Latest news with #EuropeanLeague
The Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Sun
FIH Women's Nations Cup 2 : Speedy Tigress target semis
THE national women's hockey squad are aiming to at least reach the semi-finals of the FIH Women's Nations Cup 2 tournament in Poland from June 16 to 22. The Speedy Tigress are drawn in Group A alongside South Africa, Uruguay and host nation Poland. National Team Management Committee chairman Datuk Ahmad Najmi Abdul Razak said the target is considered realistic as Malaysia are the second strongest team in Group A after South Africa. 'I have discussed with the coaching line-up and we hope to qualify for the semi-finals. This is because the tournament format is the same as the Men's Nations Cup where the top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals. 'So our first target is to be in the top two (of Group B). In fact, based on the current rankings, we are the second-best team in Group A. So we hope to do our best at the Nations Cup,' he said. He said this at the national women's hockey team's press conference for the Women's Nations Cup 2 and the launch of the team's latest jersey at the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) Headquarters here today. At the press conference, Ahmad Najmi also announced the 20 players who will carry the nation's challenge at the tournament. Meanwhile, head coach Nasihin Nubli said that although Malaysia have a good ranking on paper, he reminded his players to remain focused in every match. According to him, every team in Group A has the potential to reach the semi-finals, especially the host nation. 'Poland are among the teams we cannot underestimate. Although they are ranked 27th, I believe that ranking does not reflect their current performance. 'In fact, during the European League qualifiers, they finished in second place. So I feel their level is quite high,' he said.
Al Jazeera
3 days ago
- Sport
- Al Jazeera
LA Olympics may be ‘good launching pad' for NBA league in Europe
The NBA's talks with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and other entities about the process of adding a new league in Europe are continuing, the game's commissioner in the United States said. Adam Silver noted it may take at least a couple more years to turn the ideas into reality, pinpointing the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 as a potential 'launching pad' for another NBA competition. He was speaking on Friday – an off day for the NBA Finals – at a league event to unveil a refurbished Boys & Girls Club in Oklahoma City and said it's difficult to put a specific timeline on the Europe plans. 'I will say it's measured in years, not months,' Silver said. 'So, we're at least a couple years away from launching. 'It would be an enormous undertaking. And while we want to move forward at a deliberate pace, we also want to make sure that we're consulting with all the appropriate stakeholders, meaning the existing league, its teams, European players, media companies, marketing partners. There's a lot of work to be done.' Silver and FIBA Secretary-General Andreas Zagklis announced in March that the league and the game's governing body are finally taking long-awaited steps to form a new league, with an initial target of 16 teams. The idea had been talked about for years, even decades on some levels. Silver revealed that since the NBA and FIBA went public with their idea to move forward, talks have gotten more constructive. Silver said the NBA has been talking directly with the EuroLeague and with some member clubs about a partnership. It's his preference that the NBA work with the existing league on some level, though it's still too early to say exactly what that means. 'Either way, we continue to feel there are an enormous number of underserved basketball fans in Europe and that there's a strong opportunity to have another league styled after the NBA,' Silver said. About one in every six current NBA players hails from Europe, including Denver's Nikola Jokic (Serbia) and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) – who have combined for five of the last seven MVP awards – along with the Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic (Slovenia) and San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama (France). The NBA's board of governors will talk more about next steps with the European plans in July, at their scheduled meeting in Las Vegas, Silver said. It's possible that the European venture could be unveiled in some way – or possibly start – around the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, given how much attention will be on international basketball at that time. 'That might be a good launching pad for an announcement around a new competition,' Silver said. Some of the cities that are expected to have interest in being part of the new venture include London, Manchester, Rome and Munich. There will be others, of course. 'We haven't had direct conversations yet,' Silver said. 'But there have been several organisations that have come forward and said they would be interested and potential owners in operating in those major markets in Europe.'
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
NBA's talks about new league in Europe are continuing, though the process remains in early stages
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The NBA's talks with FIBA and other entities about the process of adding a new league in Europe are continuing, Commissioner Adam Silver said, though he noted that it may take at least a couple more years to turn the ideas into reality. Silver spoke at a league event to unveil a refurbished Boys & Girls Club in Oklahoma City on Friday — an off day for the NBA Finals — and said it's difficult to put a specific timeline on the Europe plans. 'I will say it's measured in years, not months,' Silver said. 'So, we're at least a couple years away from launching. It would be an enormous undertaking. And while we want to move forward at a deliberate pace, we also want to make sure that we're consulting with all the appropriate stakeholders, meaning the existing league, its teams, European players, media companies, marketing partners. There's a lot of work to be done.' Silver and FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis announced in March that the league and the game's governing body are finally taking long-awaited steps to form a new league, with an initial target of 16 teams. It had been talked about for years, and decades even on some levels. And since the NBA and FIBA went public with their idea to move forward, talks have gotten more constructive, Silver said. Silver said the NBA has been talking directly with the EuroLeague and with some member clubs about a partnership. It's his preference that the NBA work with the existing league on some level, though it's still too early to say exactly what that means. 'Either way, we continue to feel there are an enormous number of underserved basketball fans in Europe and that there's a strong opportunity to have another league styled after the NBA,' Silver said. About one in every six current NBA players hails from Europe, including Denver's Nikola Jokic (Serbia) and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) — who have combined for five of the last seven MVP awards — along with the Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic (Slovenia) and San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama (France). The NBA's board of governors will talk more about next steps with the European plans in July at their scheduled meeting in Las Vegas, Silver said. It's possible that the European venture could be unveiled in some way — or possibly start — around the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, just given how much attention will be on international basketball at that time. 'That might be a good launching pad for an announcement around a new competition,' Silver said. Some of the cities that are expected to have interest in being part of the new venture include London, Manchester, Rome and Munich. There will be others, of course. 'We haven't had direct conversations yet,' Silver said. 'But there have been several organizations that have come forward and said they would be interested and potential owners in operating in those major markets in Europe.' ___ AP NBA:
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Handball-Administrative blunder allowed Odense to compete in Champions League, say officials
The Danish Handball Association has admitted to a major blunder that allowed Odense, this season's women's Champions League runners-up, to take part in the competition when they were not eligible. Denmark's three Champions League spots were determined by playoff results and regular season standings. Esbjerg and Nykobing Falster secured the top two spots for 2023-24, while Ikast, runners-up in the regular season, should have claimed the third spot. However, Odense, who finished third in the playoffs, applied and participated instead. Odense lost 29-27 to Hungary's Gyori in Sunday's final in Budapest. "Unfortunately, we made a mistake last year. It wasn't Odense, but Ikast who should have had the opportunity to apply," said Frank Smith, chief of tournaments at the Danish Handball Association, to Danish TV 2. The error was discovered on Wednesday. Ikast, who played in the less lucrative European League and lost the final to Germany's Thuringer HC, expressed frustration. "We feel that we've been cheated, and it's just a shame for everyone involved," said Ikast player Stine Skogrand. Ikast are seeking financial compensation for lost Champions League earnings. "If we hadn't qualified for the Champions League, it would have been our own problem — but now we feel entitled to some of what we could have earned," said director Daniel Gronhoj. For Odense, the situation taints their achievement in reaching their first-ever Champions League final. "I sat there with this feeling that shouldn't be the legacy of the weekend we just had — that we shouldn't have been there," said Odense sport director Trine Nielsen. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Handball-Administrative blunder allowed Odense to compete in Champions League, say officials
FILE PHOTO: Handball - Champions League Women's Handball - Odense Handball v CSKA Moscow - Odense, Denmark - November 15, 2020 Odense's Lois Abbingh in action Claus Fisker/Ritzau Scanpix via REUTERS/File photo (Reuters) -The Danish Handball Association has admitted to a major blunder that allowed Odense, this season's women's Champions League runners-up, to take part in the competition when they were not eligible. Denmark's three Champions League spots were determined by playoff results and regular season standings. Esbjerg and Nykobing Falster secured the top two spots for 2023-24, while Ikast, runners-up in the regular season, should have claimed the third spot. However, Odense, who finished third in the playoffs, applied and participated instead. Odense lost 29-27 to Hungary's Gyori in Sunday's final in Budapest. "Unfortunately, we made a mistake last year. It wasn't Odense, but Ikast who should have had the opportunity to apply," said Frank Smith, chief of tournaments at the Danish Handball Association, to Danish TV 2. The error was discovered on Wednesday. Ikast, who played in the less lucrative European League and lost the final to Germany's Thuringer HC, expressed frustration. "We feel that we've been cheated, and it's just a shame for everyone involved," said Ikast player Stine Skogrand. Ikast are seeking financial compensation for lost Champions League earnings. "If we hadn't qualified for the Champions League, it would have been our own problem — but now we feel entitled to some of what we could have earned," said director Daniel Gronhoj. For Odense, the situation taints their achievement in reaching their first-ever Champions League final. "I sat there with this feeling that shouldn't be the legacy of the weekend we just had — that we shouldn't have been there," said Odense sport director Trine Nielsen. (Reporting by Tommy Lund in GdanskEditing by Toby Davis)
