The Kansas City Chiefs began their NFL season with a 31-10 victory over the Denver Broncos.

Patrick Mahomes, playing his first game since suffering a knee injury in December, ran in the opening touchdown and threw for two more as the Chiefs recorded a statement win at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

New signing Kenneth Walker, the Most Valuable Player for the Seattle Seahawks in last season’s Super Bowl, made the biggest impact by rushing for a career-high 173 yards and scoring twice on his Chiefs debut.

“I’ve been saying it all off-season that K9 is going to make a difference,” said Mahomes.

“That offensive line and K9, they took over the game. It went really well.”

The Broncos levelled the scores in the first quarter, but quarterback Bo Nix was sacked four times and intercepted once as the Chiefs pulled away.

Three-time Super Bowl winner Travis Kelce moved second on the NFL’s all-time list for most receiving yards by a tight end with a 59-yard play for the Chiefs.

Only former Chiefs star Tony Gonzalez (15,127) has more receiving yards in the position than Kelce (13,073).

Singer Taylor Swift, Kelce’s wife, and actor Tom Cruise watched the game together from the stands.

The Broncos won the AFC West title last season, ending the Chiefs’ run of nine successive divisional crowns.

In Serie A, Inter continues its dominance and its fantastic comebacks. In tennis, the new ATP and WTA rankings hold their share of surprises. In the NBA, the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard have accepted their penalties.

Mumbai: Former Australia captain and India head coach Greg Chappell has stepped up his efforts to secure fair medical treatment and welfare for former Pakistan Prime Minister and 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan.As part of Chappell’s latest initiative, seven former Australia captains have approached Foreign Minister Penny Wong over humanitarian concerns surrounding Imran’s detention in Pakistan. They have urged the Australian Government to raise the matter directly with the relevant Pakistani authorities.The letter, a copy of which is with TOI, was signed by Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Kim Hughes, Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh. They stressed that they were writing “not as diplomats or political actors, but as former Australian captains who felt we should speak up.”The group said it was taking no position on the legal or political case against Imran, which it described as a matter for Pakistan. Their concern, they said, was the treatment of anyone in detention, calling it “a matter of basic humanity, whatever their politics.”The former captains highlighted concerns raised publicly by Imran’s sons and sisters over his health and treatment, including limited medical care, restricted family contact and minimal access to legal counsel.The letter also referred to Chappell’s last meeting with Imran in Islamabad in 2022, when he was Pakistan’s prime minister and, according to Chappell, “hale, hearty and fit.”“Greg Chappell last saw Imran Khan in Islamabad in 2022, when Khan was Prime Minister — hale, hearty and fit, by his account. It is hard to reconcile that image with the reports now coming out of his detention, and that is why we write to you today, not as diplomats or political actors, but as former Australian captains who felt we should speak up. Khan led Pakistan to its only World Cup title. He also led his country as Prime Minister. Australians hold him in great regard — as a cricketer whose skill and leadership left a lasting mark on the game we share, and as someone who has helped improve the lives of Pakistanis by building cancer hospitals.”“Beyond credible reports, his own sons and sisters have been pleading publicly for months over his health and treatment in detention — limited medical care, restricted family contact, and minimal access to legal counsel among their concerns.”The letter concluded: “This is not the first time international captains have raised this concern. It has been brought to public attention on two separate occasions in the past six months, and the reports since then — now echoed by his own family — suggest the situation has not improved. We would be grateful if the Australian Government could raise this directly with the relevant Pakistani authorities. Mr Chappell has also requested a meeting with you on this matter over recent weeks, and would welcome the chance to discuss it with you directly on our behalf. Thank you for taking the time to consider this.”The appeal comes weeks after 21 former international captains from nine cricketing nations, including India’s Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, wrote to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Aug 23 over Imran’s medical treatment and welfare.That letter, a follow-up to one signed by 14 former captains in February, followed developments that the group said fell short of a Supreme Court directive on Imran’s treatment. The court had ordered that Khan be transferred to hospital for examination by a medical board including his own physicians and his sister, Dr Uzma Khan, alongside reinstated weekly family visits.The 73-year-old Imran has been in jail for more than three years following his tenure as Pakistan’s prime minister and is currently facing severe health issues.Since the first letter, Imran’s former Pakistan teammates, including a tearful Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram and Moin Khan, have spoken out, as has current Australia captain Pat Cummins.Chappell had also requested a meeting with Wong last month to discuss the matter on behalf of the group but has yet to receive a response.

Female athletes have spoken out against a controversial sports gambling advert starring actress Sydney Sweeney.

The advert has gone viral online and features American Sweeney naked but covering parts of her body with various pieces of sporting equipment.

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It has sparked a strong reaction, with many female athletes criticising its sexualisation of women in sport, and how they are being defined by their appearance rather than their achievements as sportswomen.

Amy Hunt, who became a four-time European champion earlier this summer, referenced the advert after she ran a season’s best 22.10 seconds to finish fourth in the 200m final at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Sunday.

“Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like,” Hunt said in her post-race interview with BBC Sport.

Referring to Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s winning time of 21.47 seconds, the fourth fastest ever over the distance, she added: “21.4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears. This is a beautiful evening.”

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American actress Sweeney, 29, starred in the television series Euphoria and her films include Anyone But You and The Housemaid.

The backlash has included many other athletes from a range of sports posting videos of themselves competing or training, and describing the frustrations and struggles they have faced throughout their careers.

The trend was started by American gymnast Gracie Kramer, who posted a montage of herself training with the caption, “I don’t know what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what women in sport look like.”

Kramer told BBC World Service’s Newshour she “did not expect” the reaction to her post and “just wanted to uplift women and remind them that you may see these types of ads but remember that this is not the only thing that matters”.

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She said it was “so cool” to see “all the incredible athletes hopping on this trend, uplifting themselves, uplifting each other”, adding she was used to getting “very demeaning and objectifying” messages from men because of competing in a leotard as a gymnast.

Kramer added: “Unfortunately being objectified pretty much my entire career, it made me feel strong enough to post about this and to stand up for the women that don’t want to be objectified and don’t want to be looped into this unfortunate narrative that’s been pushed for a long time.”

Australia’s four-time Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus said: “Not only is it a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft, but every woman who enjoys sports for what it really is.

“How do we live in a world where monetising a woman’s body and sexualising women’s sport is still a thing?”

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British cyclist and Olympic champion Sophie Capewell MBE, rugby players Lisa Neumann and Ellie Boatman and Australian water polo Olympian Tilly Kearns also shared their stories.

“I think it’s quite powerful, the amount of women who’ve come out and said something,” Capewell told BBC Sport after her post gained attention.

“It’s giving a very specific picture of women around sport and I think that’s the challenging thing. Why is that the face of the campaign that is associated with sport?

“And that’s the way you want to portray a woman, instead of it having, I don’t know, an athlete or anything else that’s more sport-centric?

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“It’s not necessarily that people are upset with someone having autonomy, it’s the fact that that seems to be the only narrative that is directed around women in sports, or that’s what gets more popularity.”

England women’s rugby player Alex Matthews said adverts like Sweeney’s should not make young women believe there is a “one size fits all” body.

“You don’t get that idolised perfect body,” she told BBC Sport. “Especially in rugby – you wouldn’t have a team.

“Every body type has a strength.”

Matthews, who represented Great Britain in rugby sevens at Tokyo 2020, said one of the “most inspiring” things about being in the Olympic village was seeing “the older generations, the younger generations, the taller people, the you know slightly bigger people, but they were all the best at what they did”.

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Sweeney has not commented in response but she took to social media to post a range of photos of other athletes posing naked or in limited clothing, appearing to suggest hypocrisy.

The images were a series of ESPN covers featuring the likes of tennis star Serena Williams and MMA fighter and wrestler Ronda Rousey, alongside male athletes including NFL player Myles Garrett and basketball player Karl-Anthony Towns.

Sweeney was involved in another controversial advert last year, promoting jeans for American Eagle which featured the slogan “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”.

This also received pushback from some on social media, with criticism surrounding the play on the words “jeans” and “genes” which sparked a debate over race and beauty standards.

A plan formulated over the past twelve months has now reached its successful conclusion, with Shockletz punching her ticket into the upcoming Melbourne Cup.

The mare, a daughter of the esteemed 2009 Melbourne Cup champion Shocking, secured a ‘Golden Ticket’ into the nation’s most anticipated race by claiming victory in the Group 3 Archer Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Donning blinkers for the first time, Shockletz, expertly guided by Harry Coffey, was the $2.90 favourite and recorded a decisive 2-¼ length win over Think Giant ($9). Jennivamoose ($6.50) finished a further length adrift in third position.

Trainer Ciaron Maher was quick to point out the significant impact of fitting blinkers for Saturday’s race.

“I thought she was having a bit of a lend,” Maher shared.

“I could see her prick her ears in the last 100 metres at Caulfield and Jennivamoose actually went past her.

“I was toying with whether I put winkers or blinkers on, but as (part-owner) Lawrence (Eales) said, Shocking won the Cup with blinkers on, so I thought we would go with them.

“The team has done a great job managing her. It has been a long-range plan to get her into the Cup and back at Flemington, blinkers on, she’ll run two miles, so they can dare to dream.”

Maher, who has a history of preparing successful staying horses through the winter and into the major Cups, drew parallels between Shockletz and High Emocean, who secured third place in the 2022 Melbourne Cup.

“She’s a lighter style mare that doesn’t take a lot of work, like High Emocean, is clean winded and you just have to have them happy and well,” Maher explained.

“The longer the prep, not a lot of work, suits her.

“Thankfully the little tinker, and a good ride by Harry, we were very confident watching the race.”

With Shockletz now possessing a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption, Maher indicated that her campaign could be meticulously charted backward from the November 3rd running of the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.

“She won’t be over-raced, she will be on the fresher side,” he concluded.

Compare Australian betting sites for the best Melbourne Cup odds.

A total of seven former Australian captains have written to their government, seeking support in a bid to urge authorities in Pakistan to provide jailed former cricket captain Imran Khan with better treatment. Following an earlier letter by 22 international captains urging the humane treatment of Imran, several Australian greats have now joined forces to seek a diplomatic resolution. On Tuesday, these former Australian captains wrote to the country’s Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, to intervene diplomatically as concerns grow over Imran’s well-being.

The signatories of the letter sent to the Australian government are Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Kim Hughes, Mark Taylor, and Steve Waugh.

In a statement, the group of seven captains clarified that they take “no position on the legal or political case against Mr Khan”, describing it as a matter for Pakistan to resolve alone. However, they expressed deep concern over the treatment Imran is receiving in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, calling it “a matter of basic humanity, whatever their politics”.

Greg Chappell, one of the most respected cricketing figures in Australia, has requested a meeting with Senator Wong to discuss Imran’s case, particularly after the former Pakistan captain’s sons alleged a serious threat to his life in a recent interview.

What Does the Letter Say?

The letter penned by the seven captains reads: “Greg Chappell last saw Imran Khan in Islamabad in 2022, when Khan was Prime Minister – hale, hearty, and fit, by his account. It is hard to reconcile that image with the reports now coming out of his detention, and that is why we write to you today, not as diplomats or political actors, but as former Australian captains who felt we should speak up.”

“Mr Khan led Pakistan to its only World Cup title. He also led his country as Prime Minister. Australians hold him in great regard – as a cricketer whose skill and leadership left a lasting mark on the game we share, and as someone who has helped improve the lives of Pakistanis by building cancer hospitals,” it added.

In a conversation with the Hindustan Times, Greg Chappell emphasised that the political case against Imran is not a concern for him or the other signatories, but insisted that he must be afforded humane treatment in detention.

“Beyond credible reports, his own sons and sisters have been pleading publicly for months over his health and treatment in detention – citing limited medical care, restricted family contact, and minimal access to legal counsel among their concerns. We take no position on the legal or political case against him. That is Pakistan’s business. But the treatment of any person in detention is a matter of basic humanity, whatever their politics,” the letter stated.

When asked about the necessity of writing the letter, Chappell said: “We are concerned that he will die in jail.”

“This is not the first time international captains have raised this concern. It has been brought to public attention on two separate occasions in the past six months, and the reports since then – now echoed by his own family – suggest the situation has not improved. We would be grateful if the Australian Government could raise this directly with the relevant Pakistani authorities. Mr Chappell has also requested a meeting with you on this matter over recent weeks, and would welcome the chance to discuss it with you directly on our behalf. Thank you for taking the time to consider this,” the letter concluded.

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The virtual safety car (VSC) definitely throws jeopardy into races, but it does not do virtually what the safety car does. Would it not be more balanced to have a minimum of at least one full lap? Yes, this would dampen the jeopardy effect but what happened to Lando Norris feels like a chance card in Monopoly. – Kyle

Lando Norris’ bad luck with the virtual safety car at the Spanish Grand Prix has certainly focused attention on the ways this can disrupt races.

The VSC has always had issues – it freezes a race rather than resets it, which can be a bit boring compared to an actual safety car – but it has the benefit of minimising disruption when a track hazard can be cleared relatively quickly.

It has long been an opportunity for someone to benefit over a rival, because making a pit stop under a VSC takes significantly less time than under racing conditions.

But usually this has been in cases where one team has changed or deployed its strategy with the express intention of waiting for a safety car or VSC (such as Norris himself in his maiden victory in Miami in 2024), and benefiting over a rival who has run a more conventional strategy.

That sort of thing is considered fair game. What happened to Norris – a driver lost a race win because his specific track positioning at the time of a VSC meant he alone was unable to pit under it – is, to the best anyone could remember on Sunday, unique.

The media are not privy to conversations in drivers’ briefings, and Norris in particular gets a bit sniffy when information from those meetings leaks out because they are meant to be a safe space where the drivers and FIA can share opinions without it becoming a controversy.

But it emerged after the race that this issue, as Norris put it, “has been spoken about many, many times”.

Whether Norris’ misfortune leads to a change, such as ensuring that a VSC is deployed for at least one whole lap, remains to be seen.

There is no easy answer, because within F1 it’s recognised that safety cars are part of the competitive jigsaw, and can be used to a team’s advantage. And the latest rules have been arrived at after various previous iterations that worked in different ways, such as shutting the pit lane for specific periods.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said: “Offering a personal opinion, I’m puzzled myself as to what’s right.

“Is it correct to give enough duration such that everyone will have been subject to the same track conditions? So, for instance, the virtual safety car lasts at least one full lap.

“Or you just keep it in the hands of the Gods, and sometimes you are lucky, sometimes you are not. I’m not sure.”

There is process for these sorts of discussions – they go to a sporting advisory committee for analysis, before being reviewed by the F1 Commission of teams, commercial rights holder F1 and governing body the FIA.

That won’t happen quickly – unless it is decided by F1 and the FIA that it is a desirable outcome to change the rules. Right now, the momentum for that does not appear to be there.

What are the prospects for rookies coming into Formula 1 next year? Many drivers are re-signing long contracts with their teams. Are there likely to be any new recruits? – Mia

The most likely place for a new driver to come into F1 next season is Haas, where Esteban Ocon’s position looks shaky.

The two main candidates there are Italy’s reigning Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli, who is part of McLaren’s driver development programme, and Brazilian Rafael Camara, who is second in F2 this year and part of the Ferrari driver academy.

Both have tested for Haas and are said to have impressed the team.

Haas will want a quick driver who brings money, and it’s not clear who the favourite is. Ryo Hirakawa, Haas’ reserve driver and a long-time protege of Haas’ technical partner Toyota, is also in the picture, but considered a less likely candidate.

Elsewhere, there is talk of Red Bull considering moving F2 championship leader Nikola Tsolov, who is Bulgarian, into their Racing Bulls team.

To do so, they would have to drop either Liam Lawson or Arvid Lindblad. It’s hard to see how it would be Lindblad, after such an impressive rookie campaign.

But Lawson has also been doing a good job this year, so it’s not a given.

At Cadillac, they have Indycar race-winner Colton Herta as reserve. They have been planning for Herta to be in F1 before too long – the idea behind him moving to Europe and doing Formula 2 this year was so he could learn the ropes on this side of the Atlantic and be as prepared as possible for graduation to F1.

But Herta has had a very difficult F2 campaign this year – his best result is a fifth place and he is 19th in the championship – so moving him up to F1 for 2027 would be a massive risk.

Ugo Ugochukwu, who won the Formula 3 title in Madrid on Sunday, is another American said to be of interest to Cadillac.

He had been part of the McLaren driver development programme for several years until they parted ways at the end of last season.

But even if Ugochukwu’s Cadillac links become formalised, next year is probably too early for him to make F1.

He’s also extremely tall – well over six foot and much taller even than Ocon, Alex Albon and George Russell, the current tallest drivers – so getting him into an F1 car would not be easy.

The other teams are pretty much locked down, although it’s still unknown whether Fernando Alonso is going to continue in F1 next year.