Saudi Arabia’s Participation in Paris Olympics Part of Quality of Life Program, Al-Bakr Says

The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)
The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Participation in Paris Olympics Part of Quality of Life Program, Al-Bakr Says

The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)
The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)

CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Quality of Life Program Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Bakr said on Friday the Kingdom’s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is part of integrated and comprehensive efforts to build a distinguished future for the sports sector in the Kingdom.

This will help reach the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in achieving sports excellence and building a vital and stimulating sports sector for young Saudi men and women.

Al-Bakr said the participation reflects the support of the country’s wise leadership for the sports sector, as well as the efforts made by the Ministry of Sports and the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee to develop the sector under the supervision of Sports Minister and Chairman of the Olympic and Paralympic Committee Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal.

The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program, which is “achieving excellence in several sports regionally and globally” by launching several initiatives on supporting and empowering Saudi athletes and contributing to increasing the number of athletes participating in the Olympic Games.

Since its launch in 2018, the program has offered many initiatives to develop the sports sector, Al-Bakr said. He cited the Elite Athletes Development Program, which trained and empowered Saudi players participating in the Paris Olympics, in addition to initiatives concerned with supporting and empowering women to contribute to the sports system, the Saudi Games, and building sports academies, including the establishment of Mahd Academy.

The program seeks to discover, develop, and support sports talents with the aim of creating a sports generation capable of competing in and representing the Kingdom in various regional and international events, he added.



Bayern's Diaz Sidelined with Hamstring Injury after Arsenal Draw

Bayern Munich's Colombian forward #14 Luis Diaz warms up prior to the UEFA Champions League football match between FC Bayern Munich and Arsenal FC in Munich, southern Germany on October 21, 2026. (Photo by Karl-Josef HILDENBRAND / AFP)
Bayern Munich's Colombian forward #14 Luis Diaz warms up prior to the UEFA Champions League football match between FC Bayern Munich and Arsenal FC in Munich, southern Germany on October 21, 2026. (Photo by Karl-Josef HILDENBRAND / AFP)
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Bayern's Diaz Sidelined with Hamstring Injury after Arsenal Draw

Bayern Munich's Colombian forward #14 Luis Diaz warms up prior to the UEFA Champions League football match between FC Bayern Munich and Arsenal FC in Munich, southern Germany on October 21, 2026. (Photo by Karl-Josef HILDENBRAND / AFP)
Bayern Munich's Colombian forward #14 Luis Diaz warms up prior to the UEFA Champions League football match between FC Bayern Munich and Arsenal FC in Munich, southern Germany on October 21, 2026. (Photo by Karl-Josef HILDENBRAND / AFP)

Bayern Munich forward Luis Diaz will be out of action for the "foreseeable future" after suffering a minor muscle tear in his left hamstring during Wednesday's 2-2 Champions League draw with visiting Arsenal, the Bundesliga club said on Thursday.

The 29-year-old Colombia international came on in the 68th minute at ⁠the Allianz Arena ⁠but was forced off in stoppage time after suffering the injury.

Examinations carried out by Bayern's medical staff confirmed the hamstring tear, the club said ⁠in a statement.

"The 29-year-old forward will therefore be sidelined for the time being," Reuters quoted Bayern as saying.

Diaz's injury is a setback for Bayern as they enter a busy stretch of the season, with the winger having been a key attacking option since joining the German ⁠champions.

Bayern ⁠and Arsenal shared the spoils in the league-phase encounter on Wednesday, with Declan Rice scoring a late equalizer for the visitors to earn a point.

Bundesliga leaders Bayern next visit third-placed Freiburg, who are a point behind the champions after six games, on Sunday.


ATP Blocks 234,000 Abusive Comments from Reaching Players, Fans

USA's Coco Gauff leaves the court after losing her women's singles match against Belgium's Elise Mertens at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on October 7, 2026. (Photo by Adek BERRY / AFP)
USA's Coco Gauff leaves the court after losing her women's singles match against Belgium's Elise Mertens at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on October 7, 2026. (Photo by Adek BERRY / AFP)
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ATP Blocks 234,000 Abusive Comments from Reaching Players, Fans

USA's Coco Gauff leaves the court after losing her women's singles match against Belgium's Elise Mertens at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on October 7, 2026. (Photo by Adek BERRY / AFP)
USA's Coco Gauff leaves the court after losing her women's singles match against Belgium's Elise Mertens at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on October 7, 2026. (Photo by Adek BERRY / AFP)

Social media abuse was directed at over 85% of men's tennis players attracting engagement online in the past year, with the ATP blocking some 234,000 comments from reaching them or fans, the governing body said on Thursday.

The ATP based the findings on an analysis of more than 3.7 million comments across ATP and player social media channels by its Safe Sport initiative, which uses AI-enabled moderation and specialist threat assessment.

It ⁠said more than ⁠284,000 abusive comments were identified, and over 82% of them were removed in real time. During its first year, the program identified and hid upwards of 162,000 comments containing "severe" abuse.

"Player welfare sits at the heart of the ATP's safeguarding work," Reuters quoted Andrew Azzopardi, the ATP director of safeguarding, as saying.

"Preventing more than 234,000 abusive comments from ⁠reaching players and fans demonstrates the tangible impact the program is having every day. Online abuse has no place in tennis.

"We will keep investing in the technology, expertise and partnerships that protect players, and we will continue working with the authorities to hold those responsible to account."

Tennis players, like many athletes, often have to deal with the wrath of anonymous abusers online, many of whom are bettors, with French player Gael Monfils humorously hitting back at some of them following an early defeat in ⁠Stuttgart last year.

Monfils, ⁠40, said at the time he was surprised people still put money on him to win against much younger opponents.

Online abuse is not confined to angry gamblers, with American Coco Gauff saying earlier this month she received an "insane" amount of racist abuse at the China Open, prompting condemnation from the United Nations Human Rights Office.

World Tennis, the WTA, the All England Club and the United States Tennis Association have launched monitoring services that use a combination of artificial intelligence and open-source data to help protect players.

The French Open has also made AI-powered software available for players to block online harassment and hate speech.


More LaLiga Clubs Join Pact to Cap Ticket Prices for Away Fans

Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Sevilla - Estadio Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - October 18, 2026 Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen and Sevilla's Kike Salas embrace after the match REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Sevilla - Estadio Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - October 18, 2026 Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen and Sevilla's Kike Salas embrace after the match REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura
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More LaLiga Clubs Join Pact to Cap Ticket Prices for Away Fans

Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Sevilla - Estadio Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - October 18, 2026 Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen and Sevilla's Kike Salas embrace after the match REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Sevilla - Estadio Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - October 18, 2026 Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen and Sevilla's Kike Salas embrace after the match REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura

Three more clubs in Spain's top division have joined an agreement to cap away ticket prices at a maximum of €30 ($34), a spokesperson for LaLiga told Reuters on Thursday, meaning 17 clubs in the 20-team league now participate.

LaLiga is strengthening the reciprocal agreement between clubs as ⁠AC Milan fans ⁠boycott their visit to Udinese over away ticket prices of €65 ($73).

The agreement, in place since the 2023-24 season, also ensures a minimum of 300 tickets ⁠are made available to travelling fans.

Away ticket sales have increased by 33% per game on average, according to LaLiga data.

England's Premier League has a cap of £30 pounds ($40) for away fans.

German's Bundesliga guarantees 10% of available capacity for away support, with their ⁠tickets ⁠matched to home prices.

European governing body UEFA's regulations require 5% of stadium capacity to be allocated for away fans with a price cap of €50 ($56,20) in the Champions League.

The LaLiga spokesperson did not name the three additional Spanish teams joining the price cap scheme.