Austria stripped of 2019 worlds bronze due to Seidl's doping case
Austria's Mario Seidl competes in the scoring jump during the men's Nordic combined World Cup individual event, large hill/10 km. Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa
Austria have been stripped of their team Nordic Combined bronze medal at the 2019 Nordic skiing world championships on home soil in Seefeld, skiing ruling body FIS said in a statement on Tuesday.
The announcement was made after the FIS was notified that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) made a final decision on the case of Mario Seidl, who has been charged with blood doping violation and was part of the team who won bronze in Seefeld.
Advertisement
The CAS imposed the annulment of Seidl's results, titles and prize money obtained between October 6, 2016 and February 18, 2017, as well as from February 19 to April 1, 2019.
That period included the world championships in Seefeld. The bronze medal was awarded to Japan, the FIS said.
Seidl had previously said that he suffers from a rare immune disorder called hypogammaglobulinemia, a condition characterized by low levels antibodies in the blood.
That's why his biological passport presented irregularities, he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
11 minutes ago
- New York Times
The Chelsea goalkeeping conundrum: Would Mike Maignan have represented an upgrade?
At the end of an eventful June mini-transfer window that briefly looked as if it might address both of the biggest concerns that Chelsea supporters have about their team, the sporting leadership at Stamford Bridge have opted to park any reassessment of their goalkeeping options for now. Liam Delap has arrived to provide a real No 9 alternative to Nicolas Jackson in time for the upcoming Club World Cup and, at the other end of the pitch, Milan and France No 1 Mike Maignan was the market opportunity upon whom Chelsea homed in to potentially give coach Enzo Maresca a more polished, proven foundation for his team than Robert Sanchez or Filip Jorgensen. Advertisement Maignan is entering the final year of his contract at San Siro but, as detailed in this week's Transfer DealSheet, Milan are holding to a valuation significantly higher than the €15million (£12.7m; $17.1m) Chelsea have indicated they are willing to pay for a player who could move as a free agent in summer 2026. As a result, they have ended their interest in the 29-year-old for now — though there is nothing to stop them pursuing a pre-contract agreement with him in a little more than six months' time. A footballer's value is typically determined by the mechanics of the transfer market, with sporting directors and owners of rival clubs engaging each other in a game of negotiation and leverage. That is vital in determining whether or not a mooted deal happens, but in this case it is ultimately less interesting for supporters than the footballing proposition: would Maignan actually represent a meaningful upgrade on Chelsea's current options at his position? Looking at a goalkeeper's primary responsibility (saving shots) provides the foundation for a compelling case to sign him. Over the course of 23,153 league minutes played for French side Lille and Milan since the start of 2017-18, he has 8.7 goals prevented — calculated by Opta as the difference between actual goals conceded and the post-shot xG value of chances conceded — at a mildly positive average of 0.03 goals prevented per 90 minutes. Sanchez and Jorgensen are both significantly inferior to Maignan in this metric, across far fewer league minutes. Djordje Petrovic, who shone on loan at Strasbourg in the French top flight this season, has performed better than Maignan, with 22.2 goals prevented at an average of 0.23 per 90. Petrovic may simply be an exceptional shot-stopper, but at age 25 has played fewer than 9,000 league minutes since the start of 2017-18, so it is also possible that his eye-catching numbers would regress at least a little over a larger, more comparable sample size. The positive value of his goals prevented is concentrated overwhelmingly in his seasons with New England Revolution in MLS and Strasbourg, while he struggled in his lone campaign playing for Chelsea. Advertisement Maignan's ability to be a net positive in terms of keeping the ball out of his goal, over the equivalent of more than 250 league appearances for Lille and Milan, marks him out as a safe pair of hands. But in the modern game, goalkeepers in elite teams are asked to do much more than simply save shots. Maresca wants Chelsea's goalkeeper to be just as comfortable operating outside his penalty area as within it, both to disrupt opposition attacks and to provide an additional passing option in possession. When it comes to being a sweeper-keeper, Maignan is as active as they come; no goalkeeper in Europe's top four leagues (England, Germany, Italy and Spain) made more ball recoveries outside their penalty area in 2024-25. His average of one ball recovery outside the box per game was precisely double Sanchez's average (0.5) for Chelsea in the same campaign, and also far more frequent than Jorgensen's average in 2023-24, which was his final season as Spanish club Villarreal's No 1 (0.6). Maignan is quick out of his box to intercept longer opposition passes behind his defence, but also remains controlled enough to make a good decision once he reaches the ball. Here, against Napoli in March, he jumps to meet a bouncing ball at head height with opposition striker Romelu Lukaku in close proximity and cushions a header to a team-mate rather than clearing it out of play: There is every reason to think that Maignan could be an asset to any team who seek to defend high up the pitch, but what about his ability in possession? That aspect of Petrovic's game has always been regarded as the most questionable fit with Maresca's style of play, while match-going Chelsea fans have not exactly relished the experience of watching Sanchez and Jorgensen bait pressure from opposition forwards before attempting to play through and around it. Advertisement Maignan absolutely backs himself on the ball; it is not difficult to find clips online of him dribbling around other teams' attackers, dropping a shoulder and chopping the ball away from attempted tackles, and waiting until the last possible moment before playing a pass. It is rare for him to be caught out in these moments, and he generally makes good decisions. But any Chelsea supporters who think replacing Sanchez with Maignan would bring an end to those heart-in-mouth sequences of passing under pressure would probably be disappointed. The prevailing trend to court danger in your own defensive third begins with the passes that goalkeepers are instructed to play, not necessarily the ones they would choose to make. Maignan is more reliable in these situations than most, but he is no stranger to playing what is earning a reputation as the most dangerous pass in football, as the below sequence in France's 2-0 win against Germany in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals last week highlighted. Maignan draws one German attacker towards him before nudging the ball out to Adrien Rabiot, who has a clear escape pass out to the left flank but receives under serious duress in front of his own penalty area. His first touch takes him the other way, he is bundled to the ground by Niclas Fullkrug and Deniz Undav converts the chance presented to him. Only a VAR intervention, for a foul on Rabiot, prevents Germany halving that two-goal deficit. Longer distribution distinguished Maignan early in his time at Milan. He is capable of launching the ball deep into the opposition half, right onto the head of his striker or perfectly into the stride of a winger, as he does to spring Rafael Leao for a devastatingly direct goal below: Despite his repeated public vows to substitute Sanchez if he kicks the ball long, Maresca does recognise the value of more direct kicking from his goalkeeper in certain situations. The results of this with the Spaniard have been pretty erratic, and it is hard not to conclude that Maignan would at least be an upgrade in this regard. Advertisement Maignan's assertiveness off his line does not always translate to set-piece situations; Liverpool twice exploited his conservative positioning to score through centre-backs Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk in a 3-1 win against Milan last September in the league phase of the Champions League. One of those was the result of the 32-time France international's misguided attempt to punch the ball clear. But, on the whole, he clears the bar that neither Sanchez nor Jorgensen set particularly high during this season, despite a stronger end to the campaign from the former. Maignan's age could also make him a solid 'bridge' goalkeeper for a few years while Chelsea develop 19-year-old newcomer Mike Penders, who will be involved in their challenge at the Club World Cup. We now know Maignan will not be with them in the United States over the coming weeks, but the market opportunity his contract situation presents is one that Chelsea may want to keep a close eye on in the months ahead.
New York Times
11 minutes ago
- New York Times
Who should Barcelona actually target in this summer's transfer window?
Barcelona are set for another eventful summer in the transfer market. The aim is to bolster a squad that outperformed pre-season expectations to win all three domestic trophies in Spain and reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2019. In the brief pre-Club World Cup transfer window, Espanyol's Joan Garcia, Luis Diaz of Liverpool and Manchester United's Marcus Rashford have been linked with Hansi Flick's side. The Athletic reported in the latest Transfer DealSheet that Barcelona are close to signing Garcia, who has a €25million ($28.4m) release clause in his contract with their Catalan neighbours. Thom Harris and Anantaajith Raghuraman have analysed those three players, plus several others who could — and maybe should — be on Barcelona's shopping list ahead of next season. Let's start with what we know: Barcelona are in for goalkeeper Garcia, and see him as a one-off market opportunity given that release clause, particularly after the remarkable season he just had for their city rivals. No goalkeeper made more saves than the 24-year-old in La Liga, and Garcia was statistically the best shot-stopper in the division after he prevented close to eight goals based on the quality of attempts he faced. He also claimed the most crosses and took the most touches of any goalkeeper in the division — a very busy man, and a huge reason why Espanyol, his boyhood club, have avoided relegation. Advertisement Garcia was heroic for them on several occasions, keeping clean sheets in four separate games in which he made five or more saves — again the most in La Liga. His rapid reflexes caught the eye, the example below in a remarkable 4-0 away win against Rayo Vallecano showing just how quickly he can react to tip a powerful near-post shot over the crossbar. Garcia has been good with the ball at his feet, too. Although Espanyol didn't look to play through the thirds from their goalkeeper too often, there were signs that he can make the step up to a possession-heavy system such as Barcelona's. In our next example against Villarreal, below, he is happy to hold onto possession and invite pressure onto him. He plays a simple, line-breaking pass through to holding midfielder Urko Gonzalez in frame one of the GIF. The ball comes back to him, and he's instantly under pressure as Dani Parejo continues to press from the front, but Garcia takes time to set himself, before picking out a lofted pass to centre-forward Roberto Fernandez that instantly takes the opposition midfield out of the game. A better pass from Fernandez in frame four might have led to a good opportunity on goal. In an Espanyol team suited to playing direct football, Garcia thrived at switching up his distribution and hitting attacking players with lofted passes over the midfield. In this next example against Valencia, he is back-pedalling as he receives the pass from his centre-back, under pressure from Hugo Duro. But Garcia manages to disguise his intentions, swinging his hips sharply inwards to play the inside pass up to Fernandez, clipping the ball into the centre-forward's chest and getting his team downfield effectively. Garcia only turned 24 last month — young in goalkeeper years — and while his excellent shot-stopping numbers might fall foul to variance in the coming years, his quick reactions and promising technique when it comes to picking out team-mates make this transfer a bit of a no-brainer for Barcelona, given the price. Should the deal go through as expected, they should have their first-choice 'keeper sorted out for years to come. At the other end of the pitch, Barcelona scored 174 goals in 60 matches last season. So why add another forward? Well, Robert Lewandowski turns 37 in August and will be into the final year of his contract by then. Replicating his impressive 42-goal return from 2024-25 will be difficult in the short term, and Barcelona need a longer-term plan. Ferran Torres, who finished with 19 goals, is a viable alternative but does not have Lewandowski's hold-up play and physicality, which Flick's Barcelona need from both offensive and defensive standpoints. Interestingly, Diaz and Rashford don't possess those qualities either, but both would bolster the squad's physical profile. They are also versatile, both playing in multiple positions for their current clubs. Rashford, who looks the likelier of the two to be signed by Barca, can play across the front line and is a front-footed ball carrier. His willingness to take on and beat defenders on the outside should create more space for Raphinha in the inside-forward role, especially against the low defensive blocks Barcelona often encounter in La Liga. Rashford has played his best football when paired with an overlapping left-back and would fit well alongside left-back Alejandro Balde. Advertisement Colombia forward Diaz is a better presser than the England international, having learnt from Jurgen Klopp and now Arne Slot at Liverpool, addressing an important out-of-possession need for Flick. Both offer a threat in transition. A move for either will be expensive, though, and Barcelona may require the money Rashford or Diaz would cost to strengthen in other areas. One of those areas could be left-back, particularly given the important role that position plays in Flick's system. Essentially a winger when Barcelona are in possession, their left-back needs the athleticism to get up and down the pitch and hold the width, and is ideally able to attack the space in behind the opposition with driving runs and pinpoint crossing when the opportunity arrives. Balde has been excellent, and has established himself as first-choice for Flick ahead of Gerard Martin, but with another potential 60-game season on the horizon for Barcelona in 2025-26, a competitive back-up option could be in their sights. Some believe the solution lies in La Masia, the club's academy, with 18-year-old full-back Jofre Torrents quickly making a name for himself with reserve team Barcelona Atletic in the Spanish third tier. There is growing belief that Torrents will be involved with the first team next season, and certainly that he'll go on the upcoming pre-season tour to South Korea and Japan. Torrents looks to be slightly less explosive than Balde when it comes to running the line, but with a stockier frame and the ability to turn quickly and dart inside, he will offer a different kind of progression up the pitch. Here he is against Amorebieta, ducking around pressure from the opposite winger and driving into the half-space, before poking it through for striker Ivan Cedric in the box. Barcelona have had plenty of success when it comes to quickly integrating younger players into the first-team squad, but there are a handful of intriguing options elsewhere in La Liga should they look to reinforce via the transfer market. Villarreal's Sergi Cardona fits the profile well — an energetic full-back who sustained coach Marcelino's left flank last season with up-and-down running and an eye for a cross. Only two players made more high-intensity sprints — defined by SkillCorner as a run that reaches at least 20km/h for over 0.7 seconds — than the 25-year-old in La Liga, while his seven assists led the way among his positional peers in the division. A look at his off-ball run profile below illustrates Cardona's desire to get forward; he is one of the most active full-backs in Europe when it comes to making movements ahead of the ball and overlapping his winger. It would not be an easy deal to prise a first-choice full-back away from a side who'll be playing in the Champions League next season, but if Barca can do it, Cardona certainly fits the bill. A more financially viable option could be La Masia graduate Mika Marmol, who was recently relegated from La Liga with Las Palmas. Advertisement The young defender shone after a move to second-division club Andorra in 2022, at the heart of Eder Sarabia's pass-heavy side with his two-footed distribution and confident ball-carrying out from defence. He completed 3,105 passes that season, a record for the division, and over 900 more than anyone else. That earned Marmol a move to Las Palmas, who were similarly expansive in their approach under Garcia Pimienta, but things got complicated following the manager's departure last summer, with Marmol moved out to left-back as the Canary Islands club braced for a relegation fight. A more direct style since Pimienta's departure has stifled his active role in build-up this season, but the 22-year-old has undeniable talent on the ball, showing that he can hold his own in physical duels out on the flanks too. Likely available for a very reasonable price, offering a more technically-gifted profile on the left than they already have, and more than comfortable stepping into a centre-back role if needed, Marmol could be a shrewd option for a return to Barca three years on. Speaking of centre-backs, Inigo Martinez proved the value of having a left-footer in the left-sided centre-back role as it created favourable passing angles, such as this one to find right-back Jules Kounde against Real Betis in December. No centre-back completed more switches of play in La Liga last season, with Martinez most often looking to find the talented Lamine Yamal in space. Barcelona have centre-back depth behind starters Martinez and Pau Cubarsi in Andreas Christensen, Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia and the versatile Kounde but none of them are left-footed and all would struggle to replicate the confidence the 34-year-old brings in possession, so they need to invest in the position either this summer or in 2026. Two options worth considering are RB Leipzig's Castello Lukeba and Goncalo Inacio of Sporting CP. Lukeba is an aggressive centre-back who is comfortable pushing out of the defensive line — a prerequisite for Flick's Barcelona. His recovery pace and experience playing at left-back are bonuses. While the 22-year-old can sometimes look clunky in possession, he is a confident dribbler. Below against Werder Bremen, Lukeba receives the ball and is instantly pressured. He lobs it over his marker and runs off his back to reach it before controlling with his chest as two defenders move towards him. Lukeba then knocks it past the defender in front of him and is fouled. A team-mate from behind him then races forward to meet the ball, creating a transition-like situation. Lukeba can combine his ball-carrying with passes to runners ahead of him. While playing for Lyon against Auxerre in 2023, he receives the pass, quickly changes direction and accelerates to evade an opponent. He then slides a perfect through ball to Amin Sarr. The Frenchman's passes are often hard to predict as he generates good pace with minimal back-lift. Inacio, meanwhile, is an excellent passer, as he shows below in a Champions League match against Besiktas, with a more conventional technique. The Portuguese centre-back mixes this up with accurate balls over the top for runners from midfield, as Martinez often did for Barcelona last season. Inacio also mirrors the Barca defender's ability to sweep up behind a more aggressive partner when required and in intercepting crosses. Both he and Martinez are an attacking threat from set pieces too, making him a more like-for-like replacement. As ever, their business in the market this summer will depend on the familiar financial restrictions Barcelona face, but the options are certainly there for them to strengthen while they are ahead of the domestic pack. (Top photos: Getty Images)
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
2026 World Cup: Who has qualified and who can make it?
We are one year away from the 2026 World Cup and the battle for qualification is in full gear. And while the definitive list of the 48 teams that will participate in the largest edition of the tournament hasn't been set, we do know the teams that are currently in and which ones are closer to booking their spot. Let's dive in. What we know: Who is in (alphabetical order, history of World Cup appearances): What's at stake this week: Asia (AFC) — Australia became the sixth country in the region to book its World Cup spot as it will join other regional powerhouses in Iran, Japan, and South Korea. There are also two surprise sides in Jordan and Uzbekistan who will be making their first ever World Cup trips next year. South America (CONMEBOL) — Brazil has joined Argentina as the two teams from the region that have qualified for the World Cup. Ecuador is on the verge of clinching as well. Other top teams like Colombia and Uruguay will have to wait until qualifying matches pick back up in the fall. Europe (UEFA) — No teams will be able to clinch a spot during this window. Four notable squads – Spain, France, Germany, and Portugal — still haven't begun qualifying due to playing in the UEFA Nations League finals last week. Other heavyweights like England, Italy and the Netherlands have begun their World Cup qualifying campaigns. North America/Central America/Caribbean (CONCACAF) — Aside from the three co-hosts, no one from this region has booked their spot yet. The second of three rounds of qualifying wraps up on Tuesday, but look for teams like Costa Rica, Honduras, and Jamaica to remain in the mix. Africa (CAF) — Another region that won't see any qualified participants just yet, with these teams not playing in June. Egypt has a sizable lead in its qualifying group, as do other contenders like Morocco and Senegal. Oceania (OFA) — This is done and dusted, with New Zealand already in and having this confederation's only direct spot. The tiny island of New Caledonia, officially a French overseas territory, still has a shot as a participant in the intercontinental playoff. The intercontinental playoffs, explained: Ahead of the World Cup, two spots will be clinched in the playoffs that will take place in March 2026. Six teams will participate, with Europe (UEFA) being excluded from this round: The two teams with the highest FIFA rankings will get byes to the two separate finals. The other four teams will face each other to reach those finals. The two teams to emerge go to the World Cup. Region-by-region breakdown: AFC (Asia)How many World Cup teams can qualify? 8 automatically, 1 enters the playoffsWho is in?Australia, Iran, Jordan, Japan, South Korea, UzbekistanWhat's on tap: The qualifying tournament in Asia actually started back in October 2023, and we have now concluded Round 3 of the qualifying process. Six teams have booked World Cup spots, with two more direct spots up (and one playoff berth) up for grabs when action picks back up in September. In Group A, Iran has qualified along with tournament debut side Uzbekistan. Both the United Arab Emirates and Qatar will move onto Round 4 for another shot at qualifying. Kyrgyzstan and North Korea were eliminated. In Group B, South Korea is in and so is debut side Jordan. Iraq and Oman will move onto Round 4 for another shot at qualifying. Palestine and Kuwait In Group C, Japan and Australia are in. Saudi Arabia and Indonesia will move onto Round 4 for another shot at qualifying. China and Bahrain move on. Round 4 will consist of six teams (the third- and fourth-placed teams from Round 3), and split into two groups. Those group winners advance to the World Cup. The runners-up go to Round 5, with the winner then heading to the intercontinental playoff. Here's how the groups after Round 3 finished out, with World Cup-qualified teams noted by an asterisk (*). Full standings can be found here. _____ CAF (Africa) How many World Cup teams can qualify?9 automatically, 1 enters the playoffsWho is in?None qualified yetWhat's on tap: Nothing in June. Having last played in March, the 54 teams (now reduced to 52) return to action in September. The nine group winners will advance directly to the World Cup, and the four best second-place teams will fight for an intercontinental playoff spot. At the halfway point of the qualification phase, there are plenty of top teams in control of their respective groups. Teams like Egypt and South Africa are in control of their respective groups for the moment. Morocco, the 2022 World Cup surprise semifinals, are also in control in their group. The one wrinkle is Group E – which has been reduced to four teams after the disqualification of Congo and Eritrea – and how that could potentially affect whoever finishes in second place, since it may not have enough points to be considered for the intercontinental playoff phase. Here are the top two teams from each group, as things stand. Full standings can be found here. _____ CONCACAF (North & Central America and the Caribbean) How many World Cup teams can qualify?6 automatically (3 co-hosts, 3 through qualifying), 2 enter the playoffs Who is in?Canada, Mexico, United States What's on tap: The three co-hosts are in, leaving three more automatic spots for the region. There are also two spots for the intercontinental playoff to be determined. Initially 32 teams began the process, with now 30 teams – six groups of five teams – in the second round of qualification. The top sides from the six groups advance to the third round. In Group A, Honduras is looking to advance. Cuba and Bermuda are the main contenders battling for second place. In Group B, two previous World Cup participants – Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago – are battling for the top two spots. Those two teams won't play each other until later this year though. In Group C, Curaçao and Haiti will move onto the third round of qualifying. In Group D, Nicaragua and Panama are also in control to move on, with Guyana having an outside shot. In Group E, Guatemala is the surprise side and will be joining Jamaica as the two teams that move on. In Group F, it feels like it's anyone's group to win. Suriname currently leads with El Salvador and Puerto Rico on its heels. Here are the top two teams from each group, as things stand. Full standings can be found here. Once the two teams from each group are settled, those 12 teams will be placed in three groups of four. Each team will play its opponents in round-robin home-and-away matches. The three group winners advance to the World Cup and the two best group runners-up move to the playoffs. _____ CONMEBOL (South America) How many World Cup teams can qualify?6 automatically, 1 enters the playoffsWho is in?Argentina, Brazil What's on tap: It's shaping up to be a fairly cut-and-dry campaign in this 10-team region as both Argentina and Brazil are now into the World Cup. The simplest way for Ecuador to assure its place is to beat or draw Peru, after Venezuela lost to Uruguay on Tuesday. Colombia still needs more results to qualify after drawing with Argentina. Bolivia and Peru still have a small window but Chile are officially eliminated. Here's how the current table stands. Full standings can be found here. _____ OFC (Oceania) How many World Cup teams have qualified?1 automatically, 1 enters the playoffsWho is in?New Zealand, New Caledonia (playoff team)What's on tap:The 11-team qualifying tournament from this region, consisting of countries and territories in the South Pacific, concluded in March. One team emerged from Round 1, joining the seven top-ranked teams of the region. Those eight teams were split into two groups for Round 2, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals. Semifinals, March 21New Caledonia 3, Tahiti 0New Zealand 7, Fiji 0Final, March 24New Zealand 3, New Caledonia 0 New Zealand will head to the World Cup, while New Caledonia will be one of the six teams in the intercontinental playoff. Full standings can be found here. _____UEFA (Europe) How many World Cup teams can qualify?16 (12 automatically, 4 through a UEFA-only playoff)Who is in?None qualified yetWhat's on tap:There are 54 (excluding Russia) teams who began the qualifying process in March. Some teams have already begun to play (England, Norway, Poland) while the teams who were ousted in the Nations League quarterfinals (including Croatia, Italy, the Netherlands) will only begin this week. The four Nations Leagues semifinalists – France, Germany, Spain, Portugal – won't enter the fold until September. In all, there are 12 groups of either four or five teams each. The winner of each group will clinch World Cup spots. The 12 runners-up move to a subsequent playoff round, added by the four best-ranked Nations League group winners that did not finish their World Cup qualifying group in first or second place. These 16 teams will then be bracketed to clinch the remaining four World Cup spots in March teams cannot reach the World Cup via the intercontinental playoff. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
