Pedersen wins the fourth stage; They bring a new Tour leader

Political pressure in football

Dozens of European legislators are promoting an investigation in the European Parliament against Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA. The reason: his decision to lift the red card suspension of American forward Folarin Balogun during the World Cup.

Balogun received the red card in the United States’ victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina on July 1. Normally, that would have ruled him out of the next game. However, FIFA annulled the sanction for the round of 16, after Donald Trump intervened against Infantino.

MEPs Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters and Niels Fuglsang said in a statement:

“Changing the rule on red card suspensions in the middle of the tournament is a disgrace and a perversion of justice.”

And they added:

“Once again, we have seen Infantino and FIFA capitulate to the demands of the Trump administration.”

Lawmakers call on national football associations in the European Union to put pressure on FIFA’s Ethics Committee. They want to know if pressure from the Trump administration influenced the lifting of the suspension, and also to investigate “other possible violations of political neutrality,” such as awarding Trump the FIFA Peace Prize.

FIFA has said the decision was made by an independent disciplinary committee. So far, 35 colleagues have signed the MEPs’ letter.

“The beauty of sport is that it is based on impartial and transparent rules. When Infantino allows political pressure to determine who can play, that sense of justice goes out the window,” the legislators concluded.

Osaka says goodbye to Wimbledon amid annoyances and reflections

Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the grass-court tournament. She lost to Czech Karolina Muchova 7-6 (4), 6-4.

The 28-year-old Japanese had arrived in great shape, after eliminating world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, in the previous round. But on Tuesday he didn’t find his rhythm. “It’s hard because I played so well my last game, and then today I feel like I just didn’t play well and I had no energy,” he said.

The physical wear and tear was evident. Osaka revealed that she has plantar fasciitis, a discomfort that appeared last preseason and worsened on the grass. “I started to feel it because I am more elastic with the balls of my feet. On a hard court it doesn’t bother me,” she explained.

She humorously joked about her age: “I’m just getting old.” But he also reflected on the load of matches. He had played two weeks in a row without rest, something he would not repeat.

Despite the defeat, this was his best result at Wimbledon. Osaka, who took breaks for mental health and motherhood, still believes it is possible to win another major: “In my head there is still a chance to win a Grand Slam.”

The next big event will be the United States Open, where he has already won two titles.

The IOC takes a step towards Russian reintegration

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday relaxed its requirements for Russian athletes and teams to compete with the national flag and anthem at Los Angeles 2028. The decision includes provisionally lifting the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, in force since October 2023.

The organization justified the change by the start of the qualifying events and the need to offer equal access to all competitors. “We do not want to hold athletes responsible for the actions of their governments,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry.

Ukraine’s stance and persistent barriers

Ukrainian Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi questioned the measure: “Nothing changed in the war. The situation got worse.” He noted that on Monday Ukraine suffered missile and drone attacks that left at least 22 dead. “We don’t understand it. On a day of mourning, when peaceful citizens were deprived of their lives, the IOC decides this,” he said.

However, the IOC guidance is not binding for every sport. World Athletics maintains the ban on Russians and Belarusians in its events. FIFA and UEFA continue to exclude Russia from competitions such as the World Cup.

Among top-level sports, World Aquatics already lifted restrictions in April. The IOC assures that the Russian Olympic Committee confirmed that it does not carry out activities in occupied Ukrainian territories, although kyiv described that promise as “empty words.”

Control and next steps

Russian athletes have yet to prove they have no military ties nor have they supported the war. The IOC will monitor your social networks. The final decision on the flag and anthem will come “at the appropriate time”, probably before the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar in October 2026.

The return could mean Russia sends more than 300 athletes to Los Angeles, compared to just 32 who competed as neutrals at Paris 2024.