The Fiji Times

Back sweat replaces saliva but England struggle v Windies

SOUTHAMPTON, England (Reuters) – England fast bowler Mark Wood said on Thursday that players were using ‘back sweat’ rather than saliva to try and shine the ball in the first test against West Indies at the Ageas Bowl. Strict health protocols are in place for the return of international cricket after a 117-day stoppage caused...

Tokyo 2020 organisers tipped to issue ticket refunds for delayed Games

TOKYO, 10 JULY 2020 (INSIDE THE GAMES) – Tokyo 2020 has confirmed it will issue ticket refunds to people unable to attend the Olympics and Paralympics after the postponement to 2021, it has been reported. Around 4.48 million tickets for the Olympics have already been sold as well as 970,000 for the Paralympics, through the...

Revamp of Commonwealth Games athletics venue pushed back to April 2022

BIRMINGHAM, 10 JULY 2020 (INSIDE THE GAMES) – The completion date for work to revamp the Alexander Stadium, which is due to host the athletics and Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, has been pushed back to just three months before the event. Originally the revamp of the stadium, at a cost...

Rain ruins the return of cricket

After a 117-day absence, international cricket returned in familiar fashion as rain and bad light restricted the first Test between England and West Indies to 17.4 overs and the hosts closed a frustrating day on 35-1. After all the anticipation, day one of the first of three Tests turned out to be a damp squib....

Australia must tour England for ‘health’ of the game, Langer says

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia must tour England for the “health of world cricket” and let its top players compete in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) if it goes ahead, coach Justin Langer has said. Australia are slated to tour England for limited overs series in September despite the logistical challenges posed by the COVID-19...

IOC headquarters receives US Green Building Council Leadership Award

LAUSANNE, 10 JULY 2020 (INSIDE THE GAMES) – Olympic House, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) headquarters, has received the European 2020 US Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership Award. The award has been given to five organisations that are “a model for how Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) can be used to improve communities,...

Belarus would consider Russian athletes who wish to switch allegiance

(Reuters) – Belarus would consider offers from Russian athletes who wish to switch allegiance and compete for the ex-Soviet republic instead, the head of the Belarusian athletics federation said on Wednesday. Russian athletes are currently barred from competing under their country’s flag at major international events, including the Olympics, for four years after the World...

Hammer time for former gymnast in Olympic quest

There may not appear to be many similarities between gymnastics and the hammer throw, but for South Canterbury’s Lauren Bruce she believes there are a few and that helped her make successful transition that has her close to Olympic selection. Bruce was a contender to make Tokyo this year despite only specializing on the hammer...

Root tells stand-in skipper Stokes ‘Do it your way’

(Reuters) – Stand-in England captain Ben Stokes says regular skipper Joe Root has given him a simple piece of advice ahead of Wednesday’s first test with West Indies — do it your way. With Root missing for the birth of his second child, Stokes will get to pit himself against West Indies counterpart Jason Holder....

UN General Assembly approves change of Olympic Truce observation period

NEW YORK, 08 JULY 2020 (INSIDE THE GAMES)—The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) has approved a change to the Olympic Truce observation period to reflect the postponement of Tokyo 2020. Entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic spirit,” the resolution was first adopted in December 2019 and followed the original dates...

Cricket looking at promoting island games

Cricket Fiji has made a new turn in the local competition by using T10 format as a buildup to expand their competition around the Lau Group. Cricket Fiji chief executive officer Alex Konrote was eager to expand and expose the sport to the outer islands making the competition exciting and competitive. The T10 cricket competition...

PNG Rugby League mourns passing of Don Fox

The Papua New Guinea rugby league community is mourning the passing of long-time administrator Don Fox, who helped to unite the sport following years of infighting. The 78 year-old was born in Australia but became involved in rugby league after moving to PNG in 1966, when he joined the Magani Badili Rugby League club in...

Financial help for surfers

The focus of the column this week has shifted from our Boardriding Clubs to the IOC and ISA announcements last week. The International Surfing Association (ISA) confirmed that it has received important financial support from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It is comforting that the IOC actions under the leadership of president Bach, as we...

Ministry to improve service and sports

The Ministry of Youth and Sport unveiled a new logo on Friday at the home of former national 7s captain, Paula Dranisinukula at Navuniivi Village in Ra with Minister Parveen Kumar saying it was an historic event. “Until such time the ministry will be there and we won’t be there, but those who will be...

Boost for Fiji judo

The Fiji Judo Association is set to receive a timely boost from one of its partners, Ryutsu Keizai University in Japan which has gifted judo equipment to help the sport. “Ryutsu Keizai University judo head coach Iwasaki Takashi has been developing and helping coach Fiji judokas for about 30 years,” Fiji Judo Association general secretary...

Mercedes’ Valterri Bottas wins chaotic F1 opener

Valtteri Bottas insisted before the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix that he has what it takes to win the Formula One world championship. That’s a tall order with six-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton as his teammate at Mercedes. Especially as Hamilton needs one more title to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of seven. But Bottas showed impressive...

Signs of life in Andy Ruiz Jr’s heavyweight comeback

There are finally some positive signs in the talked-up comeback of former world heavyweight boxing champion Andy Ruiz Jr. The Mexican-American is back in the gym and is “falling back in love with his job”. That’s according to noted trainer and cut man Jorge Capetillo, a close friend of the burly heavyweight who has him...

Tiafoe tests positive for COVID-19, withdraws from Atlanta event

(Reuters) – Frances Tiafoe has tested positive for COVID-19 and been forced to withdraw from the All-American Team Cup exhibition tournament in Atlanta, the American said on Saturday. Tiafoe played in the first session on Friday and beat Sam Querrey in straight sets at the event in which the top eight American players are participating....

Golfers in for a treat

The ever popular two-men stroke Ambrose event sponsored by Ambient Edge Pte Ltd on Saturday will see a new format for the first time at the Lautoka golf course. The 18 holes stroke event will see each of the team members taking 9 compulsory tee-shots, compared with six each in previous events. The top three...

America’s Cup: Team NZ bemoan kangaroo court

Team New Zealand have hit back at “a highly orchestrated attack on our integrity” they say has resulted in a kangaroo court in the public arena. Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton again emphasised there had been no misappropriation of public money. This comes as the New Zealand government suspends funding on the event while...

Spark Sport in box seat for England cricket rights

Cricket-starved New Zealand viewers must brace for platform ping-pong as soon as next week, with Spark Sport in the box seat to live stream international cricket’s return. England hosts West Indies at Southampton in the first of three tests starting on Wednesday (10pm NZT) with no New Zealand broadcast rightsholder as yet confirmed to screen...

Blistering finish earns Redman share of lead in Detroit

(Reuters) – Doc Redman collected seven birdies in his last eight holes to grab a share of the first-round lead with Scott Stallings and Kevin Kisner at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit on Thursday. Redman, runner-up at last year’s Mortgage Classic and still chasing a first PGA Tour win, made a quiet start at...

England’s Curran self isolating after undergoing COVID-19 test

(Reuters) – England all-rounder Sam Curran is self isolating in his room at the Ageas Bowl after undergoing a COVID-19 test, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Thursday. The ECB said in a statement that Curran, 22, experienced sickness and diarrhoea on Wednesday night and would sit out the remainder of England’s...

Other Sports

“Fight Island” opens with three UFC titles up for grabs