Tag Archives: olympics

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Brazil has barely got over its World Cup disaster and now it is counting on Barcelona star Neymar to finally deliver a treasured first football Olympic gold medal. Olympic gold is the only international title to elude Brazil in an illustrious history that …

Lausanne, Switzerland | AFP | The International Olympic Committee barred Russia’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko from the Rio Games and withdrew backing for international events in Russia over a state-run doping programme, but delayed ruling on a complete ban on the country until after a key court case on Thursday. …

Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA | AFP | South Africa’s Caster Semenya is back and vowing to win an Olympic gold medal that could reignite the complex biological and ethical gender storm that once engulfed her life. The athlete, who was at the centre of a bitter dispute over gender testing seven …

Uganda’s Olympic team has finally been confirmed. It will comprise six women and 15 men. The athletics event will provide the bulk of the team, 17, which is the biggest track and field team since the previous record 13 at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Unlike four years ago when Stephen …

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |AFP | Could hunting for a Pokemon get any hotter? Maybe in Rio, so the city about to host the Olympic Games is urging makers of the popular app to come down to Brazil. The app, based on a Nintendo title that debuted 20 years ago, uses …

A record 22 Ugandans have qualified for the Olympics this year. Uganda will field at least 17 athletes in Rio, the biggest track and field team since 13 made it to the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Halima Nakaayi (800m) and Thomas Ayeko (10000m) joined the list of qualifiers after a highly …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Kenya’s former world 5000m and 10000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot will attempt another Olympic double at Rio in her final fling before retiring from the track. The 32-year old won both her specialities at the Kenyan Olympic trials in Eldoret, and said she was keen to …

Paris, France | AFP | Only pregnant women and people planning a family need fear Zika, disease experts said Wednesday after golfer Rory McIlroy became the latest athlete to withdraw from the Olympics over virus fears. The mosquito-borne virus, which can also be transmitted via sex, is thought to cause …

Lausanne, Switzerland | AFP | Deficiencies in the anti-doping systems in Russia and Kenya have created doubts about the presumption of innocence for athletes from both countries, the Olympics chief said Tuesday. “Because of the (World Anti-Doping Agency) non-compliance declaration of Kenya and Russia and the related substantial allegations, the …

Moscow, Russia | AFP | World athletics’ governing body IAAF has ruled to maintain Russia’s suspension, a top Russian athletics official confirmed Friday, TASS news agency reported. “I can confirm, the suspension is upheld,” Mikhail Butov, general secretary of the Russian athletics federation, told TASS. “I cannot give any more …