Reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra will spearhead India’s 19-member contingent for the World Athletics Championships 2025 in Tokyo next month, with rising sprinter Animesh Kujur making history as the first Indian male sprinter to make the cut.
As defending champion, Neeraj Chopra booked his place through a wild card entry. He will be joined in the men’s javelin throw by Sachin Yadav and Yashvir Singh, both securing berths via the world rankings.
India also gained direct qualifiers through entry standards – Avinash Sable (3000m steeplechase), Parul Chaudhary (3000m steeplechase), Gulveer Singh (5000m) and Praveen Chitravel (triple jump). However, Sable has been ruled out of the World Athletics Championships after an injury cut short his season.
Thirteen others made the cut through the rankings, including long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, who returned impressively after a year-long injury layoff, and javelin thrower Annu Rani, whose consistent 60m-plus efforts have underlined her form this season.
Pakistan Super League (PSL) management has formally initiated a comprehensive valuation process of all its commercial assets, reinforcing its commitment to transparency, fairness, growth and long-term sustainability.
Following the conclusion of a public tender process initiated in July, the contract for these valuation services has been awarded to Ernst & Young (EY MENA) one of the world’s leading professional services firms.
The valuation process will commence later this month and is expected to be completed within a five- week period. EY MENA will engage with all relevant stakeholders of the PSL, carry out market research, benchmarking exercises, and formulate projections and valuations.
The TORs for the exercise were approved by the PSL Governing Council and include, amongst other items, the following:
The Fair Market Value of all existing Franchises
The Valuation of commercial rights including Media, live-streaming and In-stadia sponsorships
The Valuation of Title Sponsorship rights
The Valuation of New Franchise teams
This process with respect to determining the Fair Market Value and renewal franchise fee for the existing franchises is in line with the terms and conditions of the existing franchise agreements which are nearing completion.
Speaking on the development, CEO PSL Salman Naseer said: “This valuation marks a pivotal step in the evolution of the PSL which has cemented its place as one of the leading cricket franchises in the world. By engaging an independent global leader like EY MENA, we are ensuring absolute transparency and fairness in determining the fair market value of our franchises and commercial rights.
“As we look toward the renewal cycle and addition of new team(s), this process will give current and prospective stakeholders complete confidence in the league’s growth trajectory and long-term sustainability. Once the valuation report has been reviewed internally, the PCB will take informed and strategic decisions that will shape the future of the league.”
The PSL continues to be a cornerstone of Pakistan’s sporting landscape, driving cricketing excellence, commercial success and global recognition. With the upcoming renewal cycle of commercial assets, PSL is poised to offer even greater opportunities for investors, fans, and players alike.
2025 Sydney Marathon schedule (all times in AEST -UTC +10h)
Races will start in staggered times for the record-breaking 35,000 participants from Miller Street, North Sydney, the historic start point on Sunday 31 August.
Currently, the Australian time zone is 10 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). That means the race will be on Saturday evening/night in most parts of the world. The start times for the different races are:
06:15 – Elite wheelchair men’s
06:30 – Elite men and women’s race
06:31 – Mass start Group 1
07:03 –Mass start Group 2
07:41 –Mass start Group 3
How to watch the 2025 Sydney Marathon live
Fans can follow the 2025 Sydney Marathon around the world via the marathon’s official broadcast TV and livestreaming partners.
7mate and 7plus Sport will provide live TV coverage in Australia on Sunday, 31 August from 6 am to 10 am AEST. There will also be live stream on the TCS Sydney Marathon YouTube channel.
Eurosport has the rights for most of Europe, while in Belgium fans can follow it on DAZN Europe.
Viewers in the US, Canada can follow the action on Flosports, CBS, Fight Network, Fox TV, MASN TV, MSG Network, NBC Sports National digital and Game+.
SuperSport has the right for most of sub-saharan Africa including Kenya where the marathon will be broadcast from 11:30pm, while Fuji TV will air the Sydney marathon in Japan.
Eurosport has the rights in India and subcontinent, Shanghai TV in the People’s Republic of China, SKY NZ in New Zealand while Brazilian fans can follow the action on Xsports.
The 499Ps return to the spotlight in the FIA World Endurance Championship with the 6 Hours of COTA, the sixth round of the 2025 season, which kicks off on Sunday 7 September at 1.00 p. m., local time. Ferrari arrives in Texas defending its lead in both the World Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ Championships standings.
Fifty-six days after the previous round contested in Brazil, the Ferrari – AF Corse works team heads to the Circuit of The Americas with a clear goal for both crews: the number 50 of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen, and the number 51 of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi, who both finished outside the top ten at São Paulo, need to score crucial points in the world title races.
On the American circuit, which is hosting the Lone Star Le Mans for the second consecutive year and is renowned for its dramatic elevation changes and 5.513-kilometre layout combining high-speed sections with corners of varying radius and speed, the spotlight will also fall on the number 83 499P, eighth in Brazil. Entered by the AF Corse privateer team, it will be driven by Maranello-based manufacturer official driver Yifei Ye alongside Robert Kubica and Phil Hanson.
The situation. As indicated, Ferrari tops the World Manufacturers’ Championship standings on 175 points, 55 clear of second place, ahead of a race that awards 25 points to the winner. In the World Drivers’ Championship, Pier Guidi, Calado, and Giovinazzi lead on 105 points, with two wins and two pole positions so far. Ye, Kubica, and Hanson follow them in second place on 93 points, while Fuoco, Molina, and Nielsen sit fourth on 57, with one win and one Hyperpole.
AF Corse also leads the FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams, 64 points clear of their closest rivals on the eve of a race – the third-to-last of the season – which is crucial for the independent teams’ title.
The programme. The Lone Star Le Mans starts on Friday, 5 September, with the first two 90-minute free practice sessions at 11.30 a. m. and 4.00 p. m.; on Saturday, 6 September, after the third free practice session (11.00 a. m.-12.00 a. m.), qualifying for the Hypercar class takes place from (at 3.40 p. m.), followed by the Hyperpole (at 4.00 p. m.). The 6 Hours of COTA, as mentioned, starts on Sunday, 7 September at 1.00 p. m. (local times).
A strict framework of punishments has been prepared for domestic cricketers as well in case of violations of the Anti-Corruption Code. On the directions of the ICC, Pakistan will also adopt the Global Anti-Corruption Code, though disputes will be settled in accordance with local laws.
According to details, the International Cricket Council is striving to protect the game from corrupt elements and has been taking stringent measures. Some time ago, all member boards were directed to adopt the Global Anti-Corruption Code. In case of disputes, local laws will apply. Recently, during the PCB Governing Board meeting, participants were informed by a legal official that the ICC has instructed the adoption of the Global Anti-Corruption Code, for which procedural changes were necessary. The members granted approval.
Sources say that strict laws will also be applied in domestic cricket, with severe punishments for corruption. Along with bans, fines will also be imposed. However, players will retain the right to appeal. If any player fails to inform the national Anti-Corruption Unit about suspicious contact, he will also be considered guilty. Accepting gifts from suspicious individuals will not be allowed.
Punishments will be determined keeping in view the nature of the offense, intent, previous record, and cooperation during investigations. First-time offenders who cooperate may receive lighter punishments, but repeat offenders could face lifetime bans.
Under the Anti-Corruption Code:
Match-fixing or spot-fixing carries a 5-year to lifetime ban.
Betting on cricket may result in a 1-to-5-year ban depending on the case.
Sharing team’s internal information could also lead to a 1-to-5-year ban.
Failure to report corrupt approaches will bring a 2-to-5-year ban.
Lying during investigations, destroying evidence, or refusing cooperation can result in a 2-to-5-year ban.
Players failing to participate in Anti-Corruption Education Programs will remain suspended until they complete them.
PCB sources say that the board has already been implementing a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. As in the past, those who tarnish the image of the game will be dealt with firmly. Whether domestic or international cricket, the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Code will be fully enforced, and education programs for players will also continue.
RIGA (Latvia) – It was a beautiful Sunday in Spain back on September 9, 2007, when an eight-year-old Neemias Queta watched as his compatriots picked up a memorable 94-85 win over Israel in the Second Round of FIBA EuroBasket 2007.
Little did he know that Portugal would wait another 18 years until he was big enough to carry the nation to their next win. Portugal recorded their first EuroBasket win since 2007 with a 62-50 triumph over Czechia to open up Group A proceedings in Latvia.
Turning Point
Portugal were one step ahead of Czechia from their 7-0 start to the game, but could not break away for good until midway through the third quarter. That’s when they had two capital threes, Rafael Lisboa knocking them down on consecutive possessions to open up a 40-30 lead.
With Czechia struggling to break 50 points in this game, Portugal could afford a stress-less finish to the game.
TCL Player of the Game
When you’re an NBA champ and a clear leader of your national team, you might feel pressure on such a big stage. Not Neemias Queta, though.
The Boston Celtics center was all over the place, getting 15 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks in the first half alone, and plenty of players would be happy with that stat line. Not Neemias Queta, though.
He controlled the paint after the break, finishing with 23 points, 18 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 steals and an efficiency rating of 39.
Queta is the first player to register at least 20 points and 15 rebounds in their EuroBasket debut since FIBA began tracking rebounding numbers.
To say that we’re looking forward to seeing him match up with Nikola Jokic, Alperen Sengun and Kristaps Porzingis in the upcoming Group A games would be an understatement.
Stats Don’t Lie
Czechia looks surprised by the defensive intensity that coach Mario Gomes got from his players. Portugal forced 19 Czech turnovers, paving the way towards an 11-3 advantage in fast break points and 21-10 in points off turnovers.
Bottom Line
Both teams will enjoy a day off on Thursday, before the back-to-back program of Friday and Saturday.
Portugal will take on Serbia and Türkiye, respectively, while Czechia face Türkiye and Estonia. They got 10 points from Vit Krejci in this one, but will need more offense than this if they plan to pick up a win or two in Riga.
They Said
“It’s a big win for Portugal, we surprised everyone a bit, but now we have to keep working because now people are going to be looking at us differently. So let’s stay humble, it’s only one win. We know what we’re gonna do, let’s try to keep improving, do better things for the next game.” – Miguel Queiroz, Portugal
“We missed some shots early and had 3 fast break points, against a team with Queta down there, it’s really hard to play 5v5 when he’s in the paint. It’s a learning curve.” – Vit Krejci, Czechia
“I know he had like 23, but we still didn’t give him the ball enough. I think if we were to give him the ball like six more possessions, he’d have 37 points or something. He’s a big time player, EuroBasket is the perfect place for him to show his talent and sometimes it doesn’t get recognized in the NBA, but he’s playing great, that’s our guy, we wanna go through him.” – Travante Williams, Portugal, talking about Queta
For more quotes, tune in to the official post-game press conference!
Tennis star Daniil Medvedev is expected to be hit with a huge fine after a spectacular outburst in his US Open defeat by Benjamin Bonzi.
The curious incident began when Medvedev was irked by the umpire’s decision to replay Bonzi’s first serve after a cameraman entered the court and delayed his second serve as he served for the match in the third set.
“Medvedev went immediately to [the umpire] to protest against the decision and whipped up the booing crowd,” reported The Guardian.
“Although Medvedev then returned to the baseline, he continued to encourage the reaction of the crowd and it was more than six minutes before Bonzi finally hit his serve.”
The Russian saved the point, the game and the set before winning the fourth but ultimately losing the opening-round match 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4.
Medvedev is now in line for the wrath of the tennis authorities. It has been reported that he will lose his $110,000 payment for the first round match and be fined an additional $100,000, amounting to one of the biggest fines in the history of tennis.
29-year-old Bonzi gave his opponent credit for a storming fourth set in their meeting at Flushing Meadows but criticised him for his behaviour during what the Frenchman believes was the best win of his career.
“Daniil started it, and he put oil on the fire,” said Bonzi after the match.
Novak Djokovic was hit with the biggest fine in tennis in 2020 (Image: Getty)
Bonzi will play Marcos Giron in the second round after the American defeated Mariano Navone in five sets in the first round.
Biggest fines in tennis history
Medvedev is likely to join the ranks of the biggest fines in the history of the sport.
In 2012, David Nalbandian was hit with a $69,910 fine for an incident in the Queen’s Club final. He kicked an advertising board in frustration and injured an unfortunate line judge and was defaulted from the match against Marin Cilic.
Serena Williams was fined $82,500 in 2009. She was given a foot fault in the semi-final of the US Open to give opponent Kim Clijsters match point before a point penalty for a subsequent outburst at the officials ended the match.
The $113,000 fine given to Nick Kyrgios at the Cincinnati Open in 2019 to become the first player to pay a six-figure fine. He was given individual sanctions during his second-round match for a series of incidents including demolished rackets and expletive-loaded abuse of the umpire.
Frances Tiafoe joined the ranks of the heavily fined last year. Two separate fines of $60,000 were his reward for foul-mouthed rants at the umpire at the Shanghai Masters.
But the top dog when it comes to tennis fines is a long way clear.
Back in 2020, Novak Djokovic was disqualified from the US Open after a ball struck in annoyance during his fourth-round match struck a line judge in the neck. His fines and forfeited prize money totalled a massive $267,500.
Outside hitter and captain Mayu Ishikawa led the winners with 19 points, including two of the team’s three aces in the match. Opposite Yukiko Wada added another 15 points, while the other outside, Yoshino Sato, finished with 13.
“Yesterday, I was at the Thailand v Netherlands game. It was a fantastic atmosphere. So, I am looking forward to the match against the home team,” Japan’s Turkish head coach Ferhat Akbas told VBTV. “The first two games were very difficult for us because of our injuries, but today our injured players played well, so it was a happy day for us. Victory is always good, regardless of whether it was important for the ranking or not. Now we need to focus on the next game.”
Serbia did better than Japan in net defense by 10-6 in kill blocks and in serving by 4-3 in aces. They also had the best scorer of the match in 21-year-old outside Aleksandra Uzelac, who finished with 20 points. Middle blocker Maja Aleksic put away four kill blocks and an ace to finish with a total of 11 points. Opposite Vanja Bukilic, who replaced injured star Tijana Boskovic, also reached the double digits with 10 points, including two aces and two kill blocks.
England celebrated their opening-day victory over USA with some singing on the team bus as well as “a little boogie in the changing room”, say Emily Scarratt and Maud Muir.
The Red Roses ran in 11 tries in their victory over their American opponents, which puts John Mitchell’s side firmly in control of Pool A ahead of games against Samoa and Australia.
While there were things for the team to work on as they progress through the tournament, it was near enough the perfect way to get their campaign underway in front of a big home crowd in Sunderland.
Asked how the Red Roses celebrated their win, prop Muir said: “We had a little boogie in the changing room, as we always do, just enjoying the little moments. It was such a cool event and such an amazing day to actually celebrate it as well.”
There were 42,723 packed into the Stadium of Light on Friday, a record for a women’s Rugby World Cup match.
“We stepped off the bus in Sunderland at the weekend and there’s crowds everywhere, the noise, the support there was, as well as fireworks going off,” Scarratt said.
“As we were walking up the steps into the stadium, I caught (England assistant coach) Sarah Hunter’s eyes and we were both a bit like, ‘wow!’
“We’ve obviously gone through the whole thing and seen it where sometimes people don’t even realise that you have rocked up to a stadium or at the pitch.
“When we walked out for the anthem, just trying to take it all in because you don’t know when those moments will end.”
Scarratt was selected on the bench for the game, and when she entered the fray in the second half, made history as the first person from England to feature in five Rugby World Cups.
“When I was about to go onto the field and afterwards, everyone was incredibly nice about it and wanted to congratulate me and stuff, which is cool, as did lots of people there,” Scarratt says.
“But, singing on the bus is the main way that we tend to mark occasions, which you would think should be a nice thing, but it wasn’t the best!”
The 35-year-old says she is making a conscious effort to “savour” Rugby World Cup 2025 as she won’t be playing at the next one – but that doesn’t mean she has any retirement plans just yet.
“It’s still the love of it, fundamentally. I always said as soon as I start to kind of drag my feet a bit with either training or whatever, then it’s a clear sign to me,” she said.
“But I still feel like I can offer something, and I still want to challenge myself. If you think you’ve mastered things again, it’s probably a good time to step aside, but there’s still certain areas that I want to improve on.”
Up next England face Samoa at Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton, a ground Scarratt has plenty of experience playing in, and she excited to get out there with the aim to continue the celebrations for England’s Rugby World Cup party.
“We are really looking forward to getting out there,” she said. “We know that the Northampton fans are unbelievable as well as the traveling fans, so no doubt the support will be exactly the same.”
Eliud Kipchoge on pressure to win his debut Sydney race
His desire to accomplish new goals drove him to register for his penultimate World Marathon Major race down under, with the hope of collecting his seven star in the near future in New York.
For Kipchoge, crossing the finish line first at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt would be “nice,” but he now has a deeper understanding of what truly matters. He’s resolute in his commitment to furthering his career, which bears all the hallmarks of a marathon, not a sprint.
“What I am doing now is what I would advise the younger me, ‘Just have more patience, more determination and stay disciplined’,” he told Olympics.com.
“It’s a huge pressure for me to win the race, but there’s more pressure for me, to inspire more people to take up running.
“For me, there’s more pressure to show the people in Australia and beyond what’s needed to enjoy running and showcase my longevity as far as marathon running is concerned.”
Kipchoge has been on top of the world and not looking for an exit soon.
He is aware that marathons have become super competitive and intense, and the runner who always aims to be at 80 per cent fit, a level he achieved one month out to his next race, still craves some dominance.
There’s a chance we could see some of the Kipchoge magic that won over millions of fans when he lines up on Sunday, 31 August, in the harbour city. With an elevation of about 317m, Sydney has the highest gain of any World Marathon Major race.
“I think we will run a good course in Sydney, despite it being a tough course, up and down,”he reckoned.
“But the course record is 2:06, and I think we can push to run a good time in honour of the city joining the World Marathon Majors.”
