Winter Games, Corona: China does not see the new Omikron coronavirus variant as a threat to hosting the Olympic Winter Games in February. There may be “some challenges”, but it is assumed that the Winter Games “can be carried out smoothly and successfully,” said a spokesman for the Beijing Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.
China has announced a strict protection concept for the Winter Games, which will take place in Beijing from February 4th to 20th. Athletes should only be allowed to stay in a closed bladder. Fans from abroad are not allowed to come. With strict measures such as quarantine, mass tests, curfews and strict entry restrictions, the most populous country in the world has been pursuing a “zero covid strategy” since last year. Smaller outbreaks were usually quickly brought back under control. Authorities reported 21 local infections across the country on Tuesday.
Squash: The men’s squash world championship in Malaysia has been canceled due to the non-issued visa for the team from Israel. In a statement, the World Squash Federation (WSF) announced that “the possibility that some nations cannot compete because the issuance of visas and travel permits has not been confirmed”, for the cancellation of the title fights from 7th to 12th December in Kuala Lumpur. In addition, the association justified the rejection with the new Omikron variant of the coronavirus, which “could have a major impact on the ability of certain teams to travel to the tournament in Malaysia.”
The tournament had previously been moved from New Zealand to Malaysia, although both countries have maintained similarly strict border regulations since the outbreak of the corona pandemic. Malaysia’s Sports Minister Ahmad Faizal Azumu said on Tuesday, according to local media, that the visas had not been issued because the predominantly Muslim country had no diplomatic relations with Israel. WSF President Zena Wooldridge said, “It is important to the WSF that no nation that wishes to attend misses the event.” Israeli athletes have repeatedly faced discrimination in international sporting competitions. Arab and Iranian athletes often refuse to fight duels with Israelis for political reasons.
Table tennis: The world number one fan Zhendong won individual gold at the World Table Tennis Championships for the first time in his career. The 24-year-old Chinese won the final against Timo Boll defeated Truls Möregardh on Monday evening in Houston with a clear 4: 0 (11: 6, 11: 9, 11: 7, 11: 8). The only 19-year-old Swede Möregardh had defeated the healthily ailing record European champion Timo Boll 4: 3 in the semifinals the day before. Zhendong has been number one in the world rankings for a long time, but recently lost out to exceptional athlete Ma Long in the most important finals. He lost both the 2017 World Cup final and the summer Olympic final to his compatriot, whom China had waived this time to test younger players.
Basketball, NBA: The second-best point yield in Franz Wagner’s still young NBA career did not make the Orlando Magic a surprise success with the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite the Berliner’s 27 points, the Florida team lost 96: 101 on Monday evening and suffered their 18th defeat of the season. “I’m very proud of the way he played out there tonight,” said coach Jamahl Mosley of Franz Wagner, whose brother Moritz Wagner was not used for tactical reasons.
“It’s a change for the time being. At Alba we won a lot more than we lost, and also at Michigan,” said Wagner, who played in successful teams at Alba Berlin in the Bundesliga and at the college in Michigan. “But I think that’s part of it. If you look at the good teams today: Many of them have gone through exactly those phases. I think we just have to take the process with us and learn from mistakes. That’s the only thing we do can.”
First of all, Wagner had a better result in the NBA with 28 points. On Monday he was the best thrower of the game and also put five baskets on for teammates. Maxi Kleber also suffered a defeat with the Dallas Mavericks. At 96: 114 at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kleber scored 13 points. Without national player Daniel Theis, who did not play again, the Houston Rockets got better and faster and won their third win in a row. The Texans defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 102: 89.
Biathlon: Johannes Kühn will join the German men’s team for the second part of the Biathlon World Cup in Östersund, Sweden. Justus Strelow has to make room for the 30-year-old, who was 13th best German in individual singles on Saturday and managed half the Olympic standard. Otherwise the team with Benedikt Doll, Philipp Horn, Erik Lesser, Philipp Nawrath and Roman Rees remains unchanged.
Juliane Frühwirt is no longer part of the women’s competition, she’s starting again in the second-class IBU Cup. In the first races of the season, the German women had seven starting positions thanks to the personal right of IBU Cup overall winner Vanessa Voigt. In addition to her, the single thirds Denise Herrmann, Janina Hettich, Vanessa Hinz, Franziska Preuss and Anna Weidel will again be at the start. The second sprint races of the new season are on Thursday, followed by the pursuit and relay races on the weekend.
Football, Corona: The new Corona variant Omikron was also detected for the first time in Portugal. The virus was found in 13 players and other members of the first division football club Belenenses SAD, said the general secretary of the health authority, Graça Freitas, on Monday, like the newspaper Public reported. Freitas emphasized that those affected were isolated and not seriously ill. In order to stop the spread of the new virus variant, the health authority ordered stricter quarantine requirements and further tests in these cases.
Even before it became known that these were Omikron cases, a particularly large number of Corona cases at Belenenses had already led to a scandal on Saturday. Because the bottom of the league could only muster six players against city rivals Benfica Lisbon, the game was canceled in the 48th minute when the score was 0: 7. Freitas dismissed a health authority responsibility in approving the lot. She spoke out in favor of having all participants in the game tested by both teams. The Portuguese called on them to take measures such as wearing a mask, ventilating closed rooms and reducing contact outside of their own family seriously. Despite the high vaccination rate in Portugal, the pandemic is not over. No infections with Omikron were initially known from Spain.
Soccer, Neymar: Paris St. Germain will have to do without Neymar for six to eight weeks. The Brazilian sprained his left ankle in the 3-1 win against AS St. Etienne on Sunday and injured his ligaments in the process. The French capital club announced on Monday. Neymar was fouled in the 87th minute in St. Etienne and badly twisted. The attacker then doubled over on the ground and screamed in pain. The 29-year-old had to be carried from the pitch in tears and later left the stadium on crutches. “Unfortunately, these setbacks are part of the life of an athlete,” wrote Neymar on Instagram and promised: “I will come back better and stronger.” Brazil football legend Pele wrote: “You will master this challenge” wished a good recovery.
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