Jamaican fitness athlete Deidre Lewis has rebounded from a two-year anti-doping suspension, to win her Pro Card following an outstanding showing at the Mr and Miss America IFBB Cup in Lima, Peru, last weekend.

During the competition that ran from April 1-2, Lewis won the Bikini Senior Up to 160cm Class over Ambar Canas of Venezuela, Aminta Jeanette Lopez Ramirez of El Salvador, Vivian Isabel Buella Guevara of Peru, Pamela Sosa of Guatemala, Alejandra Milargros Chang Yui of Peru and Helen Orellana of Chile.

She also won the Overall Bikini Fitness title over Costa Rica’s Darla Gomez Bolanos and El Salvador’s Aminta Jeanette Lopez Ramirez.

The success means that Lewis would finally earn her Pro Card.

“I am very happy with my success. It has been long overdue,” an elated Lewis told Sportsmax.TV after returning home earlier this week.

“I was delayed but never denied. Delayed with entering shows previously and coming very close to earning the card and didn’t get it and second, the suspension for Zeranol, which didn’t give me any advantage and is a naturally occurring substance that comes from food and I had to stay away from the stage,” she said.

“So, I am here once my suspension was up I hit the ground running because I just wanted to get back on the stage.”

She explained that during her time off, she worked to get her body in peak condition with the goal of earning her Pro Card.

“I started operating like a pro. I trained like a professional and now I am a professional,” she said.

“I won my height class first and I was so overwhelmed because it was a really tight show. It was really great and I had the muscles that they were looking for on the day so I am very happy with this win.”

Lewis, who intends to make her professional debut at the Roger Boyce Classic in Barbados from June 1-4 depending on if she can get sponsored, said the success has helped put her mind at ease and boosted her self-belief.

“It has made me content, very content and happy. Actually, happy is an understatement. I am overwhelmed, elated because I have waited so long to come back to the stage it, it hurt my spirit to be away from the stage so I am happy I could have come back and come back with a bang,” she said.

“I am more confident in my abilities now. I have changed my mindset upon entering the competition because before I was more nervous, doubting my abilities. I have also revamped how I approach competition. It is important to have confidence on the stage and that oozed out of me on the stage and that was why I was triumphant.”

She reveals, however, that she remains rankled by the suspension that robbed her of two years in the sport.

“I am still not over it, 100 per cent,” she said.

“I am just disheartened that the substance (Zeranol), it was a minute amount, it is a naturally occurring substance. The expert said that this was not something that I took and I still had to serve a suspension for that just because I simply could not tell them where it came from,” she said while suggesting that changes need to be made to some of the rules governing doping.

“I think they need to change those rules in cases like these when it was not something I took deliberately. I am still disheartened by it but I am looking forward from all of it.”

 

Germany coach Hansi Flick credited Niclas Fullkrug with having the ability to "pull the team along" after the striker's double against Peru.

Fullkrug's two first-half goals ensured Euro 2024 hosts Germany claimed a routine 2-0 victory in their opening match of 2023.

Germany dominated Saturday's friendly in Mainz, and only a twist of the rules prevented Kai Havertz making it 3-0 in the second half, with the Chelsea forward's first-time finish on the rebound after he hit the post with a penalty disallowed as no other player had touched the ball.

Flick reserved special praise for Fullkrug, who has netted five goals in as many international games, and became the first Werder Bremen player to start for Germany since Serge Gnabry in 2016.

"Niclas is a player who is special, he is very confident, he wants to win and can pull the team along. He also gives the team a lot of positive energy," Flick told Sky Sport.

Sandro Wagner is the only other player this century to have scored five goals across his first five appearances for Germany.

However, there are elements for Fullkrug to work on, with Flick noting: "There were a few situations that I wasn’t happy with today.

"If we play forward, we have to have a certain seriousness about it.

"Niclas has also had one or two situations where he can be better, but he's still there for goals and he scored them."

Germany's game was their first since their disappointing showing at the World Cup, where they suffered a group-stage exit.

However, Germany are on a 13-game unbeaten run in friendlies (W8 D5) equalling their record, which was set between 1994 and 1996.

"I think you could see that the team played with a lot of dynamism, especially when it came to attacking," Flick said.

"A lot of things were good, but not yet at 100 per cent, although you couldn't expect because we didn't train very much.

"The team has never played together in this formation, but there were still a few situations that we played out well, where the last pass was missing.

"We scored two nice goals and kept a clean sheet, which was a focus for us this week."

Germany's first game following their World Cup disappointment ended in a routine 2-0 friendly victory over Peru, though Kai Havertz faltered from the penalty spot.

Hansi Flick's team bowed out in the group stage in Qatar, but began their preparations for Euro 2024 in convincing fashion on Saturday.

Niclas Fullkrug's double had put Germany into a commanding lead in Mainz by the time Havertz hit the upright with a 75th-minute spot-kick.

His finish on the rebound was disallowed due to no other player touching the ball, though it was merely a small blot on an otherwise accomplished Germany display.

Havertz and Fullkrug were rare bright sparks from the World Cup, and it was the duo who combined for the opening goal on Saturday when the latter finished crisply from the Chelsea forward's knockdown.

Having just denied Matthias Ginter, Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese could not keep out Fullkrug's crisp finish after Havertz had chested the ball into the striker's path.

Germany seemed certain to be 2-0 up when Havertz and then Timo Werner had acres of space to shoot from close range, yet Gallese's superb double save kept them at bay.

Gallese was helpless to prevent Fullkrug tucking home his second just after the half-hour – the striker turning in from Marius Wolf's excellent cross.

Luis Advincula's block denied Fullkrug a third before the break, while Serge Gnabry struck the crossbar with an audacious overhead attempt on the hour mark.

Nico Schlotterbeck had a valid penalty appeal dismissed soon after, but referee Maria Ferrieri Caputi changed her decision after consulting the pitchside monitor.

Havertz failed to capitalise, with much of the crowd seemingly unaware as to why exactly his finish at the second attempt had been disallowed, though Peru never looked likely to make Germany rue that ruling.

Jamal Musiala has withdrawn from Germany's squad for the March international break, with the Bayern Munich forward ruled out with a hamstring strain.

The attacker, who has won 20 caps for his country since his debut in 2021, had been called up for the team's friendlies with Peru and Belgium.

But he will no longer link up with Hansi Flick's squad after he picked up a leg problem during Bayern's 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Flick confirmed the news ahead of his team's open recovery session in Frankfurt on Monday, and confirmed he would not call up a replacement for Musiala.

"We [had] all hoped that Jamal would be fit, because he has unique qualities," he said. "That's why it's a shame for everyone that he won't be with us.

"We hope he is fit again as soon as possible and that he is back playing after the international matches."

Musiala, who was capped by both England and Germany at youth level before declaring for the latter, made his debut against Iceland in March 2021.

He was a member of their squads at both Euro 2020 – where they were knocked out by the Three Lions – and the Qatar 2022 World Cup, where they were eliminated in the group stages.

In his absence, Germany will face Peru in Mainz on Saturday before they travel to Cologne for a clash with Belgium three days later, with Die Nationalmannschaft not required to qualify for Euro 2024 as the host nation.

Thomas Muller will be left out of Hansi Flick's upcoming Germany squad, but the head coach has not "shut the door" on the Bayern Munich forward.

Muller is fourth on his nation's all-time caps list (121) behind only Lothar Matthaus (150), Miroslav Klose (137) and Lukas Podolski (130), while his tally of 44 goals puts him seventh.

A World Cup winner in 2014, the 33-year-old said he would contemplate his international future following Germany's group-stage exit from the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Muller has been directly involved in 11 goals for Bayern this season (scored four, assisted seven), with only Jamal Musiala (eight) registering more assists for the Bundesliga leaders.

However, Flick revealed the forward will play no part in the friendlies against Belgium and Peru later this month, though the head coach has left the door open for a potential return with Germany hosting next year's European Championship.

"I discussed with Thomas that he will not be called up to the games in March and June," Flick told Suddeutsche Zeitung.

"I want to give younger players a chance with the national team. But that doesn't mean that his Germany career is over or that he won't play a role at the Euros.

"He sees things the way I do. As a national team player, you don't retire. You either get a call-up or you don't, and he's now on hold until the summer.

"Why would I shut the door on a player like that forever? Look at his current importance for Bayern. He's totally important again, and I'm very happy for him."

 

Flick also insists there are no guarantees that Manuel Neuer will remain his first-choice goalkeeper upon his return from injury, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen or Kevin Trapp likely to be handed opportunities in the friendlies.

The Bayern captain, and Germany's most-capped goalkeeper with 117 appearances, is out for the season having broken his leg during a skiing trip shortly after the World Cup.

"The performance concept is in the foreground," Flick added. "There's nothing set in stone — Manu knows that.

"I am convinced that he will reach his performance limit when he becomes 100 per cent fit again."

Ecuador will keep their place at the 2022 World Cup after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in their favour on Tuesday, following attempts from Chile and Peru to have them thrown out of the tournament. 

Chile and Peru appealed to FIFA after discovering Ecuador had used ineligible right-back Byron Castillo in their successful qualification campaign.

The Federacion de Futbol de Chile (ANPF) provided proof that Castillo was born in Colombia and not Ecuador, as stated on his official documents.

FIFA dismissed all charges in June and again in September when the fresh evidence came to light, but Chile and Peru took the case to CAS with a further appeal.

However, the hearing on November 4 and 5 adjudged that "no violation of the rules on eligibility has occurred", leaving Ecuador free to compete in Qatar later this month.

Ecuador will, however, be deducted three points in qualifying for the 2026 tournament after being found to have used false information to obtain a passport for a Colombian-born player.

The South American nation, who face hosts Qatar in the opening game of the tournament on November 20, must also pay a fine of 100,000 Swiss Francs ($101,605).

In a statement released on their official website after the verdict was delivered, the Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) suggested they may themselves appeal those sanctions.

"The Ecuadorian Football Federation is analysing the next steps to follow, since it does not share the sanction imposed," the statement read.

Castillo appeared eight times in qualifying for Ecuador, including in both of their two meetings with Chile, but he did not play in either game against Peru.

Chile argued Ecuador should forfeit the games Castillo played in, having finished fourth in CONMEBOL's qualification group, while Peru felt they should have replaced Ecuador in Qatar as they finished fifth.

With only four teams qualifying automatically, Peru instead dropped into the intercontinental play-offs and were beaten 5-4 on penalties by Australia following a goalless draw.

Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay are the other nations representing CONMEBOL at the global showpiece event, which runs until December 18.

Hirving Lozano netted a late goal to earn Mexico an uninspiring 1-0 victory over Peru in their friendly in Pasadena on Saturday.

El Tri, who will play three more games prior to the 2022 World Cup, were made to work hard for the win in an evenly contested match with few shots on target.

Lozano's 85th-minute strike was the difference, firing home on the volley after Cesar Montes had nodded on a corner.

Mexico forward Henry Martin pushed a 19th-minute header wide, while Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez fired a long-range effort over the crossbar early in the second half.

Peru, who missed out on World Cup qualification to Australia in the playoffs, had 9-7 shots and marginally edged possession but failed to generate much in attack.

Mexico, who are grouped with Poland, Argentina and Argentina at the World Cup, will take on Colombia in Santa Clara on Tuesday.

Awer Mabil has declared his crucial penalty in Australia's shoot-out victory against Peru was a "thank you" to the nation that took his family in after they fled Sudan.

The 26-year-old gave Australia the lead in sudden death with his side's sixth penalty, then watched on as Andrew Redmayne denied the South Americans as the Socceroos secured a spot in a fifth consecutive World Cup.

That will now signal a remarkable journey for Mabil from a Kenyan refugee camp to the showcase finals in Qatar later this year, and he dedicated his penalty to the nation that took in his family in 2006.

"I knew I was going to score. It was the only way to say thank you to Australia on behalf of my family," he said after Monday's match, which finished 0-0 after extra time.

"I was born in a hut, a little hut. My hotel room here is definitely bigger than the hut, the room we had as a family in that refugee camp.

"For Australia to take us in and resettle us, it gave me and my siblings and my whole family a chance at life.

"That's what I mean by thanking Australia for that chance of life, that chance of opportunity they allowed my family."

Mabil was born in a Kenyan refugee camp after his family fled conflict in Sudan, surviving on one meal a day as a child, but found a distraction in football and hopes his contribution can inspire other refugees.

"I scored, a lot of my team-mates scored, everybody played a part and maybe that refugee kid played a big part," he said.

Australia complete Group D for the World Cup alongside France, Denmark and Tunisia, with their opening game falling on November 22 against Didier Deschamps' defending champions.

Australia qualified for the World Cup after beating Peru 5-4 on penalties following a goalless Intercontinental Play-off in Doha.

Socceroos boss Graham Arnold made the brave decision to substitute goalkeeper and captain Mathew Ryan for Andrew Redmayne ahead of the shoot-out, but was vindicated as the 33-year-old – who danced on his line for the spot-kicks – saved the decisive penalty from Alex Valera.

Peru, 22nd in the FIFA rankings, went in as favourites but started tentatively as Australia made the early running, particularly Martin Boyle who did well to beat two Peru defenders on the right in the 23rd minute before his inviting cross evaded everybody.

Ricardo Gareca's team improved in the second half, but the first shot on target did not arrive until the 81st minute via an Ajdin Hrustic free-kick that never troubled Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, who denied Hrustic two minutes from time with a sweeping shot down to his left from a low Awer Mabil cross.

La Blanquirroja came closest to winning it in extra time as substitute Edison Flores rose to win a header at the far post, but could only hit the woodwork, and so to penalties it went.

Both teams failed with one each from the first five kicks, before Mabil scored and the dancing Redmayne saved from Valera to win it for Australia, who will go into World Cup Group D when they return to Qatar in November to go up against France, Denmark and Tunisia.

Ajdin Hrustic's late deflected strike sealed a 2-1 victory over the United Arab Emirates that put Australia one win away from the World Cup.

The Socceroos could not muster a shot on target in the first half of a do-or-die play-off at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium and they were indebted to Mat Ryan for twice denying Harib Abdalla Suhail at his near post.

Australia got into their stride after break and were in front when Jackson Irvine turned in Martin Boyle's cross from close range with 53 minutes gone.

The UAE were level four minutes later when Caio Canedo fired into the roof of the net from six yards out with his left foot after Suhail's cross caused panic in the Socceroos defence.

Craig Goodwin missed a great chance to put Graham Arnold's side back in front, but the decisive moment came six minutes from time as Hrustic let fly with a powerful left-foot strike that hit Ali Salmeen and gave goalkeeper Khalid Eisa no chance.

Australia will face Peru in an intercontinental play-off at the same venue next Monday, with the winner sealing their place in the showpiece in Qatar. The UAE's wait for a first World Cup appearance since 1990 goes on.

Peru are one game away from back-to-back World Cup finals appearances following Tuesday's 2-0 win over Paraguay and head coach Ricardo Gareca lauded his side who seemed set to miss out six months ago.

La Blanquirroja clinched fifth spot in World Cup qualifying in CONMEBOL with the victory over Paraguay, finishing ahead of Colombia and Chile who were eliminated.

Peru's win means they will play the fifth-ranked team from the Asian Football Confederation, either Australia or UAE, who will meet in a one-off playoff in Doha in June. The inter-confederation playoff will also be played as a one-off in Doha on June 13 or 14.

Gareca's side seemed a long shot to claim fifth after back-to-back 1-0 losses to Bolivia and Argentina which left them second last in the standings in October but rallied by claiming 13 points from a possible 18 in their final six qualifiers.

“We didn't start the qualifiers well, but we rebounded well," Gareca told reporters. "It gave us the possibility to get to the playoff spot.

"I have to congratulate the boys and thank the people for the support. It was incredible. When I renewed my contract, this is what I wanted."

Gareca has been widely praised within Peru for his efforts, having taken over as national team boss in March 2015 and leading the side to its first World Cup in 36 years in 2018 along with the 2019 Copa America final.

The sentiment has been different for Colombia head coach Reinaldo Rueda, who achieved a rare feat of guiding two sides in qualifying who both failed to reach the World Cup. Rueda had led Chile early in qualifying before being dismissed, taking over Colombia in January.

"I think that not achieving the goal is a shame for Colombian football," Rueda told reporters after Colombia's 1-0 win in Venezuela which was not enough. "It is a very strong frustration. It was added, but the great result was not given."

"I think it is very clear that my contract was subject to qualifying for the World Cup, so it is an evaluation that the board will have to do, of the work we have done."

Chile's failure means they have missed the past two World Cups, meaning the international careers of several of their golden generation, including Alexis Sanchez, Arturo Vidal, Charles Aranguiz, Claudio Bravo, Mauricio Isla, Gary Medel and Eduardo Vargas, may come to an end.

Chile head coach Martin Lasarte told reporters after their 2-0 home loss to Uruguay: "I think some players from the 'golden generation' still have something to give."

Ecuador qualified for the 2022 World Cup on Thursday despite a 3-1 defeat to Paraguay, benefiting from a victory for Uruguay that also sent the two-time champions to Qatar.

La Tri, who failed to make Russia 2018, knew they needed only a point to be sure of a top-four finish with a game to spare.

However, already-eliminated Paraguay were clinical in Ciudad del Este, three up before the hour mark through Robert Morales, a Piero Hincapie own goal and Miguel Almiron.

Ecuador threatened a dramatic fightback as Jordy Caicedo scored a late penalty and Blas Riveros was sent off, but ultimately their fate was decided in Montevideo.

The third-placed side joined Uruguay in advancing with both teams on 25 points, four ahead of fifth-placed Peru, who went down 1-0 to Giorgian De Arrascaeta's goal late in the first half.

Peru are still in control of their play-off fate, although both Colombia and Chile can catch them as Paraguay attempt to again play the role of spoilers in Tuesday's final match in Lima.

Colombia continued their wretched goalscoring run on Friday as their bid to qualify for the 2022 World Cup took another blow.

Reinaldo Rueda's side were stunned by Peru in Barranquilla as an 85th-minute goal from Edison Flores secured a 1-0 win for the visitors.

Colombia had 30 shots to Peru's four, with 2.35 expected goals to their opponents' 0.36, and had more than five times as many touches in the opposition box. Somehow, they failed to make their dominance count.

The result means Colombia have now gone six games in a row without scoring, with Paraguay also enduring the same barren run. It is the second-longest run of matches without a goal in the history of South American World Cup qualifying.

It also leaves them in sixth place in the standings after 15 games, with Uruguay two points ahead and Peru three above them. Only the top four – presently Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Peru – will automatically qualify for the finals in Qatar.

Colombia, whose only goals since September 10 last year came in a 2-1 friendly win over Honduras this month, will face Argentina, Bolivia and Venezuela in their final qualifying matches.

Life under interim manager Paul Hall got off to a shaky for Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz following a 3-0 loss to Peru at the Estadio Nacional, in Peru, on Thursday.

Following a scoreless, even first half the game burst into life when Lewis Iberico outjumped the Jamaican backline to head past goalkeeper Amal Knight in the 48th minute.  Another bit of poor defending saw Alex Valera intercept a ball played across the area to double the host’s lead in the 66th minute.

Given too much room just outside the area, Yosimar Yotune finished things off with a long-range blast, which saw a diving Knight come up empty-handed.  The mostly locally-based team put together enterprising play at times but seemed to lack ideas and accuracy in the final third of the pitch.

The full squad will be back in action next Thursday when they host Mexico in the World Cup qualifiers.  Three days later the team will head to Panama, before hosting Costa Rica at home.  Hall replaced Theodore Whitmore as head coach of the team last month, following a string of disappointing results.  

Interim Jamaica Reggae Boyz head coach Paul Hall has named a 23-man squad for the upcoming international friendly against Peru in Lima on January 20.

“The date of the game does not fall within the FIFA window so none of the Europe and Central America based players were called,” the JFF stated in a release today.

Hall is using this game as an opportunity to assess players that are unfamiliar to him and as such, has left out regular members of the squad like captain Andre Blake, Oneil Fisher and Alvas Powell.

All the players, including those not called on this occasion, have made themselves available and are committed to being ready for the three World Cup qualifying games from January 27 to February 2.

 The 23-man squad for those games will assemble in Jamaica on January 24th while the squad for the Peru game will assemble in Jamaica on January 13th.

The full squad is as follows: Dwayne Miller, Jeadine White, Amal Knight, Damion Lowe, Richard King, Jamoi Topey, Javain Brown, Kemar Lawrence, Je-Vaughn Watson, Kevon Lambert, Tevin Shaw, Ramone Howell, Devon Williams, Peter-Lee Vassell, Lamar Walker, Alex Marshall, Dwayne Atkinson, Deshane Beckford, Kaheem Parris, Devonte Campbell, Jourdain Fletcher, Cory Burke, Oquassa Chong.

 

 

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