CNN – Sports

By Rhea Mogul, CNN Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz made history Monday becoming the first athlete from the Philippines to win gold at the Olympics. The 30-year-old set an Olympic record, lifting a combined weight of 224 kilograms, to clinch the top spot in the women’s 55-kg class in Tokyo. Diaz burst into tears and embraced her

By Rachel Trent, CNN If you’ve been watching the Olympics this year, you may notice an unfamiliar abbreviation, ROC. It stands for the Russian Olympic Committee, and it’s essentially a loophole that allows Russian athletes to compete in the Olympics while their country is banned from the Games because of its doping scandal. There are

Wayne Sterling, CNN Twenty-one gold medals were won. Here’s a breakdown of who’s taking home the gold: Archery Men’s Team: Republic of Korea Artistic Gymnastics Men’s Team: Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) Canoe Slalom Men’s Canoe: Benjamin Savsek, Slovenia Cycling Mountain Bike Men’s Cross-country: Thomas Pidcock, Great Britain Diving Men’s Synchronised 10m Platform: Great Britain Fencing

By Coy Wire and Sana Noor Haq, CNN Nobody was speaking about Anna Kiesenhofer ahead of the Tokyo 2020 women’s road race, but they certainly are now. The Austrian rider was considered a novice compared to her competitors, notably defending champion Anna van der Breggen, former Olympic bronze medalist Elisa Longo Borghini, Britain’s Lizzie Deignan,

By Rebecca Wright and Mitchell McCluskey, CNN The German women’s gymnastics team has forgone bikini-cut unitards in favor of full-body versions at the Tokyo Olympics, in what the German Gymnastics Federation has branded a statement against “sexualization.” The suits, which the team wore in their qualifications at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Sunday, cover the

By Toyin Owoseje, CNN Argentinian fencer Maria Belen Perez Maurice may have lost the chance of a medal at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, but she is definitely still winning at life. The 36-year-old will leave the Games with a ring, after accepting a surprise marriage proposal from her coach and partner. Perez Maurice was

By Jacob Lev, CNN An Iranian taekwondo athlete competing for the Refugee Olympic Team made her mark at Tokyo 2020 after she defeated two-time Olympic gold medalist Jade Jones. Kimia Alizadeh beat Team Great Britain’s Jones 16-12 on Sunday in the women’s -57kg taekwondo round of 16. She then overcame China’s Lijun Zhou in the

By Sana Noor Haq and Matias Grez, CNN Dutch cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten threw her arms up in the air, her face a picture of ecstasy and joy. That’s what you do when you think you’ve won Olympic gold — except she hadn’t. That honor went to Austria’s Anna Kiesenhofer, who capitalized on her rival’s

By George Ramsay, CNN These are early days for the Tokyo Olympics, but Naomi Osaka is quickly emerging as the headline act. Two days after lighting the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony — a moment she called “the greatest athletic achievement and honor” of her life — Osaka took to the tennis court for her

By Wayne Sterling, CNN All 11 gold medals have been awarded at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for Saturday. Here’s a breakdown of who clinched gold: Archery Mixed Team: Republic of Korea Cycling Men’s Road Race: Richard Carapaz, Ecuador Fencing Women’s Epee Individual: Yiwen Sun, China Men’s Sabre Individual: Aron Szilagyi, Hungary Judo Women’s -48kg: Distria

By John Sinnott and Matias Grez, CNN Day one of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and things are hotting up — not least the weather. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic described the humidity as “brutal” after beating Bolivian Hugo Dellien 6-2 6-2 in the men’s singles first round, while Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev resorted to

By Don Riddell, CNN More than 10,000 athletes compete in the summer Olympics. There are gold medalists and athletes who’ll never get anywhere near the podium. There are global superstars and athletes who soon will be, all rubbing shoulders with competitors from countries that they’ve never heard of. There will be veterans of the greatest

By David Close, Taylor Barnes and Aqeel Najim, CNN Algerian judo athlete Fethi Nourine says he has chosen to withdraw from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics rather than face an Israeli competitor. Nourine told Algeria’s Echourouk TV that he “decided to withdraw out of conviction, because this is the very least we can offer the Palestinian

By Leah Asmelash, CNN The Tokyo Olympics — after a long delay — are finally happening. The opening ceremony formally kicked off the Games Friday and sporting events are underway. There’s nothing but excitement in the air, according to IOC Athletes’ Commission Chair Kirsty Coventry. In her statement Tuesday, Coventry painted a rosy picture, saying

By Homero De la Fuente and David Close, CNN Players from the United States women’s national soccer team filed an appeal Friday to overturn a 2020 decision against their equal pay lawsuit, saying last year’s decision “defies reality.” In May 2020, Judge Gary Klausner ruled there was no basis to prove the players’ claims that

By George Ramsay, CNN With no fans in attendance and a reduced number of athletes joining the parade, the Tokyo Olympics‘ Opening Ceremony officially kicked off the Summer Games on Friday as tennis star Naomi Osaka lit the cauldron. Earlier on Friday, a request from Tokyo 2020 organizers to push back Osaka’s opening match of

By Seamus Fagan and Sara Spary, CNN Over 150 athletes, sports organizations, human rights and social justice experts have signed an open letter calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow athletes the “fundamental human right” to protest, including at the podium. As the Tokyo Games open, the signatories — including US hammer thrower

By Ben Morse, Jill Martin, Coy Wire, CNN Well over three quarters of the US athletes that are in Japan for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have received Covid-19 vaccines, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) revealed on Friday. Team USA announced earlier this month that a total of 613 athletes were set to

By George Ramsay, CNN The Covid-19 pandemic has loomed large over the Tokyo Olympics ever since last year’s postponement, shaping a Games the like of which has never been seen before. When the opening ceremony gets underway on Friday, it will put an end to months of speculation over whether the Olympics would be even

By Eric Levenson, Jacob Lev and Homero De la Fuente, CNN If a National Football League game cannot be rescheduled and is canceled due to a Covid-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players, that team will have to forfeit and will be credited with a loss, the NFL said in a leaguewide memo obtained by CNN. The

By Ben Morse, CNN Defending Olympic champion Brazil defeated Germany on Thursday in what was a rematch of the 2016 Rio men’s football final. Striker Richarlison scored a stunning first-half hat-trick as Brazil beat Germany 4-2 in their opening game of the 2020 Summer Games in Japan. Brazil also got the better of Germany in

By Ben Morse and Ivana Kottasova, CNN Czech beach volleyball players Markéta Sluková-Nausch and Barbora Hermannova are coming to terms with being ruled out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games as the European team grapples with a growing Covid-19 problem. Sluková-Nausch’s positive result was announced on Thursday, as she became the fifth member of the

By Jacob Lev, CNN Legendary college football coach Bobby Bowden has been diagnosed with a terminal medical condition, he and his family announced on Wednesday. “I’ve always tried to serve God’s purpose for my life, on and off the field, and I am prepared for what is to come,” Bowden said in a statement. “My

By Jacob Lev, CNN Five women’s soccer teams took a knee ahead of their opening matches at the 2020 Summer Games. Great Britain and Chile teams took a knee on the pitch before their match, and the United States and Sweden teams knelt ahead of their clash on Wednesday. It’s been almost five years since

By Ben Church and Aleks Klosok, CNN The Netherlands thrashed Zambia 10-3 to break the record for the most goals scored by a single team in a women’s Olympic football match. Wednesday’s action-packed encounter also made it the highest scoring game in women’s Olympics football since it made its debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

By Blake Essig, Akanksha Sharma and Emiko Jozuka, CNN Empty stadiums, no fans, and if you’re an athlete it’s probably best to avoid having sex in the Olympic Village just to be on the safe side. No wonder, then, that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has been forced to break with a number of traditions as

By Ben Morse and Aleks Klosok, CNN Brazil football legends Marta and Formiga created Olympic history on Wednesday in their opening match of the 2020 Tokyo Games. Marta, widely regarded as one of the greatest female footballers of all time, became the first player to score in five straight Olympics after netting in her country’s

By Matias Grez, CNN Sweden laid down an early marker in the women’s Olympic football competition, hammering the US Women’s National Team 3-0 on Wednesday. Stina Blackstenius’ brace and Lina Hurtig’s thumping header gave Sweden a deserved victory, with the US looking a shadow of the side that won the World Cup two years ago.

By Chandler Thornton, CNN Brisbane has been officially announced as host of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032. The Australian city and surrounding South-East Queensland region were approved as the Games hosts at an International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Tokyo on Wednesday. “Brisbane 2032 is the first future host to have been elected

By Rebecca Wright and Will Ripley, CNN Oonagh Cousins was training up to 35 hours a week after she was picked for the British rowing team for the Tokyo Olympics, despite contracting Covid-19 in February 2020. The 26-year-old from Surrey experienced a mild case of the disease, so she felt able to make a quick

By Joshua Berlinger, CNN After a delay of more than a year due to the pandemic, the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics are finally underway. Competition began Wednesday morning with Japan’s softball team facing off against Australia at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium. The opening ceremony will be held Friday, but Olympic events typically begin before

By Jacob Lev, CNN New York Jets assistant coach Greg Knapp is in critical condition following a bicycling accident, Lieutenant Tami Williams of the San Ramon Police Department in California tells CNN. Knapp, 58, collided with a single motorist on Saturday and sustained major injuries, according to police. San Ramon is about 30 miles east

By Luke Wolagiewicz and Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Six Polish swimmers have had to return home from the Tokyo Olympics due to an administrative error by the Polish Swimming Federation (PZP). “I would like to express my great regret, sadness, and bitterness at the situation,” PZP director Pawel Slominski said in a statement released Monday. Alicja

By Amy Woodyatt, CNN The Norwegian women’s beach handball team has been fined after players opted to wear shorts instead of bikini bottoms during a European championship game. The European Handball Federation (EHF) said Monday that it had imposed a fine of 1,500 euros ($1,766) — 150 euros ($176) for each player — on the

By Jack Guy and Duarte Mendonca, CNN An English Premier League club has suspended a member of its first team squad after he was arrested on suspicion of child sex offenses. The player, who has not been named for legal reasons, was arrested on Friday and has been released on police bail. CNN has not

By Holly Yan, CNN What could have been the pinnacle of her acclaimed career has been thwarted by positive coronavirus tests. But US gymnast Kara Eaker is already looking forward to life beyond the Tokyo Olympics, her father told CNN on Tuesday. The 18-year-old has “picked herself up off the floor and started looking forward

By Chandler Thornton and Ben Church, CNN Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto isn’t ruling out a last minute cancellation of the Olympic Games amid rising Covid-19 cases. Tokyo reported 1,387 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, the city’s second-highest daily increase of new cases since January 21, according to Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s website. And as athletes

By Steve Almasy, CNN The sports world, just days ahead of one of its premier global events, has been dealing with a significant and concerning number of Covid-19 cases. There have been calls by some Japanese residents to cancel the Olympics, which are starting this week a year late due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sports

By Jill Martin, CNN Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks and Elizabeth Williams of the Atlanta Dream won’t be able to play for Nigeria in the Tokyo Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) denied their appeal. FIBA, the world governing body for basketball, had ruled that the two WNBA players could

By Sana Noor Haq, CNN Kenya’s golden grasslands and lush cornfields are a far cry from the rolling hills and green forests that run across Beersel in Belgium, a province just outside Brussels, where budding Olympian Isaac Kimeli has been training for his first Games. The 27-year-old Belgian track and field star has spent the

By Chie Kobayashi and Heather Law, CNN Japanese musician Keigo Oyamada has announced his intention to step down as a composer for the Tokyo 2020 opening and closing ceremonies after old interviews of bullying behavior resurfaced, days before the beleaguered Olympics are due to get underway. Oyamada — who is also known by the stage

By Toyin Owoseje, CNN Double Paralympic world champion Olivia Breen says she was left “speechless” after an official at the English Championships told her that her sprint briefs were “too short and inappropriate.” The 24-year-old detailed the incident in a Twitter post on Sunday, saying that while she was grateful to the volunteers who officiate

By Matias Grez and Chandler Thornton, CNN Athletes have been settling into their new accommodation at the Olympic Village as they prepare for the Tokyo Games — and testing out what’s on offer, notably their beds and food. Some media reports and athletes have suggested the cardboard bed frames being used in the Village are

By Ben Church, CNN Lewis Hamilton was the target of online racist abuse after winning his eighth British Grand Prix on Sunday. The seven-time world champion fought back from a 10-second penalty to clinch victory following a controversial collision with rival Max Verstappen, which left the Red Bull driver in hospital. Facebook, which also owns

Exclusive by Luke McGee, CNN An anti-racist group of members of the European Parliament have accused the global sports community, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), of having “institutional structures and rules that exclude people of colour and Black women specifically.” In a letter to Thomas Bach and Sebastian Coe, presidents of the IOC and

By Don Riddell, CNN A nine-time gold medalist, Mark Spitz knows a thing or two about how to successfully navigate the Olympic Games as an athlete. Spitz, now 71, held the record of seven gold medals in a single Games when he dominated the pool in Munich in 1972, a tally that was surpassed by

By Jacob Lev, CNN Six British athletes and two staff members are self-isolating after coming into close contact with an individual who tested positive for Covid-19 on their flight to Japan, the British Olympic Association said Sunday. All eight tested negative at the airport and are now under the supervision of the British delegation’s medical

By Matias Grez, CNN Sunday’s processional final Tour de France stage that concluded in Paris confirmed Tadej Pogacar as winner of the race for a second year running. In truth, Pogacar’s domination of the 2021 Tour has arguably appeared almost a procession at times, particularly after rivals such as countryman Primoz Roglic and Geraint Thomas

By John Sinnott, CNN Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, who is leading the drivers’ championship this season, were involved in a high-speed collision on the opening lap of the British Grand Prix on Sunday. Hamilton was given a time penalty but in a dramatic conclusion to the race, the Mercedes driver

By Jessie Yeung, CNN Just days before the Olympics are set to begin, three members from South Africa’s Olympic football team have tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving at the Tokyo Olympic Village, according to the South African Football Association. “We have three positive cases of COVID-19 in the camp here, two players and an

By Zeena Saifi, CNN It was once a quiet waterfront, only enjoying the occasional sounds from the nearby Gulf shores. Now, it’s a dizzying burst of color and life — soon to be filled with up to 40,000 screaming fans. It is Qatar’s Ras Abu Aboud stadium — the first built in World Cup history

By Rebecca Wright and Will Ripley, CNN Kazunori Takishima has been traveling the world to support Japan at every Olympic Games for the past 15 years, so it was a dream to see the event in his home city of Tokyo. But when a ban on spectators was announced last week due to Covid-19, that

By John Sinnott and Jaide Timm-Garcia, CNN Germany’s Olympic soccer team walked off the pitch during a friendly match against Honduras after one of the German players was racially abused, according to the German Football Association (DFB). “The game has ended 5 minutes early with the score at 1-1. The Germany players left the pitch

By Reuters The International Olympic Committee on Saturday backed New Zealand’s selection of transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard for the Tokyo Olympics despite criticism, saying that under the current rules — which will be reviewed in future — she can compete. Hubbard is set to become the first transgender athlete to compete at the Games after

By Rob Picheta and Junko Ogura, CNN A Ugandan athlete who has gone missing in Tokyo ahead of the Olympic Games had left a note saying his life in the African country was too difficult and he wanted to work in Japan, officials have said. Julius Ssekitoleko, a 20-year-old weightlifter, failed to qualify for the

By Jonathan Hawkins, CNN Video by Stefania Dall’Armi, for CNN On September 10, 2020, motorcycle racer Ana Carrasco was lying in the gravel at the side of Lisbon’s famous Estoril circuit, barely conscious, surrounded by concerned medics. Moments earlier, practicing for the weekend’s SuperSport race meeting, she had approached a corner at speed and lost

By Junko Ogura, CNN An unidentified overseas visitor has tested positive for Covid-19 at the Tokyo Olympics athletes’ village, organizers said on Saturday — the first such case amid concerns the Games could become a super-spreader event. Speaking at a news conference, Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto confirmed a non-resident of Japan who is involved

By Sana Noor Haq, CNN This year’s Euro 2020 tournament has become a national talking point in the UK — but not just about football. Before England lost the final to Italy in a penalty shootout, London’s Wembley Stadium had hosted seven Euro 2020 matches, an advantage that helped convince English fans “football’s coming home,”

By Jill Martin and Dakin Andone, CNN The Blue Jays announced Friday the team will return to Toronto after receiving a National Interest Exemption from the Canadian government, allowing the team to enter the country without having to adhere to the country’s Covid-19 travel restrictions. The Blue Jays’ first home game in Toronto at the

By Ben Morse, CNN Fans literally run to congregate around the first tee, searching for any line of sight they can. Young and old, a huge crowd has assembled here at the opening hole at Royal St George’s. The golfer they are trying to catch a glimpse of bounds into view with typical jauntiness and

By Amy Woodyatt, CNN Actor Jason Sudeikis has thrown his support behind English soccer stars who have been the target of racist abuse. Players Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were targeted on social media after they missed penalties in the 3-2 shootout Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy on Sunday at Wembley Stadium.

By Jill Martin, CNN The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has announced that women’s basketball player Liz Cambage — a star player on the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces — has withdrawn from the Australian Olympic Team and will not compete in Tokyo. Cambage, a 2021 WNBA All-Star, is averaging 14.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game

By Ben Morse, CNN The crowds slowly grasp who is on the tee box and the whispers intensify. It’s Bryson DeChambeau that’s got these golf fans animated. The murmuring only increases as they realize that this hole will be one of the few that he uses his massive driver. A flurry of camera phones are

By Amanda Davies and Matias Grez, CNN Max Verstappen is currently navigating uncharted waters — not that you would be able to tell. For the first time in his short, but action-packed Formula One career, the Dutch sensation is leading the drivers’ championship. Despite the chance of achieving his childhood dream of winning a world

By Don Riddell and George Ramsay, CNN Mark Spitz, the legendary swimmer who held the record of seven Olympic gold medals in a single Games before Michael Phelps won eight in 2008, says even his fellow American’s mark will fall at some stage. The most decorated Olympian of all time, Phelps won eight golds at

By Jill Martin, CNN World No. 1 Novak Djokovic announced on social media on Thursday that he will compete in the Tokyo Olympics. “I booked my flight for Tokyo and will proudly be joining #TeamSerbia for the Olympics,” Djokovic said in a tweet. Djokovic, who has won the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon

By Matias Grez, CNN Team WNBA defeated Team USA 93-85 in the 2021 WNBA All-Star Game on Wednesday, with Arike Ogunbowale being named MVP after dropping a game-high 26 points. This was no ordinary All-Star Game, where defense is often lackluster — to say the least — and players regularly joke around on court. Team

By Amanda Davies and Sana Noor Haq, CNN Split-second decision making, relentless focus and courage are just some of the attributes any Formula One driver needs. Charles Leclerc first stepped into a kart when he was four years old, and was hooked by the thrill of speed after he had his first lesson with his

By Amy Sood, CNN Rugby union player Quade Cooper says Australia has repeatedly denied him citizenship — despite representing the country 70 times as a member of the national team. Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Cooper moved to Australia with his family aged 13 but still holds New Zealand citizenship, according to CNN affiliate Seven

By Kevin Dotson, CNN Roger Federer, the four-time Olympian and all-time great tennis champion, announced Tuesday that he would not represent Switzerland in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, saying that a recent setback with his knee forced the decision. The 39-year-old underwent two knee operations in 2020. “I am greatly disappointed, as it has been an

By Adam Renuart, CNN The Olympics have always held significance for USA basketball player Jewell Loyd — and not just as a sporting event. With a mother who used to run track, Loyd says, “We didn’t watch a lot of television growing up, but any time the Olympics were on, we would always watch it.”

By Rob Picheta, CNN Formula One driver Lando Norris had his watch stolen after attending the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, his McLaren team has said. The 21-year-old Norris was unhurt but left “shaken” by the incident, which has now been turned over to police, the team said in a statement on

By Ben Morse, CNN The online racial abuse of some England players following Sunday’s Euro 2020 final defeat by Italy has been described by the team’s manager Gareth Southgate as “unforgivable” and “just not what we stand for.” Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were targeted on social media after they missed penalties in

By John Sinnott, CNN Football fans often joke that “it’s the hope that kills you,” though if you’re an England fan it’s more likely to be a penalty shootout that will result in your metaphorical demise. England lost another shootout on Sunday in a major international tournament as Italy held its nerve to win the

By John Sinnott and Aleks Klosok, CNN The Italian squad made a triumphant return to Italy on Monday after its penalty shootout win over England in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium. Sunday’s success was the Azzurri’s second European Championship victory and came 53 years after Italy’s first win in the pan-continental tournament. The