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• Olympics chief Bach labels politicians 'deplorable' over calls to deny Russian athletes right to compete

  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."

• Andreescu tore ankle ligaments in Miami as US Open winner gives update on WTA Tour lay-off

  Bianca Andreescu has revealed she tore ankle ligaments and faces time on the sidelines after her excruciating injury blow at the Miami Open.

  Former US Open champion Andreescu, who in 2019 beat Serena Williams in what proved to be the American great's last grand slam final, is set to miss at least the start of the clay-court season.

  The Canadian 22-year-old was enjoying an excellent run in the Miami event, knocking out Emma Raducanu, Maria Sakkari and Sofia Kenin en route to the last-16 stage.

  She dropped the first set against Ekaterina Alexandrova on Monday but was an early break to the good in the second when injury struck, forcing her to abandon that fourth-round match.

  Andreescu howled in pain on the court after suffering the ankle blow and needed to be taken away in a wheelchair.

  She joked the day after: "Woke up with a brace on my foot… anyone know what happened?"

  Now she knows exactly what happened, and the news is not particularly good.

  Andreescu posted on Twitter: "Results show that I've torn 2 ligaments in my left ankle. It's tough to say exactly how long it will take, but let's just say it could've been much worse!!

  "I'm going to take it day by day, and I am optimistic that with the right work, rehab, and preparation, I'll be back on court soon. Rehab process has already started and will continue to give updates."

  Andreescu has suffered a string of injuries since becoming a teenage grand slam winner. She sits 31st in the WTA rankings, having been as high as number four in October 2019.

  Miami marks the end of a hardcourt swing on the tour, with clay set to take over for two months, starting in Charleston at a WTA 500 event next week.

• Sinner advances to maintain excellent Miami Open form, evening session cancelled due to rain

  Italian 10th seed Jannik Sinner downed Emil Ruusuvuori to secure his berth in the Miami Open semi-finals along with bringing up his 20th win of the season on Wednesday.

  Sinner, who dropped only one point on first serve, won 6-3 6-1 over the Finn in one hour and 16 minutes.

  The 21-year-old Italian will face either top seed and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or 2022 Indian Wells winner Taylor Fritz in the last four. Sinner lost to Alcaraz in the Indian Wells semi-finals a fortnight ago.

  Alcaraz and Fritz's Miami quarter-final was postponed to Thursday with persistent rain forcing the evening session in Miami to be cancelled.

  The other quarter-finals between 14th seed Karen Khachanov and 25th seed Francisco Cerundolo along with fourth seed Daniil Medvedev and qualifier Christophr Eubanks were also re-scheduled for Thursday.

  The Sinner-Ruusuvuori clash was also impacted by a two-hour rain delay, but the Italian prevailed to maintain his perfect record in Miami, having not dropped a set.

  "We both played well today but I won the important points," Sinner said. "It's never easy when you are up and you get interrupted, but I came back and played well."

  Sinner's run to the Miami semi-finals has seen him drop the fewest games (23) since Rafael Nadal (21) and Novak Djokovic (23) in 2014.

  The Italian became the seventh male to reach the semi-finals at both Indian Wells and Miami in a single year before turning 22, joining an elite list in Andre Agassi (1990), Jim Courier (1991), Djokovic (2007), Andy Murray (2007 and 2009), Nadal (2008) and Alcaraz (2022).

  Sinner's 2023 record is now 20-4, bettered only by Medvedev (26-3) and Cameron Norrie (21-5).