Sports

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Supporters pay tribute and look at yellow flowers displayed in front of the portrait of Argentinian forward Emiliano Sala at the Beaujoire stadium in Nantes, on February 10, 2019. LOIC VENANCE / AFP A commercial court in France dismissed Welsh club Cardiff's claims for compensation in the death of soccer player Emiliano Sala in a ruling issued on Monday, March 30, more than seven years after the plane crash that killed the Argentine forward. In a long-running legal dispute, Cardiff was seeking more than €120 million from the player's former team Nantes following a series of previous legal setbacks for the Welsh club. Rulings by FIFA, the Court of Arbitration for Sport and Switzerland's supreme court have gone against Cardiff in its legal dispu...

La Française Auriana Lazraq-Khlass lors du meeting de la Ligue de Diamand à Monaco, le 12 juillet 2024. MANON CRUZ / REUTERS French heptathlete Auriana Lazraq-Khlass, the current European silver medallist, has been provisionally suspended for failing to comply with her anti-doping whereabouts requirements, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Monday, March 30. "The AIU has provisionally suspended Auriana Lazraq Khlass [France] for Whereabouts Failures," the AIU posted on social media. The AIU did not specify either the date of the breaches or their nature. Such a breach could involve either location data that was recorded incorrectly or too late in the software used by athletes to report their whereabouts or a no-show, ...

Italy's Pio Esposito reacts during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, on March 31, 2026. FABIO FERRARI / AP Italy will miss out on a third straight World Cup after falling to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the breathless qualification play-off final on Tuesday, March 31, with the Azzurri blowing their chance to reach this summer's tournament in North America with a 4-1 penalty shootout defeat. Esmir Bajraktarevic shot the winning spot-kick in Zenica where the Bosnians booked a place in Group B and matches against co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar, plunging Italy into a new nightmare. Four-time world champions, Italy took the lead through Moise Kean in the 15th minut...

France's Sports Minister Marina Ferrari after the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysée Presidential Palace in Paris, March 25, 2026. LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP France said on Friday, March 27, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decision to introduce gender testing for the female category was a "step backwards." "We oppose a generalisation of genetic testing, which raises numerous ethical, legal and medical questions, particularly in light of French legislation" which does not allow such tests, Sports Minister Marina Ferrari said in a statement. The IOC announced on Thursday that only "biological females" will be allowed to compete in women's events, preventing transgender women from competing. It is re-introducing gender test...

Senegal's Moussa Niakhate celebrates with the CAF Africa Cup of Nations trophy before the match against Peru on March 28, 2026. STEPHANIE LECOCQ / REUTERS Senegal paraded the Africa Cup of Nations trophy they have been ordered to return before beating Peru 2-0 in a friendly at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, March 28. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on March 17 reversed Senegal's 1-0 final victory over Morocco in Rabat on January 18 and awarded a 3-0 victory to the hosts. On Saturday, in front of a crowd dominated by their supporters, Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly and his teammates came onto the pitch with the AFCON trophy for a lap of honor after a pre-match concert by Senegalese superstar Youssou N'Dour. ...

It is an open secret. Barring an immensely dramatic twist, Zinédine Zidane will be the next manager of the French men's national football team. The former charismatic No. 10 for Les Bleus is the overwhelming favorite to succeed Didier Deschamps, who will leave the position after the 2026 World Cup, to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. "Zizou" has not yet been officially appointed, but the shadow of the 1998 Ballon d'Or winner looms over Les Bleus, even Deschamps' mandate, which began in the summer of 2012, is still ongoing. Given his impressive coaching record, historic ties to the national side and, most of all, his status as a French football icon, his appointment seems all but certain. Philippe Diallo, president...

Olympic rings are pictured outside the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during an Executive Board meeting at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, March 26, 2026. DENIS BALIBOUSE / REUTERS The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday, March 26, it was reintroducing genetic testing for gender to determine eligibility for "any female category event," beginning with the 2028 Los Angeles Games. "Eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females, determined on the basis of a one time SRY gene screening," IOC said in a statement. The SRY screening will be done through a saliva test, cheek swab or blood sample and i...

Serge Blanco after his victory in the second round of the Biarritz municipal elections, March 22, 2026. PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP The full back holds a special place on the rugby field. His position keeps him away from the scrum, giving him the freedom to step forward, disrupt the defense and exploit any opening. With the number 15 on his back, Serge Blanco was the undisputed king of sudden breakthroughs. Now 67, the French rugby legend has channeled that instinct into a new career: politics. In less than four months since announcing his candidacy, he won the mayorship of Biarritz, southwestern France. In the second round of voting, on Sunday, March 22, Blanco (independent centrist, 41.92%) finished ahead of incumbent Mayor Maider Arosteguy (Les Républicains, LR, right-wing, 32.2...

Antoine Griezmann in Madrid, Spain. on January 18, 2026. OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP Antoine Griezmann will leave Atletico Madrid for MLS side Orlando City at the end of the season, the two clubs announced on Tuesday, March 24. Atletico's all-time record goalscorer has agreed a two-year deal with Orlando and will become the latest veteran star to move to North America. "The forward travelled to Orlando, with the club's permission, during the two days of rest granted to the first team, to finalise his contract with the Florida side," Atletico said in a statement. The 35-year-old Griezmann will be hoping to sign off in style and cap his 10th season as an Atletico player with a second major trophy at the Rojiblancos, after the 2018 Eur...