UEFA on Tuesday rejected plans by the city of Munich to light the Allianz Arena in rainbow colours for the Germany-Hungary Euro 2020 match in support of the LGBT community and to protest at a law passed by the Hungarian government.

-UEFA is a politically and religiously neutral organisation- said European football's governing body in a statement ahead of Wednesday's match.
-Given the political context of this request, a message aimed at a decision taken by the Hungarian national parliament, UEFA must refuse.-UEFA'S stance quickly drew criticism from Germany's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
-We find it very disconcerting how UEFA deals with values that should generally be accepted in society- Markus Ulrich, a spokesman for Germany's Lesbian and Gay Association (LSVD), told AFP subsidiary SID.
-UEFA has not recognised the signs of the times -- and it is clear to see which side it is taking with its decision.-The mayor of Munich, Dieter Reiter, had wanted the stadium in rainbow colours for the crucial Group F match to "send a visible sign of solidarity" with Hungary's LGBT community.
Hungary's right-wing government last week passed a law banning the "promotion" of homosexuality to minors, outlawing any educational programmes or material in which homosexuality is mentioned.
On Monday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto claimed that plans to light the Munich stadium in rainbow colours were "harmful and dangerous".
While UEFA have rejected the request for the day of the match, it has suggested alternative dates for June 28, which is Christopher Street Liberation Day, an annual celebration and demonstration held in various cities across Europe, or from July 3-9, the week of gay pride in Munich.
The last European Championship match in Munich takes place on July 2.
UEFA had previously opted not to take disciplinary action against Germany skipper Manuel Neuer for wearing a rainbow-coloured captain's armband.
Tensions are running high on and off the pitch.
Hungary need a win to have a chance of reaching the last 16, while hosts Germany know just a draw would secure a spot in the knockout phase.
An investigation into an allegedly homophobic banner and monkey noises at Hungary's first two Euro matches in Budapest was opened by UEFA on Sunday.
A UEFA source had previously told AFP that it would consider moving the Euro 2020 semi-finals and final to Budapest from London if the British government refuses to grant VIPs exemption from Covid-19 quarantine measures.

The mayor of Munich, Dieter Reiter, had wanted the stadium in rainbow colours for the crucial Group F match to "send a visible sign of solidarity" with Hungary's LGBT community

Given the political context of this request, a message aimed at a decision taken by the Hungarian national parliament, UEFA must refuse

UEFA refuses to light Munich stadium in rainbow colours for Germany-Hungary match

India's Olympic body has slammed as "unfair" strict rules imposed by the Japanese government on athletes from several Covid-hit nations for the Tokyo Games starting next month.

Tokyo 2020 organisers said Monday that additional measures will be used to reduce infection risks from several countries, including India, that have seen "significant impact from variants" of Covid-19.
The protocols will involve daily testing of athletes for a week before they depart for Japan and for them to "refrain from coming into contact with other teams for three days after they arrive" in Japan.
But the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said the rules would cause athletes to lose three crucial training days.
-Athletes are allowed to arrive in the Games village only five days before their event- IOA president Narinder Batra and secretary Rajeev Mehta said in a joint statement released on Saturday.
-Now three days will be wasted, this is the time the athletes need to be moving towards their mode to peak... highly unfair for Indian athletes, who have worked hard for five years, to be discriminated against just five days before the Olympics.-The sports administrators said 11 countries, including India, Pakistan and the UK, would be affected.
-Where and when will the athletes have their breakfast, lunch, dinner during these three days, as everyone has food in the Games village food hall where all athletes and officials of other NOCs (National Olympic Committees) are present all the time- the statement added.
Where can athletes train? it asked, because "practice/training areas are never empty and athletes and officials of other NOCs are present all the time."
The Tokyo 2020 organisers said in a statement to AFP that they had received a document from India's Olympic body.
-For participants from areas such as India that have seen significant impact from variants, it is necessary that they follow more stringent rules than those outlined in the (athletes) Playbook, and are similar to the existing border control measures- they added.But the organisers did not clarify whether athletes from the affected countries would be allowed to train in the three days after their arrival.
Batra told AFP last week that Indian athletes will be fully vaccinated before the Games starting July 23. 
The country has eased some lockdown restrictions in recent weeks as it emerges from a brutal surge in infections and deaths in April and May.
The International Olympic Committee said in late May that six countries -- Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka -- had pledged to fully vaccinated their delegations and conduct additional testing.
Some Indian athletes, including javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and wrestler Vinesh Phogat, are training abroad and will travel to Tokyo from their respective locations.
But most of the Olympic team will depart from India.
Despite its huge population, India won just two medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The protocols will involve daily testing of athletes for a week before they depart for Japan and for them to "refrain from coming into contact with other teams for three days after they arrive"

Organisers did not clarify whether athletes from the affected countries would be allowed to train in the three days after their arrival

India protest 'unfair' Tokyo Olympic rules for Covid-hit nations

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos left the club Wednesday after 16 years of service, according to the Spanish football powerhouse. 

-Real Madrid C. F. announces that tomorrow, Thursday 17 June, at 12:30 p.m. [1030GMT], an institutional act of tribute and farewell to our captain Sergio Ramos will be held, which will be attended by our president Florentino Perez- the club said in a statement.
The 35-year-old central defender will say goodbye to Real Madrid fans at a virtual press conference.
Ramos joined Real Madrid from Sevilla in 2005.
He won five Spanish La Liga and four UEFA Champions League titles and three UEFA Super Cup trophies with Real Madrid.
Ramos also helped the Whites win four Spanish Super Cups and two Spanish Cups.
He scored 101 goals in 671 appearances for Real Madrid.
His contract at the club will expire on June 30.
Ramos was a decent Spanish national team member, winning two back-to-back European championships: the UEFA Euro 2008 and 2012.
In addition, he won the 2010 FIFA World Cup with his native Spain.

The 35-year-old central defender Sergio Ramos will say goodbye to fans at a virtual press conference

Ramos joined Real Madrid from Sevilla in 2005

Real Madrid captain exits club after 16 years

World number three Rafael Nadal will not play at the Summer Olympic Games and Wimbledon, the Spaniard confirmed on Thursday.

-Hi all, I have decided not to participate at this year’s Championships at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in Tokyo- Nadal said on Twitter.
-It’s never an easy decision to take but after listening to my body and discuss it with my team I understand that it is the right decision- he added.
The 35-year-old also said: -Sport prevention of any kind of excess in my body is a very important factor at this stage of my career in order to try to keep fighting for the highest level of competition and titles.-Spain's Nadal, who won the gold medal in Beijing in 2008, holds a 20-time grand slam title in men's singles.
The Championships, Wimbledon will kick off on June 28 as Tokyo 2020 will start from July 23.
The Summer Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from July 23 to Aug. 8 without overseas spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

'Never an easy decision' Rafael Nadal says on Twitter

Spanish tennis star Nadal pulls out of Tokyo 2020, Wimbledon

Danish star Christian Eriksen, who suffered a cardiac arrest during his country's Euro 2020 opener last weekend, will have a heart defibrillator implanted, the Danish Football Union (DBU) announced Thursday.

The Inter Milan midfielder collapsed and required CPR during Denmark's game against Finland in Copenhagen where he remains in hospital.
-After Christian has been through different heart examinations it has been decided that he should have an ICD (heart starter)- the Danish football body said in a statement on Twitter.
-This device is necessary after a cardiac attack due to rhythm disturbances- it added. 
DBU provided no details on the potential consequences for the 29-year-old Inter Milan player's future career.
Eriksen "has accepted the solution" and it had also been "confirmed by specialists nationally and internationally who all recommend the same treatment," DBU said.
Players, such as Dutchman Daley Blind, have been able to resume their careers after being fitted with the device, which controls and regulates the heart rate.
The announcement of the medical procedure comes hours before the kick-off to Denmark's next match against Belgium, where a tribute to the Danish number 10 is scheduled to take place in the 10th minute of the match.

This device is necessary after a cardiac attack due to rhythm disturbances

Denmark's Eriksen to have defibrillator implanted

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) expects 70%-80% of the news media covering the Olympics in Tokyo this summer to be vaccinated, organisers said in statement at the launch of the updated coronavirus guidelines for the Games on Tuesday.

The organisers also said every sports delegation arriving in Japan will have a COVID liaison officer coordinating with the organisers on the implementation of the measures to stop the spread of the virus at the event due to start on July 23.

The organisers also said every sports delegation arriving in Japan will have a COVID liaison officer

The logo of the Tokyo Olympic Games, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office building in Tokyo, Japan, January 22, 2021.

Up to 80% of Tokyo Olympics media will be vaccinated, say organisers

Christian Eriksen, the Danish football player who collapsed on the pitch in his country's opening Euro 2020 game, said that he was doing "fine" in an Instagram post from hospital on Tuesday.

-I'm fine -- under the circumstances, I still have to go through some examinations at the hospital, but I feel okay- he wrote in a post accompanying a photo of him smiling and giving a thumbs-up while lying in bed.

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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQIbbREAXo5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Christian Eriksen (@chriseriksen8)</a></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

In a scene that shocked the sporting world and beyond, the 29-year-old Inter Milan midfielder suddenly collapsed on the field in the 43rd minute of Denmark's Group B game on Saturday against Finland in Copenhagen.

Medical personnel administered CPR as he lay motionless on the field for about 15 minutes before being carried off the pitch and rushed to hospital.
He was later confirmed to have suffered cardiac arrest.
-Big thanks for your sweet and amazing greetings and messages from all around the world. It means a lot to me and my family- he wrote in Tuesday's post.
-Now, I will cheer on the boys on the Denmark team in the next matches. Play for all of Denmark.-

It was confirmed that he have suffered cardiac arrest

Denmark's Eriksen says 'I'm fine' from hospital

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić has won the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, the NBA announced on Wednesday.

-With the first Kia NBA MVP Award of his career, Jokić becomes the first player to earn the honor as a member of the Nuggets- the NBA said in a statement.
-He is also the first player from Serbia to be selected as the NBA MVP and joins Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) as MVP winners from Europe.-It added: - Jokić received 91 first-place votes and earned 971 total points from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters as well as the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award fan vote, making for 101 ballots.-Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (586 points) came in second place, followed by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (453 points) in third, Milwaukee Bucks forward Antetokounmpo (348 points) in fourth, and Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (139 points) in fifth place.
In his sixth season for the Nuggets, Jokic played all 72 games and averaged a career-high 26.4 points, 10.9 rebounds, a career-high 8.4 assists, and 1.32 steals in 34.8 minutes.
With his season averages, the Serbian center ranked 12th in the NBA in points, ninth in rebounds, sixth in assists, and 22nd in steals.
The 26-year-old is the third player in NBA history to average at least 26.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists in a season, joining the legendary Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook.
Jokić's Nuggets finished the regular season 47-25, good enough for the 3rd spot in the Western Conference.

Nikola Jokić 1st player from Serbia to be selected as NBA Most Valuable Player

Denver Nuggets' Jokic wins 2020-21 NBA MVP award

Several World Cup football qualifiers scheduled to be played in China were moved to Dubai on Monday over coronavirus infections in the Syria and Maldives teams, the Chinese Football Association said.

Seven Group A fixtures involving China, Syria, Maldives, the Philippines and Guam are affected, playing further havoc with the already heavily disrupted Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
-In view of the recent epidemic infections in the Maldives and Syrian national football teams... they must be strictly quarantined upon entry and cannot participate in the games as scheduled- a CFA statement said.
-According to recommendations from the AFC (Asian Football Confederation), the Chinese FA agreed that the remaining qualifying matches... will not be held in Suzhou and will be transferred to Dubai and held there- it added.
The games were supposed to take place over the next fortnight in a secure "bubble" in the Chinese city of Suzhou.
The AFC stopped short of confirming that Dubai will now stage the matches, saying in a statement they will take place at "a neutral venue, which will be decided and announced in the coming days".
-The decision was made due to the mounting challenges faced by several participating teams in travelling to China- it added.
According to China's Titan Sports, the Maldives and Syria are in Dubai and were denied permission to depart for China. 
Maldives striker Ali Ashfaq tweeted that he had tested positive and won't be playing in the qualifiers.
China, who smashed Guam 7-0 on Sunday, were scheduled to face the Maldives on Thursday, while Syria and the Maldives were set to play on June 7.
China are second in the group behind Syria and are fighting to keep their World Cup hopes alive. The games double as qualifiers for the 2023 Asian Cup in China.
"The Chinese Football Association will make every effort to prepare for the matches," the CFA said.
The AFC said it hopes to keep to the original schedule, with the final round of matches on June 15.

Seven Group A fixtures involving China, Syria, Maldives, the Philippines and Guam are affected

World Cup qualifiers moved from China to Dubai over virus cases

Tokyo Olympics fans may have to be vaccinated or test negative for the coronavirus before being allowed into venues, a Japanese newspaper report said Monday.

Cheering, eating, high-fives and drinking alcohol would also be banned under controls now being considered, the Yomiuri Shimbun daily said, citing unnamed government officials.
Organisers are set to decide in June how many spectators -- if any -- will be allowed to attend the pandemic-postponed Games.
Overseas fans are already barred, and the report warned domestic spectators may be denied entrance or kicked out for breaking the rules.
-The plan is to stop the spread of infections during Games time with strict countermeasures- the paper said.
Under the plan, spectators must be able to show a vaccination certificate or a negative test taken at their own expense less than a week before entering the venue.
They must wear masks and fill in health-check sheets, and once inside must not cheer loudly or high-five each other.
Security guards would be stationed around venues monitoring behaviour, the report said, with public viewing venues cancelled or scaled down.
Japan's vaccine rollout has been moving slowly, with less than 2.5 percent of the population fully vaccinated so far.
Tokyo and other parts of the country are under a virus state of emergency which was extended on Friday until June 20, just over a month before the opening ceremony on July 23.
The Yomiuri also published a new poll on Monday that shows 49 percent of people living in Tokyo want the Games to go ahead, while 48 percent want them cancelled.
A total of 25 percent said they wanted the Games to go ahead with a limited number of spectators, while 24 percent said they wanted them to be held with no fans.
A new country-wide poll by the Nikkei newspaper found that 62 percent of respondents wanted the Games to be cancelled or postponed again, while 34 percent were in favour of them being held this summer.
Organisers have repeatedly ruled out the Games being postponed again.

Cheering, eating, high-fives and drinking alcohol would also be banned under controls now being considered

Foreign spectators have already been banned from the Tokyo Olympic Games, and now restrictions on local fans could be in store

Tokyo Olympics fans to need vaccination or virus test

World number one Novak Đoković said on Thursday that he would reconsider taking part in the Tokyo Olympics if spectators were banned from attending.

The world number one's reaction came after calls grew in Japan for the Games to take place behind closed doors, with one doctors' association saying the event should be cancelled altogether. 
-I plan on playing in the Olympics, as long as fans are allowed- Đoković said in a press conference.
-If not, I'd think twice about participating.-Đoković is not the first tennis star to express doubts over the rescheduled Olympics -- Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams recently said they were unsure whether they would compete.
Roger Federer said athletes needed a firm decision on whether the event is going ahead, adding he was still in two minds.
Japanese stars Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori have both raised concerns about whether Tokyo should be hosting the Games at all.
Medical groups have warned the massive event could introduce new variants to Japan even as parts of Japan, including capital Tokyo, are still under states of emergency.
Haruo Ozaki, chairman of the Tokyo Medical Association, said on Thursday that holding the Games without spectators "is the bare minimum given the current situation".
"This is the Olympics in a time of emergency," he said at a press conference.
Organisers have already barred overseas fans, while a decision on domestic spectators is expected in late June.
Tokyo's current virus restrictions allow venues to have up to 5,000 fans or 50 percent capacity, whichever is fewer.
Đoković was speaking after he booked his place in the semi-finals in the Belgrade tournament with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Federico Coria, a victory that puts him fifth on the list of Open era wins.
The 56-minute demolition of the 96th ranked Argentine took Đoković to 952 wins, putting him one ahead of Guillermo Vilas.
-It was a great performance- said Đoković, who is tuning up for the French Open which begins in Paris on Sunday. 
-And probably one of the best matches, if not the best match, I played this year. I felt fantastic on the court from the first point.-Đoković will face either fellow Serb Dušan Lajović or qualifier Andrej Martin in the semi-finals. 
He improved to 18-3 for the season and is attempting to reach his third final of the year. 
Đoković won the Australian Open for a ninth time but lost the Italian Open final on clay to Nadal.
Vilas, also an Argentine, played professionally between 1969 and 1992, reaching eight major finals, winning four.
He was a four-time French Open finalist, winning in 1977 with a straight sets demolition of the American Brian Gottfried.

The world number one's reaction came after calls grew in Japan for the Games to take place behind closed doors, with one doctors' association saying the event should be cancelled altogether

Đoković will play Olympics only if fans allowed

Nigeria will play Mexico in a friendly on July 3 at the Los Angeles Coliseum in the United States, officials said Wednesday.

-We are happy to be able to announce this match, which is a clash between two very big teams from two different continents- said Jairo Pachon, Nigeria's official match agent.
-Mexico against Nigeria is a big match any day and the venue is class.-The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a 77,000-capacity facility which hosted the 1996 Olympics football event which Nigeria won.
The countries have clashed five times at this level – four draws with Mexico recording a win.
Their last meeting was in October 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia, and the game ended in a goalless draw.
The teams are expected to announce their squads next month.
Mexico are 11th in the FIFA Ranking, while Nigeria are 32nd.
Mexico are also the current holders of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which they have won eight times.

Their last meeting was in October 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia, and the game ended in a goalless draw

The teams are expected to announce their squads next month

Nigeria announce Mexico date in Los Angeles

Football fans in Germany will return to stadiums for the first time since October on Saturday after Berlin authorities agreed to lift Covid curbs for 2,000 people to attend Union Berlin's final game of the Bundesliga season against RB Leipzig.

-Union Berlin made an application, and we have decided in consultation with the health authorities that 2000 fans will be allowed into the stadium- Martin Pallgen, spokesperson for the Berlin government's sports department, told AFP subsidiary SID.
The move allows season ticket holders to watch from the stands as the Berliners fight for a place in next year's Europa Conference League on the final day of the season.
In a statement on their website, Union said the "pilot event" will only be allowed to go ahead if "the pandemic situation permits".
According to Pallgen, the approval is conditional on Berlin's seven-day incidence rate remaining at less than 100 new cases per 100,000 people this week.
If infection rates do remain low, fans who have recovered from Covid-19, are fully vaccinated or can provide an up-to-date negative test will be allowed into the Alte Foersterei stadium, which usually holds around 20,000 supporters. 
With demand from Union's famously passionate supporters far outstripping supply, tickets will be allocated via a lottery among season-ticket holders.
Strict coronavirus restrictions have been in place in Germany since last autumn, and Bundesliga stadiums have remained empty since late October.
Yet with infection rates dropping all over Germany and the country's vaccination campaign now firing on all cylinders, many states have made cautious moves to open up the economy. 
Outdoor dining is set to be allowed in Berlin from next weekend for the first time since October, while coastal areas such as Schleswig-Holstein have opened up for tourists.
Yet Union will probably be the only top-flight club cheered on by their fans this weekend, after authorities in Munich and the football-mad western state of North-Rhine Westphalia ruled out a return for supporters.
The Berlin club, who are punching above their weight on the pitch this season, have been among the most active in their attempts to re-open for supporters.
Criticised last summer for announcing controversial plans to return the stadium to full capacity, they have since been among the first clubs to trial matchday testing on journalists and club staff at games behind closed doors.
Fans attending Saturday's game will be able to get a free rapid antigen test at the club's own test centre, which opened to the public on a site adjacent to the stadium last month.&nbsp;

The move allows season ticket holders to watch from the stands as the Berliners fight for a place in next year's Europa Conference League on the final day of the season

The last time fans were allowed into Bundesliga stadiums was back in October 2020.

Berlin lifts virus curbs for football fans to return to stadium

More than 80 percent of Japanese polled oppose hosting the virus-postponed Olympics this year, a new survey showed on Monday, underlining public antipathy less than 10 weeks before the Tokyo Games.

The latest downbeat poll comes after Japan expanded a coronavirus state of emergency Friday as the nation battles a fourth wave of infections.
The surge in cases has put pressure on the country's healthcare system, with medical professionals repeatedly warning about shortages and burnout.
The weekend poll by the Asahi Shimbun daily found 43 percent of respondents want the 2020 Games cancelled, with 40 percent wanting a further postponement.
Those figures are up from the 35 percent who backed cancellation in a survey by the paper a month ago and the 34 percent who wanted a further delay.
-I am one of those in the 80 percent. I think the Olympics should be postponed. Is it that difficult to postpone it?- passer-by Sumiko Usui, 74, told AFP in Tokyo.
Takahiro Yoshida, 53, also expressed doubts over the event.
-In my honest opinion, it will be difficult to hold the Games... Athletes from overseas must be worried as well, because Japan's coronavirus situation is bad- he said.
Only 14 percent support holding the Games this summer as scheduled, down from 28 percent, according to the Asahi poll of 1,527 replies from 3,191 telephone calls.
If the Games go ahead, 59 percent of respondents said they want no spectators, with a third backing lower fan numbers and only three percent a regular-capacity Games.

For months, polling has found a majority in Japan oppose holding the Games this summer.

A separate poll by Kyodo News published Sunday showed 59.7 percent back cancellation, though further postponement was not listed as an option.
Olympic organisers say tough anti-virus measures, including regular testing of athletes and a ban on overseas fans, will keep the Games safe.
But the Kyodo poll found 87.7 percent of respondents worry that an influx of athletes and staff members from abroad may spread the virus.
Amid mounting public opposition to the games, several dozen protesters rallied in central Tokyo against the Olympics.
-It's obvious to everyone that we should cancel the Games, but nobody -- the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, the Tokyo government nor Prime Minister (Yoshihide) Suga -- none of them are making the decision- Toshio Miyazaki, 60, who organised the demonstration, told AFP.
-We cannot afford to host the Olympics when we have to defeat the coronavirus.-Another demonstrator slammed government policy as "contradictory".
-If authorities put priority on the economy, I want them to lift the restrictions on restaurants and bars- Yusuke Kawai, a 40-year-old match-making party organiser, said.
-If they prioritise the anti-virus measures, I want them to cancel the Olympics.-Asked about the state of public opinion Monday, government spokesman Katsunobu Kato said the administration would "make efforts so that the Japanese people understand the Tokyo Games will be held in a safe and secure manner".
-We need to give explanations on details of the concrete (coronavirus) measures- he said, insisting that the Games would not put further pressure on medical services.

Japan has seen a smaller Covid-19 outbreak than many countries, with fewer than 11,500 deaths so far. But the government has come under pressure for its vaccine rollout.

The Kyodo poll found 85 percent of respondents considered the rollout slow, with 71.5 percent unhappy with the government's handling of the pandemic.
Thousands of slots were snapped up on Monday as online bookings opened for two mass vaccination centres which will deliver up to 10,000 shots a day in Tokyo and 5,000 in Osaka, initially to the elderly.
All 25,000 available slots were already booked up in Osaka, the centre said, while around 21,000 reservations were made in Tokyo.

This comes after Japan expanded a coronavirus state of emergency Friday as the nation battles a fourth wave of infections

Polls have consistently found a majority of Japanese oppose holding the Games this summer

Over 80 percent in Japan oppose Olympics this year

Sweden international Zlatan Ibrahimović has been ruled out of Euro 2020 with a knee injury, the Swedish Football Association confirmed on Saturday.

Ibrahimović sprained his left knee a week ago playing for Italian club side AC Milan who revealed earlier Saturday that medical experts recommended "conservative treatment for six weeks".
-I have spoken to Zlatan Ibrahimović who unfortunately has told me that his injury will stop his participation in the European Championship this summer- Sweden team coach Janne Andersson said in a statement.
-Of course this feels sad, most of all for Zlatan but, also for us- Andersson added.
The 39-year-old forward returned to his national side last March nearly five years after his international farewell.
Sweden open their Euro 2020 campaign against Spain in Seville on June 14, before further Group E games against Slovakia four days later and Poland in Saint-Petersburg on the 23rd.
Ibrahimović's treatment would last until June 26 at least.
The veteran forward injured his knee during a 3-0 win over Juventus, and will miss his club's last two league games as they target a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2014.
-We have received the best news we could have, the problem does not affect the ligament- Milan coach Stefano Pioli told a press conference before the team's league game against Cagliari.
-Conservative treatment will allow Zlatan to return to 100 percent next season. After the (medical) consultation he too was certainly more serene.-Ibrahimović has 62 goals from 118 appearances for Sweden but has only scored once for Milan since February after missing games through injury and suspension.
He recently signed a contract extension until June 2022 and has netted 17 times in all competitions for the club.
Ibrahimović started his career in Malmo in 1999, going on to play for Ajax, Juventus, both Milan clubs, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.
In Milan, 'Ibra' has returned to form and even seems to have turned the clock back, regularly comparing himself to a fictional character who gets younger over time. 
His return to Milan 10 years after his first passage where he helped them win their last Serie A title in 2011 had been greeted with some scepticism.
But he has proved to be a rock at the former seven-time European champions and a mentor for the club's young players.
He scored 15 goals in 17 league matches and overtaken the bar of 500 club goals scored.

The 39-year-old forward returned to his national side last March nearly five years after his international farewell

Ibrahimović's treatment would last until June 26 at least

Sweden's Ibrahimović out of Euro 2020 with knee injury

Holding the Tokyo Olympics safely as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage would be "impossible", a union of Japanese hospital doctors warned on Wednesday.

-We strongly oppose holding the Tokyo Olympics at a time when people around the world are fighting the new coronavirus- the union said in a statement submitted to the government.
-It is impossible to hold a safe and secure Olympics during the pandemic.-The union, which represents staff doctors at hospitals, is one of a number in Japan for different medical professionals. It does not list the size of its membership.
-We can't deny the danger that many kinds of new virus variants will bring to Tokyo from around the world- the union statement added.
The statement comes as Japan battles a fourth wave of virus infections, with several areas including the capital under a state of emergency.
The surge has put pressure on the country's healthcare system, with medical professionals repeatedly warning about shortages and burnout.
In recent days, several governors have said they will not allocate hospital beds for athletes.
And plans for teams to train in Japan before the Games have in some cases been scrapped.
With just over 10 weeks until the Games open on July 23, public opinion remains opposed, with most favouring a further delay or cancellation.
But organisers say they can safely hold the Games thanks to virus countermeasures and point to a string of successful recent test events, including some featuring overseas athletes.

The statement comes as Japan battles a fourth wave of virus infections, with several areas including the capital under a state of emergency

The union, which represents staff doctors at hospitals, is one of a number in Japan for different medical professionals

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Open the document in a new window 'Impossible' to hold Olympics during pandemic, Japan doctors union warns

Sports

UEFA refuses to light Munich stadium in rainbow colours for Germany-Hungary match

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Spanish tennis star Nadal pulls out of Tokyo 2020, Wimbledon

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Up to 80% of Tokyo Olympics media will be vaccinated, say organisers

Denmark's Eriksen says 'I'm fine' from hospital

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Berlin lifts virus curbs for football fans to return to stadium

Over 80 percent in Japan oppose Olympics this year

Sweden's Ibrahimović out of Euro 2020 with knee injury

Open the document in a new window 'Impossible' to hold Olympics during pandemic, Japan doctors union warns