ATHLETICS
British sprinter Gemili retires and joins Chelsea as speed coach
Former European 200m champion Adam Gemili has retired from athletics aged 32 and taken up a part-time role as a speed coach with Chelsea FC.
Gemili, who reached the 100m semi-finals at the London 2012 Olympics and won relay medals at three World Championships, claimed European 200m gold in 2014 and Commonwealth 100m silver the same year. He ends his career as one of only three British men to run under 10 seconds for 100m and 20 seconds for 200m.
FOOTBALL
Salah set for Saudi move as multiple clubs compete for signature
Mohamed Salah is increasingly likely to join the Saudi Pro League this summer after confirming he will leave Liverpool FC at the end of the season. The Egyptian forward is attracting strong interest from five Saudi clubs, including Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, and a surprise contender in Al-Qadsiah, managed by Brendan Rodgers.
Salah, who scored 256 goals during a nine-year spell at Anfield, is open to the move as part of ambitions to promote football across the Middle East and Africa. While interest from Major League Soccer and European clubs remains, Saudi Arabia is leading the race, with officials viewing Salah as a key figure in expanding the global profile of the league ahead of the 2034 World Cup.
Infantino backs Iran World Cup participation despite uncertainty
Fifa chief Gianni Infantino said on April 15 that Iran is expected to participate in this summer’s World Cup, despite ongoing conflict and political tensions surrounding the team’s involvement.
“Iran has to come, of course. They represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play,” he said at CNBC’s Invest in America Forum in Washington, adding that he had recently visited the squad at a training camp in Antalya, Türkiye.
Iran have qualified for the tournament, which begins on June 11 across the US, Canada and Mexico. They are scheduled to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, and Egypt in Seattle. A request to move matches to Mexico was denied by FIFA.
However, participation remains uncertain. Iran’s sports minister said the country could not take part “under any circumstances,” citing the killing of then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during a US-Israeli offensive.
Donald Trump also said in March that while Iran would be welcome, attending may not be appropriate “for their own life and safety.”
Infantino said he hopes conditions will stabilise before the tournament, stressing that “sports should be outside of politics.”
Senegal appeals to CAS after AFCON title stripped
Senegal lodged an appeal on March 26, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland following the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to strip the team of the Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to host nation Morocco.
The ruling came two months after a chaotic final in Rabat, where Senegal briefly walked off in protest after Morocco was awarded a late penalty. Play resumed, Senegal scored in extra time, and appeared to secure a 1-0 victory. CAF cited tournament rules stating any team refusing to play “shall be eliminated for good from the current competition.”
The Senegalese government has called for an international probe into “suspected corruption” within CAF. CAS confirmed the appeal has been registered but gave no timetable for a verdict, as Senegal seeks extra time to file its appeal brief pending CAF’s detailed reasoning.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe insisted no African nation would be given preferential treatment, while CAS director general Matthieu Reeb said proceedings would be “conducted as swiftly as possible, while respecting the right of all parties to a fair hearing.”
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
Belgaroui secures stoppage win at UFC Fight Night 271
At UFC Fight Night 271 on March 28, Dutch-Moroccan fighter Yousri Belgaroui recorded a third-round stoppage victory over American fighter Mansur Abdul-Malik in a middleweight bout at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Belgaroui, a former Glory Kickboxing title challenger, controlled much of the contest with leg kicks before landing a decisive knee to the body, forcing a technical knockout at 3:39 of round three. The win improved his professional record to 10-3 and 2-0 in the UFC.
Abdul-Malik, who had previously built momentum with victories over Serbian fighter Duško Todorović, American fighter Nick Klein, and Brazilian fighter Antonio Trocoli, suffered the first defeat of his professional career.
Belgaroui, who previously competed on Dana White’s Contender Series, has now secured consecutive wins since joining the promotion, following his victory over Kazakh fighter Azamat Bekov in October.
Other results on the card saw Azerbaijani fighter Tofiq Musayev earned a unanimous decision win over Chilean fighter Ignacio Bahamondes.
WRESTLING
Iran lead dominant 2026 Asian Wrestling Championships
The 2026 Asian Wrestling Championships, held from April 6 to 12 in Bishkek, was defined not only by individual brilliance but also by a strong collective showing from several nations across Central and West Asia, reflected clearly in the medal standings.
Iran topped the table with a commanding return of six gold, six silver and six bronze medals (18 total), underlining their dominance across both freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines. Their consistency ensured they also led the team rankings in both styles.
Host nation Kyrgyzstan finished fourth overall with five golds, one silver and six bronzes (12 total), a significant achievement on home soil. Their success was matched by a strong team ranking, particularly in Greco-Roman, where they placed second.
Uzbekistan secured sixth place with two gold, two silver and seven bronze medals (11 total), demonstrating depth across multiple weight categories. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan placed ninth, collecting one gold and six bronze medals.
Further down the table, Qatar made a notable impact despite a smaller squad, finishing 10th thanks to a single gold medal. Bahrain followed in 11th with three silvers and three bronzes (six total), while Tajikistan (13th) and Turkmenistan (14th) also registered podium finishes.
Across the overall standings, the spread of medals highlighted both elite performance at the top and increasing competitiveness throughout the field. With multiple nations securing double-digit medal totals and others breaking through with individual titles, the championships in Bishkek reflected a deepening talent pool and a shifting balance in Asian wrestling.
Rising contenders make their mark
The 2026 European U23 Wrestling Championships, staged from March 9 to 15 in Zrenjanin, offered a glimpse of Europe’s next generation, with athletes from Azerbaijan, Turkey and Moldova delivering consistent performances across all three disciplines.
Azerbaijan finished fourth overall, driven by gold-medal success for Ali Tcokaev in the 92kg freestyle division, while Vasif Baghirov and Jeyhun Allahverdiyev added silvers. In Greco-Roman, Elmin Aliyev secured gold at 82kg to underline the country’s strength across styles.
Turkey’s squad impressed with depth, including a silver for Ahmet Yağan and multiple bronze medals from wrestlers such as Tolga Özbek and Metehan Yaprak.
Meanwhile, Alexandr Gaidarli delivered one of the standout moments, winning 70kg freestyle gold to help lift Moldova into the top six.
Feature photo: Mohamed Salah (Credit: WikiCommons)
