The final stretch before a major multi-sport event is supposed to be about polishing performances, protecting fitness and making sure months of preparation come together at the right time. For India, however, the countdown to the 2026 Asian Games at Aichi-Nagoya in Japan has brought a rather different concern into focus.

Doping cases have begun to leave their mark on the country’s contingent just days before the official start of the tournament on September 19.

Two wrestlers have lost their places. A shooter has been dropped and replaced. And now, an athlete who was expected to line up in two distance events is facing a doping notice of his own.

Abhishek Pal’s case is the latest and, for now, the least conclusive of the four. The Asian Games-bound distance runner has been served a notice by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after a banned substance was detected in his sample. The substance was reportedly found in a very small quantity and is understood to potentially be a female fertility drug.

Pal has not been provisionally suspended, leaving his participation in the 5,000m and 10,000m in Japan hanging in the balance rather than ending it outright.

The development, however, adds to an increasingly uncomfortable backdrop for an Indian contingent preparing for one of the biggest sporting events on the calendar.

Pal’s spot for the Games under cloud

Just weeks ago, Pal’s biggest concern would have been how to arrive in Japan in the best possible shape.

His domestic season had given him every reason for confidence. He won the 10,000m and finished second in the 5,000m at the National Inter-State Championships in June, performances that helped secure his selection for both events.

There was international pedigree too. Pal had won bronze in the 10,000m at the 2023 Asian Championships and had spent time training in the United States as he sought to establish himself at the highest level.

Now, his preparations have been interrupted by an issue that has nothing to do with his running.

According to media reports, the banned substance was detected in a very small amount. Pal is expected to seek an investigation and an early resolution, particularly with the Asian Games approaching.

What happens next is crucial. A notice is not a final finding, and Pal has not been provisionally suspended. He therefore remains in contention to compete, provided the matter is resolved in his favour or he is otherwise cleared to take part.

For an athlete who had spent months working towards two Asian Games races, the uncertainty could hardly have arrived at a worse time.

Wrestling suffers double blow

In wrestling, there is no such uncertainty anymore. The two wrestlers who were found positive for doping violations, i.e., Mukul Dahiya and Deepanshu, have both been removed from India’s Asian Games squad, leaving the country without representation in two weight categories.

Dahiya’s case affects the men’s freestyle 86kg category. He had secured his place through the selection process and was among the wrestlers India was taking to the Games. His removal means the country will have no entry in the category.

Deepanshu’s case has had a similar consequence in Greco-Roman wrestling’s 130kg division.

But it has also drawn greater attention because of the nature of the offence. Deepanshu tested positive for stanozolol in an out-of-competition test, with the case reportedly being treated as a second anti-doping offence.

For Indian wrestling, the numbers tell part of the story: two athletes, two categories, two places gone.

Shooting also took a hit

One of India’s best medal-producing sports in the Asian Games, shooting also suffered a doping blow ahead of the Asian Games 2026.

Gaurav Kumar Masoori was removed from the shooting squad following a doping offence involving propranolol. The 10m air pistol shooter had been part of India’s Asian Games plans, but his exclusion meant the selection process had to be revisited.

Akash Bharadwaj was subsequently brought into the squad as his replacement.

Masoori’s case, like the others, will have to go through the anti-doping process. But the immediate sporting consequence is already clear: one athlete’s place in India’s Asian Games team has changed hands.

And that is what makes the recent cases more significant than four separate disciplinary stories. They have begun to alter the composition of India’s contingent.

The warning signs are hard to ignore

The developments have also prompted a response from Indian wrestling’s governing body.

The Wrestling Federation of India has issued an anti-doping advisory to its athletes and support staff, urging greater caution over medicines and supplements. It has also indicated plans for anti-doping education and awareness programmes.

The message reflects one of the most difficult aspects of modern anti-doping rules: athletes can be held responsible for substances found in their samples even when questions arise over medication, supplements or what they were advised to consume.

That does not mean every positive test is evidence of deliberate cheating. Each case has to be examined on its own facts, and athletes have the right to respond to the allegations against them.

But it does make awareness particularly important, especially in the build-up to a major event when athletes are experimenting with training, recovery and nutrition under pressure to perform.

An unwanted theme before Aichi-Nagoya

The cases involving Dahiya, Deepanshu and Masoori have already produced tangible changes to India’s Asian Games squad. Pal’s case has not reached that point — at least not yet.

That distinction matters. But taken together, the developments have created an unwanted theme in the final weeks before the Games: India’s athletes are having to deal with doping-related uncertainty alongside the usual demands of preparing for competition.

For Pal, the immediate battle is to establish what happened and secure clarity over his Asian Games status.

For India, the hope will be that his case is resolved without another change to the contingent. The Asian Games campaign has not begun yet. But already, in wrestling, shooting and athletics, some of India’s plans have been forced to change.

New Zealand’s Corey Webster goes for a layup against Syria in the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers at Mall of Asia Arena.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—New Zealand strengthened its bid for a spot in the Fiba World Cup after dispatching Syria, 126-74, in the fourth window of the Asian qualifiers on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

The Tall Blacks improved to 6-2 in Group E just behind undefeated Australia (7-0). The top three teams in Group E and F qualify for next year’s World Cup in Qatar.

“I think we started off great and maybe took our foot off the pedal in some respects and Syria did a good job in making it a ballgame,” said coach Judd Flavell, whose squad also secured a key overtime victory over Iran on Friday.

“We challenged the group at the half on how to make a mark on the game.”

New Zealand didn’t seem to need much firepower in the second half after a hot start saw the Kiwis take a 31-19 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

“I think we just locked in, picked up on our standard and played good on defense,” said New Zealand guard Flynn Cameron after dropping 21 points, four rebounds and three steals.

Also providing significant contributions for New Zealand were Corey Webster and Sam Mennenga, who scored 22 and 20 points, respectively.

James Justice Jr. was the sole double-digit scorer for the Syrians with 22. He also had five assists and five rebounds.

The Saturday slate of high school football games to end Week 1 was uneventful on the weather front, unlike the first two days of the weekend.

Here are the scores and stats from Saturday as Week 1 wrapped up in San Antonio.

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Saturday’s high school football box scores

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Saturday’s high school football scores

Non-district

Lytle 21, Medina Valley Creek View 18

Harlan 30, East Central 14

Marion 35, Gonzales 34

Austin LBJ 42, Sam Houston 33

Brandeis 38, O’Connor 28

LEE 50, Edison 19

Warren 55, Jay 21

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This article originally published at Week 1 San Antonio high school football scores for Saturday.

Shohei Ohtani will not pitch Sunday against the Detroit Tigers after experiencing knee discomfort during a Friday bullpen session.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Saturday’s 2-1 loss that Ohtani’s knee still isn’t pain free, and he’s also having minor issues with the biceps muscle that troubled him earlier in the inning.

After the game, Roberts said Ohtani would not be used against Detroit and his next pitching outing is up in the air. Tyler Glasnow, who was expected to follow Ohtani, will now start Sunday’s game.

The two-way star hasn’t pitched since throwing six innings in a 4-3 win against the San Diego Padres on July 3, and would have only pitched an inning or two on Sunday.

“The hard part right now is trying to figure out if he’s not 100% in the overall body, is it worth giving him an inning to build him up,” Roberts asked.

Ohtani has been able to hit through the problems – he’s batting .274 with 12 homers in 45 games since his last pitching performance – and the addition of Tarik Skubal has made it easier to win without him in the rotation.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Screengrabs)

Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi took on a new responsibility on Sunday as he captained East Zone for the first time in senior first-class cricket during their Duleep Trophy semifinal against Central Zone.15-year-old Sooryavanshi, who is normally East Zone’s vice-captain, stepped in after regular skipper Ishan Kishan was forced off the field with a thumb injury while keeping wickets. Kumar Kushagra replaced Kishan behind the stumps, while Sooryavanshi temporarily took charge of the team.

Sooryavanshi embraces leadership role

The youngster has been one of the talking points of East Zone’s Duleep Trophy campaign. Although he managed only eight runs in the quarter-final against North East Zone, he impressed with the ball by taking two wickets.Sooryavanshi later spoke about his experience of bowling and taking responsibility for the team.“If you ask any batter, they always enjoy bowling. A batter always enjoys bowling and a bowler always enjoys batting equally,” Sooryavanshi said in a video posted by BCCI Domestic.The teenager also revealed that Kishan took a chance by giving him the ball and described himself as a “wicket-taker”.“Opponent team’s wickets weren’t falling, so I was asked to bowl two or three overs. Ishan Bhaiya felt like he was taking a risk, but he didn’t know that I am a wicket-taker,” he added.

East Zone make strong start

East Zone won the toss and chose to bowl first against Rajat Patidar’s Central Zone. Saransh Jain returned to the Central lineup after recently making his India debut in the Colombo Test against Sri Lanka.East’s bowlers made an early impact, restricting Central to 81/3 after 32 overs in the opening session. Abhijit K Sarkar claimed two wickets, while Mukesh Kumar took one.Sarkar dismissed Aman Mokhade and Kunal Chandela early, before Mukesh removed Central captain Patidar. Mohammed Shami also kept Patidar under pressure during an intense contest as East Zone controlled the opening session.

Elsewhere in sports news, disappointment for Lens and Lyon in Ligue 1. Lens were beaten 2-1 by Strasbourg after surrendering the lead, while Lyon were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at home by Le Havre.

In the Premier League, more frustration for Liverpool. For the second time in two games, the Reds fought back from behind to rescue a draw. They had been hoping for more against Nottingham Forest, but settled for 2-2 on Saturday in new manager Andoni Iraola’s first game at Anfield. Tottenham, meanwhile, suffered again, a second straight defeat, this time a 2-0 loss to Newcastle.

In La Liga, Atlético Madrid moved temporarily to the top of the table after beating Sevilla 3-1.

In Serie A, Juventus were made to work hard for a 2-0 victory over Parma.

Finally, tennis takes centre stage, with the US Open getting underway this Sunday. An especially wide-open edition is in store, with both the men’s and women’s draws looking difficult to call.

Chelsea have completed a surprise move with the signing of Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

The 33-year-old, who has been linked to leaving Villa for the last two summers, has finally got his wish as he has moved for £7.5million, signing a three-year contract with Chelsea.

It comes after criticism of Chelsea’s current number one Robert Sanchez.

Martinez, who won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina and twice secured the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper, is set to displace Sanchez.

“I’m delighted to be at this football club,” Martinez told the club’s official website. “Coming to Chelsea, for me and my family, was an easy decision to make and I’m just over the moon – I can’t wait to get started.

“I want to be successful here. I’m someone who wants to win at everything I do and I want to bring that here to this football club because it’s a football club that wins titles, so I think it’s a good match.

“I’m all passion and I play with my heart. I will give 100 per cent every game, every training session to make the club, my teammates and the supporters proud.”

Martinez became the latest high-profile player to leave Villa following Ezri Konsa, Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne out of Villa Park, with Ollie Watkins also on the verge of an exit.

The Argentinian joined Villa in 2020 and was a key player in their rise to the top table of English football, culminating in last season’s Europa League success.

He had tried to leave last summer but a move never materialised and another exit attempt fell through earlier this month when a deal with Juventus collapsed.

Villa said in a statement: “Emi joined the club from Arsenal in 2020 and has been a commanding presence in goal throughout his time at the club, which culminated in him helping Villa win the UEFA Europa League in May.

“He earned his first international caps while at Aston Villa, going on to win two Copa América titles and a FIFA World Cup with Argentina.

“He was also twice named the world’s number one goalkeeper, picking up successive Yashin Trophies in 2023 and 2024 as well as two The Best FIFA Football awards.

“With his stellar performances and infectious competitive nature, Emi will always be remembered for his part in our recent journey and success and leaves Aston Villa with the very best wishes of everyone at the football club.”