Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Exclusive: Tennis-T7 gets down to the business of evolution – ATP chief Gaudenzi
Tennis could be set for a radical overhaul as the game’s main stakeholders come together in an unprecedented effort to chart a roadmap for streamlining the governance of the sport, ATP chief Andrea Gaudenzi has told Reuters. A “T7 working group”, which involves the ATP, WTA, the four Grand Slams and the International Tennis Federation, will start work later this month examining areas such as a unified calendar, shared commercial offerings, sponsorships and TV deals.
Sala’s family to take legal action over footballer’s death in plane crash: reports
Emiliano Sala’s family are taking legal action against Cardiff City and French club Nantes after the Argentine footballer died in a plane crash two years ago, British media reported on Wednesday. A single-engine plane carrying Sala from Nantes to his new team Cardiff crashed on Jan. 21, 2019 in the English Channel. He never played for the Welsh side who bought him for a club record 15 million pounds ($21 million).
Asher-Smith takes aim at double standards in sports marketing
Britain’s fastest female sprinter Dina Asher-Smith has hit out at sports marketers for differences in the way they portray male and female athletes, saying too many messages featuring women focus on aesthetics rather than sporting success. The 25-year-old, a triple European gold medallist who holds British records in 100 and 200 metres, said that while marketing campaigns involving elite female athletes had improved in recent years, efforts were still needed to “speed it up”.
Sailing: A tale of two starts, America’s Cup all square after day one
Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa were all square at 1-1 after the first two races of the 36th America’s Cup off the coast of Auckland on Wednesday, an opening day that promised a thrilling contest for the oldest trophy in international sport. Defender TNZ won the first race in the best-of-13 match by 31 seconds after Luna Rossa fluffed the start but the Italian challengers charged back to take the second by seven seconds.
Roglic wins Paris-Nice stage four to take overall lead Vuelta a Espana champion Primoz Roglic claimed the overall leader’s yellow jersey in the Paris-Nice by winning the fourth stage, a 188-km hilly ride between Chalon-sur-Saone and Chiroubles on Wednesday. The Slovenian, who also finished runner-up in last year’s Tour de France after cracking in the final time trial, powered away from the pack in the final ascent, a 7.3-km climb at an average gradient of 6%.
‘Justice for Diego’: Argentines to march seeking answers over Maradona’s death Argentines will take to the streets on Wednesday to demand what they say is justice for Diego Maradona after the soccer icon’s death in November sparked investigations into how he died and whether there had been any negligence in his care. “He did not die, they killed him!,” the organizers of the demonstration said in materials sent out on social media. “Justice for Diego. Trial and punishment of the guilty.”
Van Aert wins Tirreno-Adriatico opening stage Belgian Wout van Aert produced a flawless sprint to win the opening stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico race, a 156-km ride around Lido di Camaiore in Italy on Wednesday. Van Aert, a one-day race and cyclocross specialist, timed his effort to perfection to beat pure sprinters Australian Caleb Ewan and Fernando Gaviria of Colombia, who were second and third, respectively.
Buyers of Olympic village condos left out in the cold after delayed Games When Tokyo won the right to host the Olympic Games, enthusiastic buyers flocked to purchase luxury condominiums planned for the sprawling development that will house athletes during the event. But with the Olympics delayed for a year because of the global pandemic, and with uncertainty still clouding the Games, buyers’ excitement has turned into frustration. Even as move-in dates have been pushed back by a year, they say they have heard little from the property companies.
IOC President Bach wins unopposed second term to 2025 International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Wednesday won an unopposed second term that will keep him in the post until 2025, following a vote on the first day of a virtual IOC session. Bach received 93 of the 94 eligible votes cast in an online process.
Safe Tokyo Games will be ‘manifestation of peace, solidarity and resilience’ – IOC’s Bach The Tokyo Olympics will go ahead safely from mid-July, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said on Wednesday, as the postponed Games’ organisers race to overcome the challenges presented by hosting the event during a pandemic.
Bach, who is set to be re-elected on Wednesday for a second term until 2025, said Tokyo was “the best-prepared Olympic city,” in remarks at the start of a three-day virtual IOC session.
(With inputs from agencies.)