Month: September 2020

Caster Semenya has won the Olympic 800m title twice and the world title three times

Caster Semenya has lost her appeal to Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court against the restriction of testosterone levels in female runners.

Semenya is not allowed to compete in events between 400m and a mile without taking testosterone-reducing drugs, following a 2019 rule change by governing body World Athletics.

“I am very disappointed,” the 29-year-old South African said.

“I refuse to let World Athletics drug me or stop me from being who I am.”

Athletics’ governing body brought in a rule that athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) must either take medication in order to compete in track events from 400m to the mile, or change to another distance.

Athletes with DSD have higher levels of natural testosterone, which World Athletics believes gives them a competitive advantage.

“Excluding female athletes or endangering our health solely because of our natural abilities puts World Athletics on the wrong side of history,” Semenya added.

“I will continue to fight for the human rights of female athletes, both on the track and off the track, until we can all run free the way we were born.

“I know what is right and will do all I can to protect basic human rights, for young girls everywhere.”

The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected a Semenya challenge against the rule last year.

The Swiss Supreme Court then temporarily suspended the ruling, before later reversing its decision.

It meant Semenya, who won Olympic gold in the 800m in both 2012 and 2016, missed the chance to defend her world 800m title in Doha last year, having failed in her bid to prevent the governing body’s rule change.

Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has won the Professional Footballers’ Association men’s Players’ Player of the Year award.

De Bruyne, 29, praised City manager Pep Guardiola for helping him earn the honour, saying “he just lets me be me”.

Beth England, 26, won the women’s award having helped Chelsea do the Women’s Super League and League Cup double.

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, 21, won the men’s Young Player of the Year award.

Jordan Henderson was among five Liverpool players to be named in the Premier League team of the season.

And Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford won a PFA merit award for his work combating child food poverty.

De Bruyne beat last year’s winner Virgil van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, Sadio Mane, Henderson and City team-mate Raheem Sterling to the award voted for by his fellow players.

The Belgian is the first Manchester City player to win the award since its inception at the end of the 1973-74 season.

“This is a big honour,” he said. “To be voted by your colleagues, competitors from other teams who you always play against on the field. That they vote for you for best player; it’s amazing.

“It’s maybe strange that I’m the first one at City, seeing all the good players who played there before and who are still playing. But it’s nice to represent the club.”

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo became the first European to score 100 international goals in men’s football and then passed that mark with both goals in the Nations League win over Sweden.

The captain curled a stunning free-kick into the top corner – the 57th of his career – to reach the landmark.

The Juventus forward, 35, then fired in a fine second from outside the box.

Ronaldo, who played 81 minutes, is within eight goals of the world record.

Iran’s Ali Daei – the only man to score more international goals than Ronaldo – hit 109 during his playing career from 1993 to 2006.

The next top scoring current players are India’s Sunil Chhetri (72) and Argentina’s Lionel Messi (70).

The result means defending Nations League champions Portugal have won their opening two games of this year’s event.

Their task was made easier when Sweden had Gustav Svensson sent off for two bookings – but there was a downside to their win as Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva was replaced after suffering a suspected muscle strain.

Portugal could have won by more with Bruno Fernandes hitting the bar and Ronaldo, on his 165th cap, forcing a good save from Robin Olsen as he searched for a hat-trick.

Almost half of Ronaldo’s international goals have come since his 30th birthday – 49 goals in 47 games.

Paris St-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe has tested positive for coronavirus and will miss France’s Nations League match against Croatia on Tuesday.

Six Paris St-Germain players tested positive for coronavirus last week, with Mbappe’s result putting the start of their Ligue 1 season in doubt.

Mbappe, 21, scored the only goal as France beat Sweden in their Nations League opener on Saturday.

He was placed away from team-mates on Monday and has since been sent home.

France face Croatia at the Stade de France at 19:45 BST on Tuesday.

“His Covid-19 test carried out by Uefa on Monday morning revealed a positive result, he was separated from the squad after receiving the results at the end of training and returned home in the evening,” the France Football Federation confirmed.

“Mbappe was tested before joining up with the squad. The result was negative, like that of a test taken on Wednesday at Uefa’s request for the Sweden game,” it added.

Reigning champions PSG are due to start their title defence at Racing Lens on Thursday after being given an extended break following their appearance in last month’s Champions League final.

The Ligue 1 season has started but the opening game between Marseille and Saint-Etienne had to be postponed last month after four home players tested positive for Covid-19.

The league told clubs last week its protocol for dealing with coronavirus meant more than three positive cases at a club was likely to lead to a postponement.

Six-time champion Serena Williams battled through a challenging three-set test against Greek 15th seed Maria Sakkari to reach the US Open quarter-finals.

Williams, 38, looked composed as she took the first set in 37 minutes.

The third seed lost a close tie-break in the second and was forced to find her best tennis to come from a break down in the third and win 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 almost two hours later.

“I just kept fighting,” Williams said.

“She was doing so well. She was being so aggressive and I knew I needed to do the same thing.”

The American is seeking a 24th Grand Slam singles title as she attempts to equal Margaret Court’s record.

Her next opponent is Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova, who has never reached the US Open quarter-finals before and is playing her first tournament since Wimbledon 2017.

Pironkova beat French world number 56 Alize Cornet 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-3.

American second seed Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open winner, lost 6-3 6-3 to Elise Mertens of Belgium.

Mertens, seeded 16th, will face Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the last eight after the former world number one reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final in more than four years.

The 31-year-old fought back from a set down to beat Czech 20th seed Karolina Muchova 5-7 6-1 6-4.

Wolves are set to sign Porto midfielder Vitor Ferreira on loan with an option to buy.

The 20-year-old – also known as Vitinha – is due to join Wolves later this week once back from Portugal Under-21 duty.

He will be part of their squad to face Belarus tomorrow, along with Molineux duo Pedro Neto and Ruben Vinagre, and will then join on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent deal.

It is understood Wolves would have to pay around £18million to make his stay permanent.

Ferreira – a client of Jorge Mendes – made eight appearances as Porto won both the Primeira Liga and Taca de Portugal last season.

The attack-minded central midfielder’s arrival is set to follow that of teenage striker Fabio Silva from the Portuguese side for £35m – a new club-record fee for Wolves.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s charges also snapped up Lyon defender Fernando Marcal at the weekend, stepping up their transfer activity ahead of the start of the new Premier League season at Sheffield United on Monday.

Meanwhile, Vinagre has been linked with a move to Porto but nothing is thought to be imminent.

Everton have signed Colombia midfielder James Rodriguez for £22m from Real Madrid.

The 29-year-old has signed a two-year deal with an option for a third season in a move that sees him link up with Carlo Ancelotti for the third time, having played under him at Bayern Munich and Real.

Ancelotti signed James from Monaco as Real manager in 2014, but the former World Cup Golden Boot winner failed to truly establish himself in the Spanish capital, before going on a two-season loan to Bayern in 2017, by which point Ancelotti was in charge of the German side.

With one year remaining on his Real contract, James had been deemed surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu by Zinedine Zidane.

“I am really, really happy to be at this great club, a club with so much history, and here with a manager who knows me really well,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to achieving great things here – and winning things, which is what everyone’s aim is.

“I’ve come here to try to improve, to get better. I’ve also come here to help the team to win, to play good football – entertaining football.

“I’m convinced, with Carlo and his technical staff, we can achieve big things and one of the big reasons [I signed] was the presence of Carlo Ancelotti.

I have enjoyed some great times with him previously at two different clubs. That was a massive reason to come here.”

James was named in the team of the tournament at last year’s Copa America, where Colombia reached the quarter-finals.

He has 76 international caps and 22 goals – in addition to 25 assists – following a debut against Bolivia in October 2011, netting his first strike the following June in a meeting with Peru.

Rodriguez becomes the second South American midfielder to join Everton during this transfer window after Brazilian Allan arrived from Napoli on a three-year contract.

Newcastle have completed the signing of Ryan Fraser on a free transfer.

The Scotland international left Bournemouth at the end of last season after his contract expired and has signed a five-year deal with Steve Bruce’s side.

The 26-year-old is the second ex-Bournemouth player to join the Magpies on Monday, following Callum Wilson’s £20 million ($26m) transfer.

Ex-Aberdeen winger Fraser spent seven years with the Cherries, having joined in 2013 when they were in League One.

He made 208 appearances for the club as they ascended to the Championship and then the Premier League, where they spent four years before their relegation last term.

The winger says the decision to return to the English top-flight with the St James’ Park outfit was a “no-brainer” after penning a long-term contract.

“I’m absolutely buzzing for it – I came down to see the place the other day and it was all just good things; the manager, the place, the fans, the messages I’ve been getting,” Fraser told Newcastle’s website.

“It was just a no-brainer, really, to play in such a big stadium with such passionate fans, and being back up in the north again is big as well.

“So I’m really looking forward to it and I just can’t wait to show everyone what I can do, help the team and help us get back to where we belong.”

Meanwhile, Newcastle manager Bruce is excited to see Fraser in action for his side next season.

“I’m delighted to bring Ryan to Newcastle United. We have held off big competition to get his signature and that says a lot about what this club has to offer,” Bruce said.

His ability and his contributions on the pitch speak for themselves and I’m looking forward to seeing him getting to work in a Newcastle shirt.

“He has wonderful chemistry on the pitch with Callum Wilson, which excites me, and I hope it excites our supporters ahead of the new season.”

Newcastle, who finished 13th in the Premier League in 2019-20, will start the new campaign with a home match against West Ham on September 12 and host Brighton the following week.