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Tour de France: African star Biniam Girmay aiming for  glory – DW – 07/10/2025

Tour de France: African star Biniam Girmay aiming for glory – DW – 07/10/2025

DW10-07-2025
Africa's cycling star Biniam Girmay has a tough task repeating his successes from the 2024 Tour de France but remains optimistic. He is unsure whether he will even compete the upcoming World Championships in Rwanda.
Last year, Africa's most prominent cyclist, Biniam Girmay, won three sprint stages in the Tour de France and took home the green jersey for the best points-scoring rider, usually a sprinter. He was the first black professional cyclist from Africa to do any of these things, marking his achievements as a moment of history for African cycling and for his home country of Eritrea. In Asmara, the capital, Girmay was welcomed with a motorcade as people danced and cheered for their hero.
This year, even though fans from Eritrea continue to celebrate him despite being thousands of miles away, Girmay has found life on the Tour a bit more challenging.
Nevertheless, he finished second in the opening stage behind the Belgian Jasper Philipsen.
"I felt good and enjoyed the day," Girmay told DW afterwards. "But I had to do everything on my own, so I used up a lot of energy. And Jasper was the fastest in the end."
Despite converting his good form into a second-place finish, the 25-year-old wasn't that happy. "I'm a bit disappointed," said Girmay. "I would at least have liked to have had a teammate with me. That has to get better. But it is what it is. We're at the Tour de France and not everything will always go perfectly."
Things have not gone quites so well in the subsequent stages, with Girmay slowed by an injury to his knee. Despite that, he still has big goals ahead: he wants to win at least one stage again and also fight for the green jersey.
Does the pressure of having to repeat last year's success weigh on him?
"No, it just gives me motivation," replied the sprint specialist from Eritrea. "I've spoken to a few guys who have been there many times and they say that winning just one stage is super tough. And I had three in one year. That gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of my career."
Despite his success, Girmay has not changed as a person, according to people close to him.
"There are more people who want something from him. But he's still the same," his coach and sporting director Aike Visbeek said. "His career is progressing fast. But it's not so much the green jersey that has changed him, but more the fact that he is a young man who is maturing."
This mature young athlete is aware of his special role as a representative of Africa.
"I want to do the best for myself and my family first," said Girmay. "Unfortunately, I'm the only rider from Africa this year. But of course it is very nice for me to represent my country and also my continent."
Girmay is less clear on the World Championships in Rwanda (September 21 to 28) though. It is set to be the first World Championships on the African continent, but at times, he himself has even questioned his participation.
He complained that the World Championships course was made for climbers, not for sprinters.
"It's a milestone for Africa. But for me, the course is far beyond my own capabilities," said Girmay at the beginning of the year. "I don't know if I would even make it to the finish. There's no point in competing then."
But he left one door open. If his country called him, he would be there.
During the Tour de France, Girmay did not want to say anything about the World Championships. But coach Visbeek is still skeptical:
"He [Girmay] is still disappointed with the course. I don't think you really help the African cyclists with a course like this. You make it very difficult and that's sad," he told DW.
Right now though, Girmay is fully focused on the Tour de France. Thanks to his participation in the intermediate sprints, he is still in the running for the green jersey. He has also not had any serious crashes so far, unlike the winner of the first stage, Philipsen, who is out. And the route of this Tour de France still offers a few opportunities for sprinters like Girmay.
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Euro 2025: Why has eastern Europe fallen behind? – DW – 07/21/2025
Euro 2025: Why has eastern Europe fallen behind? – DW – 07/21/2025

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Euro 2025: Why has eastern Europe fallen behind? – DW – 07/21/2025

Only one team from eastern Europe made it to Euro 2025, and only three have ever made it to any Euros. The story is different in men's football, so why has women's football in the region struggled to make a mark? "This is more than a tournament; it's a movement, and the response from across Europe and beyond proves that women's football is not only here to stay – it is setting the new standard." Those were the words of Nadine Kessler, a former Germany international who is now UEFA's women's football director during Euro 2025. Much of that appears undeniable: UEFA say they sold more tickets before the group stage even began than they had in the whole of Euro 2022, social media engagements are up 55% since then and the prize pot has increased by 156% to €41 million ($47.5 million). But, although Poland made their Euros bow this year, the movement has not quite reached the rest of the east and parts of southern Europe. Despite winning their final group game against Denmark, Poland exited at the group stage, as have the only other sides ever to have qualified from eastern Europe (as defined by the United Nations) — Ukraine in 2009 and Russia five times between 1997 and their ban from international football in 2022. This stands in stark contrast to men's football, where 11 of the 24 teams at the last men's Euros, in Germany in 2024, were from the region, albeit without enormous success. Croatia (again, defined as eastern Europe by the UN) were one of those teams and were losing finalists in the 2018 World Cup and semifinalists in Qatar four years later. Their women, on the other hand, have not yet come close to qualifying for a World Cup or Euros. Goran Ljubojevic, the former coach, now sporting director, of serial Croatian women's champions, ZNK Osijek, told DW that the region was always playing catch up, with clubs only starting to add women's programs in the 90s, and that investment in the women's game was scarce. But he also believes societal norms are holding the sport back. "The cultural problem in our countries is that people think girls should not play football that mostly they should stay home and be housewives or something," he told DW. The European Union's Gender Equality index, published in 2024, bears this out to some degree, with no eastern countries above the EU average. "I don't know that it will ever happen that we will see a shift in the male brain in Croatia and that this part of Europe will ever accept women's football on that level like they do in western Europe and or the USA." 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UEFA have put new schemes in to place in the region in recent years, and these are starting to have an impact, according to Professor Dariusz Wojtaszyn, from the University of Wroclaw in Poland. "There have been many positive developments in recent years. They are driven by initiatives of UEFA and local football associations, which – albeit slowly – are beginning to recognize the potential of women's football," the academic, who has written extensively on eastern European women's football, told DW. "Women's football budgets have increased significantly (usually more than 100%) in all CEE [Central and Eastern European] countries. That is why I view UEFA's initiatives very positively. They really do bring tangible results." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video UEFA told DW in a written statement that their revamped competitions, including the Champions League and Europa League "have ensured that all competitions and all final tournaments remain open and accessible to clubs and teams from all associations. Over this period we've seen impressive performances from eastern European clubs at both club, national team and youth national team level and we will continue to work with the respective associations, as we do with all our member associations, with the goal of improving performance and the development of football on a pan-European level." But Wojtaszyn thinks that the politics of the region have been holding it back. 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Euro 2025: Is ethnic diversity an issue?  – DW – 07/17/2025
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Women's football champions tolerance, yet many Euro 2025 squads lack the ethnic diversity usually found in top-level football. Matches at Euro 2025 in Switzerland have largely been sold out, with swelling crowds cheering on global stars they recognize from Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Chelsea. At first glance, women's football has never been closer to men's football. Beyond the ongoing battle for equal pay, there is however another glaring and striking difference between men's and women's international football in Europe. Most women's teams are significantly whiter than their male counterparts. While fans, players and football institutions strive to make the women's game inclusive, limited access to football in certain communities means Euro 2025 – at least on the pitch – doesn't really reflect many of the nations being represented. According to football fan research company Two Circles, European fans of women's football tend to be younger and more female than men's football. An open, comfortable atmosphere in the stands and outspoken players is a big part of the draw. "I think it's a more inclusive environment in women's football. It's much friendlier. It doesn't feel as intimidating," Seray, an England fan visiting Switzerland from London, told DW. Many fans want the diversity of the crowds and the inclusive nature of women's football to expand to the social and cultural backgrounds of the women playing the game at the highest level. Just three years ago, hosts and winners England faced institutional criticism from prominent former players like Anita Asante and Alex Scott for failing to bring non-white players into the fold. That squad had just three players of Black ancestry, totalling just 13%. Three years on, that number has risen only slightly to 17%, according to Show Racism the Red Card. That is drastically less than the 64% that makes up the England men's squad. Germany, where more than one in four people is either an immigrant or a descendant of an immigrant, had just a handful of players with immigrant roots even before Sara Doorsoun retired from international football and Nicole Anyomi was cut from the Euros to access mean England's team is significantly less diverse than it could be. They also mean that Germany's tournament squad, like many in the competition, looks little like the country's broader population. "I'm here, I'm representing England, and I'm British Asian," one English fan in Zürich told DW. "I think diversity is very, very important." "My daughter plays football, we're into football," a French fan told DW prior to a Euro 2025 match. "It's important, especially to show every girl who wants to play football that they feel like they could be part of the French team." France is leaps and bounds above most European nations, boasting one of the tournament's most diverse squads. "It's a point of pride to represent your country, regardless of whether it's the men's or women's team. We're all proud to be here and be able to represent France," midfielder Grace Geyoro, who was born in the DR Congo and raised in Orleans, France, said at a press conference. French players expressed surprise when asked about the diversity in their squad, as many of them take it as a given and a simple reflection of French culture. "It's not really something you think about," said France attacker Clara Mateo. "It's true that there's lots of diversity in the various regions of France, and that we're all united on the pitch." According to the French FA, France has a dense web of clubs offering girls and women's football throughout the country, meaning an opportunity to play is never far. "We know football is extremely developed all over France, so this can bring diversity to the team. Above all, it's an asset that we can really use," Mateo continued. Many football associations are keen to make their football more accessible at the grassroots level, in the hope it will lead to more diversity at the elite level. The English FA, for instance, recently launched a four-year girls and women's football strategy where boosting diversity is a central plank. Euro 2025 host Switzerland have launched something similar. ZüriKick is a program in Zürich offering free weekly football training to girls at schools, with accessibility to the whole city a major tenant of the project. "One reason ZüriKick is built into the school program is to ensure easy access. Because sometimes its not so easy for girls with certain cultural backgrounds to just join a football club," Regula Schweizer, Project Lead for the Euros in Zürich, told DW. "But to do something in the school environment is much more approachable, so they have an entry point, they feel welcome, and they know their surroundings," Schweizer added. "It's very important everyone feels welcome in the program. Not everyone has to play football, but everyone should have the chance to try it out," she said.

Ukraine's Olga Kharlan worries for fencing's Olympic future – DW – 07/17/2025
Ukraine's Olga Kharlan worries for fencing's Olympic future – DW – 07/17/2025

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Ukraine's Olga Kharlan worries for fencing's Olympic future – DW – 07/17/2025

Six-time Olympic medalist Olga Kharlan has hit out at recent decisions on Russian fencers, telling DW that she will "never shake hands with them." Ukraine's most successful Olympian, Olga Kharlan, has warned that fencing's Olympic future could be jeopardized if the sport's governing body continues on its current path. Kharlan's warning comes after the International Fencing Federation (FIE) announced it was relaxing its neutrality rules, in a move that will allow Russian military athletes to compete in its events. Their inclusion has caused shockwaves in Ukraine and beyond, with Kharlan saying she was "angry and disappointed" when she heard the news. "It's one of the propaganda tools of the army," Kharlan told DW in an interview. "Exactly that army that they represent, invades Ukraine and kills people. And they also kill Ukrainian athletes." The FIE's decision means that three Russian army officers, including Kharlan's longtime Olympic rival Sofya Velikaya, an army major, will be able to take part in the world fencing championships in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi next week. Despite the decision, Kharlan said she and her countrywomen wouldn't shy away from fighting Russian opponents. "To see them in competitions, it's an injustice for us," she said. "But right now, it's a different level of injustice for us. And one of the points is that we will never shake hands with them and we will never talk to them." Kharlan fears her sport has been corrupted by Russian money. Last November, Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov was reelected as the FIE's president for a fifth term, although he stood down days later because of international sanctions against him. "I can see that Russian influence in the FIE is getting higher," she said. The worry is that the FIE could go the same way as the International Boxing Association, which lost its Olympic recognition because of governance issues. That had put boxing at risk of exclusion from the Los Angeles Games in 2028. "With all the scandals and all the press about fencing, we are really close to that moment that we won't be an Olympic sport, because this is not good for the promotion of the Olympic movement," Kharlan said. "Why should fencing be in the Olympics if they create these problems?" The FIE has defended its position, saying in a statement issued on July 11, that the decision reflected its "commitment to peace," and that athletes "must not bear the consequences of geopolitical events beyond their control." Kharlan is one of more than 440 fencers from 40 countries who have signed an open letter calling on the FIE to reverse its decision and resume "thorough reviews and checks" on Russian and Belarusian athletes applying for neutral status. This allows them to compete without their national flag, anthem or other symbols. In the letter, organized by the athlete-led movement Global Athlete, the fencers expressed their "deep concern and disagreement" with the FIE's decision to abandon its independent vetting process. "This approach fails to provide sufficient safeguards to ensure that the fencing piste is not used in ways that could undermine the integrity and neutrality of our sport," the letter said, questioning whether the change was prompted by "reasons incompatible with the principles of neutrality and fairness." Separately, the European Fencing Confederation (EFC) has also written to the FIE, bemoaning a lack of input in the world governing body's decision-making process. "It must be understood that the only zone directly impacted by Russia's actions is the European one," the EFC wrote. "Yet, not once has Europe been consulted in order to make any informed decisions. "Unfortunately, our repeated calls for such dialogue have, in the past, been either unheard or ignored." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video At last year's Paris Olympics, 34-year-old Kharlan embodied Ukraine's fighting spirit, claiming bronze in her individual event — a medal she dedicated to Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia — before leading her country to gold in the team event. "In Paris, it was a moment that showed what all the Ukrainian people are going through, even though it's really tough, even though you don't have your self-confidence in some moments," the six-time Olympic medalist said. "But belief and faith works." A year on from those Games, Kharlan says she is concerned that Ukraine's struggles are being forgotten by people in world sport. "Unfortunately, most people don't want to understand, or they're just tired of it, or they just sympathize with Russia," she said. "Mostly, people are tired, so they can play on this situation right now. "It's easier to do it now because they say this conflict is too long. But nothing changed from the first year when they [Russian fencers] were suspended. It's even worse. More deaths, more destruction and everything else."

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