driver training at the BMW
M Driving Academy +++ +++ Spectacular images from Maisach +++ Bale
plays BMW International Open Pro-Am with German NHL Stars and Ryder
Cup Captain Luke Donald +++

Munich. A day before his appearance at the Pro-Am
tournament as part of the BMW International Open (July 2–6, 2025, GC
München Eichenried), football legend Gareth Bale got into the swing of
things in Maisach. At the BMW M Driving Experience in Maisach, the
five-time Champions League winner completed a BMW Safety Driver
Training course – proving that his athletic talent extends far beyond
the football pitch.

Behind the wheel of a BMW M4 Competition, Bale’s programme included
evasive manoeuvres without braking, drifting, and, above all, plenty
of driving pleasure. The 35-year-old was thrilled and stated how
comfortable he feels in Munich and at the BMW International Open: “I
played in Munich in football for Real Madrid quite a few times, and
had some very good results, so Munich has been a great place for me.
Coming back to play in the BMW International Open in the last few
years has been really fun, enjoyed the course, enjoyed the city. It is
always nice to be back.”

On Wednesday, the passion-filled golfer swapped the asphalt for the
greens once again. Just as in the past two years, Bale teed off at the
Pro-Am tournament in Eichenried – and did so in excellent company. He
played alongside European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald (ENG) and
German NHL stars Moritz Seider and Tim Stützle.

BMW M4 Competition Coupé: fuel consumption in l/100
km: 9,9; CO2 emissions, combined in g/km: 223; CO2 class: G

WIMBLEDON — Aryna Sabalenka has made it her business to take care of business against players she’s expected to beat. As the World No. 1, that’s virtually every match.

Pushed to the limit early on Centre Court, Aryna Sabalenka delivered another methodically relentless performance on Wednesday, edging past Marie Bouzkova 7-6(4), 6-4 to reach the third round.

Next up is an enticing matchup Friday against the winner of the later contest between Marketa Vondrousova and Emma Raducanu, Grand Slam champions both.

Sabalenka’s record this year against opponents ranked outside the Top 20 is now a sporty 29-4. It’s 20-4 in the second round of Grand Slams, including 18 straight.

Sabalenka’s power was calibrated nicely, as she finished with 40 winners, against only 18 unforced errors. She served five aces and won 31of 35 first-serve points and was a searing 27-for-34 in points that she finished at net,

Bouzkova is a clever, resourceful player. She doesn’t have the weight of shot or the athleticism of Sabalenka, but finds a way with well-placed shots, surprising serves and remarkable defense.

The score was on serve at 4-5 in the first-set tiebreak when Sabalenka finally separated herself. After two huge shots from Sabalenka, Bouzkova couldn’t land a forehand. On set point, against Bouzkova’s weak 67 mile-an-hour second serve, Sabalenka hit a forehand return so hard it may still be going.

The second set was more conventional, with Sabalenka breaking Bouzkova’s serve in the sixth game and riding that advantage to the end. Match point was a forehand into the open court that nicely captured her victory.

Sabalenka didn’t play on Tuesday, but the field of challengers was thinned dramatically when No. 2 seed Coco Gauff, No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 5 Zheng Qinwen all lost.

In her only two appearances here over the past four years, Sabalenka has reached the semifinals. This year, she looks determined to take it a step further.

Olympic tennis medallists Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek will take on Centre Court for day four of Wimbledon 2025 (30 June-13 July).

Paris 2024 champion Djokovic faces Great Britain’s Dan Evans in the opening match on the main show court on Thursday (3 July), while bronze medallist Swiatek meets the USA’s Caty McNally. The final match of the day on Centre Court will be between world number one Jannik Sinner and Aleksandar Vukic.

Among the other stars in action on day four are 2022 women’s singles champion Elena Rybakina, British number one Jack Draper and Olympic silver medallist Mirra Andreeva.

Read on to find out the start times and all the matches at the Championships.

As part of its anti-doping mandate delegated by the UCI, the ITA is responsible for the year-round implementation of the cycling anti-doping program. Within this framework, the ITA will independently manage the clean sport strategy for the 2025 Tour de France. This program features a targeted, intelligence-led testing plan grounded in the latest scientific developments and risk-based analysis.

Key features of the ITA anti-doping strategy for the 2025 Tour de France include:

• Deployment of over 40 ITA and sample collection personnel at the Grand Départ in Lille
• Around 350 out-of-competition tests in the month prior to the race
• Around 600 in-competition samples to be collected during the event
• Strengthened data analysis capacity to refine the testing and Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) strategy both out-of-competition and in-competition, with a particular focus on Grands Tours
• Strong cooperation with French national authorities
• Long-term storage and potential re-analysis of selected samples over a 10-year horizon in anticipation of future new detection methods or scientific developments
• Increased focus on the endogenous steroid markers measured in blood serum as part of the steroidal module of the ABP, and on the endocrine module of the ABP to better detect markers of human Growth Hormone (hGH) abuse

The strategy is based on an adaptive risk assessment approach that integrates various dynamic factors, such as rider performance trends, to ensure strategic testing throughout the event. Insights from the ABP, including the endocrine module, as well as information gathered by the ITA’s dedicated cycling team within its Intelligence & Investigations (I&I) department, inform these efforts.

Testing during the Tour de France will be targeted and may occur at any point during the three-week race, not just at stage finishes. Like every year, the yellow jersey wearer and each stage winner will be tested. In addition, all participating riders will undergo pre-race testing as part of their medical monitoring protocols. For the 2025 edition, the Paris-based WADA-accredited laboratory will serve as the primary facility for sample analysis.

Approximately 600 urine and blood samples will be collected during the Tour itself. The ITA is also placing a strong emphasis on the period leading up to the race by planning around 350 out-of-competition tests to secure a level playing field from the outset. Following the conclusion of the race, a targeted selection of samples will be retained for long-term storage and future re-analysis based on intelligence gathered throughout the season and during the event. The ITA will continue its monitoring efforts post-Tour using all collected data.

Throughout the race, sample collection will be executed primarily by the ITA’s own experienced personnel, including 13 expert doping control and blood collection officers. The ITA is also coordinating closely with the French National Anti-Doping Organisation (AFLD), whose sample collection staff will contribute to the testing operations. Additional cooperation with local, national, and international authorities will support operational execution and intelligence exchange.

The 2025 Tour de France also benefits from the sustained increase in resources allocated to clean sport efforts in men’s professional cycling. As part of a multi-year initiative culminating in 2024, the UCI, UCI WorldTeams, UCI ProTeams, WorldTour organisers, and riders committed to a 35% funding increase to the ITA for implementing the UCI anti-doping program. This enhanced budget continues to support critical areas such as I & I, scientific development, data analysis, testing, long-term sample storage, and re-analysis.

In 2024, the ITA strengthened its investigative capacity by doubling the human resources dedicated to cycling and, together with the UCI, developed a policy and operational framework to implement and apply for the first time enhanced investigative powers, a pivotal measure to support evidence gathering in anti-doping investigations. The ITA also doubled the overall number of samples retained in long-term storage by selecting 1,690 samples after careful assessment of various risk-factors, 76 of them from the 2024 Tour de France. 490 samples collected in 2015 were also re-analysed, with all of them returning negative.

“The Tour de France is not only one of the most iconic events in sport, but it is also a key moment for protecting the integrity of cycling. Our approach in 2025 reflects a continued commitment to intelligent, data-driven anti-doping strategies grounded in science, collaboration and continuous improvement. By combining targeted testing with advanced analytical tools such as the endocrine module, long-term sample storage and performance monitoring initiatives, we aim to ensure that this prestigious race is contested on a level playing field. We are proud to lead these efforts on behalf of the UCI and in close coordination with all our trusted partners,” said ITA Director General Benjamin Cohen.

As part of its broader anti-doping strategy, the ITA is also developing a new longitudinal performance monitoring tool based on power data from professional men road riders, designed to act as an additional source of intelligence to guide targeted testing and advanced laboratory analysis, prioritise investigative, or refine its long-term sample storage

Following consultation with the Funding Committee of the UCI anti-doping program, the ITA received approval in 2025 to develop this concept based on historical power data from male riders, aiming to create an additional tool in the fight against doping. In collaboration with the University of Kent (UK), the ITA has launched a one-year feasibility study to analyse this data and map how rider performance evolves over time. These insights will support the development of performance models across teams and rider profiles, taking into account various influencing factors. Several UCI WorldTeams and professional male riders have agreed to voluntarily participate in the feasibility study and share their data to support the project.

Findings from the first year will be used to develop a model of “normal” and “expected” career trajectory performance over time, allowing for the identification of “abnormal” or “unexpected” performances. This will help identify “abnormal” or “unexpected” patterns that may indicate possible performance enhancement. While the model is not intended to serve as direct evidence of an anti-doping rule violation, it will act as an important additional intelligence tool to support the ITA’s broader anti-doping strategy—such as guiding targeted testing, advanced laboratory analysis, investigative prioritisation, or long-term sample storage.

The results from this feasibility study phase will be presented to the Cycling Families, to determine whether to proceed with the Year 2 pilot project. This next phase would shift from the retrospective analysis of historical data to the implementation of power monitoring and other related metrics, using data collected during a cycling season. If successful, the initiative could be expanded to cover the entire men’s professional road cycling peloton.

The ITA remains fully committed and is confident that these key features will contribute to delivering a top-tier anti-doping program for the 2025 Tour de France, reinforcing its mission to protect the integrity of the race and promote a level playing field for all riders involved.

Athletes to watch in the 2025 Prefontaine Classic

Kishane Thompson, men’s 100m

When the fastest man of the year is competing, there will always be a high amount of hype. But when that athlete just became the fastest 100m runner in a decade, the levels of excitement can reach near stratospheric levels.

Such is the anticipation surrounding Kishane Thompson at this year’s Eugene Diamond League, after the Jamaican set the quickest 100m time (9.75 seconds) since the Usain Bolt era at the 2025 Jamaican athletics trials.

Thompson was inches away from winning the Paris 2024 100m final, having led for most of the race before being pipped to the line by the USA’s Noah Lyles.

Even though it was his debut Olympic Games, the Jamaican was bitterly disappointed with his inability to claim gold, and will be motivated to show he is the dominant 100m runner on the planet.

However, after recent performances, perhaps Thompson has an even loftier objective in sight this year.

“I am very confident; even if I break the world record,” he said after his historic trials victory on 27 June. “It wouldn’t surprise me because I am that confident, and I’m working to achieve all my goals and the accolades.”

Sha’Carri Richardson, women’s 100m

In the same manner as Thompson, the USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson is looking to return to winning ways in 2025, after finishing second in the 100m final at Paris 2024.

Richardson began this outdoor season with a modest showing in May’s Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo, finishing fourth in 11.47 seconds.

And while early-season jitters are commonplace in athletics, that first outing of the year places her a lowly 362nd on the list of fastest 2025 100m sprinters. For context, 400m hurdles specialist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is 96th after her run of 11.21 at Grand Slam Track in Philadelphia in June, in her first-ever professional race over the 100m distance.

Of course, much more is expected of Richardson in a year in which she will hope to defend her world title from 2023. She stormed to a commanding victory in the 2024 Eugene Diamond League and will, as always, be one of the favourites heading into this race.

But don’t expect it to be a walk in the park for Richardson. The women’s 100m has all the bearings of a classic with the likes of Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred, fastest woman of the year Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Jamaican trials winner Tina Clayton all in blistering form this season.

Letsile Tebogo, men’s 200m

Paris 2024 was a life-changing experience for Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, after a stunning performance in the men’s 200m final saw him take home his nation’s first-ever Olympic gold medal.

Now the 22-year-old will be hoping to build upon that historic triumph in a year that culminates with the World Athletics Championships in Japan.

In Oregon, Tebogo will likely be tested to his limits as he faces an in-form Kenny Bednarek, who is coming off a stellar set of performances in the Grand Slam Track league.

Like Richardson, Tebogo’s 2025 is yet to ignite, with his season’s best of 20.10 far from his fastest-ever time of 19.46 set in the Stade de France during last year’s Olympics.

As we head towards the more important stages of the year, expect stronger showings from the under-20 100m world record holder, who will be hoping to add a first world championships gold to his medal collection in September.

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