Paris 2024 Runs Tests on Seine to Create Olympics Opening Ceremony to Rememberhttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/4437851-paris-2024-runs-tests-seine-create-olympics-opening-ceremony-remember
Paris 2024 Runs Tests on Seine to Create Olympics Opening Ceremony to Remember
A Peniche boat sails past the Eiffel Tower on the River Seine on July 17, 2023, during a parade to test "maneuvers", "distances", "duration" and "video capture" of the future opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in 2024. (AFP)
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Paris 2024 Runs Tests on Seine to Create Olympics Opening Ceremony to Remember
A Peniche boat sails past the Eiffel Tower on the River Seine on July 17, 2023, during a parade to test "maneuvers", "distances", "duration" and "video capture" of the future opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in 2024. (AFP)
A flotilla of 39 boats sailed from the Austerlitz Bridge to the foot of the Eiffel Tower on Monday morning as Paris 2024 organizers tested the 6 km (3.7 mile) route along the Seine River that will kick off the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
The opening ceremony, expected to draw at least 600,000 spectators and see 50 boats sailing the route, will be the first one in the history of the Summer Olympics to be held outside a stadium.
"We learned today that it's technically feasible", head of the organizing committee Tony Estanguet said, adding they were also able to test how much time is needed between the boats and how to solve potential issues like boat engine problems.
"We just tried to do something different," events and ceremonies director Thierry Reboul said. "If you want people to remember the games, you need to offer them something they have never seen before", adding people will be welcomed to the 2024 Olympic games "as they have never been welcomed before".
While the lower part of the riverbank will be subject to ticketing, there will be free access to the upper part.
Sinner Edges Into Indian Wells Quarters, Sabalenka Powers Past Osakahttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5249905-sinner-edges-indian-wells-quarters-sabalenka-powers-past-osaka
Sinner Edges Into Indian Wells Quarters, Sabalenka Powers Past Osaka
World number two Jannik Sinner survived a stern test from Joao Fonseca on Tuesday to reach the Indian Wells quarter-finals, while women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka eased past 16th seed Naomi Osaka 6-2 6-4 to progress to the women's last eight.
Sinner was pushed hard by the 19-year-old Brazilian, trailing 6-3 in the first set before rallying to close out the match 7-6(6) 7-6(4).
"I am very happy winning this match," Reuters quoted Sinner as saying.
"Joao is an incredible talent. He was serving really well. I was trying to be as aggressive as possible and that was the key to get through against the incredible talent."
The Italian will now meet the home favorite Learner Tien on Friday for a place in the last four.
"I feel he is a very consistent player and I am very happy to face him again. He has improved a lot since the last time we met," Sinner said of his American opponent.
Meanwhile, in the first meeting between the two four-time Grand Slam champions since 2018 - when Osaka beat Sabalenka at the US Open en route to her maiden major title - the Belarusian's power proved too much for the former world No. 1 on Tuesday.
"Yeah that's crazy, for so many years we only played once. I'm pretty sure we are playing many more matches, she's coming back playing great tennis," Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. "I'm pretty happy for the result today, much better than last time."
Mar 10, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Naomi Osaka (JPN) and Aryna Sabalenka (BEL) embrace after their fourth round match in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Osaka began confidently with a strong opening service game, but top seed Sabalenka soon found her rhythm and capitalized on a brief dip from the Japanese, breaking for 2-1 after two double faults.
The Belarusian tightened her grip with a barrage of powerful backhands to lead 5-2, then served out the set comfortably with an ace.
After a series of solid holds from both players early in the second, Sabalenka again used her firepower to take control, breaking again for a 4-2 lead that proved decisive in closing out the win and continuing her run in the tournament without dropping a set.
"I'm happy that I put so much pressure on her today, that I brought variety to the court," Sabalenka said. "My serve worked well. On the return I played really great tennis. Happy with my performance for sure."
Last year's runner-up Sabalenka will continue her quest for a first title in the California desert against Canada's Victoria Mboko, who sailed past higher-ranked American Amanda Anisimova 6-4 6-1.
It will be a rematch of an Australian Open round-of-16 between the two, which Sabalenka won in straight sets.
Elsewhere, Australia's Talia Gibson enjoyed the biggest win of her career, beating Italy's world No. 7 Jasmine Paolini 7-5 2-6 6-1 in her first match against a top-10 player.
The 21-year-old, playing her first WTA 1000 main draw, also became the first qualifier in 11 years to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament.
"I just have a confidence in the way I'm playing," Gibson said. "I'm in shock."
Czech Republic's Linda Noskova, the 14th seed, sailed past Alexandra Eala in just 55 minutes with a 6-2 6-0 win to book a quarter-final meeting with Gibson.
In the men's draw, Alexander Zverev saw off Frances Tiafoe 6-3 6-4, converting two of three break points and firing 14 aces to seal his ninth win over the 21st-seeded American.
He will next face France's Arthur Fils as he looks to reach his first Indian Wells semi-final.
Fils earlier produced a stunning 6-3 7-6(9) win over Canadian ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, saving five set points and rallying from 0-5 down in the second-set tiebreak to book a place in the quarter-finals for the second consecutive year.
Iranian Women’s Football Team Member Changes Mind on Asylum in Australiahttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5249898-iranian-women%E2%80%99s-football-team-member-changes-mind-asylum-australia
Members of Iran's women's football team walk as they arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport after taking part in the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 tournament in Australia, in Sepang on March 11, 2026. (AFP)
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Iranian Women’s Football Team Member Changes Mind on Asylum in Australia
Members of Iran's women's football team walk as they arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport after taking part in the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 tournament in Australia, in Sepang on March 11, 2026. (AFP)
An Iranian women's football team member who sought sanctuary in Australia has changed her mind after speaking with teammates, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Wednesday.
Seven members of Iran's visiting women's football team had claimed asylum in Australia after they were branded "traitors" at home over a pre-match protest.
One player and one support member sought sanctuary before the side flew out of Sydney to Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday evening in emotional scenes, joining five other athletes who had already claimed asylum.
Burke said in parliament on Wednesday that he had since been advised one of the group "had spoken to some of the teammates that left and changed their mind".
"She had been advised by her teammates and encouraged to contact the Iranian embassy," he said.
"As a result of that it meant the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was."
The remaining players have been moved from a safe house to another location, he said.
The travelling squad arrived in Malaysia early Wednesday morning after flying out from Sydney, AFP photos at Kuala Lumpur International Airport showed.
There were fears male minders travelling with the team might try to prevent other women seeking asylum.
Burke said each player was separated from the squad at Sydney Airport and given time to mull the offer in private.
Australian officials had "made sure this was her decision" he said, referring to the Iran team member who had changed her mind.
Infantino Says Trump Welcomes Iran’s World Cup Participationhttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5249894-infantino-says-trump-welcomes-iran%E2%80%99s-world-cup-participation
13 July 2025, US, East Rutherford: FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the DAZN pre-match interview ahead of the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Metlife Stadium. (dpa)
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Infantino Says Trump Welcomes Iran’s World Cup Participation
13 July 2025, US, East Rutherford: FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the DAZN pre-match interview ahead of the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Metlife Stadium. (dpa)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that he met with United States President Donald Trump, who told him he welcomed Iran’s participation in the 2026 Soccer World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.
Iran was the only nation missing from a FIFA planning summit for World Cup participants held last week in Atlanta, deepening questions over whether the country's football team will compete on US soil this summer amid an escalating regional war.
Trump told Politico earlier that he is not concerned about Iran's participation, as they were a "very badly defeated country".
"We also spoke about the current situation in Iran, and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026," soccer's world governing body, FIFA, boss Infantino said in a post on his official social media account.
"During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.
"We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World."
Iran secured a trip to a fourth successive World Cup by topping Group A in the third round of Asian qualifying last year, but Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said the viciousness of the attacks by US and Israeli forces did not augur well for the World Cup, to be held from June 11 to July 19.
The Iranians were grouped with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in Group G. Their matches are scheduled to take place in the US, two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
If both the US and Iran finish second in their respective groups, the two countries could meet in a July 3 elimination match in Dallas.
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