PARIS: UEFA and Europe’s top clubs have stated their determination that the current football season should be played to a conclusion and threatened that teams may be excluded from the next Champions League if their domestic competitions are ended prematurely.
In a joint letter released late on Thursday, UEFA, the European Club Association (ECA), and the European Leagues body representing nearly a thousand clubs in 29 countries, said that they were working on the possibility of playing on into July and August if need be.
The Champions League and Europa League — both of which are frozen in the last-16 stage — could be completed once the domestic seasons are finished, and “stopping competitions should really be the last resort after acknowledging that no calendar alternative would allow to conclude the season.”
The joint response came after the Belgian Pro League announced on Thursday that it recommended declaring the season over with the present table accepted as final.
It is the first European league to take such a measure, although more could follow.
That means Club Brugge would in theory go straight into the next Champions League group stage, but UEFA, the ECA and the European Leagues indicated that they may be barred from continental competition if the Belgian league decision is finalized.
“It is of paramount importance that even a disruptive event like this epidemic does not prevent our competitions from being decided on the field, in accordance with their rules and that all sporting titles are awarded on the basis of results,” the joint letter said.
“We are confident that football can restart in the months to come — with conditions that will be dictated by public authorities — and believe that any decision of abandoning domestic competitions is, at this stage, premature and not justified.
“Since participation in UEFA club competitions is determined by the sporting result achieved at the end of a full domestic competition, a premature termination would cast doubts about the fulfilment of such condition.”
The letter concluded: “UEFA reserves the right to assess the entitlement of clubs to be admitted to the 2020/21 UEFA club competitions.”
The Belgian Pro League said it had had “constructive” discussions with UEFA on Friday in which it “contested any approach which would force a league to continue in the current health crisis.”
It has called for a “varied approach” based on the specifics of individual leagues and countries.
UEFA has set up two working groups to devise a way for European football to get out of the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
UEFA warn clubs risk Champions League exclusion if seasons are not completed
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UEFA warn clubs risk Champions League exclusion if seasons are not completed
Swiatek and Ruud play defending champs Errani and Vavassori in US Open mixed doubles final
- Both teams won two matches Tuesday to earn spots in the semifinals that were played under a closed roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium after rain fell much of the afternoon
- The final will more closely resemble a traditional match, with sets to six games
NEW YORK: Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud will play defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori on Wednesday night for the US Open mixed doubles title and $1 million.
Swiatek and Ruud, the No. 3 seeds, beat top-seeded Jessica Pegula 3-5, 5-3, 10-8 in a match tiebreaker in the first semifinal, in what was probably the best match of an event that was overhauled this year. They trailed 8-4 in the tiebreaker after Swiatek double-faulted, then ran off six straight points to advance.
Errani and Vavassori then beat Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison 4-2, 4-2.
After a short break, the finalists would be back on the court to wrap up an event that was completed over two days, well before singles play starts Sunday.
Both teams won two matches Tuesday to earn spots in the semifinals that were played under a closed roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium after rain fell much of the afternoon.
Errani and Vavassori weren’t even sure they would get to defend their titles after the US Tennis Association radically changed the mixed doubles tournament in an effort to draw top singles players. Eight teams in the 16-team field qualified by their players’ combined singles rankings, with the remaining teams given wild cards.
The Italians — were were among the biggest critics of the changed format — were given one and have a chance to be the first repeat champions in Flushing Meadows since Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jamie Murray in 2018-19.
“I think we are on a mission,” Vavassori said.
The final will more closely resemble a traditional match, with sets to six games. They went to four games in the first three rounds, with a deciding point played at deuce instead of needing to get the next two points.
Noah Lyles loses to Oblique Seville in the 100 meters at rain-soaked Lausanne meet
- Seville defied steady rain and standing water on the track to impress in 9.87 seconds — just .01 outside his winning time at London last month when Lyles also was second in his injury-delayed season
- Heavy rain marred the women’s field events for Olympic champions at the 50th anniversary meet in Lausanne
LAUSANNE, Switzerland: Olympic 100-meter champion Noah Lyles was beaten again by Oblique Seville when the Jamaican splashed to victory Wednesday at a rain-soaked Athletissima meet.
Seville defied steady rain and standing water on the track to impress in 9.87 seconds — just .01 outside his winning time at London last month when Lyles also was second in his injury-delayed season.
“We can perform even in hurricanes,” Seville told Swiss broadcaster RTS. “For me it’s just execution and to show my dominance, to separate myself from the field — once again.”
Lyles clocked 10.02 in his third straight loss over 100 meters on the Diamond League circuit ahead of defending his world title in Tokyo next month.
The US star trailed out of the blocks then chased down fast-starting Ackeem Blake in the next lane. Blake was given the same time in third.
“I just had a horrible reaction to the gun,” Lyles said. “Physically I feel great and I am confident every race will get better and better.”
Seville placed eighth in the Paris Olympics final last year when his Jamaica teammate Kishane Thompson was edged on the line by Lyles. Thompson is fastest in the world this year — clocking 9.75 in June — and won Saturday in Poland when Lyles was second in an encouraging 9.90.
Heavy rain marred the women’s field events for Olympic champions at the 50th anniversary meet in Lausanne.
High jump world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh opted to stop after one failure each at 1.86 meters and then 1.91, and javelin gold medalist Haruka Kitaguchi placed last. The women’s pole vault event was stopped entirely.
Standout performances early in the program, when the rain was just light, saw Olympic 800 champion Keely Hodgkinson win in 1 minute, 55.69 seconds and Cordell Tinch take the 110 hurdles victory in 12.98 seconds.
Pakistan gear up for AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers in Saudi Arabia with training camp
- Qualifiers will take place from Sept. 1-9, feature 44 teams in total in groups of 11
- Pakistan have been placed with hosts Cambodia, Iraq and Oman in Group G
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan are gearing up for the qualifiers of the Saudi Arabia-hosted AFC Asian Cup 2026, with a training camp in Islamabad, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said on Wednesday.
The qualifiers will feature 44 sides each drawn into 11 groups, which will be contested from Sept. 1-9. The 11 group winners and the four best-ranked runners-up will join Saudi Arabia, who are hosting the tournament for the first time, in January’s finals.
Pakistan has been placed in Group G with Iraq, Cambodia and Oman. While the tournament will be hosted in Saudi Arabia, one member of the group will host all qualifier matches. Cambodia has been picked as the host for all Group G AFC Asian Cup qualifier matches.
“Initially, 50 players selected through tryouts are participating in the camp,” the PFF said in a statement on Wednesday. “The final 23-member squad will be announced later.”
Pakistan Head Coach Nolberto Solano joined the U23 team at the Jinnah Sports Complex in Islamabad for the training camp, the PFF said.
Pakistan will play its first match against Iraq on Sept. 3, followed by its second one against hosts Cambodia on Sept. 6. The Green Shirts play their final group stage match against Oman on Sept. 9.
Sinner’s health comes into focus ahead of US Open
- Tennis World USA reported that Sinner was battling a high fever and flu symptoms the night before and during his match with Alcaraz
LOS ANGELES: Top-ranked Jannik Sinner arrives at the US Open as the defending champion and a leading contender, though his withdrawal from the Cincinnati final on Monday due to illness adds a measure of uncertainty to his title defense.
The Italian looked off from the outset of his match against rival Carlos Alcaraz and, after quickly falling behind 5-0 in the first set, retired from the match, saying he “didn’t feel great” and apologizing to the disappointed fans in Ohio.
Tennis World USA reported that Sinner was battling a high fever and flu symptoms the night before and during his match with Alcaraz.
Sinner also mentioned the punishing heat and humidity during his match against Alcaraz, calling it “one of the hottest tournaments we played.” He then announced that he had withdrawn prior to his US Open mixed doubles match on Tuesday.
How quickly the 24-year-old can bounce back from his illness will have major implications for the final Grand Slam tournament of the year.
Sinner and world No. 2 Alcaraz have separated themselves from the pack, having won the last seven major titles between them.
While Sinner has compiled a stellar 31-4 win-loss record this year, three of those defeats have come at the hands of the Spaniard, who rolls into Flushing Meadows with a ton of momentum and a chance to grab the world No. 1 ranking from Sinner.
Prior to Monday’s final, Sinner looked unstoppable, not dropping a set in his first tournament since winning Wimbledon for his fourth Grand Slam title in July.
“I feel like it was a very positive week,” Sinner, who won the Cincinnati title last year, said on Monday.
“Making finals of a Masters event, it’s always an amazing achievement. So we’ll keep going, keep pushing. I have some points where I need to improve if I want to go far in the US Open. And it was a good test this week, trying to understand where my level is.”
He said his focus was firmly on the biggest stages the sport has to offer.
“I love Grand Slams a lot. These are the main tournaments for my season and for my career,” he said.
“So US Open is going to be a tough tournament, but at the same time, I’m looking forward to it. If I’m ready, physically and mentally, I will be ready to push.
“So now I have a couple of days of recovery, and then we get back to work, and hopefully we’ll be ready.”
Saudi rowing stars shine in Asian championship with 4 medals
- The championships, staged earlier this month on Jomtien Beach in Pattaya, Thailand, brought together elite competitors from 13 nations
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s rowing team returned from the 2025 Asian Coastal (Beach Sprint) Rowing Championships with a haul of four medals, marking one of the Kingdom’s strongest international performances to date.
The championships, staged earlier this month on Jomtien Beach in Pattaya, Thailand, brought together elite competitors from 13 nations, including rowing powerhouses China, Japan, Korea, the UAE and Kuwait.
Despite the stiff competition, the Saudi contingent delivered a performance that underlined the growing strength of the sport in the Kingdom.
Among the highlights was a silver medal for rising talent Mofleh Al-Khalidi, who produced a superb display in the Junior Men’s Singles event.
Al-Khalidi also partnered with Abdullah Al-Mami in the Junior Men’s Doubles, where the duo battled through the heats to claim bronze.
In the senior categories, Moayad Al-Rashidi secured a bronze medal in the Men’s Singles, while the mixed pairing of Haya Al-Mami and Turki Al-Aref added further success with a bronze in the Mixed Doubles.
The Saudi team, which included athletes Abdullah Al-Hay, Radaan Al-Dossari and Al-Jazi Al-Ibrahim, was guided by a technical and administrative coaching staff led by head coach Matthew Tarrant, alongside Fernando Ferraz and Humood Al-Shammari.
Saudi Rowing Federation Vice President Sherine Abu Al-Hassan and Executive Director Yousef Jleidan provided support throughout the competition, with officials noting the impact of their presence in lifting the squad’s morale.
In a statement, the federation hailed the results as a milestone, describing it as evidence of the sport’s rapid development across the Kingdom.
The federation said that it would continue working to nurture a new generation of athletes capable of competing at the highest continental and international levels.
