5 h. ago Inside the dirtiest race in Olympic history: ‘It wasn’t fair. I wasn’t on a level playing field’

How did the women’s 1500m in the 2012 London Olympics get its unenviable reputation? Athletes who were cheated out of medals talk about what happened that day – and how the results have slowly unravelledThe tunnel in which athletes wait before they enter a stadium ahead of a major race is “by no means a friendly place to be”, says Lisa Dobriskey – and as a former Team GB athlete who won Commonwealth gold and world championship silver at 1500m, she has stood in enough of them to know. “Different people handle it differently,” she says. “Some people are really relaxed and friendly; other people just look right through you. It’s scary. I remember my coach saying to me, ‘When you go to the Olympics, you’ll be standing next to the meanest, toughest, hardest people that you’ll ever face.’ Everybody wants to win.”As it turned out, the wait to walk into London’s Olympic stadium for the final of her event in August 2012 was even more stressful than she’d been warned. With British excitement ...

Sport

54 h. ago Paralysed rugby player returns to the field where horror incident changed his life forever and defies the odds by completing a heroic act

Exactly three years after a horror injury on the footy pitch changed his life forever, the 38-year-old has returned to the site of the accident and has defied the odds.

Sport

60 h. ago The EU fined Apple and Meta – but failed to really hold them to account. Was that to appease Trump? | Alexander Hurst

Instead of bazooka-level fines on global turnover, this €700m was no more than a slap on the wrist. It’s a missed opportunityThe European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, had some tough words for big tech this week, but it seems that at the last minute, the EU lost its nerve. Under the Digital Markets Act, companies that the EU has designated as “gatekeepers” – that is, digital platforms that provide core services such as search engines, app stores and messenger services – have special obligations and constraints that are meant to ensure a fair playing field for other companies.Apple, which takes a significant cut of purchases (including subscriptions) made through its App Store, violated the act by preventing developers from directing customers to their own websites to get around the “Apple tax”. In Meta’s case, the company was fined for forcing Facebook and Instagram users to either consent to letting Meta use their personal data, or pay a monthly fee to remove ads.Alex...

Politics

3 d. ago Manfred eager to see how many fans turn out for the MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol

Major League Baseball has played at the “Field of Dreams” movie site

Politics

2 w. ago Great Britain face new challenge at Billie Jean King Cup and must beware underdog threat

Injuries and absences have evened the playing field for this all-important qualifying tie, but Great Britain should still have the edge

Events

2 w. ago Masters field urged to show better pace of play example to young golfers

Time limitations could be introduced at next year’s Drive, Chip & Putt Finals at Augusta National

Politics

2 w. ago Igor Tudor injects fury into Juventus to rev up race for Champions League | Nicky Bandini

New manager has transformed mood and on Sunday halted the seven-match winning streak of Claudio Ranieri’s RomaIgor Tudor was on the pitch, stepping out of his technical area and on to the playing field as he gestured frantically at his defenders, jabbing a pointed finger so close to Stephan El Shaarawy that it appeared he might tap the Roma forward on the shoulder. It has been a little over 20 years since Tudor played his last game for Juventus, but all that time away does not appear to have lessened his passion.The Bianconeri had needed this, needed something, an injection of purpose, of fury, of life. All their energies seemed to have expired under Thiago Motta, four defeats in six games telling only a part of the story. Anyone could lose a match to Atalanta, but 4-0? At home? And to follow that up with a 3-0 thrashing by one of your club’s favourite victims, Fiorentina? Continue reading...

Sport

3 w. ago Dow and NASDAQ see historically bad day with plunges among worst ever as Trump tariffs spark sell

Trump’s tariff plan will ‘level the playing field for American workers,’ the treasury secretary said Thursday as the stock markets slide

Politics

3 w. ago Prize money for 2026 world darts champion doubled to record £1million

An expanded 128-player field will contest next year’s event.

Economics