The Fiji Times

Holyfield calls out Tyson to get back in the ring

(Reuters) – Evander Holyfield called out Mike Tyson on Tuesday, saying it was time the two former undisputed heavyweight champions returned to the ring to cap their rivalry and settle legacies. Holyfield’s challenge comes after 54-year-old Tyson dominated Roy Jones Jr, 51, in an exhibition fight on Saturday in Los Angeles that was ruled a...

MoU signed to run Ratu Sukuna tournament

The Republic of Fiji Military Force, Fiji Police Force and FMF Foods Limited have signed a three-year sponsorship towards running the Ratu Sukuna tournament. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Acting Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu, RFMF Commander Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto and FMF Foods Limited Group Operations Manager Jimi Taniela. The RFMF is...

Tokyo 2020 to spend US$960 million on COVID-19 countermeasures as part of additional costs

TOKYO, 02 DECEMBER 2020 (INSIDE THE GAMES) – Tokyo 2020 will reportedly spend US$960 million (£720 million/€801 million) on COVID-19 countermeasures as part of the additional cost of the postponed Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Games were rescheduled to 2021 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with the estimated cost of the delay set...

Olympic rings return to Tokyo Bay

TOKYO (Reuters) – The Olympic rings monument was reinstalled in Tokyo Bay on Tuesday, after being removed in August for maintenance, as organisers ramp up preparations for next year’s postponed Summer Games. The return of the monument, which stands 15.3m tall and 32.6m wide and was originally installed in January, should send a signal that...

Australia skipper Finch backs Starc to rebound after torrid start

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia captain Aaron Finch has backed under-fire paceman Mitchell Starc to rebound after the left-armer was feasted upon by India’s batsmen in the first two matches of the one-day series. Australia sealed the series 2-0 with their 51-run victory in Sydney on Sunday but Starc’s struggles have raised concerns leading into the...

Athletics: Russia’s suspended federation appoints new president

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s suspended athletics federation on Monday elected 50-year-old Pyotr Ivanov, the head of the triathlon federation, as its new president as it aims to be reinstated by the sport’s world governing body. The federation was suspended in 2015 after a report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found evidence of mass...

Saints, Patriots fined by NFL for violating COVID-19 protocols

(Reuters) – The National Football League fined the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots for violating COVID-19 protocols, a league source said on Sunday. The Saints, who are repeat offenders, were fined $500,000 for not wearing protective masks during a post-game celebration, the source told Reuters. According to the NFL’s website, the Saints were...

Japan’s Osaka inspires own manga character

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s three-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka has inspired a new manga character to appear in an issue of Nakayoshi magazine next month, the publishers announced on Sunday. Osaka, who is the world’s highest paid female athlete, is a fan of both manga and anime and took to social media to welcome...

Olympics: COVID-19 countermeasures to cost some $960 million – Kyodo

TOKYO (Reuters) – Tokyo Games organisers estimate the cost of COVID-19 countermeasures for next year’s rearranged Olympics will run to around 100 billion yen ($960 million), Kyodo News reported on Monday. Japanese media had reported a day earlier that the total costs of delaying the Games for a year would run to 200 billion yen....

Labuschagne ready to open for Australia after Warner injury

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Marnus Labuschagne is ready to step up in David Warner’s absence and open the batting for Australia in the remaining white-ball matches against India if called upon. Labuschagne scored 70 off 61 balls batting at four in Sunday’s win in the second one-day international in Sydney but the night was soured for...

Tyson fights to draw with Jones Jr. in exhibition

(Reuters) – Mike Tyson showed age has not robbed him of his power as the former heavyweight champion, in his long-awaited return to the ring, dominated Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition fight on Saturday in Los Angeles that was surprisingly ruled a draw. While there were no ringside judges to score the eight-round contest...

Tokyo 2020 organisers estimate Games postponement cost $1.9 billion – media

TOKYO (Reuters) – This year’s postponement of the Tokyo Olympics because of the novel coronavirus cost about 200 billion yen ($1.9 billion), organisers have estimated, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Sunday, citing people involved with the event. The International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government were forced to put off the Games for a year...

Colata says team ready for Mr Fiji

Veteran bodybuilder Jale Colata said his comrades were putting in all the necessary work ahead of next month’s 2020 Mr Fiji Bodybuilding competition. Although Charman’s All Races Club will feature a small team at this year’s competition, Colata said they were ready to produce the goods. “We have done as best as we can and...

UN Sports Day

United Nations agencies around the country gathered for a fun-filled team bonding and sports day at the Bidesi Ground in Suva over the weekend. The first of its kind in Fiji and the Pacific, UN resident co-ordinator Sanaka Samarasinha said it was a special day for the UN staff in the country and continued a...

Volleyball with a cause

The 2020 Mixed Volleyball Championship co-ordinator Alan Kumar believes spreading the message of a united front to end violence against women had been a success during the two-day event. “It has been a wonderful two days and with mixed volleyball teams comprising two men and three women per team it showed unity and that chances...

Reynolds ready for the podium in 2021

Swimmer Jesse Reynolds is in contention for a podium finish at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games after smashing his personal best time. The 24-year-old has been battling an elbow injury for the past two months and only resumed full training a fortnight ago, but last week he cut 2.5 seconds off his 2016 Rio Paralympics...

Jonny Bairstow blasts England to thrilling win in South Africa

Jonny Bairstow brought England home with an unbeaten 86 from 48 balls against South Africa to win the first Twenty20 by five wickets on Friday (Saturday NZ time). Bairstow won it with back-to-back boundaries, a four and then a big six over wide long-on, to take England to 183-5 and past South Africa’s 179-6 with...

CNMI forms Pacific Mini Games Committee

The Northern Marianas has started prepping for the 2022 Pacific Mini Games after forming an organising committee led by outgoing lawmaker Marco Peter. Peter represented the CNMI in the Pacific Games Council meeting in Samoa last year to reaffirm the commonwealth’s commitment to the event. He has been named by Governor Ralph Torres to serve...

Tennis Auckland to dip into reserves as $1 million lost by not having ASB Classic

Tennis Auckland chairman Simon Vannini believes the region can make it through the year without too much disruption, despite the $1 million lost from no ASB Classic. The WTA and ATP tournaments each January props up Tennis Auckland and makes it the most powerful of the six tennis regions. But the cancellation of this summer’s...

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