Month: July 2025

The World Test Championship was introduced in 2019 by the International Cricket Council to revive the venerable format, and to give it added context in an era of franchise cricket. Participating teams – Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan – play league-style bilateral series over two years, with each match carrying points that determine positions in the standings.

The system has proved controversial and skewed, with the ‘big three’ at a disadvantage compared to their rivals due to the number of Tests they play. Also, it seems to favour countries with large venues and more wealth, as they tend to play more Tests than their less-affluent counterparts.

In this year’s final, serial champions Australia were defeated by a resurgent South Africa at Lord’s. That victory has prompted renewed calls for the ICC to revamp the WTC and make it more equitable by ensuring that all nations play the same amount of games. A separate fund to assist financially poorer countries with staging five-day matches could help.

Ultimately, the ultimate goal for test cricket is to have a global tournament that is similar to the one-day and T20 competitions. That is what would make it exciting and draw in more viewers. But the shambles of the current WTC – a complicated league with a final that appears to have sprung from nowhere – is doing little to inspire the next generation of fans. It needs to be overhauled before 2026, preferably sooner.

Formula 1 standings are at the heart of F1 – they define champions and allow fans to track the progress of their favorite drivers or teams throughout the season. Discover how the scoring system works and how to read the F1 points tables.

Drivers earn points for each Grand Prix they complete (25 points for the winner), with the top ten receiving points to help with the race overall score. At the end of the season, the driver who scores the most points wins the World Drivers Championship. Similarly, the team who wins the Constructors Championship is the one that earns the most points for its two drivers across the entire season.

The sport’s history is littered with dramatic races, and that hasn’t changed much today. While a better distribution of prize money has evened the playing field, battles at the bottom of the table are just as fierce as those at the top.

It’s relatively rare for a dead heat to happen in the championship, but when it does, there are several ways that a tie is settled. The first step is to look at the number of wins each team has; if that doesn’t separate them, it moves on to second place finishes and so on until the position is decided. If there are still no differences, the title will be shared between the drivers if their totals match. If not, the constructors’ trophy will be awarded to the team that finishes higher on the final podium.

As sports technology evolves, a number of innovations focus on solving specific immediate needs. For example, medalist sports skincare products help athletes keep skin healthy and in top form through clean, nourishing formulas that fit into workout routines and do not disrupt performance. The company also emphasizes portability, ensuring athletes can maintain skincare regimens on the go. Similarly, many new sports technology trends offer classical platforms that provide a solid stepping stone for organizations that wish to implement cutting-edge AI features without disruption. These solutions eliminate administrative tasks, optimize coaching techniques, and conduct efficient data gathering.

Other sports tech trends address long-term issues that are critical to the success of your facility. For example, the use of augmented reality enables fans to interact with live events in ways that are not possible in real life. New 3D tracking technologies facilitate a feeling of closeness to their favorite players, and BodyCam technology enables spectators to jump into digital arenas as invisible avatars and follow their heroes as they play.

On the operations side, IoT-enabled smart stadiums are revolutionizing ticketing, food service and broadcasting. In addition, predictive maintenance and energy management solutions reduce power consumption, maintenance costs and operational downtime.

While implementing these sports technology trends can seem daunting, it is important to remember that the most valuable solutions are those that solve real problems. Begin by identifying your most pressing challenges and look for solutions that work best for your space and budget. For example, implementing a system that enables staff to track the location of every member of your team during an event can make a huge difference in making sure everyone is where they need to be and that emergency routes are clear.

For nine days in August, the world’s top track and field athletes converged on Doha for one of the most exciting events of the sporting calendar. Known as the World Athletics Championship, the event is a 49-event bonanza that features 24 events for men and women, plus mixed-gender relays. The championships are so jam-packed that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to wrap your head around the massive event.

The first official competition took place in 1976, but the event has only been held biennially since 1991. It is held in odd-numbered years to avoid conflicts with the Olympics, which occur on a quadrennial cycle in even-numbered years.

Traditionally, the athletics event has offered a strong preview of what to expect at the Summer Olympic Games. This year was no exception, with a host of impressive performances. Sprints, in particular, showcased athletes’ raw speed and explosive power. British athletes Sifan Hassan and Zharnel Hughes both won bronze medals in the 100m, while Keely Hodgkinson and Ben Pattison claimed silver and bronze respectively in the middle distance events.

The World Championships are organized by World Athletics (formerly the IAAF), an international organization of national and regional track-and-field federations representing more than 200 countries and territories. The main aims of the organization are to establish friendly cooperation among members, eliminate hindrances to participation in international meets on racial, religious or political grounds, compile rules and regulations governing competition, and promote track-and-field sport. It is funded by membership fees, publication sales, and donations from private individuals and organizations.

Having a global presence and significance, international sports have a large following and are played and watched around the world. They are usually associated with major international competitions like the Olympics and World Cups and have a considerable influence on culture and economies globally.

Some international sports started as invitational events and later became official in The World Games, while others have become part of the Olympic programme, such as baseball and softball, karate, volleyball, taekwondo, target archery and beach handball. The most recent edition of The World Games included a total of 34 sports, of which 25 are official and 10 are invited.

Sports have been a way to promote and improve the image or identity of many countries, including raising awareness about different social issues. Moreover, it also serves as an opportunity to bring people together. However, it has been a source of conflict when athletes from authoritarian regimes take a political stand siding with the regime, either on or off the field.

Whether it is the NFL’s high-octane action or NBA’s star-studded games, we have got you covered with our comprehensive coverage of international sports events from around the world. With expert commentary, match reports and exclusive interviews, you can enjoy all the action right here at Times of India.

In an age where a large number of international matches are played at neutral venues, the domestic and regional qualifiers for major tournaments remain one of the most exciting events in football. The competition is usually tense and fierce, with the teams often playing for a lot more than just a place in the tournament itself. If a country manages to qualify for the World Cup, for example, that is a huge accomplishment not just for the nation but also its football association and its communities.

Japan and Iran have become the first sides to book their places in 2026, while Uzbekistan, Jordan and South Korea are also close to doing so. The top two teams in each group, along with the best three runners-up, will advance to the play-offs.

There are still a handful of spots available in Europe (UEFA), though it may take some time before they are all decided. Morocco, Egypt and Portugal are all in good positions to qualify from their groups, while 2010 dark horses Ghana, Ivory Coast and Mohamed Salah’s Egypt may all make it as well if they win their remaining matches.

As for the rest of the world, Oceania’s only direct berth in the finals is already secured by New Zealand. However, the tiny island of New Caledonia — a French overseas territory in the South Pacific — has a good chance to make it to the intercontinental playoffs as one of the highest-ranked runner-ups.

The World Series is back in New York, with the Los Angeles Dodgers winning a championship they’ve dreamed of for over half a century. The Dodgers took the first two games at home and then swept away the Yankees to win their first title since 2020. Corey Seager won the MVP award, becoming just the second player to win the honor twice with different teams.

This year’s World Series featured the only deciding Game 7 played outside of a team’s stadium since the MLB began hosting them at neutral sites in 1992. But while it lacked the drama of Game 6 from 1908, when the Red Sox lost their three-game lead and went out in the 10th with two outs and no one on base, this year’s collapse also became part of baseball lore.

It’s Kirk Gibson all over again. Freddie Freeman, who could barely walk a week earlier with his sprained ankle and didn’t know if he’d return to the lineup this summer, stood in front of a roaring crowd at Yankee Stadium Friday night and produced a moment that will be remembered forever in World Series history. His two-out, walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning put the Dodgers up for good in the World Series and earned him the series MVP award.

It was just the latest dramatic moment in a series that had a lot of them.

Gender equality in sports is a global priority. From sexism in the media to violence on the field, gender discrimination is a daily reality for many athletes, coaches, trainers, therapists and fans.

Nevertheless, a lot of work remains to be done. The fight for equal opportunities is not easy, but it is worth the effort. We need to re-engage the public with sport as a platform for social change, and celebrate women in sport that defy stereotypes and inspire girls.

The #MeToo and #SeAcabo movements have brought to light the widespread issue of gender-based violence in sports, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. The problem is deeper and more systematic, and it requires all stakeholders in the sports world to take a stand for equality.

At the same time, progress is being made in various areas: the gender pay gap is closing, football’s governing body FIFA has implemented new maternity protocols and more media coverage of women’s sports is available. However, a lingering perception that women’s sports are not as exciting as men’s remains a major barrier to the full realization of gender equality in sports.

The present study aims to contribute to filling the quantitative gap in research on Europeans’ attitudes towards gender equality in sports, by using data from a special Eurobarometer survey (ESB 525, April-May 2022). A Fuzzy-Hybrid TOPSIS approach is used to construct a synthetic indicator of the Europeans’ Attitudes towards Gender Equality in Sport (ATGEQS), and Latent Profile Analysis and Multinomial Logistic Regression are applied to analyse the influences of socio-economic factors on this measure.

Whether it’s an unforgettable moment of triumph or crushing defeat, sports can elicit awe-inducing reactions from the most dedicated fans. The highs, the lows, and the heartbreak of a championship game are some of humanity’s most powerful emotions and are often immortalized in sports history. In a world of constant social media content, brands have an opportunity to break through the noise and capture the public’s attention.

To do that, they must have a clear idea of their audience and create content that resonates. Creating viral content is a great way to reach new audiences and build loyalty. Whether it’s a meme, video, or unique angle, viral moments can spread like wildfire on social media.

The best viral sports moments are those that are awe-inducing and leave you wanting more. It’s these moments that evoke strong emotion or a sense of humor from the most devoted sports fan, as well as those who watch the games casually. This summer has seen plenty of unique Olympic moments, from a casual Turkish shooter to a fluttering bird that caused a commotion at the soccer tournament.

A nimble marketing approach can be just as effective as a big budget when it comes to creating viral moments at speed. Molson Coors and independent creative agency Rethink seized the opportunity when Shohei Ohtani knocked out some of the LED lights in their stadium ad, turning a brand mishap into a successful campaign. According to Rethink CEO John Starkman, the key was avoiding lengthy meetings and executing with a team that worked as one.

Olympic ice hockey is different than the NHL game in many ways, including how players are treated. Fighting is not allowed and if it occurs, the offending player will be penalized and possibly ejected from the game. The rinks used for Olympic games are also larger than those found in the NHL and a team is only allowed to dress 11 players for each game. If a team is short of a legal number of players (five skaters and a goalie), they must forfeit the game.

The Good:

One of the most iconic moments in Olympic ice hockey came in the 1980 Games in Lake Placid when U.S. player Mike Eruzione scored the “Miracle on Ice.” The United States was trailing the Soviet Union in the semifinal game when Eruzione picked up a loose puck in the Soviet zone, used his defenseman as a screen and wristed it past goalie Vladislav Tretiak to win the game and the gold medal for America.

The Bad:

In the same year, a controversial incident in the final game of the men’s Olympic tournament saw a puck that appeared to cross the goal line be ruled no good by the linesman. The puck had been slowed down by a stick in the attacking team’s zone, which caused it to wobble and come to rest on the line — not fully crossing. Despite the incident, Canada won the gold medal. The following year, the IIHF introduced a shootout to determine a winner in a tied medal-game contest.