The Mets got their teeth kicked in Friday afternoon in Wrigley Field. It was a 12-4Cubs win, but the story here comes via the losing dugout. That was the ninth straight Mets’ loss. To make matters worse, they aren’t just losing. They are getting crushed. During the course of this losing streak, the Mets have been outscored 56-16. That’s just brutal. They’re being outscored by an average of 4.44 runs per game. Friday was another laugher.
This is now the longest Mets losing streak since 2004, when they lost 11 straight from Aug. 28-Sept. 8. The longest streak in franchise history is still a ways away at 17 (in 1962, obviously). Still, on Saturday, the Mets will look to avoid the 14th 10-game losing streak in Mets history.
One might recall that the Mets collapsed down the stretch last season. On June 12, they had the best record in baseball at 45-24, but they went 38-55 the rest of the way. They were 28-37 after the All-Star break, 11-17 in August and 10-15 in September. They still had a great shot at making the playoffs, but an eight-game losing streak in September had a hand in keeping them out.
As a reminder, the Mets have the highest payroll in baseball for the fourth straight season.
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Do the math here, right? If this losing continues, at some point, owner Steve Cohen is going to ask president of baseball operations David Stearns what’s going on and why he’s wasting so much money on a terrible product. Before the ax falls on Stearns, the fall guy generally would become the manager.
Is Carlos Mendoza’s job in jeopardy? Not yet. It’s too early and the sample is too small for that. It’s only 20 games. Then again, the Mets (7-13) were already five games out in the NL East before Friday’s loss and 20 games is more than 12% of the season. Circle back to the collapse last season and there would be justification to call for a big change like firing the manager.
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Friday, though, Stearns had his manager’s back.
“I think Mendy’s [Mendoza] doing a really good job,” Stearns said (via ESPN). “I think he’s putting our players in a position to succeed. He’s enormously consistent.”
The Mets have not been consistent. They haven’t hit, they’ve given up far too many runs at times and have kicked the ball around on occasion, such as we saw in the fourth inning Friday when a two-out error by first baseman Brett Baty led to a run.
The Mets do have some key injuries, most notably to Juan Soto, one of the most important players in baseball. Still, this simply isn’t good enough. Every team deals with injuries and most do so better than this.
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For now, it appears Stearns isn’t looking to scapegoat Mendoza. If this level of play continues through next month, though, all bets are off.
The main event for tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown has been revealed. This week’s edition of the blue brand will air live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and is the final show before WrestleMania 42.
According to a new report from Ringside News, the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal will headline tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown. Carmelo Hayes won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal last year. Hayes held the United States Championship for several months but recently dropped it and is not scheduled to compete at WrestleMania 42.
Thanks for the submission!
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Who will be the last one standing when The Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal returns TONIGHT on #SmackDown?! 📍: Las Vegas 🎟️: 📺: 8 ET/7 CT on @USANetwork
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Sami Zayn captured the United States Championship from Carmelo Hayes on the March 27 edition of SmackDown and successfully defended the title against the veteran two weeks ago on the blue brand in their rematch. Zayn will be putting the title on the line against Trick Williams at The Show of Shows this weekend.
Cody Rhodes is set to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42. The American Nightmare will be delivering a message later tonight on SmackDown ahead of their title match.
Tiffany Stratton and Jordynne Grace are also scheduled to compete tonight to determine the number one contender for Giulia’s Women’s United States Championship. Stratton was originally supposed to battle Giulia for the title on SmackDown, but the match was changed ahead of tonight’s show.
WWE legend praises Pat McAfee and claims he has real heat
Wrestling veteran JBL recently suggested that Pat McAfee had real heat with WWE fans after he was inserted into the storyline with Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton.
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Speaking on the Something to Wrestle With podcast, JBL complimented the former NFL punter and stated that fans were talking about him, which meant he had real heat.
“It just blows me away when a guy gets heat like this, people go, ‘Oh, no, no, no. It’s go away heat.’ No, it’s not. You’re talking about it. If it was go away heat, you would not be talking about it because you would not like it. You would not even mention it. It’s real heat. And people look out there, they want to have heels to my fans. They want to have heels, but they want to be in on it,” he said.
You can check out JBL’s comments in the video below:
It will be interesting to see which WWE star wins the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal tonight on SmackDown.
Sanjiv Goenka, the founder of the RPSG Group, has opened up about his ventures in cricket and football during an exclusive chat with NDTV’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Rahul Kanwal, in ‘Walk The Talk’. Goenka currently owns the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and also has a majority stake (80%) in the historic football club Mohun Bagan Super Giant, which competes in the Indian Super League (ISL). Speaking to NDTV, Goenka reflected on the contrasting performances of the two teams and how the cricket franchise is yet to ‘crack the code,’ unlike the football club.
“In football, we know what needs to be done, but in cricket, we are still not quite there yet,” said the 65-year-old.
The LSG owner explained that while they addressed the loopholes in the bowling department last season and retained their batting core, the batters have struggled to find their rhythm in the ongoing campaign.
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He also quipped that if he knew the exact formula for success in cricket, he would have implemented it long ago.
“If I knew it, why would I not do it?” he added.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant enjoyed a dream 2024/25 season in the ISL, becoming only the second team to complete a Cup and Shield double.
They had also won the Shield the previous year, though they missed out on the chance to win the Cup final, losing 3-1 to Mumbai City FC.
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LSG, on the other hand, made its entry into the IPL in 2022 after the BCCI expanded the tournament from eight to 10 teams.
While the Lucknow-based franchise qualified for the playoffs in its first two seasons, the past two campaigns have seen the side finish seventh both times.
As far as the current campaign is concerned, LSG incidentally sits seventh with two wins from five matches.
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Delhi vs Mumbai IPL 2026: Fans Flood Arun Jaitley Stadium for High-Voltage Clash
PXG staffer Auston Kim, who averages 290 yards per drive, is one of the LPGA’s longest hitters. And her power dictates a special fit. Recently, I had a chance to get some range time with Kim and PXG LPGA tour manager Scotty Kim and got a look into their process when it comes to getting clubs in her bag.
Here’s what I learned.
The bottom of the bag
Auston Kim started the bag with a 58-degree lob wedge, choosing to play PXG’s 3x Forged Sugar Daddy III wedges and opting for a lower bounce C-Grind offering in the lobber. She said she’s never used a 60-degree wedge because she prefers to chip with the 58 degree. At one point, she played just 52- and 56-degree wedges until a round with Hollis Stacey at a junior tournament.
“She looked at my wedges,” Kim said, “and said, ‘What are you doing?’ So she told me to go 50, 54, 58 and I’ve just stuck with it.” Wise advice.
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She continued the wedge set with a 54- and 50-degree S-Grind, also in the Sugar Daddy III wedges. I thought it was interesting that she chose the lower-bounce C-grind in the lobber, but Scotty Kim gave some insight.
“You know I think for her, with the shots that Auston hits around the green, the C-Grind provides some versatility for her,” he said. “Being able to open it up and still have the right bounce to get through the turf and not get stuck.”
Irons
Auston Kim had the PXG 0317ST irons, which are easily some of the nicest irons that PXG has ever made. It’s an iron that has stood the test of time over the years, and hasn’t been replaced yet by PXG, but we hear there may be something new coming soon. The 0317ST heads are what I would consider a “player’s blade.” It’s a narrow-sole option that’s meant to launch a little bit lower and spin a bit more while providing optimal control for the player.
Auston Kim hits her PXG 0317ST 9-iron during play at Shadow Creek.
David Becker/Getty Images
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Since Kim is a player who hits a cut shot and works the ball with plenty of spin, something like the ST provides her the feel, feedback and launch that she wants to feel in control of the ball. “I’m a stock cutter — I have to see the ball work left to right.” she said. She also talked about a recent iron switch that happened purely because Accra no longer makes her old Accra Tour 90 shafts. She’s now in the Accra TZi 95 iron shafts — it’s a fantastic graphite offering for stronger players looking for more of a ProjectX type of feel.
Long game
Kim really shines once you put some metal woods in her hands, and it starts with the hybrid, the hero of our story here. PXG has always made a really good hybrid. Even through a couple years of some iffy metal woods, the hybrids were always a good standout in the lineup. Kim, however, isn’t exactly the normal hybrid candidate. Hybrids are extremely popular on the LPGA, but a lot of that comes out of a need for speed and launch, not something that Kim concerns herself with. For her, it’s more about confidence.
“Personally, I think that I struggle with hitting the ball high sometimes,” she said. “I know I can get it up there, but the 4-iron just doesn’t look good to me. I’ve tried it a bunch before and I just — I believe that a hybrid has more versatility. I just like the look of this better.”
Even as a high-speed player with plenty of ball-striking prowess, the versatility of a hybrid isn’t lost on Auston’s game.
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We had Kim hit a couple fun shots with her PXG Lightning 4-hybrid, and she hit the nail on the head when she talked about how versatile the club is. Hitting it through all windows is stress-free for Kim, and it gives her the confidence behind the ball that she needs to perform on course. With ball speeds reaching 143 mph, she gets plenty of distance out of the club as well. With her stock shot getting to about 80 feet in the air, I challenged her to hit the ball up to 100 feet and then hit it as low as possible. She hit one to 100.9 feet in the air and hit a low stinger to 21.4 feet. Versatility? Check.
She then followed up the Lightning 4-hybrid with a Lightning Tour 5W and Lighting Tour 3W before jumping to her Lighting Tour driver.
Auston Kim and Scotty Kim worked together last fall when the new Lightning product came out and ended up fitting her into a Lightning Tour 9-degree Driver in the PXG FLAT setting with a Fujikura Ventus Velocore+ Black 5-S. Auston Kim works with plenty of spin, so using their Lightning Tour model helps to control her misses a bit better and makes sure that she’s not over-spinning her stock shot. The Ventus Velocore+ Black shaft helps keep up with her aggressive transition and helps stabilize the head through impact. It’s a setup she has a lot of trust in and has plenty of speed. Ranked fourth in driving distance on the LPGA doesn’t come easy, but clearly Scotty Kim has helped her build up a workhorse here.
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Auston Kim has got PLENTY of power.
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“I already liked Black Ops a lot, and when I first tried the Lightning Tour that was — I mean I saw an immediate jump in ball speed and carry so it was a no-brainer,” Auston Kim said.
Mercedes driver George Russell has claimed that Max Verstappen was not really complaining about F1 cars when he was winning with Red Bull in 2022, as he addressed the possibility of the Dutch driver leaving the sport. The 2026 cars have caused a lot of controversy as the new style of racing has its critics.
The new power units introduced in 2026 with a 50:50 split have led to adverse criticism from one side of the fan group, while the other has maintained a conciliatory tone. The new power unit means that drivers are being forced to drive well within themselves in the high-speed sections and are under-driving their respective cars.
This has led to adverse criticism from drivers, with Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Fernando Alonso leading the charge. The other side of the coin has seen George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, and Kimi Antonelli come out in defence of these cars, with claims that these cars end up inducing more wheel-to-wheel action.
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While that is true, Max Verstappen has emerged as the biggest critic of these cars, as the driver’s plight has been made worse by the fact that Red Bull is also struggling at the same time. As this continues, George Russell has weighed in on the matter and given his opinion.
Talking to the media, including Sportskeeda, the Mercedes driver pointed out that Max Verstappen was as vocal when it came to the 2022 cars, even though those cars were also quite stiff on the drivers’ backs and necks.
Russell also pointed out that Verstappen was at a different stage in his career compared to many other drivers, as he had already achieved four titles and would hence want to do stuff that is more fun. He said,
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“Formula 1 is bigger than any driver. So, you know, you wouldn’t want to lose Max because I think we all enjoy racing against Max. And it’s just part and parcel of Formula 1. I didn’t enjoy driving the 22 car when it was porpoising up and down, killing everybody’s backs. The car was big, it was heavy, the high speed corners, it wasn’t very pleasant to drive around. But he didn’t have the same complaint because he was winning.”
He added,
“Now, the complaints that he has currently are different to the complaints of Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren because we’re at the front end of the grid. And this is only natural, and you do understand and recognise the frustration but he’s achieved what most drivers dream of which is winning a championship. He’s got 4 of them.”
George Russell will understand if Max Verstappen leaves the sport in 2026
Talking about Max Verstappen, George Russell felt that the Dutch driver had already broken most records in F1. He didn’t strike as someone who was pursuing records in his career, and that has never been his aim.
Russell compared where he was in his career and where Max Verstappen was in his career at that point and felt that he could understand if the Red Bull driver decided that it was time to leave the sport at the end of 2026. He said,
“And at the end of the day, I guess you get to a point in life that you want- there’s not really much more for him to achieve in Formula 1. You know, he’s ticked all the boxes, maybe he can go after the records, but knowing him as I do and knowing drivers who have won or achieved similar things; at one point, you want to do what puts a smile on your face. And if driving the Nordschleife- I can totally understand why driving the Nordschleife puts a smile on his face.”
He added,
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“But my goal now is to become a Formula 1 world champion. If I have 4 of them under my belt, I’d probably be doing the same. So, you know, he’s in a very different stage of his career. And yeah, I think you’d understand if he stayed and you’d understand if he weren’t.”
Max Verstappen does have an exit clause in his Red Bull contract in 2026, and if he does appear not to be in the right frame to continue racing, then he might end up taking a sabbatical or retiring from the sport.
“And I’ve never been this scared in my life,” he said, “to go out and play.”
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Morikawa’s post-round comments on Thursday sound frightful. And yet, Morikawa is hanging around at the RBC Heritage event, a week after hanging around at the Masters, and about a month after he was forced to withdraw from the Players Championship. The latter looked alarming. Morikawa had taken a practice swing on his second hole at TPC Sawgrass, grabbed his lower back and was done. Because of the injury, he missed three weeks.
At Augusta National, though, he played 11-under golf over his final three rounds and tied for seventh. And at Harbour Town Golf Links, he’s kept things going. Thursday, he shot a four-under 67, Friday a 68, and he’ll be in the mix for the weekend. Of course, backs are fickle, and he’s being cautious. After his first round, he told reporters that he was swinging at about 50 percent.
“The body is probably slightly better than that,” he said. “It’s hard to trust the body right now. It’s a very uncomfortable feeling. I had never experienced anything like it until about a month ago.
“There’s just no trust, and that’s the hardest thing, to say go fire at the shot when you’re trying to play in a tournament because essentially for me I’m trying to last throughout the entire week.”
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The concern is what he can handle. For the past three years, he’s battled injuries to his back, but troubles then started in the gym, never on the golf course.
But a few weeks ago, he said he needed to play in the Masters and that he’d find a way to protect his back “a little bit more.”
“There was a point where it was like, OK, let’s stop pushing to see how far we can get,” Morikawa said, “and let’s see what I can just work with.”
The Masters, he said, was a mini-win.
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“I said it last week: It was one of the best tournaments I could have asked for,” Morikawa said. “Grinded it out, obviously got on some nice runs Saturday and Sunday at the end of the rounds.
“But yeah, this week hopefully we can put together rounds like this and see where we stack up come Sunday.”
On Thursday, he played bogey free. Friday, he played four-under golf over his final nine holes. He said he’s “dinking it around, slapping it.” He said he thought about not playing, but Harbour Town “is one of the flat test courses out here.”
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A question, though, is what the weeks ahead will look like. The Masters started a six-week stretch that features three signature events and two majors, and the hope, he said, was to play everything. But time at home might be needed. There, he can experiment.
“I feel like I’m swinging a little bit better in the motion, at least, but I wouldn’t say I’m putting more effort into it because, like I said, I need to be at home to say, OK, let’s turn up the gears.” Morikawa said.
“If I do feel a little uncomfortable, at least I’m home, I’m not trying to play a tournament where I essentially need to make it 72 holes.”
Thankfully for him, only 36 remain at the RBC.
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Winning and a $3.6 million first-place check wouldn’t hurt, either.
“I want to be very healthy,” Morikawa said. “I don’t want to be limping around and being scared of taking a golf ball out of a hole or teeing it up, and unfortunately that’s just where I’m at right now.
“I need to be comfortable in these uncomfortable situations, and these last two weeks are helping me slowly get over it.”
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell looks toward the scoreboard during second-half action at Soldier Field, Oct 15, 2023, in Chicago. The sideline moment captured O’Connell assessing game flow as Minnesota navigated in-game adjustments against the Bears, with late decisions shaping the tempo and outcome during a tense divisional road matchup. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
Quarterback is the most important position in the sport. It’s also one of the most important positions in collective sports. We’re also tired of hearing that. Every person who watches football for more than 3 games will hear that at least 100 times. And this is also a position that the Vikings just can’t get right. Which, well, we also know.
The Vikings are still searching for the true heir to Fran Tarkenton. Countless head coaches and general managers have tried, and in multiple avenues. Trade for one, sign one in free agency, draft one early, take a flyer on one later in the Draft. Safe to say neither has panned out.
Some have produced great seasons, like Randall Cunningham, Brett Favre, and Sam Darnold. Others brought stability to the position for some time, like Daunte Culpepper and Kirk Cousins. But none were able to take us to the promised land.
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History Shows the Cost of Waiting on Quarterback Calls
Since the 2011 CBA between the NFL and NFLPA, having a good quarterback in a rookie contract has been the meta. QBs have always dominated early draft picks, but that dominance has skyrocketed in the last 15 years. In this period, the Vikings have used three first-round picks on quarterbacks.
Christian Ponder was almost an instant bust. Teddy Bridgewater started well, but a nasty knee injury derailed his career. And J.J. McCarthy lives somewhere in between.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) is pictured during a Dec 10, 2015 road game versus the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. The primetime matchup was tightly contested before Arizona secured a narrow 23-20 victory late, handing Minnesota a difficult defeat. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
Like 99% of young quarterbacks, he is inconsistent. His lows were very low, but he also had some darn great moments. The bigger problem is that we don’t know enough. Injuries are a part of this, as they should be, but he does not have an injury problem.
And I know it’s weird to say that about a player with just 10 starts in two years. However, injuries are also very random, and neither one of his is connected in any form. His torn meniscus had nothing to do with someone falling on his ankle and spraining it. And neither caused him to hit his hand on someone’s helmet during a throw.
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The plan in 2024 was clear. They signed Sam Darnold, whom they saw as a capable starter, while developing McCarthy behind the scenes. A torn meniscus meant McCarthy couldn’t take advantage of that “redshirt” season.
Darnold reviving his career added a lot of fuel to the discussion. For 2025, they wanted someone to compete with McCarthy, but missed on the two QBs they wanted. Sam Darnold chose the stability of a longer contract with the Seattle Seahawks, while Daniel Jones saw in Indianapolis a QB battle he would have a better chance at.
With a very underwhelming season by McCarthy (and most of the team, to be fair), the Vikings once again looked to add competition. But this time, the former Michigan won’t be the presumed starter.
Kyler Murray didn’t have the career the Cardinals hoped for when they selected him 1st overall in 2019, but he’s a talented QB who is only 28 years old. He wouldn’t sign if he weren’t going to be the starter. This means the Vikings will have to decide on McCarthy with little evidence.
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Dec 22, 2019; Seattle, Washington, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) passes the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half at CenturyLink Field. Arizona defeated Seattle 27-13. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
To me, there are three ways this season can go. Starting with the two extremes, Murray can have a phenomenal season. I’m talking MVP candidate, deep playoff run, phenomenal. In this instance, giving him a long-term contract becomes a no-brainer, and McCarthy is on the trade block. Or he can struggle mightily, opening up the doors for McCarthy to start again.
Although I’d obviously prefer the first scenario, both at least tell you something. Either you have Murray long-term, or McCarthy becomes the starter, and you have more games to watch his growth (or lack thereof).
The worst possible scenario is Murray starting and having an “okay” season. He won’t be good enough to lead the team somewhere or justify a new contract, and also won’t be bad enough for O’Connell to consider a mid-season change.
The new GM would have to decide on McCarthy’s fifth-year option without even seeing him play. The only evidence would be him practicing with backups during the season and KOC’s opinion on his mechanics and development.
And that’s how you delay a decision. A very important one, by the way. I’m not saying the Vikings shouldn’t have signed Murray. Quite the opposite, actually. For the league minimum, not signing him would almost be malpractice. But it doesn’t change the fact that, unless we see an extreme scenario, the 2027 offseason will have the same discussion.
Manny Pacquiao claims to have received a definitive response from Floyd Mayweather, who recently claimed their upcoming rematch is an exhibition.
Their second encounter is set to take place at The Sphere, Las Vegas, on September 19, with the original announcement stating it would be a professional bout.
As such, fans were all under the impression that Mayweather would be putting his 50-0 record on the line, only for the American to swiftly lower everybody’s expectations.
As it happens, Mayweather already had two non-competitive affairs scheduled with Mike Tyson and Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis, though an official announcement regarding these exhibitions is yet to emerge.
In any case, Pacquiao fully expects to face his old rival later this year, reportedly telling journalist Lance Pugmire that “the fight is on”.
Speaking with ProBox TV, Pugmire recalled his conversation with the Filipino and reported his understanding that Mayweather has agreed to a professional contest.
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“Pacquiao reached out to me [on Tuesday] – we talked on WhatsApp, actually – and he said: ‘The fight is on. Floyd has come to the table; everything’s fine. We’re good to go’.
“We know that Floyd always wants things on his terms, so he’s going to ‘formally’ announce it whenever he’s ready to.
“But, according to Pacquiao, they are happy with where they’re at right now with this deal, and having the confirmation from Floyd that the fight is going to be a real fight.”
More recently, ‘Money’ has been involved in a series of exhibitions while Pacquiao ended a near four-year layoff last July, holding then-WBC world welterweight champion Mario Barrios to a controversial draw.
Olympic logos are far more than just branding elements — they act as visual representations of a host city’s identity, culture, and aspirations on the global stage. Each emblem is carefully designed to capture not only the spirit of the Games but also the uniqueness of the nation hosting them.
From traditional motifs rooted in history to modern, experimental designs aimed at global appeal, Olympic logos have evolved significantly over the years. They often combine sport, art, and storytelling, reflecting values such as unity, diversity, and excellence.
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Even when the logo for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics was unveiled, it featured multiple variations of the letter ‘A’ to emphasise its host city. With all this in mind, let’s take a look at the logos of the last five Olympics and the reasoning behind them.
2028 Olympics (Los Angeles)
The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic logo stands out as one of the most innovative in recent years due to its flexible and evolving design. Instead of sticking to a single static emblem, organisers introduced multiple variations of the letter ‘A’, each created by different artists and personalities. This approach reflects the diversity, creativity, and individuality that define Los Angeles as a city.
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The concept of a “superbloom” — a natural phenomenon where wildflowers bloom across California — forms the core inspiration behind the design. Much like a superbloom, the logo symbolises growth, energy, and transformation. The use of vibrant colours and street-style fonts further highlights the city’s modern, youthful, and culturally rich identity. It also aligns with Los Angeles’ global image as a hub of entertainment, art, and innovation.
Paris 2024 opted for a minimalist yet meaningful design that combines three iconic symbols into a single image — the gold medal, the Olympic flame, and Marianne, the personification of the French Republic. This clever integration reflects both sporting excellence and national pride, while also maintaining a clean and elegant aesthetic.
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The choice of gold as the primary colour represents achievement and victory but also serves as a tribute to the Art Deco style of 1924, the last time Paris hosted the Olympics. The logo’s simplicity mirrors the city’s timeless elegance, while its deeper symbolism connects sport with French history, identity, and values. It successfully balances modern branding with strong cultural roots.
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Tokyo 2020’s logo draws heavily from traditional Japanese design, featuring a chequered pattern known as ichimatsu moyo. Comprising multiple indigo-blue rectangles of varying sizes, the design symbolises different countries, cultures, and perspectives coming together during the Games.
The theme “Unity in Diversity” is central to the logo, reflecting the Olympics’ global nature and Japan’s cultural philosophy of harmony. The use of indigo blue, a colour deeply associated with Japanese tradition, adds a sense of elegance and authenticity. The logo effectively blends historical influence with modern structure, showcasing Japan’s ability to respect tradition while embracing innovation.
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The Rio 2016 Olympic logo is fluid, colourful, and deeply connected to Brazil’s natural and cultural identity. It features three human figures holding hands in a continuous loop, symbolising unity, friendship, and the collective spirit of the Games. The design is inspired by the country’s iconic landscapes, particularly the curves of the Sugarloaf Mountain.
The use of bright colours reflects Brazil’s vibrant culture and festive energy, which played a key role in shaping the identity of the Games. The interconnected shapes also represent movement and togetherness, reinforcing the idea of global unity through sport. Overall, the logo captures the warmth and dynamism of Brazilian society.
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2012 Olympics (London)
London 2012 took a bold and unconventional approach with its logo, breaking away from traditional Olympic design norms. The emblem was designed to resemble the numbers “2012” in a fragmented, angular style, creating a modern and edgy visual identity.
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The use of bright, neon-like colours and graffiti-inspired design elements aimed to appeal to younger audiences and reflect London’s urban culture. While the logo initially received mixed reactions, it succeeded in standing out and generating conversation. It represented a shift towards more experimental and contemporary branding in the Olympics, highlighting creativity over convention.
Until just a few years ago, the quiet community of Peyia on the western coast of Cyprus was known mainly for its banana plantations.
Over the past decade, however, the area has undergone a rapid transformation, driven largely by developments involving foreign investors, many of whom are Russian.
The most emblematic project of the development of this coastal community is the Cap St Georges complex, a luxury resort that includes a hotel and hundreds of beachfront villas.
Between March 28 and April 16, this high-end resort hosted some of the world’s greatest chess players, who gathered there to compete in the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament and the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament.
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Grandmasters descended on Cyprus
These elite players were vying for the right to challenge the reigning world champions.
The 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament and the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament were held at the luxury Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort in PeyiaImage: Loucianos Lyritsas/DW
Among them were elite grandmasters such as Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Anish Giri, Matthias Blübaum and 20-year-old Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan, who emerged as the tournament’s standout performer and eventual winner.
His victory earned him the right to challenge reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju for the world title.
Winner of the Women’s Candidates Tournament was 24-year-old Vaishali Rameshbabu of India, who will challenge the reigning Women’s World Champion, Ju Wenjun.
Candidate’s withdrawal
The tournament took place within a broader international context that cannot be overlooked.
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Ongoing tension and instability in the Middle East had a direct and tangible effect on the event itself. India’s Koneru Humpy withdrew from the Women’s Candidates Tournament, citing serious safety concerns connected to the evolving regional situation.
In a statement posted on X, she emphasized that “no tournament, no matter how important it may be, can take precedence over personal safety and well being.” She pointed to regional instability and disruptions to international travel as the main reasons behind her decision to step away from the competition.
Following her withdrawal, Humpy was replaced by Ukrainian Grandmaster Anna Muzychuk, who stepped into the lineup in her place.
20-year-old Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan (left) was the tournament’s standout performer and eventual winner. He is pictured here with Canadian-American chess player and content creator Zachary SaineImage: Loucianos Lyritsas/DW
The war has led to sweeping sanctions against Russia across international sport — and chess has been no exception.
Following decisions by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), Russian players have been required to compete under a neutral flag in official competitions, without national symbols, anthems or federation representation.
As a result, Russian players Andrey Esipenko and Aleksandra Goryachkina took part in the tournament under the FIDE flag.
‘Little Russia’ in Limassol
Despite the absence of Russian national symbols, the Russian presence in the tournament environment was still strong, especially in the audience.
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As Vlad, a chess enthusiast, explained to DW, chess has always been very important in Russia. “My parents learned it at school,” he said, showing how deeply rooted the game is in Russian culture and education.
When asked whether he had come from Russia to watch the tournament, he replied with a smile: “From Little Russia: Limassol.”
Vlad was referring to the most cosmopolitan city in Cyprus, situated on the island’s southern coast, where the Russian presence is especially strong and highly visible.
The 16 elite players at the tournaments were vying for the right to challenge the reigning world champions. Pictured here: information panels featuring the images of five-time World Chess Champions Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan AnandImage: Loucianos Lyritsas/DW
It is estimated that around 40,000 Russian-speakers live on the island overall. The wider figure is even higher when dual nationals and long-term residents are taken into account.
Limassol has become the main center of the Russian-speaking community in Cyprus: More than 30,000 are believed to be based there alone.
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Why Cyprus?
Cyprus’s Russian community began to grow after the collapse of the Soviet Union and continued in the decades that followed, driven by investment opportunities, real estate development and Cyprus’s attractive tax and residency framework.
Today, the Russian-speaking community forms an important part of life in the city, with a visible presence in business, education and everyday social activity.
The strong presence of the Russian-speaking community on the island may also explain FIDE’s decision to host the tournament in Cyprus — even though chess does not traditionally attract particularly strong interest among locals.
Although FIDE is an international governing body with members from over 190 national federations, Russia has historically held considerable influence within the chess world due to its deep-rooted connection to the game.
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Sofia was one of several Russian volunteers working at the tournamentImage: Loucianos Lyritsas/DW
Sofia, who is currently studying maths at the Cyprus University of Technology in Limassol as part of an exchange program, was one of several Russian volunteers working at the tournament.
She too told DW that chess is deeply embedded in both Russian education and culture, with many people learning the game from a very young age.
This strong cultural connection is one of the reasons she chose to volunteer for the Candidates Tournament and, she said, why there are many Russian employees and contributors within FIDE.
The choice of Cyprus as a location certainly seems to have appealed to winner Javokhir Sindarov.
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When asked at the press conference following his victory where he would like the World Championship match to take place, he replied that, if it were up to him, he would choose a warm country like Cyprus, adding that he would not like to play such an important match in cold conditions.
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