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• Hingst wants Ballon d'Or to move away from 'superstar' preference after Putellas nomination

  World Cup winner Ariane Hingst believes the Ballon d'Or Feminin must reconsider who merits the global award in order to do "justice to the great football players".

  Former Germany international Hingst, speaking at the Thinking Football Summit organised by Liga Portugal, could not fathom the reasoning behind including the likes of injury-hit Alexia Putellas as a nominee.

  The 30-player list was announced at the start of September, with the winner revealed later in October, as Aitana Bonmati heads to the award ceremony in Paris as the favourite.

  Spain's Nations League success saw five of their players nominated, including Bonmati, while the United States women's national team also had as many nominees after their Olympic success in the French capital.

  Hingst, winner of FIFA's top international competition in 2003 and 2007, believes the Ballon d'Or needs to look further than "superstars", however.

  "It's always interesting to see the nominees of these Ballon d'Ors," Hingst said to Stats Perform. "I think the problem is that you only have the big picture when you have a big tournament going on. 

  "We had the Olympics, but you see all kinds of sports, so you can't just follow the football, so it's hard to follow.

  "What frustrates me the most is, and don't get me wrong, the likes of Alexia Putellas, [she is] a great, great player, but she's been injured for such a long time and is on the list to be the best of this season.

  "This can't be right and I don't think that it does justice to the great football players we have out there if Putellas is on this list as well.

  "We need to get away from the superstars and just recognise the season that has been played."

  Though wanting to stray away from the "superstar" tag for Ballon d'Or selection, Hingst reserved special praise for Chelsea and Australia forward Sam Kerr.

  "The interesting part is, that I always had a problem with just this one big superstar because soccer is a team sport and it took me some time to realise that you need those superstars," Hingst added.

  "Definitely, Sam Kerr is one of them. It took some time for us in Germany to recognise her as much. She became really big when she was in America, an absolute superstar.

  "Now then going to England and it's just tremendous. You need those figures because they are idols. Girls are talking about, 'I want to be Sam Kerr', the boys are talking about her, so you need those big names.

  "For example, now you have Alex Morgan just retiring from the women's game. She was one of those superstars as well. [Megan] Rapinoe from America also retired. So who's the next?"

• Seasoned journalist Ian Burnett selected for sports journalism summit in the Dominican Republic

  Respected sports journalist Ian Burnett is set to join fellow journalists from across the Americas and the Caribbean later this month for a high-level Sports Journalism Summit in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Organized by Centro Caribe Sports (CCS), the summit will provide comprehensive training in both theoretical and practical aspects of high-quality sports journalism.

  Burnett was selected by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) to participate in the program, an opportunity he regards as a significant milestone in his career. "I am deeply honored to be selected by the Jamaica Olympic Association to participate in this prestigious training programme," Burnett said. "I have had the privilege of covering numerous global sporting events. Yet, the opportunity to engage in this focused programme on journalism and sports reporting presents a new horizon for professional growth. The evolving landscape of sports journalism, coupled with the increasing demand for insightful and comprehensive coverage, requires constant refinement of our skills and approaches."

  CCS, which owns and hosts the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, is driving this initiative as part of its educational agenda aimed at delivering tailored programs for sports professionals. The summit is intended to build capacity within the sports journalism community, providing journalists with the tools to deliver not just the statistics and outcomes of sporting events but also to convey the values and contexts that shape the sporting narrative.

  CCS Second Vice-President, Christopher Samuda, emphasized the importance of the journalist's role in the broader sports ecosystem. “CCS will be hosting fora for sport professionals across the spectrum designed to build capacity," Samuda said. "The journalist telegraphs to an audience larger than that in his national village not only the statistics and rationale of victory, best performances, and defeat but, more importantly, values that inform thought, are defining of judgement, that contextualize past and present experiences and events in sport, and portray a future that learns from the past.”

  The JOA, through its business product "Stamina" and the Olympic Solidarity Advanced Sports Management Course (ASMC), continues to promote educational initiatives aimed at sports development. JOA Secretary General Ryan Foster, who co-chairs the Finance Commission of CCS, highlighted the importance of such professional training programs. "For us at the JOA, education is dynamic to sport and sport development, and professional training provides the curriculum for growth and a return on investment. ROIs are themselves key performance indicators of a viable sporting sector," Foster stated.

  CCS's inclusive approach involves utilizing the expertise of regional professionals in staging its junior and senior games as well as business forums. Burnett acknowledges the significance of this approach, noting the summit's potential to foster regional collaboration and knowledge sharing. "This programme offers an invaluable platform for sharing knowledge, discussing best practices, and exchanging ideas with fellow professionals from the region. Such a convergence of expertise will undoubtedly strengthen our collective ability to elevate the quality of sports reporting across the Caribbean and the Americas," he said.

  Burnett's participation in the summit reflects the ongoing efforts to enhance sports journalism across the region, ensuring that the evolving landscape of sports is met with insightful and comprehensive coverage.

• Ackeem Blake targeted Diamond League glory to redeem Olympic setback: "I could hear my coach guiding me through every phase..."

  After a disappointing exit in the semi-finals of the 100m at the Paris Olympics in August, Jamaica's Ackeem Blake made it his mission to win the Diamond League title. The 22-year-old sprinter, who had entered the Olympics with high hopes, was left dejected after finishing fifth in his semi-final heat with a time of 10.06 seconds. However, Blake was determined not to let that setback define his season.

  With the guidance of his coach, Michael Frater, Blake refocused his efforts on the Diamond League Final in Brussels. "After a devastating exit in the semi-finals at the Paris Olympics, my team and I decided that we must put all our resources into making and taking the Diamond League Final," Blake revealed on Instagram after his victory.

  The Jamaican sprinter knew that he needed to prove himself on the international stage, and the Diamond League presented the perfect opportunity to do so.

  

  Blake's resolve to rebound from his Olympic disappointment was fueled by the belief that he had more to offer. Earlier in the year, he had shown glimpses of his potential by winning a bronze medal in the 60m dash at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow. With a personal best of 9.89 seconds, Blake knew he had the speed to compete with the world's best. What he needed was the mental fortitude to bounce back after a major setback.

  Frater played a crucial role in this mental and physical preparation. Blake credited his coach for guiding him through every phase of his comeback. “In this moment, I was deeply focused,” Blake said. “I could hear my coach guiding me through every phase of the race.” The meticulous planning and intense focus that went into preparing for the Diamond League paid off as Blake stormed to victory in a time of 9.93 seconds, defeating a high-calibre field that included American sprinters Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley.

  Blake's triumph in the Diamond League was not just about the win itself but about redemption and resilience. It was a testament to his determination to overcome adversity and a reminder that setbacks can serve as stepping stones to success.