Olympics chief Thomas Bach has attacked politicians pushing for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be prevented from returning to international sport, saying their attitude is "deplorable".
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Bach launched a tirade on Thursday at the "negative reactions" to plans to allow competitors from Russia and Belarus to compete in global sporting events as neutral individual athletes.
There has been no final decision taken yet on whether those athletes can take part in next year's Olympics; however, there will be potential pathways for them to qualify for the Games, and it could yet mean there are Russians and Belarusians taking part in the Paris Games while war continues in Ukraine.
Government figures in the UK, Germany and beyond have expressed opposition to such athletes being allowed to take part, although IOC guidance on Tuesday potentially opened that door.
For those politicians there was a fierce rebuke from Bach.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Bach said: "Today the IOC executive board discussed the reactions to our recommendations issued on Tuesday.
"There we have taken note of some negative reactions by some European governments in particular. I can only reaffirm there what the Olympic movement and all the stakeholders have made very clear before: that it is deplorable to see some governments do not want to respect the majority within the Olympic movement and of all stakeholders, nor the autonomy of sport which they are praising and requesting from other countries in countless speeches, UN resolutions, EU declarations, and at every other opportunity.
"It is deplorable that these governments do not address the question of double standards with which we have been confronted in our consultations.
"We have not seen a single comment from them about their attitude towards the participation of athletes whose countries are involved in the other 70 wars and armed conflicts in the world.
"It is even more deplorable that they grossly neglect the very clear statement of the two special rapporteurs from the UN human rights council. While in other issues they are always highlighting their firm request for the respect of human rights
"Discussions and reactions from the Olympic movement are making it very clear, that these government interventions have strengthened the unity of the Olympic movement.
"All stakeholders make it very clear again: it cannot be up to the governments to decide which athletes can participate in which competition. This would be the end of world sport as we know it today.
"The Olympic movement stakeholders are very concerned about this politicisation of sport. They are very concerned about the attitude of these governments wanting to take over the participation and the decision of participation in sport events in their country or even in other countries."
Bach pointed to a letter from the presidents of the five regional groupings on national Olympic committees, representing all 206 NOCs, in which he said it was stated that "international sports competitions welcome athletes from all countries".
Asked why it was only athletes from Russia and Belarus that were being asked to compete as neutrals, rather than those from other conflicts and wars to which he referred, Bach said that was "because this was a blatant violation of the Olympic truce and happened between the Olympic Winter Games and the Paralympic Games".
That was a reference to the timing of the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
With regard to Germany and the UK, Bach said: "Both NOCs have made it very clear they do not boycott, and we will not punish athletes or an NOC for the position of their governments.
"We will always make every effort not to punish athletes for misbehaviour of their national governments."
Bach, who is German, said "a vast, vast majority of all stakeholders of the Olympic movement" supported the IOC putting in place conditions for the possible return to international competition of athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports.
He added: "I can only reaffirm the entire Olympic movement strongly stands by its values and by its mission to unite the world in a peaceful competition."
New England Revolution v D.C. United: Lesesne hoping to keep high level on 'hard' road trip
Troy Lesesne was full of praise for D.C. United's comeback win over Nashville SC but has urged the team to maintain their high level when they travel to New England Revolution.
D.C. came from behind, scoring two late goals to snatch a 4-3 victory over Nashville in midweek, moving them to 11th in the Eastern Conference.
They are one of three teams on 37 points and still have a chance of making the playoffs with two games remaining.
Lesesne is now keen to build on their latest run of form in what he describes as a tough place to visit.
"It's another situation where we need three points," Lesesne said. "We can go do it, but we just need to be in this mindset.
"New England are a very good team, I understand where they are in the table, but it's really hard to get points there and we need to be at our best again.
"I've been trying to communicate a clear message the entire season about the mentality, and how the players display themselves. That was on full display [against Nashville]."
Meanwhile, New England's slim chances of making the playoffs are still alive, despite suffering a 2-1 defeat to Houston Dynamo last time out.
They sit 14th in the table on 31 points with three games left, but head coach Caleb Porter acknowledged they need to improve the small details if they want to make it to the postseason.
"For me, where we fell short is the details [against Houston]," Porter said. "And that's the area of our team that we have to continue to work on.
"We have to finish our chances. We have to be smarter in those details of our decision-making. And the guys know that. So, for me, that's a real learning lesson."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New England Revolution – Carles Gil
Carles Gil scored for the first time since early September from the penalty spot against Houston, ending a run of four games without a goal.
He is the team's second top-scorer on seven goals, while he has also registered the most assists (five), and the Revs will be hoping he can provide the spark in their search for a vital three points.
D.C. United – Gabriel Pirani
Most of the headlines for D.C. will often go to Christian Benteke, who has a league-high 22 goals so far. However, Gabriel Pirani stepped up when it counted on Wednesday.
He sits second on their goalscoring charts with six for the season, getting two of those in stoppage time in midweek, to flip the game on its head and claim a superb victory.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION WIN
New England were on a three-match unbeaten streak against D.C. but lost their most recent meeting with them this season, going down 3-1 in February. However, D.C. have lost their last four trips to Gillette Stadium.
The Revs have won just one of their last seven MLS matches (D2 L4), though that victory came in their last home game as they edged past Nashville 1-0.
Meanwhile, D.C. have lost just one of their last six outings (W3 D2) – that defeat did come on the road, but they bounced back, coming from behind to get their win over Nashville in midweek.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New England Revolution – 45.5%
Draw – 26.8%
D.C. United – 27.6%
Leicester's heads are not down as wait for a win goes on, says Cooper
Steve Cooper insists the mood at Leicester City is not downbeat as the Foxes' wait for a first Premier League win rolls into matchday seven.
Leicester fought back from 2-0 down away at Arsenal last time out, only for two goals in second-half stoppage time from the Gunners to break their resolve.
Attention now turns to a home game against Bournemouth, who beat Leicester's fellow promoted side Southampton 3-1 on Monday.
And though Leicester sit in 17th without a win to their name, Cooper is not down in the doldrums.
As reported by Leicestershire Live, he said: "We're not heads down and we're not of the mindset that we'll be okay either.
"Both of those mindsets are dangerous. We're in the middle of that, where we're frustrated that we haven’t been able to get more out of the games, but there's a constant determination to put things right.
"We have to make sure the mindset is right with the players. I really believe that will happen, convinced of it, that we will get what we want from this season."
One bright spark this season for Leicester came off the pitch, as they won an appeal that means they cannot be penalised by the Premier League for an alleged breach of the competition's financial rules in the 2022-23 season.
This means Leicester are extremely unlikely to be hit with a points deduction for that supposed breach.
"The landscape has definitely changed on that front," said Cooper.
"Even when that was looming over us, it wasn't interfering with our daily work either.
"What we want to achieve, as we decided on, it's still very much achievable. When we achieve it, we will look back and say it was a rocky road."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Leicester City - Wilfred Ndidi
Bukayo Saka (five) is the only Premier League player with more assists than Ndidi (four) this season.
Ndidi's four assists is just one fewer than he managed in 32 Championship appearances last term, while it is already his joint-best in a single Premier League campaign (also four in 2020-21).
Bournemouth - Antoine Semenyo
Only Erling Haaland (31) has had more shots than Semenyo (28) in the Premier League this season, with Semenyo the only Bournemouth player to score more than once so far (three).
The Ghana international has also completed the most dribbles (eight) and had the most touches in the opposition box (34) of any Cherries player in the competition this term.
MATCH PREDICTION: BOURNEMOUTH WIN
Cooper has never beaten Bournemouth in five attempts in all competitions (D2 L3). It is the joint-most he has ever faced an opponent as a manager without ever winning (also five vs Manchester United).
Leicester have faced more shots than any other side in the Premier League this season (114), with their 34 faced against Arsenal last time out their most on record (since 2003-04) in a single match in the competition.
However, since winning four consecutive away league games in November/December last season, Bournemouth have won just three of their last 13 on the road (D3 L7), with two of those wins coming against sides in the relegation zone.
That being said, Bournemouth have won each of their last three Premier League games against Leicester, their joint-longest winning run against the Foxes in their league history (also three between 1987 and 1989).
Leicester have won just two of their 12 Premier League games against Bournemouth (D5 L5), with both of those victories coming at the King Power Stadium in 2019 (2-0 in March, 3-1 in August).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Leicester City - 31.5%
Bournemouth - 43.3%
Draw - 25.1%
Dream on the lookout for a new coach after Wright gets it wrong in playoffs
The Atlanta Dream announced on Wednesday they have fired coach Tanisha Wright after three seasons in charge.
The Dream made the WNBA playoffs for the second consecutive year under Wright but were again knocked out in the first round, losing 91-82 to the New York Liberty on September 25.
Wright, who spent 14 years in the WNBA as a player, did not finish a season with a winning record during her time in charge of the Dream, guiding Atlanta to a 48-68 record overall in her time as coach.
Atlanta finished eighth this season with a 15-25 record, with the Dream's last winning record coming back in 2018 under Nicki Collen.
"Tanisha was an important contributor in our efforts to rebuild the Dream," executive vice president and general manager Dan Padover said in a statement.
"And we want to thank her for her hard work and dedication to the Dream over the last three seasons and wish her the best in the future.
"At this time, we believe a change is needed to lead our players and organization to the next chapter in our efforts to be a top team in the WNBA."
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