TOKYO (AP) — Concerns from the Canadian and Swedish soccer teams about Tokyo’s intense morning heat have resulted in the rescheduling and relocation of the women’s Olympic final.
Rather than kicking off at 11 a.m. in the Olympic Stadium on Friday, the gold-medal match will start 10 hours later at 9 p.m. in Yokohama.
“The change makes absolute sense for what the spectacle can be,” Canada coach Bev Priestman said Thursday.
To avoid a clash with the women’s final, the men’s bronze-medal match between host Japan and Mexico was brought forward two hours to kick off at 6 p.m. in Saitama.
The weather has been hot and humid, with the temperature forecast to hit 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in Tokyo on Friday.
Olympic organizers said the switch was made “in order to continue to provide the best possible conditions for the players, and having taken into consideration the impact of weather conditions at the Olympic Stadium over the last few days.”
The women’s final couldn’t be delayed at the Olympic Stadium because the venue is being used for track and field, so organizers shifted it to the Yokohama stadium which is also hosting the men’s final on Saturday night.
“We appreciate the focus of all parties in providing the best possible conditions for the players and look forward to outstanding Olympic matches showcasing the players,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
The original morning kickoff in Tokyo was well-placed for primetime audiences on Thursday night in the United States. But the U.S. women’s team lost to Canada in the semifinals and had to settle for bronze.
Canada and Sweden made requests to move the match out of concern for player safety. The request was only granted late Thursday, a move made easier because no fans are allowed into the final because of pandemic restrictions.
“It’s going to make for a better game,” Canada defender Ashley Lawrence said.
Sweden is making its second straight appearance in the women’s Olympic final, after losing to Germany in Rio de Janeiro five years ago.
Canada, meanwhile, has won bronze medals at the last two Olympics. With a 1-0 victory over the United States in the semifinals, Canada is already assured of either the gold or silver.
“I think for us we were clear that we definitely wanted to change the color of the medal and we knew that was a massive, massive task,” Priestman said. “But I knew that if the group believed when they stepped over the white line, we can absolutely do it. We’ve got bags of talent in the team. And for the program, I think it sets us up really nicely to be able to keep pushing forward. But I’m clear that winners win and we’re going into this final to go get a gold medal. ”
The teams met in the round of 16 at the World Cup in France, with the Sweden winning 1-0. Canada has not beaten the Swedes since a 1-0 victory in a 2017 friendly.
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TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
