IOC Sets January Date for 7 Presidential Candidates

The Olympic rings are pictured in front of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
The Olympic rings are pictured in front of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
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IOC Sets January Date for 7 Presidential Candidates

The Olympic rings are pictured in front of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
The Olympic rings are pictured in front of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

The International Olympic Committee has set a Jan. 30 date for the key presidential election meeting where seven candidates will meet with voters ahead of their ballot in March, The Associated Press reported.
The closed-doors meeting at IOC headquarters is the only set-piece campaign event in perhaps the most discreet and secretive election in world sports. IOC rules prohibit candidates from publishing videos, organizing public meetings or taking part in public debates.
“This in-camera meeting will give the IOC members the opportunity to hear from the seven candidates about their programs,” the Olympic body said in a statement on Thursday.
The candidates to replace outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach include three members of the executive board he chairs: vice president Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. of Spain, Prince Feisal al Hussein of Jordan and Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe.
The other four are presidents of Olympic sports governing bodies: track and field’s Sebastian Coe of Britain; cycling’s David Lappartient from France; gymnastics leader Morinari Watanabe of Japan; and skiing’s Johan Eliasch, a Swedish-British citizen.
The vote by about 100 of their fellow IOC members is at a March 18-21 meeting near Ancient Olympia in Greece.
Bach is reaching his statutory maximum of 12 years in office and confirmed in August at the Paris Olympics that he will leave. His scheduled exit is in June after a three-month transition period with his successor.



'We've Already Beaten Other Favorites,’ Lyon's Endrick Warns PSG

Lyon's Brazilian forward #09 Endrick (L) fights for the ball with Lorient's Cameroonian defender #44 Darlin Yongwa (R) during the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and FC Lorient at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France, on April 12, 2026. (Photo by OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE / AFP)
Lyon's Brazilian forward #09 Endrick (L) fights for the ball with Lorient's Cameroonian defender #44 Darlin Yongwa (R) during the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and FC Lorient at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France, on April 12, 2026. (Photo by OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE / AFP)
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'We've Already Beaten Other Favorites,’ Lyon's Endrick Warns PSG

Lyon's Brazilian forward #09 Endrick (L) fights for the ball with Lorient's Cameroonian defender #44 Darlin Yongwa (R) during the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and FC Lorient at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France, on April 12, 2026. (Photo by OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE / AFP)
Lyon's Brazilian forward #09 Endrick (L) fights for the ball with Lorient's Cameroonian defender #44 Darlin Yongwa (R) during the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and FC Lorient at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France, on April 12, 2026. (Photo by OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE / AFP)

Brazilian forward Endrick told AFP that he believes his Lyon side can spring a surprise when they take on French and European champions Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

The clash at PSG's Parc des Princes home will have repercussions on both the title race and on Lyon's bid to secure a place in the Champions League next season.

"I know everyone will say they are the favorites, but we've already beaten other favorites," Real Madrid loanee Endrick said in comments sent to AFP late on Friday by his press team.

PSG enter the fixture in fine form, sitting one point clear atop Ligue 1 and having qualified for the Champions League semi-finals after beating Premier League title-holders Liverpool 4-0 on aggregate.

Lens' win on Friday has chipped away at PSG's lead but ahead of their meeting with Lyon they now have two games in hand on their surprise title challengers.

As the season reaches its business end, the side from the French capital are fully locked in to replicating their historic 2024/25 campaign, in which they won Ligue 1 and lifted the Champions League trophy for the first time in their history.

"It's going to be a tough game. The biggest title in Europe is still theirs, and they have the Ballon d'Or winner (Ousmane Dembele) in their squad, as well as several players who will be at the World Cup," Endrick added.

As for Lyon, they sit fifth in the French league with 51 points. However, they are just one point behind fourth-placed Marseille, who occupy the final Champions League qualification spot.

Endrick, 19, is trying to recapture the blistering form he showed when he first joined Lyon in January from parent-club Real Madrid -- in a bid to earn more playing time to secure his place in Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup.

The teenager, who came through the Palmeiras youth system in his home country, made a scintillating start to life in France, which included a hat-trick in a 5-2 win over Metz.

But his form has tapered off since.

After scoring five goals in his first five matches, Endrick has found the net just once in his last 11 outings in all competitions.

The Brazilian going off the boil has also coincided with Lyon encountering a tough patch, although they returned to winning ways last Sunday, beating Lorient in a match in which Endrick started on the bench.

"We're back to winning ways again and our aim is to secure a place in the Champions League," Endrick said.


Holders Al-Ahli Advance in Asian Champions League as Machida Oust Al-Ittihad

Galeno celebrates after scoring. Photo: Al-Ahli
Galeno celebrates after scoring. Photo: Al-Ahli
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Holders Al-Ahli Advance in Asian Champions League as Machida Oust Al-Ittihad

Galeno celebrates after scoring. Photo: Al-Ahli
Galeno celebrates after scoring. Photo: Al-Ahli

Defending champions Al-Ahli battled back to defeat Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim 2-1 on Friday to move into the Asian Champions League Elite semi-finals despite playing much of the game with 10 men.

Al-Ahli are the only Saudi Pro League club left in the competition after domestic champions Al-Ittihad were knocked out by Machida Zelvia, the Japanese side winning 1-0 through Tete Yengi's deflected strike, Reuters reported.

Matthias Jaissle's title-holders advanced despite Ali Majrashi giving JDT the lead in the 19th minute when he put the ball into his own ⁠net under pressure ⁠from Marcos Guilherme.

Matters worsened for Majrashi when he was sent off eight minutes before the interval for knocking Jairo unconscious with a kick to the head as he sought to make an acrobatic clearance.

Al-Ahli responded positively to being reduced to 10 men, however, and the home ⁠side levelled three minutes into added time when Franck Kessie outjumped the defense to head home Riyad Mahrez's corner.

Galeno sidestepped Natxo Insa's challenge to unleash an unstoppable strike beyond Andoni Zubiaurre early in the second half to end JDT's hopes of becoming the first Malaysian side to reach the semi-finals.

"Until the red card, we didn't play our best game," said Jaissle. "We see more and more in football when teams sit in defense, we need to ⁠be patient.

"It's ⁠something we can do better but we made it and that's the most important."

Al-Ittihad had no such fortune as Sergio Conceicao's side were eliminated.

The Saudi champions went behind when Yengi's strike took a deflection off former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho to beat Predrag Rajkovic in the 31st minute.

Machida will face Thailand's Buriram United or Shabab Al-Ahli from the United Arab Emirates in the semi-finals with the pair due to meet in Jeddah on Sunday.

Al-Ahli will take on Japan's Vissel Kobe following their penalty shootout win over Al-Sadd from Qatar on Thursday.


Italy Striker Retegui Ruled Out for Season after Injury in Saudi Pro League

31 March 2026, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Zenica: Italy's Mateo Retegui in action during the FIFA World Cup qualyfing soccer match between Bosnia Herzegovina and Italy at the Stadion Bilino Polje. Photo: Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa
31 March 2026, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Zenica: Italy's Mateo Retegui in action during the FIFA World Cup qualyfing soccer match between Bosnia Herzegovina and Italy at the Stadion Bilino Polje. Photo: Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa
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Italy Striker Retegui Ruled Out for Season after Injury in Saudi Pro League

31 March 2026, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Zenica: Italy's Mateo Retegui in action during the FIFA World Cup qualyfing soccer match between Bosnia Herzegovina and Italy at the Stadion Bilino Polje. Photo: Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa
31 March 2026, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Zenica: Italy's Mateo Retegui in action during the FIFA World Cup qualyfing soccer match between Bosnia Herzegovina and Italy at the Stadion Bilino Polje. Photo: Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa

Al Qadsiah forward Mateo Retegui will miss the rest of the season due to a leg fracture, the Saudi Pro League club announced on Friday.

The Italy international, who has scored 11 times in 28 caps, was ⁠injured after scoring ⁠and providing an assist in a 2-2 draw with Al Shabab on Tuesday.

"Medical examinations have confirmed that Mateo Retegui has sustained a distal tibial fracture," Al Qadsiah ⁠posted on X.

"He is set to undergo surgery in the coming days and will be ruled out for the remainder of the season," the club added.

The 26-year-old Retegui, who was born in Argentina, scored 16 goals in 28 SPL games this season. He was part of the Italy ⁠national ⁠team that lost against Bosina and Herzegovina in the 2026 World Cup playoff final last month.

Brenden Rogers's side Al Qadsiah are fourth with 62 points from 29 games, four points behind Al Ahly, who have a game in hand. The top three teams will qualify for next season's Champions League Elite.