Football-mad Italians gear up for big night

By Mark Lowen BBC Rome correspondent “Do the English really put pineapple on pizza?” asks the Italian daily La Repubblica in a piece by its London correspondent. “Rarely,” it concludes, “but the real problem is adding cream to spaghetti carbonara.” Sunday’s Euro final is not just a clash of sport, but of cultures. “The thing […]

Tokyo 2020: Up to 10,000 Japanese fans will be permitted

Up to 10,000 Japanese fans will be permitted at Tokyo 2020 Olympic venues, despite warnings from health bosses. Overseas spectators are already banned but organisers said domestic fans could attend providing crowds did not exceed 50% of a venue’s capacity. Fans will not be allowed to shout or speak loudly, and must wear face masks […]

Milkha Singh: India’s ‘Flying Sikh’ dies from Covid

One of India’s greatest athletes, Milkha Singh, has died from Covid-related complications, aged 91. Popularly known as “the Flying Sikh”, Singh won four Asian gold medals and finished fourth in the 400m final at the 1960 Rome Olympics. In 2013, his story was turned into the Bollywood film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag – Run Milkha Run. […]

Tokyo Olympics: No spectators is ‘least risky’ option

Coronavirus pandemic   Having no spectators at the Tokyo Olympics is the “least risky” option, Japanese medical experts have said. In a report, they warned there was “a risk the movement of people” would spread Covid infections and “strain the [country’s] medical system”. But other Japanese officials have indicated they want domestic fans to attend […]

French Open 2021: Novak Djokovic outlasts Stefanos Tsitsipas for 19th

By Jonathan Jurejko BBC Sport   Djokovic is the first man in the Open era to win a Grand Slam after twice fighting back from two sets down Novak Djokovic won his 19th Grand Slam title after fighting back from two sets down to beat Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in the French Open final.   The […]

Donald Trump-era ban on TikTok dropped by Joe Biden

President Joe Biden has revoked an executive order from his predecessor Donald Trump banning Chinese apps TikTok and WeChat in the US. The ban faced a series of legal challenges and never came into force. Instead, the US Department of Commerce will now review apps designed and developed by those in “the jurisdiction of a […]

Sushil Kumar: The Indian Olympic legend accused of murder

Soutik Biswas India correspondent Late on the night of 4 May, shots rang out in the Indian capital, Delhi, at a sports stadium famous for wrestling. When the police arrived at the Chhatrasal stadium, they found five vehicles parked outside and a shotgun and three cartridges in the backseat of an SUV. They also found […]

Saka secures England victory with first international goal, WED 02

By Phil McNulty Chief football writer at Riverside Stadium England’s countdown to the Euros continued with a narrow win over Austria at Riverside Stadium – but they suffered an injury setback as Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold limped off late on. Manager Gareth Southgate saw his experimental side secure victory when Arsenal teenager Bukayo Saka crowned […]

Tokyo 2020: Australia’s softball team the first athletes to arrive

Australia’s women’s softball team became the first international athletes to arrive in Japan for the Olympics when they flew into Tokyo on Tuesday. The team will attend a training camp in the city of Ota before moving to the Athletes’ Village in Tokyo on 17 July. All members of the delegation have been vaccinated against […]

Naomi Osaka: Spotlight on media, authorities & player after French

By Sonia Oxley BBC Sport When Naomi Osaka won the US Open in 2018, she pulled down her visor to hide her tears. It was her maiden Grand Slam title, she had beaten the great Serena Williams to win it, and she had a bright future ahead. Except that the victory had come in unusual […]