The head of the International Testing Agency (ITA), the body that manages anti-doping programme in Olympic Games and other major global events, has expressed concern at the high rate of doping cases in India and athletes getting “advance notice prior to testing” and avoiding furnishing samples if there is doping control.
ITA Director General Benjamin Cohen said in a report that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has passed on the message that if India wants to host the 2036 Games, the country needs to undergo “a lot of governance and structural reforms”.
“We’re concerned in general with the state of doping in India and we’re hearing a lot of things happening on the ground,” Cohen was quoted as saying by ‘The Athletic’, which covers sports for ‘The New York Times’.
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“We also hear stories of athletes running away when there is a doping control, and we hear of advance notice (given to athletes prior to testing).”
Besides overseeing anti-doping tests on behalf of the IOC, the Lausanne-based ITA also manages the anti-doping programme of around 50 international sports federations.
Cohen said he met with the officials of the New Delhi-based National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) at the recent Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina in Italy, and he was warmed by their apparent willingness to “team up with the ITA”.
But, he also admitted that getting India to join forces with ITA won’t be an easy task as that could be perceived (by India) as an admission of failure of its (anti-doping) system.
“I’m going to be frank: there is still some resistance to engage with the ITA, as there can be a perception in India that this is almost an admission of failure of the system, or that they’re not going to be seen as competent enough to deal with their own problems, so they have to join forces with an independent international organisation.
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“There’s a bit of scepticism as to how it’s going to be perceived in the Indian community. But I think they (India) are on the right track in that it is now known that the IOA and the Ministry of Sports want to do something: they want to invest. They have the resources, so I think it’s just a matter of time,” he said.
The ITA works with an increasing number of National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs) around the world to exchange intelligence and information, coordinate testing plans, and collaborate on specific cases or areas such as sample collection and education.
India has been topping the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of dope offenders for three consecutive years with the highest positivity rate among major nations.
The country is scheduled to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad and is aspiring to become an Olympic host in 2036 in the Gujarat capital.
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Doha, the capital of Qatar, is also in the running to host the 2036 Olympics, and the host city for that edition is expected to be known before 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Last month, WADA President Witold Banka said at the sidelines of a conference on Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) held in New Delhi that “nobody is blind” to India’s serious doping problem but acknowledged that there have been “sincere efforts” to address it.
He had also said India is the biggest producer of Performance Enhancing Drug (PEDs) and steroids in the world.
ITA was created in 2018 as a non-profit foundation under the supervision of the WADA and the IOC to promote independence, expertise and transparency in the global fight against doping.
“I’m disappointed, but what can you do. As you get older, your action starts to go a little bit at the most extreme points of the match.
“But, take nothing away, Shaun was awesome and he’s got a great chance of going on to win it for a second time.”
Resuming the final session 13-11 in arrears, Murphy started in scintillating fashion with two total clearances to haul level, only for Higgins to chisel out the next two to restore his two-frame lead.
Murphy’s fourth century of the match sparked another surge after the interval and, as Higgins began to miss some easy balls, the Englishman went into overdrive, winning the last four in a row to confirm victory.
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China’s Wu Yize will face Murphy in Sunday’s final after Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen missed a simple black to secure victory before falling 17-16.
Murphy was full of praise for Higgins.
“I just came out today knowing, if I got my chances, I could score,” he said. “At the interval, I was just saying to myself, ‘you’ve done it before, now you can do it again’.
“But John Higgins – what a player and what a man. The harder it gets out there, the tougher he gets and the better he plays.
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“If I’m half the player when I’m in my 50s, I’ll be very proud.”
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts to his score against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Boston Celtics will have to face the Philadelphia 76ers in a do-or-die Game 7 without star Jayson Tatum, who will be sidelined for Saturday night’s game with left knee stiffness.
Tatum did not play in the last 15 minutes of Thursday’s Game 6 — a 106-93 loss to the Sixers in Eastern Conference first-round play — and was riding an exercise bike in the hall during the fourth quarter.
Tatum appeared to downplay the issue after the game, telling reporters, “You guys probably saw when I went to the back, saw me on the bike. My leg just was a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter. But just kind of assessing the moment, the game was a little out of reach.”
The sore knee is not related to last May’s devastating ruptured right Achilles tendon, Tatum said. That injury knocked him out in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks and kept him off the court until March 6 of this season.
“It was my other leg, not the one I injured last year,” Tatum said Thursday. “I mean, I wasn’t like overly concerned. … I came out at four minutes, like I was supposed to. Just kind of assessed the game. (Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla) took the starters out fairly early in the fourth quarter.”
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Mazzulla told reporters on a conference call Friday afternoon that Tatum would be available for Game 7, and Tatum said at Thursday’s postgame press conference, “I expect to play.”
Tatum has averaged 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game in the series against the Sixers.
In Game 3, Tatum became the fourth player in Celtics history to top 3,000 career postseason points. Tatum (3,076) trails three legends — Kevin McHale (3,182), John Havlicek (3,776) and leader Larry Bird (3,897).
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Tatum, 28, is a six-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA first-team selection and a two-time Olympic gold-medal winner for Team USA. Through 601 career NBA games, Tatum is averaging 23.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists.
For the Sixers, Paul George was listed as probable with an illness for the game on his 36th birthday. Joel Embiid (post appendectomy) also is listed as probable, while Tyrese Maxey (finger) is available.
Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine celebrates the victory after winning against Mirra Andreeva during Women’s Singles final match on Day thirteen of the Mutua Madrid Open 2026, ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournament celebrates at La Caja Magica on May 1, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Marta Kostyuk defeated Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 7-5 to win the Madrid Open title.
It is the first WTA 1000 title of Kostyuk’s career and the biggest win of her career at 23 years old. She is now on a 12-match winning streak and remains undefeated on clay this season (12-0). The win also marks her third career title.
After the match, Kostyuk said: “It feels unbelievable to stand here right now. It took me many years to reach this point. One word I think about right now is consistency. It’s showing up every day, no matter how hard it is.”
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She added: “I’m very proud of myself and my team. Only we know how much we went through and how many times I wanted to give up. You kept me going. That’s why I’m here today.”
Mirra Andreeva also congratulated her opponent, saying: “I’d like to congratulate Marta and the team for this amazing win today. You’re playing very well. Congrats for the win.”
Andreeva also thanked her team after the match: “Thanks to my team for always being there for me and supporting me at all times. I really appreciate everything you do for me.”
The names of the five people who were killed in the Central Texas plane crash that was taking a pickleball team to a tournament have been revealed.
On board the flight were four Amarillo Pickleball Club players from Amarillo, Texas, Hayden Dillard, Seren Wilson, Brooke Skypala, and Stacy Hedrick, along with pilot Justin Appling.
A crashed Cessna airplane is seen in a wooded area on Round Rock Road in Wimberley, Texas, Friday, May 1, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Dan Dyer, president of the Amarillo Pickleball Club, said he’d played many games with four of the five people who died.
“I’ve handed them medals. They were excellent players. They were out to win some games,” Dyer said. “Every weekend there are dozens of tournaments. Some people get the bug; others don’t. But once they do, they’ll travel for a tournament.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigators are on scene and serving as the lead investigative agencies, DPS said in its Saturday release.
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But the cause of the crash has yet to be determined.
The plane crashed in Wimberley, a city 40 miles southwest of Austin, at 11 p.m. Thursday.
A crashed Cessna airplane is seen in a wooded area on Round Rock Road in Wimberley, Texas, on May 1, 2026.(Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)
Dyer said a second plane was traveling to the event from Amarillo at the same time. Authorities said it landed safely at the airport in New Braunfels, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of San Antonio.
“I haven’t heard anything from him,” the pilot of the second plane said, according to air traffic control audio.
A controller responded, “He started to move erratically, and now his track is disappeared from the scope. So, we want to make sure everything’s all right with him.”
At least one pilot in the area confirmed the troubled plane’s locator emergency device had emitted a distress signal. The controller called 911.
It was mostly cloudy in the New Braunfels area shortly before the crash, and there was a thunderstorm two hours later, the National Weather Service said.
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A Cessna airplane crashed in a wooded area on Round Rock Road in Wimberley, Texas, on May 1, 2026.(Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman/AP)
Wimberley, with a population of about 3,000, and New Braunfels, with a population of about 116,000, are tourist destinations in the Texas Hill Country.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
India will be without the services of Lakshya Sen during their semifinal clash against France in the Thomas Cup Finals as he is recovering from a swollen right elbow.
The 24-year-old Lakshya had saved two match points to script an 18-21 22-20 21-17 victory over world No. 6 Chou Tien Chen in a marathon clash lasting one hour and 28 minutes, as India notched up a commanding 3-0 win over Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals.
However, the Commonwealth Games champion hurt his elbow while diving for a shot during an intense rally.
“Lakshya is dealing with a swollen playing arm, particularly around the elbow, after his fall in yesterday’s match against Chou Tien Chen. He is also struggling with blisters on his feet,” former India coach and his mentor Vimal Kumar told PTI.
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With Lakshya unavailable, young Ayush Shetty will play the opening singles against world No. 4 Christo Popov, who had defeated the Indian in their only meeting at the Hylo Open in 2024.
World No. 30 Kidambi Srikanth, who had won six matches during India’s title run in 2022, will feature in the second singles against world No. 10 Alex Lanier.
HS Prannoy, who has delivered as a third singles player, will then take on world No. 17 Toma Junior Popov, who has a 1-0 head-to-head record against the Indian, having beaten him at the All England Championships in 2025.
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If the tie extends beyond the singles, Hariharan Amsakarunan and M R Arjun are slated to face Eloi Adam and Leo Rossi in the first doubles.
In the concluding match, world No. 4 pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will take on the Popov brothers.
“I dont think it is a set back, we have a good team, every one is confident and if we can pull this match, hopefully Lakshya will be available for the final,” Badminton Association of India (BAI) secretary Sanjay Mishra said.
Under tournament regulations, ties generally follow player rankings, with the highest-ranked singles and doubles players from each team facing their counterparts.
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However, if players are scheduled to compete in both singles and doubles, they must complete their singles matches before pairing up in doubles.
In France’s case, this means all three singles matches will be played first, followed by the doubles.
India are assured of a medal after reaching the semifinals. The country had won the Thomas Cup in 2022 and also claimed bronze medals in 1952, 1955 and 1979.
Mark Allen missed a simple black to book his place in his first World Snooker Championship final before falling 17-16 to Wu Yize in one of the most dramatic last-four finishes in Crucible history.
The 40-year-old Antrim man had the match at his mercy when he got on top of an error-strewn 32nd frame and required just the black off its spot to wrap up a 17-15 win.
But incredibly Allen rattled the pocket, leaving Wu an unexpected chance to haul level at 16-16 and set up a pressure-filled decider in front of a raucous Sheffield crowd.
Allen shut out his nightmare brilliantly, easing into a 47-point lead before an unlucky split on the reds left him out of position and ultimately let in the nerveless 22-year-old to cue up a brilliant 71 clearance to win 17-16 and set up a final against Shaun Murphy.
Shell-shocked Allen told BBC Sport: “You don’t deserve to be in a world final if you’re missing balls like that. It was just pure pressure, to be honest.
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“Even though I’m devastated to lose that match I think the right person’s in the final. The way he plays is great for the game, he scores heavily and pots some ridiculous long balls. He’s going to win many world titles.”
Saturday’s last two sessions provided a stunning antidote to Friday night’s notorious 100-minute frame that former champion Steve Davis had dubbed an “embarrassment”.
In a session that saw two swift re-racks, Allen consistently nudged one frame clear only to be hauled back repeatedly by the free-scoring Chinese star, who drilled long reds and seemed almost impervious to the mounting pressure.
The pivotal moment looked to have arrived in frame 30 when Wu missed a simple red to the middle, letting Allen move to the brink of victory at 16-14 – only for the irresistible Wu to fire back and force the dramatic conclusion.
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Earlier, Murphy twice overturned a two-frame deficit in the final session against Higgins as he was forced to dredge up his best form to see off the 50-year-old Scot.
Their clash looked nailed-on for a decider until Higgins fluffed a black on a break of 50, gifting Murphy the chance to get over the line at the second attempt.
Murphy told the BBC: “I just came out today knowing if I got my chances I could score. At the interval I was just saying to myself, ‘you’ve done it before, now you can do it again’.
“But John Higgins – what a player and what a man. The harder it gets out there, the tougher he gets and the better he plays. If I’m half the player when I’m in my 50s, I’ll be very proud.”
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Resuming the final session 13-11 in arrears, Murphy started in scintillating fashion with two total clearances to haul level, only for the Scot to chisel out the next two to restore his two-frame lead.
Murphy’s fourth century of the match sparked another surge after the interval, and as Higgins began to miss some easy balls, the 43-year-old Murphy went into overdrive, winning the last four in a row to confirm victory.
Higgins paid tribute to Murphy, saying: “The way Shaun hit the ball in that session was incredible. He just hits it like God.
“I’m disappointed but what can you do. As you get older your action starts to go a little bit at the most extreme points of the match, but take nothing away, Shaun was awesome and he’s got a great chance of going on to win it for a second time.”
Should Tommy Berry secure his maiden $1 million The Archer victory, gratitude would go to jockey peer James McDonald.
For the Sunday Rockhampton main event, Berry steps in on the Tony and Maddysen Sears-prepared Yellow Brick, as McDonald passed on the initial offer for a family holiday already arranged.
McDonald piloted Yellow Brick successfully twice, with wins including the gelding’s most recent at the Gold Coast in January, and he enthusiastically recommended Berry make the North Queensland journey.
“They asked James McDonald, and he was away on holidays, so he asked if I’d be interested,” Berry said.
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“He gave him a pretty good wrap and said the horse gets in well at the weights with 56-1/2 kilos.
“I know Maddy and her father, but I haven’t ridden for them before, I don’t believe. So it was through James I got the ride there and decided to go up.”
Bearing nine rides at Rockhampton with two wins and two placings to his name, Berry enters The Archer (1300m) for the first time via Yellow Brick.
He lined up for Better Get Set some years prior, only for that contender to be scratched on race day.
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“I also rode there on Newmarket day four or five years ago and I think I rode a couple of winners out of five rides. That was the first time I ever went there,” Berry said.
“Yellow Brick is definitely ready to go. His last trial was sharp and in good time, so the team has him primed for the race.
“They’re very confident and James gave it a very good push. He really liked him.”
Arriving in Rockhampton wraps up an intense few days for Berry, featuring the Wagga Carnival Thursday-Friday and Hawkesbury’s Saturday standalone.
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He’ll keep flying high with Brisbane commitments dominating the winter carnival schedule.
“This week is hard because we’ve got Wagga on the Thursday and Friday, but I do enjoy going to different places and supporting the clubs,” Berry said.
“I’m going to be up in Brisbane for pretty much the whole carnival now, so the travel is something you’ve got to get used to.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, making Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train the winner of the opening leg of the Triple Crown.
The horse charged down the stretch to make history for DeVaux in the 1 1/8-mile race. Renegade was second and long shot Ocelli third.
DeVaux is just the second female trainer to win any Triple Crown race after Jena Antonucci with Arcangelo in the 2023 Belmont Stakes. She won the Derby in her first opportunity, eight years after starting her own stable.
During the week, DeVaux shifted from downplaying what it would mean to be the first woman to train a Derby winner to understanding she’s a role model to girls who might want to follow in her footsteps someday. She’s just the 18th woman to saddle a horse in the Kentucky Derby.
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Jockey Jose Ortiz showed off the riding prowess that has made him so successful at Churchill Downs in recent days to win the Derby for the first time in his 11th try. He beat brother Irad, who rode Renegade, to that accomplishment.
The race went on with just 18 horses after Great White was a late scratch for flipping and throwing his jockey.
Nigeria women’s national under-20 football team moved closer to qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after defeating Malawi women’s national under-20 football team 2-0 in the first leg of their qualifier on Saturday in Ikenne.
The Nigerian side struggled to break down Malawi in the opening half as both teams went into the break without a goal.
Just moments after the restart, the Falconets took the lead when a dangerous cross into the penalty area caused confusion in Malawi’s defence, forcing Kenneth Maureen to score an own goal.
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Nigeria continued to push forward and doubled their advantage 10 minutes later through Ifeanyi Kindness. The forward calmly rounded the goalkeeper before placing the ball into the empty net.
Coach Moses Aduku and his players will now head into the second leg with confidence as they aim to complete qualification for the tournament.
Nigeria are chasing one of Africa’s four tickets for the competition and remain one of the most successful teams in the history of the tournament.
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The Falconets have qualified for every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and finished as runners-up twice, losing to Germany women’s national under-20 football team in the finals of 2010 and 2014.
The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will take place in Poland from September 5 to September 27, 2026.
The Indiana Fever wrap up their 2026 preseason schedule Saturday night against the Nigerian national team.
Caitlin Clark was not listed on the injury report entering the game. Concerns arose about her health and immediate availability after she collided with a Dallas Wings player in Thursday’s preseason matchup. She limped to the bench but appeared to walk it off during a replay review that resulted in a Flagrant 1 call.
Clark returned to make two free throws before spending the remainder of the game on the sideline.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever brings the ball up court against Azzi Fudd of the Dallas Wings during the first half of a preseason game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 30, 2026.(Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
She finished with a team-high 21 points. Clark made two of her three attempted three-pointers, while knocking down 11 of 13 from the free throw line. She also had two rebounds, four assists and one steal in the contest.
Two days later, the two-time All-Star is available for Saturday night’s game despite the injury scare.
A string of injuries sidelined Clark in 2025, limiting the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader to 13 games in her second WNBA season. The injury woes last year included a groin strain followed by an ankle bone bruise.
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark plays during the first half against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Apr. 25, 2026.(John Jones/Imagn Images)
Ahead of the WNBA’s milestone 30th season, ESPN ranked the league’s top 50 active players. Back-to-back MVP and defending WNBA champion A’ja Wilson led the list at No. 1. She was also ESPN’s top-ranked player entering 2025. Clark was the No. 10 player on the list.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark shoots the ball in the second half against the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on April 30, 2026.(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
Indiana appears to be getting healthy ahead of the regular season, with Fever center Aliyah Boston expected to make her debut Saturday. She missed the first two exhibition games after suffering an injury while playing in Unrivaled. Fever guard Ty Harris was also cleared to play Saturday.
The Fever open the regular season on May 9 in Dallas against the Wings.
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Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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