Athletics

The 20th Asian Games are under way in Japan's Aichi Prefecture and the city of Nagoya, running from 19 September to 4 October. Around 11,000 athletes from 45 countries are competing across 43 sports. The Guardian has published a photo gallery from the event, showing scenes from the opening days of competition in Japan.

An approaching East Coast storm has forced sports leagues and organisers across the region to postpone, relocate or cancel scheduled events. The Athletic reports the disruption is affecting competitions throughout the area as teams and venues adjust to severe weather expected to hit the coast.

An AL West team is on course to reach the MLB playoffs without a winning record, something that has never happened in a full season. The Athletic reports the division's overall weakness makes it possible for a sub-.500 club to still claim a postseason berth, sparking debate about the format.

India take on Iran in the kabaddi final at the 2026 Asian Games, with India also meeting Japan in hockey and Indian athletes competing in athletics events. The clashes are drawing major attention from Indian sports fans, with hundreds of thousands engaging with live coverage of the day's action across the Games.

A small number of medals awarded at the Paris 2024 Olympics have been affected by premature aging, prompting organisers to open a replacement procedure. Impacted athletes can request a new medal through their National Olympic Committee. The issue has drawn attention because Olympic medals are meant to be lasting symbols, and this is not the first quality concern raised about Paris 2024 memorabilia.

The 20th Asian Games open in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan in 2026, with athletics results and medallists being tracked live for fans following the continental multi-sport event. Coverage highlights the athletics programme, one of the Games' flagship disciplines, as athletes from across Asia compete for medals. The event is drawing attention as one of the biggest sporting occasions on the Asian calendar.

The Asian Games are getting under way in Japan, with coverage spotlighting ten athletes expected to make an impact at the multi-sport event. As competition begins, attention is turning to the standout names across athletics, swimming and other disciplines, with fans and commentators following how the region's top performers fare over the coming days.

Germany has chosen Munich as its candidate city to host the Olympic Games, which would mark the first time the country has hosted them since the 1972 Munich Games, which were overshadowed by the Palestinian terrorist attack that killed 11 Israeli athletes and coaches. Officials hope a successful bid would allow Germany to finally return to hosting the event more than five decades later, though the 1972 legacy looms over the plans.

India's medal prospects for the 2026 Asian Games, to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, are being tracked in a full table of the country's medals tally and winners. Interest centres on how India's athletes will build on recent continental results across athletics, shooting, wrestling and other disciplines when the Games get under way.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore was taken to hospital after taking a hit to the head during the game against USC, according to a report in The Athletic. The news is circulating widely among college football fans, with many awaiting updates on his condition and the severity of the possible head injury.

Singapore sprinter Shanti Pereira is preparing for the women's 200m at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya 2026, where she is expected to face Chinese teenage sprinter Chen Yujie, one of the fastest young athletes in Asia. A place in the final would be a historic milestone for Pereira, and the matchup is being billed as a highlight of the athletics programme.

Manchester City's legal fight with the Premier League over its financial rules continues to be described as sport's 'trial of the century'. The Athletic profiles the lawyers on both sides of the dispute, which centres on the league's associated party transaction regulations and allegations City breached financial fair play rules. City has denied wrongdoing throughout. The case is widely seen as a landmark test of how far football authorities can regulate club finances.

Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow is drawing scrutiny over his association with Life Surge, a faith-based events company that blends Christian messaging with wealth-building seminars. Tebow has appeared at Life Surge events as a featured speaker, and the company's business model is now being questioned. Critics are weighing in on the ethics of mixing evangelism with financial promises, while supporters defend the appearances.

Fitness Volt has published the full results and prize money breakdown for the 2026 Mr. Olympia, covering all divisions of bodybuilding's biggest annual contest. The roundup names winners across categories and details payouts, giving fans a single reference point for how the sport's top competitors finished.

The Athletic has published a bracket forecast for the 2026 MLB playoffs, breaking down the potential postseason picture with scenarios for each contending team. The piece outlines how the standings could shake out, which clubs are positioned for division titles, and what each team needs down the stretch to secure a playoff spot as the season's key stretch approaches.

Attention is turning to the javelin throw at the 2026 Asian Games, with Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga and Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem named among the leading contenders. Fans are also looking up the event schedule, start times and broadcast options for the competition, which is expected to be one of the marquee athletics showdowns of the games.

India's Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will not compete at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Reports explain he is skipping the event, depriving Indian fans of their biggest athletics star at the continental multi-sport Games. The reason for his absence has not been fully detailed, but the news is drawing wide attention given his status as India's most celebrated track and field athlete.

Indian athletes are in medal contention on September 27 at the 2026 Asian Games. Young squash player Anahat Singh and Abhay are chasing gold in the squash events, while Tejaswin Shankar holds the lead in the decathlon and will look to defend it through the final stages of the competition.

A group leading a referendum on transgender athletes in sports has begun collecting signatures to place the question on the 2027 ballot in Maine. The measure would address whether transgender athletes may compete in school sports consistent with their gender identity. Organizers must gather the required number of voter signatures for the question to qualify, and the campaign is expected to draw significant public debate.

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe is expected to be sidelined for roughly two weeks, according to a report by The Athletic. The France international's absence comes as a blow to Real Madrid's attacking plans, and it also raises questions about his availability for upcoming France fixtures. Fans and pundits are reacting to how the club will cope without its star striker during his recovery.

News outlets are publishing their annual in memoriam features honoring notable public figures who died in 2026. The retrospectives take stock of the prominent entertainers, athletes, politicians and other well-known personalities lost over the past year, and readers are revisiting their lives and legacies. Such year-end tributes traditionally draw wide attention as people reflect on the year's losses.

The trend refers to news that Manchester City has been found guilty, covered in an explainer by The Athletic via The New York Times. The headline frames three questions: what the ruling says, how serious it is, and what happens next. Beyond that, the available evidence only includes the headline itself, so the specifics of the charge, the verdict, and any penalties are not clear from the posts. It concerns the English Premier League club.