Head, Coe, says athletics may have to ‘think out of the box’ if Olympic Games do not go ahead

World Athletics president Lord Coe has said that the sport "may have to think out of the box" if the Olympic Games do not go ahead in 2021.

The Tokyo Games have been pushed back a year because of coronavirus and Coe says there are "no certainties" they will happen on the new date.

He suggested that other events could be organised to replace those cancelled.
"I really hope we are in a position to deliver the Tokyo Games," he said.

Coe said: "We also may have to think slightly out of the box about how we might have to create other types of events if - I hope not - but if we have a very badly disrupted season generally."

The president of the London 2012 organising committee added that should the Games have to take place without fans, it would still be worth doing but that the idea did not fill him "with unalloyed joy".

In response to the finding of 19 allegations of emotional abuse or neglect of British world-class programme athletes by coaches since 2017, Coe said those involved in sport cannot be "remotely complacent".

He continued: "The most important thing that sports bodies need to do, whether they're national or global, is to investigate reports of harassment and abuse, and take it very seriously and with rigour. And it's got to be a system that the athletes absolutely trust in.

"But what sports do need to be doing is talking more about where these vulnerabilities lie and actually speaking to themselves as well. We should have that conversation among sports generally."

Earlier in August, the Russian Athletic Federation (Rusaf) paid World Athletics a £4.8m fine relating to the country's state-sponsored doping scandal to avoid expulsion by the governing body.

Coe said Rusaf must now present a reinstatement programme to World Athletics before the process of giving Russian athletes permission to compete as authorised neutral athletes could begin.

He added: "I'm hoping that we really can resume the reinstatement path, but it will only be achieved when I'm absolutely certain that we're not putting in jeopardy the careers of clean athletes for those that have chosen to cheat."

Headline acts revealed for new eSkootr Championship’s inaugural round at Printworks London

Three of the UK’s most exciting artists will support the opening round of the brand new eSkootr Championship (eSC) at Printworks London as part of eSC - The Party, which is included in the ticketholder experience for Saturday 14 May.
British singer songwriter, Lady Leshurr, will be joined by DJ Anz and DJ La La when eSC races into town at the iconic South East London cultural destination.

Heartache ends as South Africa overwhelm a sorry Afghanistan to reach T20 World Cup final

South Africa ended their run of semi-final heartache by thrashing Afghanistan to reach their first men's T20 World Cup final.

Heartbreak for Lions in tense FIBA EuroCup Women loss to Villeneuve

London Lions bow out of the FIBA EuroCup Women competition following a 77-64 loss to French side Villeneuve d’Ascq, a 148-141 loss on aggregate.

Having led for the majority of the game both on the night and over the two legs, a 10-0 run in the early stages of the final period proved to be London’s undoing. The WBBL champions attempted a last-gasp fightback, but the French side were too composed down the stretch.

Hendel dominated the successful Mattoni České Budějovice Running Festival as over 5,500 people take part

For the first time, the Running Festival took place in České Budějovice, which included the traditional Mattoni České Budějovice Half Marathon.

Henley Olympian Named Amongst New ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors

The British public has selected a further seven ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors from across the UK who are going above and beyond to tackle climate change. They will join the existing 13 Ambassadors, inspiring the public to go one step greener and having their stories showcased at COP26.

GB rower Melissa Wilson decided to do something to increase the impact that athletes can have on sustainability and tackling climate change and joined Champions for Earth in 2020.

Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Wellness Resort named Indian Ocean’s jewel in the crown

Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Wellness Resort, located in Bel Ombre, Mauritius, has been recognised as the Indian Ocean’s Best Golf Hotel at the 9th edition of the industry-leading World Golf Awards.

The accolade coincides with Heritage Golf Club’s recent announcement of its second course, La Réserve Golf Links, due to open in December 2023.

Hermoso says image tarnished by Rubiales kiss

Spanish TV has broadcast World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso's statement to prosecutors, where she says Spain's ex-football chief kissed her on the lips after the final without her consent. This is the first time that Ms Hermoso's account has been heard in her own words, and she tells the prosecutors that "clearly I felt disrespected" as a player and a person.

Luis Rubiales has denied sexually assaulting and coercing the footballer. He eventually resigned over the outcry.

An investigating judge is now carrying out a preliminary investigation to decide whether the accusations should go to trial. The National Court has since increased the scope of its inquiry to include other officials in the Spanish football federation (RFEF).

In her statement, recorded in the prosecutors' office early in September and broadcast by commercial channel Telecinco, Ms Hermoso complains that her image has been tarnished by the Spanish Football Federation. "As an employee of that federation, no-one protected me," she said.

She recounts what happened as Spain's players celebrated winning the Women's World Cup in Sydney, Australia, last August, when their victory became overshadowed by the federation president's kiss.

Hermono describes hugging Luis Rubiales and telling him: "We've done it."

Hero Cup stars set for Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo

Hero Cup players Ewen Ferguson, Robert MacIntyre and Victor Perez will return to The Belfry this summer for the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, from June 27-July 2.

The trio will tee it up alongside former World Number One Justin Rose and defending champion Thorbjørn Olesen when the popular event returns to the iconic Brabazon Course, assuming a new summer date for 2023. A sell-out Sunday crowd saw Olesen crowned champion at last year’s tournament, and fans are urged to purchase tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.

Hetmyer dropped for Windies’ England & Ireland tour

Batter Shimron Hetmyer has been left out of West Indies' one-day international squad to play England and Ireland this month.

Hewett adds another Wimbledon doubles title in completing career Grand Slam

Defending champions Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid won the wheelchair men's doubles title at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, defeating Takuya Miki and Tokito Oda in the final, 6–4, 7–6 (7–2), after claiming a long-awaited singles title to complete a career Grand Slam with victory over Martin de la Puente.

Hewett and Reid

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid defeated Japan's Tokito Oda and Takuya Miki 6-2 6-1 in the Paralympics wheelchair tennis men's doubles decider at Roland Garros to complete a career 'Golden Slam'.

Hicks and Keith seal individual Golds as British team seal eight medals in Dublin

Individual gold medals for Megan Keith and Charles Hicks and a second consecutive mixed relay title led the way as 40-strong British contingent topped the medal table at the 2021 European Cross-Country Championships with five golds in Fingal-Dublin.

Keith continued her stellar cross-country form and took the women’s under-20 contest by the scruff of the neck and held on in the closing stages for the British team’s first individual gold in the event since 2017.

High jump queen, Lake, makes British history with record-breaking 2metre leap

Morgan Lake made history by becoming the first British woman to clear two metres in the high jump as she finished third at the Diamond League Final in Zurich.

Highgate Set to Return as Host of Key 2022 10,000m Trial Races and Championships

The Highgate Harriers Night of the 10,000m PBs will take place next year on Saturday 14th May and will once again incorporate the British 10,000m Championships. The event will also return as the British Athletics 10,000m trial race for the World Championships and European 10,000m Cup as well as providing essential qualifying opportunities for Home Nation athletes targeting Birmingham 2022.

It will also provide a key performance indicator for athletes targeting the European Championships in Munich later in the summer.

History made as women race Cresta Run ‘Grand National’ for first time in over a century

After a ban lasting 103 years, which was imposed because of fears it would cause breast cancer, women have now been allowed to compete again, with the Cresta Run's Ladies' Grand National race, which took place last month.

History makers Lions and Riders to fly the BBL flag in Europe

The British Basketball League (BBL) have announced that for the first time in twenty years, two of its clubs will compete in European competition in the same season.

The London Lions will once again take on some of Europe’s elite basketball sides as they enter the 7DAYS EuroCup, becoming the first BBL side to do so since 2007.

History Man LeBron sets Christmas Day record in Lakers win

LeBron James claimed a history-making Christmas Day win as the Los Angeles Lakers edged past the Golden State Warriors 115-113 in San Francisco.

History-maker Angella Okutoyi shines as Kenya’s rising tennis star

Angela Okutoyi, a budding tennis player from Kenya, made history by being the first Kenyan girl to win a match at a junior grand slam event at the 2021 Australian Open.

It was the first time a Kenyan had competed in the Australian Open Juniors in 16 years, and it was just the second time a Kenyan female has competed in a Junior Grand Slam Tournament.

Hodgkinson a record-breaker in 800m Diamond League win

Keely Hodgkinson broke the British record to win the women's 800m at the Paris Diamond League as Faith Kipyegon stunned the crowd by claiming the 5,000m world record. THE British Olympic and world silver medallist won with a time of one minute 55.77 seconds, almost three seconds quicker than the field.

Kipyegon then dominated her race with a time of 14 minutes 5.20 seconds. It was her second world record in a week. The Kenyan smashed the 1500m world record in Florence seven days ago with a time of 3:49.11.