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The International Swing on the DP World Tour reaches its midway point as a strong field has been assembled for the 29th edition of the Qatar Masters, which will be held from Wednesday through Sunday in Doha.This week’s host, Doha Golf Club (DGC), has staged the event in 26 of its 28 editions, becoming a regular and popular stop for players. This year’s field is headlined by Race to Dubai Rankings leader Jayden Schaper of South Africa and his nearest challenger, 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed of the United States.Andy Sullivan, Julien Guerrier, Daniel Hillier and Nacho Elvira will also be looking to continue their impressive starts to the season as they vie for the Mother of Pearl Trophy. The international stars will be joined by a trio of Qatari amateurs aiming to impress – Saleh al-Kaabi, Ali al-Shahrani and Daniil Sokolov.“Twenty-nine years is an incredible run and what we always do is work closely with our friends at the Qatar Golf Association and the Qatar Olympic Committee, whose support is so crucial,” said Tom Phillips, Head of Middle East at the DP World Tour, while addressing a press conference Tuesday.“Next year marks 30 years, which will be a huge landmark, and we look forward to reaching it and celebrating properly. This tournament continues to grow stronger every year. We have seven past champions teeing it up this week, along with three winners from the Race to Dubai so far this season. Another significant milestone will also be celebrated, as three-time major champion and 2003 winner Padraig Harrington is set to make his 500th DP World Tour start, which is remarkable. We are delighted to mark that achievement here,” he added.The course, however, may present a slightly different challenge this year, with several new and upgraded tee complexes – notably at the first, sixth, eighth, 13th and 15th holes – allowing greater flexibility in set-up while enhancing turf quality and visual definition.These improvements support a more strategic test for players while ensuring consistency across all tournament rounds. Operating in a desert environment, sustainability remains a core focus of course management, with DGC utilising warm-season turfgrasses selected for heat tolerance, reduced water demand and long-term durability.Irrigation practices are closely monitored and data-driven, ensuring water is applied efficiently and only where required, while ongoing soil health programmes help minimise inputs without compromising performance.“The forecast is looking very good. There may be a bit of wind on Thursday afternoon, but for the rest of the week conditions should be sunny with very light winds. We could see a little bit of rain over the weekend, but not very much,” said DP World Tour Senior Tournament Director Mikael Eriksson.“I have been coming here for around 12 years and I do not think I have ever seen the course in such immaculate condition. I received several messages from key players saying how grateful they are to be back and to see how much the course has improved over the past few years. We are looking forward to a very good and challenging week.”Speaking about the participation of Qatari players, Qatar Golf Association General Secretary Fahad Nasser al-Naimi expressed optimism. “We have three players from our national teams and they are in very good shape. This tournament is a significant opportunity for them and we truly hope they benefit from the experience,” he said.Al-Naimi also praised the strength of the field and confirmed that DGC is in perfect condition to host the event. “The Qatar Masters is one of the most significant sporting events held in Qatar. Once again, we have a strong 144-player field featuring many regulars from the circuit,” he said. Related Story Source link
Barcelona will be without winger Raphinha for the Copa del Rey clash at second-tier Albacete today because of a thigh strain and coach Hansi Flick said something had to “change” regarding the Brazilian’s preparation.Raphinha’s injury, sustained in the win over Elche on Saturday in La Liga, is expected to keep him out for only a week, but Flick was notably upset by the issue. The winger missed two months with a hamstring injury earlier this season and is a key player for the Spanish champions. “To be honest I’m not happy with this, really, because he’s a very important player,” Flick told a news conference yesterday. “We have to see what we have to change and also what he has to change. We’ll speak about that in the next days because it’s important. “This is the important phase in the season, we need every player to be able to play and when he’s out, it’s not good.” Barcelona have not lost a match this season which Raphinha has started.Albacete defeated Real Madrid in the previous round of the competition, and Flick said he was not surprised. “This is why we love (cup games), there are sometimes unexpected results,” said the coach. “Of course it’s like that – they have nothing to lose, they have only to win.” According to Spanish reports German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, on loan at Girona, has suffered a hamstring injury which could keep him out for two months. “I didn’t speak with him but I’m very sorry for him, but we have to wait for the results and we’ll see what happened,” added Flick. Source link
A man works on a cricket bat to prepare for sale at a sports gear shop in Kolkata, India, February 2, 2026. (Reuters) Boycott deepens freeze in India-Pakistan cricket relations after Islamabad’s decision on Sunday Pakistan’s decision to boycott its Twenty20 World Cup match against India has drawn widespread support from fans and administrators who hailed the move as a long-overdue stand in a rivalry in which sport and geopolitics have collided. The government on Sunday cleared Pakistan to take part in the tournament beginning February 7 but barred the team from playing India in a February 15 group match in Colombo, a decision the International Cricket Council (ICC) said was not in the interests of the global game. The boycott deepened a long freeze in bilateral cricket between the nuclear-armed neighbours – who have not played a full series since 2012-13 and now meet largely at neutral venues – and dealt a blow to the ICC’s marquee event, with India-Pakistan matches the biggest drivers of global viewership and revenue. ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’For many in Pakistan, however, the boycott was less about cricketing issues, with Pakistan forfeiting two points by skipping the match, and more about symbolism. “Enough is enough,” former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi told Reuters, accusing India’s board of politicising the ICC.“It’s time to challenge this duplicitous approach by exercising PCB’s options in alliance with Bangladesh.” The Indian government, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council did not respond to requests for comment. The ICC said it was still awaiting an official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) conveying their “position of selective participation”. “While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan,” the Dubai-based body said in a statement on Sunday. The government has not publicly detailed its reasoning, but Mosharraf Zaidi, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, linked the move to security tensions with India. “Nothing is more important than the memory of Pakistani citizens and troops murdered by Indian proxy terrorists over the weekend,” Zaidi said. “With funerals taking place today, this was the least that could be done.” The remarks followed co-ordinated attacks by Baloch separatist militants across Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province over the weekend that killed nearly 50 people. India’s foreign ministry rejected Pakistan’s accusations, calling them “baseless” and accusing Islamabad of deflecting attention from its own internal issues. Pakistan’s World Cup jersey has been branded the “Markhor Edition,” after the national animal, a symbol of resilience also used in military iconography, Geo TV reported.‘LET CRICKET JUST BE A GAME’ On the streets of Pakistan’s major cities, many cricket fans backed the boycott as a response to what they see as India’s growing influence over global cricket governance.“This arrogance of India should be broken a little,” said Mohammad Asghar, a fan in Karachi. “They should realise someone has come forward to challenge them.” Others drew parallels with Bangladesh’s earlier withdrawal from the tournament over safety concerns, a move that led to Scotland replacing them, and questioned why Pakistan should be held to a different standard.“If Bangladesh can boycott for one player’s safety, why can’t Pakistan take a stand?” said Ayaz Ahmed. The decision also sparked heated debate on social media, with users divided between calls for “self-respect” and warnings that skipping the match could further isolate Pakistan in global cricket.Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi agreed.“Cricket can open doors when politics closes them,” he wrote on X.“It’s regrettable that Pakistan won’t play India, but this is the moment for the ICC to prove it is impartial,” the former Pakistan skipper added. Source link
Paris St Germain’s Nuno Mendes celebrates scoring their second goal against Strasbourg in the Ligue 1 match. (Reuters) ‘In the end I don’t know if we deserved to win or not but it was important’ Nuno Mendes scored a late winner as Paris Saint-Germain survived the second-half sending-off of Achraf Hakimi to beat Strasbourg 2-1 on Sunday and reclaim top spot in Ligue 1. A dramatic game in Alsace saw PSG goalkeeper Matfei Safonov save Joaquin Panichelli’s early penalty for Strasbourg, before Senny Mayulu gave the visitors the lead. Guela Doue, elder brother of PSG star Desire, levelled for the home side before the half-hour mark, but Portugal left-back Mendes headed in the winner for the reigning French and European champions in the 81st minute. Luis Enrique’s team had been reduced to 10 men on 74 minutes as Moroccan star Hakimi was sent off for a high tackle on Panichelli – he was initially shown a yellow card only for the punishment to be upgraded to red after a VAR check. Having missed out on direct qualification for the Champions League last 16 in midweek following a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United, PSG bounced back here to make it six successive Ligue 1 victories.As a result, they are two points clear at the top of the table from Lens, who defeated Le Havre 1-0 on Friday. “We were fortunate to win this match when most people would have thought it was impossible,” said Luis Enrique.“It was not our best performance. In the end I don’t know if we deserved to win or not but it was very important.” For Strasbourg, the defeat was their first in four matches under new English coach Gary O’Neil, appointed last month after Liam Rosenior left for Chelsea.They remain seventh, but are only two points adrift of Lille in fifth. Strasbourg were awarded a penalty following a VAR check after PSG captain Marquinhos blocked a shot with his arm. However, Safonov dived to his right to keep out the penalty by Argentina striker Panichelli.“He is the best goalkeeper I have ever worked with when it comes to stopping penalties,” Luis Enrique said of the Russian. Mayulu then prodded PSG into the lead, only for Doue to finish off a fine move to equalise by turning in Ben Chilwell’s cross. Strasbourg must have hoped they could go on to win the game after Moroccan star Hakimi was sent off on his first Ligue 1 appearance in three months, but Mendes headed in Warren Zaire-Emery’s cross to take the points back to Paris. “I am really proud of the team but really disappointed that we somehow found a way to lose, because I thought we were excellent and created the better chances,” said O’Neil.“Many teams lose to PSG just defending but we were in the game the whole way – it does give us the belief that we can go again.” Elsewhere, Lyon continued their excellent run of form with a 1-0 win over Lille to make it 10 straight victories in all competitions and further boost their chances of Champions League qualification.Danish midfielder Noah Nartey scored the only goal late in the opening half, a first for the 20-year-old since his arrival from Brondby last month. The seven-time French champions have now won every game since losing at Lorient in early December, including five on the bounce in Ligue 1. That form has allowed Paulo Fonseca’s side – also boosted by the arrival of Brazil striker Endrick on loan from Real Madrid – to cement their grip on fourth place, which brings with it a spot in next season’s Champions League qualifying rounds.With 39 points, Lyon trail Marseille in third only on goal difference and are seven clear of Lille, for whom this was a sixth loss in seven matches in 2026.Marseille followed their exit from the Champions League during the week by squandering a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Paris FC on Saturday – OM and OL are nine points worse off than PSG. Source link
Organisers of the Doha Diamond League Meeting on May 8 have confirmed that athletes who set new meeting records at the 2026 event will be awarded a $5000 bonus, an innovative concept that was first introduced in 2025.The Diamond League series broke new ground in 2025 with $9.84mn awarded in prize money across the series as a whole, the largest prize pool in Diamond League history.While the introduction of meeting record bonus payments in Doha provided another welcome incentive for athletes, the high standard of past-performances meant that only Bahrain’s Olympic silver medallist Salwa Eid Naser came close. Her winning time of 49.83 in the women’s 400m matched the meeting record set by Allyson Felix of USA in 2008, but it wasn’t quick enough for the outright best required to meet the criteria for the $5000 bonus payment.Mohammed al-Fadala, Qatar Athletics Federation president, said: “The Doha Meeting has established itself as one of the leading Wanda Diamond League fixtures and feedback from our athletes, their coaches and their managers, repeatedly tells us that our exceptional hospitality is a key factor in them wanting to return.“As Mutaz Barshim said in last year’s press conference, track and field isn’t an easy job, so it’s very important that we value our athletes and take care of them, as well as providing the perfect stage for top quality competition. By continuing to award bonus payments for new meeting records we are incentivising athletes to perform, but we are also rewarding them for their efforts.“Mutaz acknowledged that change is positive and that as a meeting, and across the sport as a whole, we were moving in the right direction. We in Doha remain committed to innovation and change and that remains crucial if we’re to continue to grow our reputation and profile globally.”Earlier, multiple Olympic, world and European champion Mondo Duplantis of Sweden confirmed he will compete in Doha. The 26-year-old, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and six-time world champion, is also the meeting record holder in Doha with 6.02m, set in 2022. He arrives following another standout season, having broken the world record for the 14th time, most recently with 6.30m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.Duplantis is unbeaten in this Doha Diamond League fixture, but it’s been far from plain sailing. The 2020 event was postponed due to the pandemic (he won the rescheduled competition with a best of 5.82m), while in 2022 the men’s pole vault was delayed by one day and moved indoors due to high winds. Duplantis cleared 6.02m for the win on that occasion – a mark that still stands as the meeting record.“We’ve had a couple of challenges in the past for sure, but I’ve always loved coming to Doha,” said the 2025 World Athlete of the Year. “Last year was amazing for me. I ticked off a couple of really big goals, stuff that was high up on my bucket list, but my hunger and motivation is still 100% there. My training has gone well over the winter and I’m looking forward to competing indoors – it’s important to have something new to aim for, and for me, I want to successfully defend my European title. Doha will follow and it’s the perfect meet to kick off my outdoor season. I definitely prefer the warm weather to the cold, so hopefully conditions will be conducive to jumping high, challenging my meeting record, and setting a solid benchmark – and new goals – for the year ahead.”The azzraty Doha Meeting is the opening meeting of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League. The series comprises 15 of the most prestigious events in global track and field across four different continents. It concludes with a single final across two days in Brussels on September 4 and 5. Related Story Source link
Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta gestures on the touchline during the Premier League against Leeds United at Elland Road in Leeds. (AFP) Mikel Arteta said Arsenal are “actively looking” for a replacement for the injured Mikel Merino in the closing hours of the transfer window. Merino, who has been a valuable contributor in midfield and attack for the Gunners, could miss the rest of the season with a fractured right foot that requires surgery. Arteta stressed how significant the Spain international’s absence as Arsenal compete to win four trophies. The Arsenal boss hopes his club can come up with a new signing to fill the void before Monday’s 1900GMT deadline. “We are actively looking at options and we will continue to do that,” Arteta told reporters Monday. “When you lose a big player like this with four months to go, and all the competitions to play for, you need to look and we need to do everything we possibly can to see if a player is available.” The loss of Merino has been tempered by the return to fitness of Germany forward Kai Havertz. There was further good news for Arsenal as Arteta revealed an injury that kept England winger Bukayo Saka out of Saturday’s 4-0 win over Leeds is only minor. “Today, he (Saka) was better. Let’s see how he responds. It doesn’t look like something too serious,” Arteta added ahead of today’s League Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea“Whether he is available for tomorrow or the weekend, we will have to wait and see.” Arsenal remain on course for an unprecedented quadruple. Arteta’s side hold a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, have progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League and face third-tier Wigan in the FA Cup fourth round. But the Spaniard is focused on reaching the League Cup final as his side’s first opportunity to end a six-year trophy drought. Arsenal hold a 3-2 lead over Chelsea ahead of the second leg on home soil at the Emirates Stadium. “The next one is always the most important one. And it is the closest, at least, to reach a final,” said Arteta. “We really need to create the atmosphere, the energy, the belief that we’re going to do it.” Related Story Source link
The fourth and penultimate round of the Qatar Superstock 600 (QSTK 600) Championship delivered another weekend of thrilling action as the title race tightened up at the Lusail International Circuit. In QSTK 600, Mashal al-Naimi opened the round with a commanding victory in Race 1, completing 12 laps in 25:18.209 to lead in his Yamaha R6. Russia’s Dmitry Sedin finished second on a Kawasaki ZX-6, while Abdulla al-Qubaisi completed the podium. Sedin booked another podium spot when he topped the QSTK Trophy Class while India’s Jonathan Emmanuel came second and Hungary’s Marton Belleli finished third. Race 2 saw al-Qubaisi strike back in style, taking a dominant win in 20:48.010 in the 10-lap race ahead of al-Naimi and al-Mutawa who finished second and third respectively. This time, Emmanuel topped the QSTK Trophy class ahead of Belleli and Russia’s Yuri Nekrasov. After Race 2, al-Naimi and al-Qubaisi are locked at the top of the Superstock 600 standings on 180 points each, with Geoffrey Emmanuel third on 115. In Supersport 300 category, Mahmoud Elbanna leads the championship standings with 157 points, followed by Andrea Giacchero (109) and Nolan Macary (100), with riders now heading to the final round which will take place on February 27-28. Related Story Source link
The referee (right) looks on as Tottenham Hotspur’s Xavi Simons (left) clashes with Manchester City’s Rodri (centre) during the Premier League match at the Tottenham Hotspur…
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup trophy at the Royal Exhibition Building following his victory against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in the Australian…
British F1 driver for Mercedes George Russell at the team’s digital launch Monday. (@MercedesAMGF1) George Russell believes he has been handed a car ready to win the world championship as Mercedes head into a new era for Formula One as the title favourites. Under the leadership of Toto Wolff, Mercedes won eight consecutive constructors’ championships and seven drivers’ titles between 2014 and 2021. Since Russell joined in 2022 they have struggled to keep pace with Red Bull and McLaren. However, a major upheaval of the sport’s technical rulebook for the new season means a fresh start for all the teams on the grid. Mercedes caught the eye in last week’s first test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya by boasting both impressive speed and reliability, with the bookmakers making Russell favourite for his first world title. “I feel ready to fight for a world championship, and whether we have that tag as favourites above us or not, it doesn’t change my approach one single bit,” said the British driver at Mercedes’ digital launch Monday. “There are a lot of things we need to learn very quickly, but I feel I can take advantage of that and I feel confident in myself and in the team.” Four-time world champion Max Verstappen will lead Red Bull’s challenge, aiming to regain the title after losing out to Lando Norris last season. Russell and Verstappen have clashed on and off the track in recent years and the former is relishing the prospect of a title battle to add to the feud between the pair. “I would love that. He is very much going to be in the fight this year,” added Russell. “You obviously wish you had a slightly easier time of it, but it should never be easy, and if you are going to win, you want to have fought for it and won it fair and square on track. “The best-case scenario is if you have a number of teams battling it out, and at the moment it does look like Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and ourselves are the four teams that are quite close,” Russell said. Wolff is relieved to have what appears a competitive car at the front of the grid after four seasons of disappointment, but is not getting carried away despite a positive first test session. “It is always nice if your driver is the favourite with the bookmakers, and he (Russell) deserves it because he is one of the best,” said the Austrian. “But it is always the best driver and the best car that wins, and we have not proven yet that we have a package that is good enough.” There will be two three-day tests in Bahrain later this month before the season begins in Australia on March 8. Related Story Source link