The China Mail - Sports (English)

Sabalenka hopes Wimbledon will be 'more open' to return of Russian players

World number five Aryna Sabalenka is hoping Wimbledon organisers will be "a bit more open" to the idea of allowing Belarusians and Russians play in the 2023 edition.

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African team can reach 2026 World Cup final - CAF boss Motsepe

African football boss Patrice Motsepe told a press conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday he believes a team from the continent can reach the 2026 World Cup final.

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Olympic downhill champion Feuz to retire after Kitzbuehel next month

Olympic downhill champion Beat Feuz of Switzerland announced on Wednesday that he will retire after the World Cup race at Kitzbuehel next month.

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Chelsea draft Vivell to replace Cech as technical director

Chelsea appointed Christopher Vivell as the club's new technical director on Wednesday, replacing Petr Cech who left in June.

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Mbappe returns to training days after World Cup disappointment

France star Kylian Mbappe returned to training with Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday just three days after he ended up on the losing side despite scoring a hat-trick in the World Cup final.

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'No complaints' from Jones over England sacking

Eddie Jones said on Wednesday he had no complaints about the way he was sacked as England coach, just nine months before the start of the Rugby World Cup.

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High energy costs in Finland put hockey training on ice

Snowflakes dance in the massive spotlights at a public ice hockey rink in the Finnish city of Oulu, against the echoing sound of pucks bouncing during a precious practice session for a local youth team.

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Aborted World Cup bus parade a snapshot of Argentina's charm and vice

Millions of Argentines who crammed the streets of Buenos Aires to celebrate an unforgettable moment with Lionel Messi and his World Cup winning teammates instead found themselves at a giant party bereft of its hallmark bus parade.

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Nike shares soar as profits top estimates despite inventory glut

Nike shares soared Tuesday after it reported better-than-expected results despite a hit to profit margins from heavy discounting because of excess inventory.

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Venus Williams accepts wildcards for Australian Open, Auckland tournaments

Venus Williams will roll back the years next month, with the 42-year-old accepting wildcards to play in the main draws of both the Australian Open and the Auckland WTA tournaments, it was announced Wednesday.

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Lopetegui makes winning start as Wolves boss in League Cup

Julen Lopetegui made a winning start as Wolves manager after late goals from substitutes Raul Jimenez and Rayan Ait-Nouri secured a 2-0 victory at home to Gillingham in the English League Cup fourth round on Tuesday.

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Masters will allow LIV golfers who qualify to compete in 2023

LIV Golf League players will be able to compete in next year's Masters after Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said Tuesday the event will keep "current criteria" for 2023 entrants.

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Heavyweight champions Fury and Usyk agree unification bout - Arum

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have agreed to fight each other next in a world heavyweight title unification bout, according to veteran boxing promoter Bob Arum.

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Fan gloom as Argentina World Cup victory parade ends abruptly

Millions of jubilant fans turned out Tuesday to welcome home Argentina's World Cup winners led by Lionel Messi, but most were left disappointed when an open-top bus parade had to be abandoned due to the massive crowds, in favor of a hastily organized helicopter tour.

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FIA bans 'political statements' from motorsports

The FIA has cracked down on competitors making "political, religious and personal statements or comments" in its updated rules for motorsports next season.

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Argentina parties at huge victory parade in Buenos Aires

Vast crowds of ecstatic fans cheered on their heroes as Argentina's World Cup winners led by captain Lionel Messi began an open-top bus parade through the capital Buenos Aires on Tuesday following their sensational victory over France.

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Morocco World Cup team arrives home to heroes' welcome

Tens of thousands of Moroccans thronged the capital on Tuesday to welcome home their national football team, the first Arab or African squad ever to reach the semi-final of a World Cup.

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Masters will allow LIV golfers who qualify in 2023 compete at Augusta National

LIV Golf League players will be able to compete in next year's Masters after Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said Tuesday the event will keep "current criteria" for 2023 entrants.

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Brentford's Toney faces fresh betting charges

Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been charged over further alleged breaches of the Football Association's betting rules, England's governing body announced on Tuesday.

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Barnes launches rugby match officials body after online threats

Wayne Barnes helped launch the first representative body for senior rugby union officials on Tuesday after the English referee and his family were subjected to threats on social media.

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Masters will allow LIV Golf players who qualify in 2023

LIV Golf League players will be able to compete in next year's Masters after Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said Tuesday the event will keep "current criteria" for 2023 entrants.

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England cap revival year with Pakistan whitewash

The completion of England's 3-0 series success over Pakistan on Tuesday was the latest chapter in a remarkable revival, all the more extraordinary for the woeful run of red-ball results that preceded the 'Bazball' era.

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Kipyokei loses Boston Marathon title as more Kenyans banned for doping

Last year's Boston Marathon winner Diana Chemtai Kipyokei has been disqualified from the race after becoming the latest Kenyan athlete to be sanctioned for doping, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Tuesday.

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World Cup winners begin victory parade among euphoric Argentines

Millions of ecstatic fans are expected to cheer on their heroes as Argentina's World Cup winners led by captain Lionel Messi began their open-top bus parade of the capital Buenos Aires on Tuesday following their sensational victory over France.

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FIA bans 'political statements' from motor sports competitors

Motor sports' governing body, the FIA, has cracked down on competitors making "political, religious and personal statements or comments" in its updated rules for next season.

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Euphoric Argentines ready to party with Messi, World Cup winners

Thousands of Argentines began massing in the capital from dawn on Tuesday preparing to shower their World Cup heroes led by Lionel Messi with adulation.

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Champions Cup launch probe into Dublin relocation of Ulster's La Rochelle game

Champions Cup organisers European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) said on Tuesday it has started an investigation after last weekend's game between Ulster and La Rochelle was moved to Lansdowne Road.

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Macron intervened to ask French team to greet fans: federation

President Emmanuel Macron intervened to ask France's footballers to greet fans after their defeat in the World Cup final, leading to a brief public ceremony, the French football federation chief said Tuesday.

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Barcelona to host opening stages of 2023 Vuelta a Espana

The Vuelta a Espana will get underway in Barcelona for the first time in 60 years in 2023 with the first two stages raced in the Catalan capital, organisers announced on Tuesday.

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Undiluted joy for Bath as Scotland fly-half Russell signs up

Bath's signing of Scotland fly-half Finn Russell "is a credit to how far we have come as a club" said the English Premiership side's head of rugby Johann van Graan on Tuesday after announcing his arrival from Top 14 outfit Racing 92.

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Azam still wants to captain Pakistan despite England whitewash

Babar Azam has no intention of giving up the Pakistan captaincy despite overseeing a first-ever 3-0 Test series whitewash at home, saying that leading the side was "a matter of honour".

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Pakistan whitewash 'pretty special', says England skipper Stokes

England's 3-0 series whitewash over Pakistan will take a while to sink in, skipper Ben Stokes said Tuesday, calling the result "pretty special".

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