Swiatek not expecting WADA appeal over doping scandal

Swiatek not expecting WADA appeal over doping scandal
World number two Iga Swiatek said that, while the incident had been ‘mentally tough,’ the public response had been generally positive, allaying fears that she would be ostracized. (AFP)
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Updated 27 December 2024

Swiatek not expecting WADA appeal over doping scandal

Swiatek not expecting WADA appeal over doping scandal
  • Pole tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine in an out-of-competition sample in August when she was ranked number one

SYDNEY: World number two Iga Swiatek said on Friday she was ready to put a drugs scandal behind her, insisting there was no reason for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to appeal against her case.
The 23-year-old Pole tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August when she was ranked number one.
However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted that the violation was not intentional and she escaped with a one-month sanction that saw her miss three tournaments in Asia and lose her top ranking.
News of the saga only emerged in late November and she will play her first tournament since then at the mixed-teams United Cup in Sydney ahead of the Australian Open next month.
Swiatek said that, while the incident had been “mentally tough,” the public response had been generally positive, allaying fears that she would be ostracized.
“I think people, most of them, are understanding,” said the five-time Grand Slam champion.
“And the ones who read the documents and are aware of how the system works, they know that I had no fault and I had no influence on what was going on.
“I try to just go on with my life and focus on different things, focus on preparing for the season and on tennis, because this is the best thing you can do after a case like that,” she said.
Her case is similar to that of Italian men’s world number one Jannik Sinner.
He was exonerated by the ITIA for twice testing positive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March. But WADA appealed against the decision in September and he is awaiting the outcome.
Swiatek said she does not anticipate WADA will follow the same path with her.
“I gave every possible evidence and there is not much, honestly, more to do,” she said.
“There is no point to do an appeal in our opinion.
“But, you know, I guess overall, this whole process was pretty abstract sometimes and hard to understand from a point of view where you don’t think about the law and everything.
“But honestly, this is about the law and the wording and this kind of stuff. So I’m not expecting an appeal, but I have kind of no influence on what’s going to happen.
“But I can say from the processes that I went through and how they treated me from the beginning, that it seemed fair for me,” she said.
“I managed to give the source (of the contamination) pretty quickly. That’s why the case closed, pretty quickly.”


Australia beat China, 90-89, to complete ‘three-peat’ bid in FIBA Asia Cup

Australia beat China, 90-89, to complete ‘three-peat’ bid in FIBA Asia Cup
Updated 18 August 2025

Australia beat China, 90-89, to complete ‘three-peat’ bid in FIBA Asia Cup

Australia beat China, 90-89, to complete ‘three-peat’ bid in FIBA Asia Cup
  • Australia became only the second team in Asia Cup history to achieve a “three-peat”
  • China first achieved the feat in 2003 when it won its 13th title of the tournament

JEDDAH: Australia took the FIBA Asia Cup basketball for the third time in a row after a dramatic 90-89 victory over China at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on Sunday.

The Boomers trailed all the way, with China leading by up to 15 points early in the game. 

Xavier Cooks pumped in 30 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, Jaylin Galloway contributed 23 points and 5 rebounds, and William Hickey added 15 points as the Boomers steadily narrowed down China’s lead.

With just 1:09 remaining in the last quarter, Hickey scored the basket that turned the tide. China had a chance to win but Hu Mingxuan’s buzzer-beater attempt bounced off the rim. Hu led his team with 26 points.

With the victory, Australia became the second team in Asia Cup history to achieve a “three-peat”. The Boomers also extended their unbeaten run to 18 games since they joined the tournament in 2017.

China was the first to win the title three times in a row in 2003 as it captured its 13th tournament title. All in all, China has won 16 Asia Cup championships.

Aside from Hu Mingxuan, three of China’s players scored double figures, with Hu Jinqiu pouring in 20 points and 10 grabbing rebounds, Cheng Shuaipeng making 12 and Zhao Rui adding 10 points.

Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, vice president of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, crowned the Australian national team with the 31st edition of the 2025 Asian Basketball Cup, in the presence of Sheikh Saud Al Thani. (FIBA photo)

China’s second place performance was, nonetheless, a remarkable comeback after a decade without a medal since it last won the Asia Cup title in 2015.

Speaking to the press after the game, Australia head coach Adam Caporn said: “The main thing is I am so proud of the character of our guys. We were down by 15, but we saw our players’ toughness, their problem-solving attitude,”

“We have great people in the program, and in my opinion that’s why we won,” he added

In the battle for third place in Jeddah, Iran defeated New Zealand, 79-73.

Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, vice president of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, crowned the Australian national team with the 31st edition of the 2025 Asian Basketball Cup, in the presence of Sheikh Saud Al Thani, president of the International Basketball Federation; K Govindaraj, FIBA Asia president; and Ghassan Tashkand, president of the Saudi Basketball Federation.
 


Sebastian Munoz wins first LIV event, Jon Rahm clinches 2025 individual title at Indianapolis

Sebastian Munoz wins first LIV event, Jon Rahm clinches 2025 individual title at Indianapolis
Updated 18 August 2025

Sebastian Munoz wins first LIV event, Jon Rahm clinches 2025 individual title at Indianapolis

Sebastian Munoz wins first LIV event, Jon Rahm clinches 2025 individual title at Indianapolis
  • It was Munoz’s first career LIV victory after he previously had six top-five finishes and 13 top-10 finishes over his three years on the tour

Colombia’s Sebastian Munoz birdied the final two holes of regulation and won a one-hole playoff over Spain’s Jon Rahm to win the LIV Golf Indianapolis event Sunday in Westfield, Indiana
Rahm, who surged up the leaderboard in the third round by shooting an 11-under-par 60, lost the event but narrowly won his second consecutive LIV Golf Individual Championship over Chile’s Joaquin Niemann.
Munoz entered the day tied with Dustin Johnson atop the leaderboard at 16 under. A bogey on the par-4 15th hole dropped him to 20 under for the tournament while Rahm ended his round on a run, shooting his final six holes at 5 under to get into the clubhouse at 22 under.
After a par on the 16th hole, Munoz rallied with back-to-back birdies on the final two holes to force a playoff and birdied the 18th hole once again to end the playoff after Rahm’s birdie putt drifted just left of the hole.
It was Munoz’s first career LIV victory after he previously had six top-five finishes and 13 top-10 finishes over his three years on the tour.
“There’s no words to describe it right now. I’m proud of myself,” Munoz said. “It’s been a long time coming, six years since my last win, and it’s awesome right now being able to take it in with my daughter, my family, everyone here, it’s great.”
Rahm, who entered the day tied for ninth at 11-under, was sensational throughout the final individual round of the 2025 LIV season. He finished a bogey-free front nine with five birdies. On the back nine, he scored an eagle on the Par-5 13th, and then birdied the final four holes after a bogey on the par-3 14th.
Rahm won the individual title despite not winning a single event this season. He stormed past Niemann at the wire with three second-place finishes in the last four LIV events.
But he admitted the feelings weren’t all joy because he lost a playoff for the second straight tournament.
“Slightly bittersweet. Like I know I’m supposed to be happy. It’s a great moment. But it just doesn’t feel great to finish the year losing two playoffs,” Rahm said. “That part doesn’t feel great, so I’m sure over time I’ll get over that, and I really appreciate what I’ve done this year. To be able to win the season without actually winning a tournament, I know eventually I’ll be proud of that.”
Niemann entered the week No. 1 in the individual championship standings, with five wins in the first 12 events of the season. He finished tied for fourth in Indianapolis to total 223.66 points in the individual standings, just behind Rahm’s 226.16.
“We all know how good of a player he is, and yeah, he played amazing,” Niemann said. “I feel like he didn’t miss many shots, made a lot of putts, left his ball close to the hole pretty much every time. I played good. I started playing my best golf on the back nine, which I’m proud of it, but at the end of the day, the putts didn’t drop, and it wasn’t enough.”
Niemann and Munoz are teammates on Torque GC, which won the team title at Indianapolis with a team score of 64 under, 10 strokes clear of second-place Legion XIII (54 under).
England’s Ian Poulter entered the day in the relegation zone, but he birdied four of his final holes to finish 48th in the LIV individual standings, the final secure spot for the 2026 season.
Henrik Stenson of Sweden, Andy Ogletree, Chile’s Mito Pereira, Yubin Jang of South Korea, Anthony Kim and Denmark’s Frederik Kjettrup are the six players who finished in the relegation zone (49th through 54th in the individual standings). They will have to play their way back onto the tour by winning the International Series or through LIV Golf Promotions.
The 2025 LIV season comes to an end Aug. 22 through 24 with the Team Championship event at The Cardinal at St. John’s in Plymouth, Michigan-Field Level Media.


LIV’s DeChambeau joins Henley and English as US Ryder Cup qualifiers

LIV’s DeChambeau joins Henley and English as US Ryder Cup qualifiers
Updated 18 August 2025

LIV’s DeChambeau joins Henley and English as US Ryder Cup qualifiers

LIV’s DeChambeau joins Henley and English as US Ryder Cup qualifiers

NEW YORK: LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau joined PGA Tour players Russell Henley and Harris English in qualifying for US Ryder Cup team spots after Sunday’s BMW Championship, the last US points event.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion who won this year’s British Open and PGA Championship, US Open winner J.J. Spaun and two-time major winner Xander Schauffele had already clinched berths based on accumulated qualifying points.
US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley will announce his six captain’s picks to complete the squad on August 27, with a major question being whether or not he will pick himself to play against Europe at Bethpage Black next month.
Scheffler, who won his fifth title of the year Sunday at the BMW, is 2-2-3 in Ryder Cup matches.
Spaun and Henley will be making their Ryder Cup debuts.
Schauffele, last year’s British Open and PGA Championship winner, is 4-4-0 in two prior Ryder Cups while English was 1-2-0 on the triumphant US team in 2021 at Whistling Straits.
DeChambeau, a two-time US Open champion, won this year’s LIV Golf Korea title and has a 2-3-1 Ryder Cup record.


World No. 3 Swiatek powers past Rybakina into Cincinnati WTA final

World No. 3 Swiatek powers past Rybakina into Cincinnati WTA final
Updated 17 August 2025

World No. 3 Swiatek powers past Rybakina into Cincinnati WTA final

World No. 3 Swiatek powers past Rybakina into Cincinnati WTA final
  • Poland’s Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion, recovered an early break in the opening set and powered away to beat 2022 All England winner Rybakina

CINCINNATI: Iga Swiatek reached the final of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open for the first time on Sunday, surging past Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 in a match played in sweltering summer conditions.
Poland’s Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion, recovered an early break in the opening set and powered away to beat 2022 All England winner Rybakina — who had swept past world number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals.
Swiatek, a former world number one now ranked third, had twice stalled at the semifinal stage at the pre-US Open event, but booked her title chance on her third opportunity.
She will vie for the title on Monday against either seventh-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini or Veronika Kudermetova.
“It was a tough match,” Swiatek said. “At the beginning it was crazy, so hot and we were playing so fast.”
The six-time Grand Slam champion recovered from 3-5 down in the opening set, sweeping the last four games.
Swiatek jumped to a 4-1 lad in the second, sandwiching a pair of love service games around a break of Rybakina’s serve.
But Kazakhstan’s Rybakina made her work for it, fending off three break points in the sixth game and saving a pair of match points in the eighth before Swiatek closed it out a game later.
“I was playing with intensity and quality,” Swiatek said. “I feel good about my game right now and would not change anything.”
Swiatek said she was prepared for a tough final, no matter who she faces.
“Anyone who is there will have been playing well,” she said. “Each of them play completely different tennis. I’ll have to figure out my tactics. I’ve progressed well at this tournament and I want to continue that.”
Before her 6-0, 6-0 Wimbledon final win over Amanda Anisimova last month, Swiatek had been in a trophy drought with her last prior title coming in June 2024 at Roland Garros.
Another victory on Monday would be a strong springboard into the US Open, where first-round play starts on August 24.


Morocco and Kenya reach quarterfinals of Africa contest

Morocco and Kenya reach quarterfinals of Africa contest
Updated 17 August 2025

Morocco and Kenya reach quarterfinals of Africa contest

Morocco and Kenya reach quarterfinals of Africa contest
  • The MENA country will play co-hosts Tanzania in Dar es Salaam on Friday

NAIROBI: Co-hosts Kenya held their nerve to beat Zambia 1-0 on Sunday and reach the African Nations Championship quarterfinals on their tournament debut.

Kenya finished top of Group A thanks to striker Ryan Ogam’s 75th-minute goal in Nairobi.

The home team already had one foot in the knock-out phase heading into the final round of group matches, knowing avoiding defeat would guarantee progress.

Morocco grabbed second place in the group and a last-eight berth courtesy of a 3-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo in a winner-takes-all clash.

Berkane forward Oussama Lamlioui scored in the eighth minute to put Morocco, who were level on six points with their opponents before kick-off, into the lead.

The DRC responded through Jephte Kitambala when he fired home for his second goal of the tournament shortly before half-time.

Two-time champions Morocco retook the lead through a Mohamed Hrimat penalty with 20 minutes remaining, before Lamlioui put the game to bed in the 80th minute.

Kenya will face Madagascar in the last eight, while Morocco will play co-hosts Tanzania in Dar es Salaam on Friday.

Elsewhere, Japan winger Ritsu Doan scored twice on his debut as Eintracht Frankfurt thumped fifth-tier Engers 5-0 in the first round of the German Cup on Sunday.

Doan, who joined Frankfurt from Bundesliga rivals Freiburg in the summer, scored in each half.

The Japan international scored Frankfurt’s second in first-half stoppage time, collecting the ball on the run and scoring past the goalkeeper in one motion.

Doan got his second 54 minutes, cutting into the corner on his left foot to put Frankfurt 3-0 up.

Jean-Matteo Bahoya, Elye Wahi and Paxten Aaronson also got on the scoresheet for the five-time German Cup winners.

On Monday, five-time winners Borussia Dortmund will play at neighbors Essen.