https://www.scmp.com/rss/327766/feed Patrick Blennerhassett is an award-winning Canadian journalist and four-time published author. He is a Jack Webster Fellowship winner and a British Columbia bestselling novelist. He is a former sports writer for the Post. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com It took an event as uncharacteristic as a snow day in Atlanta to change George Hickman’s life. The North Carolina native and former college wrestler had moved to the American state of Georgia and was competing in amateur mixed martial arts, working a day job as a car salesman. One January day in 2014, Hickman found himself trapped inside the showroom as the city ground to a halt under a rare blanket of snow. “I was on the internet killing time and I saw there were try-outs for Tiger Muay Thai,”... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3197605/mma-asia-post-covid-thriving-region-sports-next-big-thing-insiders-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3197605/mma-asia-post-covid-thriving-region-sports-next-big-thing-insiders-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Oct 2022 05:15:11 +0000 As the table tennis final unfolded during the 2020 Summer Olympics at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Chinese athletes Ma Long and Fan Zhendong, the two biggest names in the sport, faced off for the gold medal. Those tuning in to the English commentary were treated to another star of the game, American Adam Bobrow, who with equal parts knowledge and pizazz, has helped the sport reach new, Western audiences. “Fan Zhendong has shown up to the party,” quipped Bobrow, after the Chinese star lost a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3174430/could-table-tennis-conquer-us-how-ping-pongs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3174430/could-table-tennis-conquer-us-how-ping-pongs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Apr 2022 00:15:22 +0000 The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing will give Chinese athletes a once in a lifetime opportunity to win glory in front of their home fans (technically speaking not a lot of them, because of Covid-19). The Olympics regularly generate spectacular moments, however, nothing is as special as when it happens on home soil. With that in mind, here ares five great Winter Olympic moments of the past that where athletes had career-defining moments right in their own backyards. Miracle on Ice At the 1980... https://www.scmp.com/beijing-winter-olympics-2022/article/3165476/winter-olympics-miracle-ice-sidney-crosby-and-japans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/beijing-winter-olympics-2022/article/3165476/winter-olympics-miracle-ice-sidney-crosby-and-japans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Feb 2022 08:15:14 +0000 When it comes to football players in 2022, the question isn’t how many have tattoos, it’s who doesn’t. Cristiano Ronaldo is the most famous holdout, however the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar, Sergio Ramos, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kylian Mbappé – just to name a few – all have serious ink. The recent announcement by the General Administration of Sport that Chinese footballers are not only now banned from having tattoos, but should get existing ones removed, took many within the sporting landscape... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3165216/china-signals-cultural-shift-tattoo-ban-football-game-and-modern?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3165216/china-signals-cultural-shift-tattoo-ban-football-game-and-modern?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Feb 2022 04:15:23 +0000 While women’s ice hockey at the Winter Olympics has grown in leaps and bounds over the last two decades, since first being introduced in 1998 at Nagano, there has always been two perennial contenders: Canada and the US. Come February, you can expect a Goliath vs Goliath battle that will have a unique twist, with both heavyweights in the same group for the round robin stage. Of course, Sweden won silver in 2006 – the only time someone other than the Canucks or the Yankees finished first or second... https://www.scmp.com/beijing-winter-olympics-2022/explainers/article/3165026/winter-olympics-five-women-watch-ice-hockey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/beijing-winter-olympics-2022/explainers/article/3165026/winter-olympics-five-women-watch-ice-hockey?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Jan 2022 04:15:14 +0000 So, National Hockey League players are out of Beijing 2022, but that doesn’t mean we can’t expect a thrilling men’s ice hockey competition much like we saw in 2018 in South Korea when Russia beat Germany to win gold. Beijing 2022 could be very exciting for a number of reasons – first the fact the Russians are favoured again, but more importantly, there are some serious wild cards and dark horses in this tournament who could upset the narrative and bring about a performance for the ages. Here’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3164860/winter-olympics-5-players-watch-mens-ice-hockey-beijing-2022-led?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3164860/winter-olympics-5-players-watch-mens-ice-hockey-beijing-2022-led?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Jan 2022 04:15:22 +0000 Like many weekend warriors who play or practice the sport they love for fun, Hong Kong’s Vicente Di Clemente had hit a bit of a wall. The avid outrigger canoeist had been competing in local competitions, but found he was unable to break through to the next level no matter how hard he tried. “I’ve been paddling for three years now, and I always found some ceiling,” the 50-year-old, who has lived in the city for 10 years and works in the banking industry, said. “It doesn’t matter how much I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3164856/outrigger-canoeist-50-transforms-his-body-so-he-can-be-one-fastest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3164856/outrigger-canoeist-50-transforms-his-body-so-he-can-be-one-fastest?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Jan 2022 00:15:17 +0000 When American snowboarder Red Gerard won gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, he was just 17 years old and admits he didn’t fully comprehend the gravity of what he had accomplished. “I grew up watching Dew Tour and X Games, not the Olympics,” the 21-year-old, who will look to defend his gold in slopestyle next month in Beijing, said. “I only realised after I won how big a stage it was and how much it would impact my life.” His final run in South Korea, which featured a breathtaking move... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3164733/winter-olympics-us-snowboarder-red-gerard-says-2018-games-gold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3164733/winter-olympics-us-snowboarder-red-gerard-says-2018-games-gold?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jan 2022 00:23:14 +0000 When it comes to Winter Games powerhouse nations, there are a few contenders, but only one true champion: Norway. With a population of 5.3 million people, the Nordic nation continually punches above its weight when it comes to the Olympics, and that is largely down to cross-country skiing. Norway has won a staggering 368 medals in the modern Games over 23 editions, the US, with its population of 332 million is second, has 305. When you take a closer look at the disciplines that feature at the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3164343/winter-olympics-norways-cross-country-skiing-dominance-should-lift-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3164343/winter-olympics-norways-cross-country-skiing-dominance-should-lift-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jan 2022 04:06:11 +0000 While the announcement that National Hockey League players will not be attending the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing put a damper on many fans’ excitement for the Games, there is one team who should be secretly excited about the news: the Chinese men’s ice hockey team. The 32nd ranked squad, according to the International Ice Hockey Federation, will not have to face the best in the world. However there is still going to be a plethora of talent coming their way, as they face medal favourites US,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3164053/winter-olympics-nhl-superstars-out-chinese-mens-ice-hockey-team-still?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3164053/winter-olympics-nhl-superstars-out-chinese-mens-ice-hockey-team-still?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jan 2022 13:15:10 +0000 Thomas Bach has been immortalised in China with Beijing 2022 vice-president Yu Zaiging unveiling a bust of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president. “The Olympics include not only sport but art and culture,” said Yu, as first reported to state media mouthpiece CCTV during a speech at the official unveiling. “These works fully embody the art and culture of the Olympics.” The bust of the German was unveiled outside the Dongsi Community Olympic Park in the Dongcheng district, which is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3164039/winter-olympics-bust-ioc-president-thomas-bach-unveiled-beijing-ahead-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3164039/winter-olympics-bust-ioc-president-thomas-bach-unveiled-beijing-ahead-games?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jan 2022 04:13:04 +0000 Patrick Blennerhassett Patrick Blennerhassett While curling has long been dominated by Nordic countries such as Canada, Sweden and Finland, the game has gone global as of late and expanded its cultural reach. China and curling sound like strange bedfellows, however the country’s women’s team has a legitimate chance to win a medal at Beijing 2022. The squad was recently announced 21-year-old curling sensation Han Yu named at skip, leading a foursome that also features Zong Ziqi, Zhang Lijun, Jiang Xindi and alternate Yan Hui. These five... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3163933/winter-olympics-can-chinese-womens-curling-team-return-glory-new-skip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3163933/winter-olympics-can-chinese-womens-curling-team-return-glory-new-skip?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jan 2022 08:17:50 +0000 For Hong Kong speed skater and Winter Olympics athlete Sidney Chu, life is all about hot, cold and balancing out temperatures. Chu will be one of three local competitors looking to make his mark on the ice at the National Speed Skating Oval, and said his use of cupping into his recovery programme has enhanced his training. “I mostly use cupping in my back every once in a while to promote my overall wellness,” said Chu, who is 22 years old and will compete in the 500m short track event with 31... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3163647/beijing-2022-hong-kongs-sidney-chu-leads-cupping-charge-olympians-embrace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3163647/beijing-2022-hong-kongs-sidney-chu-leads-cupping-charge-olympians-embrace?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jan 2022 08:15:15 +0000 The World Anti-Doping Agency has once again warned athletes heading to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing to “exercise extreme caution” when eating meat products in China, due to a high likelihood of it being contaminated with banned substances. A Wada spokesperson outlined that athletes only “eat at places given the all-clear by event organisers”, as first reported in Inside the Games. Wada said meat in China has been known to contain low levels of the steroid clenbuterol, which would produce... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3163669/beijing-2022-wada-warns-athletes-over-eating-meat-products-china-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3163669/beijing-2022-wada-warns-athletes-over-eating-meat-products-china-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jan 2022 13:15:19 +0000 At the 2008 Summer Olympics, China’s athletes showed the fruits of their sporting labour when they won an unprecedented 100 medals, 48 of them gold. After being awarded the Games in Beijing in 2001, the country set about undertaking a massive effort to produce world calibre athletes in virtually every sport on the docket. The move paid off and now fans around the world are wondering if they can repeat the feat next month. China’s medal tally 14 years ago was equally impressive because in 2004 in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3163557/beijing-2022-will-china-be-able-improve-upon-its-9-medals-pyeongchang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3163557/beijing-2022-will-china-be-able-improve-upon-its-9-medals-pyeongchang?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jan 2022 00:15:13 +0000 Eight years ago on February 23 at the Bolshoy Ice Dome in Sochi, Russia, Canada rolled over Sweden 3-0 to win the ice hockey gold medal game at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Generational superstar and Canadian captain Sidney Crosby scored his first goal of the tournament in what was a brilliant showcase of NHL talent on an international level. The Games were a massive success for the International Olympic Committee, in part, because more than 200 professional ice hockey players were willing, and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3162144/beijing-2022-missing-winter-olympics-china-may-signal-end-nhl-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3162144/beijing-2022-missing-winter-olympics-china-may-signal-end-nhl-players?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jan 2022 10:15:21 +0000 Like most Americans, Jameson Wang got his love of American football through his father, whose passion for the game and wisdom helped pave the way for his son’s success. Wang’s dad Joe immigrated from the Chinese mainland, first to Taiwan, then to Rochester, New York, where he played football with friends at school. Wang, in an interview with The Cornell Daily Sun, said his father’s work ethic and drive definitely rubbed off on him. “I remember he would tell me stories about how he would have to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3162640/nfl-chinese-american-cornell-quarterback-jameson-wang-looks-build?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3162640/nfl-chinese-american-cornell-quarterback-jameson-wang-looks-build?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jan 2022 05:15:17 +0000 The sophomore slump is a common plight for athletes in any sport, however it’s quite clear it doesn’t apply to Filipino-American Jason Robertson. The Dallas Stars left winger, whose mom Mercedes was born in the Philippines, is averaging more than a point a game through 23 games in the NHL this season, just his second in the league. During the 2020-21 campaign, Robertson, who stands 190cm and weighs 90 kgs, was a Calder trophy finalist for rookie of the year, and has now solidified himself as one... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3162315/filipino-american-nhl-star-jason-robertson-relishes-his-status?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3162315/filipino-american-nhl-star-jason-robertson-relishes-his-status?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jan 2022 00:15:14 +0000 Hong Kong’s gym and fitness industry pleaded with the government not to force its members to endure yet another shutdown as the threat of a Covid-19 outbreak lurks once again, according to an internal memo obtained by the Post. The Hong Kong Fitness Industry, which represents dozens of local establishments, said businesses could not bear the financial burden of another closure and acceptance was waning amid the business community for financial relief. As of midnight on Thursday, the new rules... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/health-fitness/article/3162439/omicron-hong-kong-gym-goers-decry-unjust-closures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/health-fitness/article/3162439/omicron-hong-kong-gym-goers-decry-unjust-closures?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jan 2022 22:45:14 +0000 Aivaz Omorkanov roared into the International Ice Hockey Federation in September on the back of a fiery speech in which he quoted Martin Luther King Jnr and talked about completely overhauling the sport in Asia and Oceania. The youngest vice-president ever elected to the IIHF, Omorkanov, 25, who hails from Kyrgyzstan and played for his country’s national team, finds himself thrust into the limelight at a supercharged point in time with a number of underachieving associations falling under his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3161120/beijing-2022-iihfs-aivaz-omorkanov-aims-clean-asian-ice-hockey-and-lift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3161120/beijing-2022-iihfs-aivaz-omorkanov-aims-clean-asian-ice-hockey-and-lift?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Dec 2021 04:30:13 +0000 The government’s unit for overseeing sport said it could withhold funding from the Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association (HKIHA) after an investigation showed the body’s president may have used public funds for personal use. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which is part of the Home Affairs Bureau, said it found one occasion when association president Mike Kan Yeung-kit used government funds for accommodation during an official overseas event. “According to the LCSD’s investigation, an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3161118/hong-kong-ice-hockey-under-scrutiny-government-unit-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3161118/hong-kong-ice-hockey-under-scrutiny-government-unit-after?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Dec 2021 06:15:17 +0000 In May this year during a pre-fight press conference for a boxing match between Logan Paul and Floyd Mayweather, Logan’s younger brother Jake snatched Mayweather’s hat. The stunt grabbed headlines around the world and infuriated the multimillionaire Mayweather. But the immature schoolyard stunt offered a glimpse into the world of 24-year-old Jake Paul, that is to act on impulse and never ask for forgiveness. On the surface, the social media personality turned professional boxer is the celebrity... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3159741/jake-paul-ahead-tyron-woodley-rematch-talks-pranks-schoolyard-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3159741/jake-paul-ahead-tyron-woodley-rematch-talks-pranks-schoolyard-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Dec 2021 12:15:15 +0000 Growing up in Italy, Massimo Giusto got a healthy serving of discipline from an early age. He started doing karate, had a very strict coach, and was sent off to boarding school where rules and regulations were the norm. Giusto said this laid the foundation for his unwavering drive when it came to achieving goals in life. “I was a bit naughty as a kid, so it was very good for me,” the 41-year-old said. “I think I was craving discipline in some respects.” He studied economics at the University of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3157965/how-bodybuilders-new-workout-and-diet-got-him-running?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3157965/how-bodybuilders-new-workout-and-diet-got-him-running?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Dec 2021 10:15:16 +0000 Dustin Poirier exists in an interesting space when it comes to the UFC stardom hierarchy. One would think the only person to have beaten Conor McGregor twice would be a celebrity juggernaut himself, but Poirier’s reserved, humble, blue collar personality has often kept him as a supporting cast member in the UFC’s theatre show of egomania. He is regularly drowned out by louder, more bombastic characters like Colby “Chaos” Covington and Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya, who at times, border... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3158660/ufc-269-dustin-poiriers-ascent-champion-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3158660/ufc-269-dustin-poiriers-ascent-champion-now?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Dec 2021 12:00:28 +0000 Swiss runner Salomon Wettstein and Hong Kong-born Japanese Hanah Fjelddahl took top honours in the men’s and women’s races for the Lantau 50, which was held for the first time since 2019. Wettstein completed Sunday’s event – also known as the “ultra sky marathon” – in six hours, 46 minutes and 23 seconds, beating out the challenges of Hong Kong’s Wong Wai-hung (7:01:18) and France’s JB Martenet (7:03:52), with Australia’s Henri Lehkonen (7:09:41) and Wong Kwok-wai (Hong Kong, 7:18:08) fourth and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3158618/lantau-50-salomon-wettstein-and-hanah-fjelddahl-take?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3158618/lantau-50-salomon-wettstein-and-hanah-fjelddahl-take?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Dec 2021 07:38:10 +0000 Nina Wong said she had an inkling South African John Houston wanted to ask her out but was still working the courage up to do it when they first met in 2016. The two had been training together at CrossFit 852 in Hong Kong, and Wong, who is originally from the US, said Houston, a pilot with Cathay Pacific, started showing interest in her pretty early on. “He wanted to ask me for coffee, but I think he thought it would be too friendly,” Wong, who works for HSBC, said. “I remember coming into the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3158335/tinder-bumble-how-about-crossfit-hong-kong-couples-share-love?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3158335/tinder-bumble-how-about-crossfit-hong-kong-couples-share-love?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Dec 2021 02:00:22 +0000 Hong Kong powerlifter Sophia Khan understands her greatest strength is also one of her liabilities. “I’ve always been on the extreme end of things,” said the 24-year-old, who is the ninth-ranked female powerlifter in Hong Kong. “Which is good, but it can also be bad. I don’t have an in-between. I’m still trying to find that.” Growing up in Hong Kong in a Pakistani household was not easy. Khan’s father died when she was young, leaving her mother to care for herself and her infant brother. Anxiety... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3158128/hong-kongs-sophia-khan-overcomes-anorexia-eating-disorder-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3158128/hong-kongs-sophia-khan-overcomes-anorexia-eating-disorder-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Dec 2021 00:00:31 +0000 Hong Kong’s rugby community has once again thrown their weight behind the annual worldwide fundraiser Movember, this time in very Hong Kong fashion – from three weeks of hotel quarantine. The Hong Kong men’s sevens squad returned from Dubai on November 21 after winning the Asia Rugby Sevens Series title to secure qualification for the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens. The players left Hong Kong International Airport and headed to the Dorsett Wan Chai, and are using some of their spare time to raise... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3157728/movember-hong-kong-sevens-mens-squad-take-challenges-quarantine-while?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3157728/movember-hong-kong-sevens-mens-squad-take-challenges-quarantine-while?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Nov 2021 07:21:58 +0000 NHL players fought for inclusion in the Olympics in their latest collective bargaining agreement but uncertainty is growing on whether they will actually head to Beijing in February for the 2022 Winter Games, according to a source based in China with knowledge of the matter. In October, the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks organisation was rocked by a lawsuit filed by a former player, who alleged that he and another player were sexually assaulted by a former video coach in 2010. The issue, according to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3157668/beijing-2022-growing-doubts-over-nhl-stars-inclusion-winter-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3157668/beijing-2022-growing-doubts-over-nhl-stars-inclusion-winter-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Nov 2021 00:00:12 +0000 With the Chinese men’s team’s eligibility for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics being called into question, the founder of Hong Kong’s largest ice hockey organisation wants the sport’s authorities to go back to the drawing board if they want to prevent a similar situation arising in the future. The International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) council held a call on Friday to review the growing issue surrounding China’s inclusion in the NHL star-studded men’s ice hockey competition, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3157607/beijing-2022-china-hockey-group-chief-calls-review-host-team-exemption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3157607/beijing-2022-china-hockey-group-chief-calls-review-host-team-exemption?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Nov 2021 05:33:07 +0000 Like any good modern-day romance, the love story of Chris Lo Chiu-kit and wife Inti Fu Tai-fan is complicated but no less a compellingly beautiful tale. The two met in 2000 as colleagues at a broadband company, where they were stationed beside each other in the office. At first it was a friendship, but the kindling had been laid as both found a natural ease chatting together. Inti, who is visually impaired, first had myopia as a child, however at the time her vision was still OK. Lo’s gaze was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/health-fitness/article/3157342/hong-kong-runners-prove-love-blind-visually-impaired?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/health-fitness/article/3157342/hong-kong-runners-prove-love-blind-visually-impaired?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Nov 2021 06:12:25 +0000 Beijing 2022 officials should accept political heat as par for the course in the lead up to February’s Winter Olympic Games, a top American sports academic said, with host countries for major events historically coming under increased international scrutiny. Amy Bass, a professor of sports studies at Manhattanville College in New York, is also the author of Not the Triumph but the Struggle: The 1968 Olympics and the Making of the Black Athlete, and has written an article for CNN about the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3157066/beijing-2022-china-should-accept-political-heat-normal-international?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3157066/beijing-2022-china-should-accept-political-heat-normal-international?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Nov 2021 23:00:25 +0000 China’s men’s ice hockey team, ranked 32nd in the world by the International Ice Hockey Federation, will find themselves up against stiff competition come February when the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing kick off. On February 10 at the Beijing National Indoor Stadium, China will begin their group stage play against the US, who are ranked fourth. They play fifth-ranked Germany two days later and the next day take on the world’s top team, Canada. The Chinese Ice Hockey Association has so far... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3157215/beijing-2022-what-can-chinas-mens-ice-hockey-team-expect-nhl-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3157215/beijing-2022-what-can-chinas-mens-ice-hockey-team-expect-nhl-players?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Nov 2021 09:07:18 +0000 Icy Bo Lin’s LinkedIn timeline looks at bit odd at first glance. From 2008 up until March of 2017, she was employed by global investment banking company J.P. Morgan. She worked her way from analyst to associate, then to vice-president for the Hong Kong office, handling wealthy clients’ portfolios and managing a hefty pile of investment money. Then, in April of 2017, Lin became a yoga instructor. For Lin, who is the now head of mobility and yoga for the Hong Kong Sports Clinic – where she works... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3156996/jp-morgan-yogi-finance-executive-leaves-career-become-instructor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3156996/jp-morgan-yogi-finance-executive-leaves-career-become-instructor?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Nov 2021 23:00:27 +0000 More than 300 athletes from Oceania countries have been given the chance to compete at next year’s 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced the unprecedented move at its 40th general assembly in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday. The OCA’s director general Husain Al Musallam said athletes from Oceania who finish in the top three of an event will receive “honorary medals” that will not be counted in the final medal tallies. The Oceania region... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3156934/asian-games-2022-oceania-athletes-compete-hangzhou-china-next-year-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3156934/asian-games-2022-oceania-athletes-compete-hangzhou-china-next-year-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Nov 2021 09:06:46 +0000 Growing up in East Vancouver in the 1960s, Barry Beck was embedded with ice hockey culture from day one. The 64-year-old, who has lived in Hong Kong since 2007 and worked as a coach, played more than 600 games in the National Hockey League before retiring in 1990. Beck said from a very young age, there were two goals for a Canadian hockey player, dreams kids fantasised about from the moment they could lace up skates and head onto a sheet of ice. “Besides winning the Stanley Cup,” said Beck,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3156262/beijing-2022-nhls-inclusion-winter-olympics-pours-cold-water-boycott?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3156262/beijing-2022-nhls-inclusion-winter-olympics-pours-cold-water-boycott?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Nov 2021 02:30:14 +0000 In 1973, Brazilian soccer legend Pele visited Doha Stadium in Qatar along with Santos FC, and it’s pretty clear the trip had an impact on the country’s youth, said Matthias Krug, the author of Journeys on a Football Carpet, a non-fiction book about Qatar’s football history. “Just eight years later, a young Qatari side was making headlines halfway across the world,” said Krug, who was born and raised in Qatar. “They shocked Brazil 3-2 in the quarter finals and England 2-1 in the semi-finals to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3156697/qatar-2022-pele-visit-1973-helps-tiny-persian-gulf-nation-catch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3156697/qatar-2022-pele-visit-1973-helps-tiny-persian-gulf-nation-catch?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Nov 2021 12:00:16 +0000 Before he became one of Hong Kong’s best trail runners, Paul Fournier had a rather different athletic career. The 29-year-old is a former French junior national team kayaker, his best finish a 10th place at the World Junior Championships in 2011. He left home at 15 to pursue the sport, but left it behind in 2012 to focus on his job and career. “Honestly, I think I had just had enough of it,” said Fournier, of a gruelling lifestyle of travelling, competing and days filled with two to three... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3156354/hong-kong-trail-runner-paul-fournier-how-he-left-kayaking-and-found?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3156354/hong-kong-trail-runner-paul-fournier-how-he-left-kayaking-and-found?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Nov 2021 02:00:16 +0000 Hongkongers got a chance to try their hand at some kick flips and ollies this past weekend in the driveway of Lee Garden One on Pak Sha Road. A two-day Lee Gardens Skateboard Fest 2021 featured skateboarding experience classes, a street skating contest, a pop-up store, food trucks and a fingerboard DIY workshop. The event raised money for Kely Support Group, a local non-profit organisation that focuses on youth mental health. The event was co-sponsored by the All Hong Kong Skateboards... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3156136/hong-kongs-youth-skateboard-event-local-charity-gnarly-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3156136/hong-kongs-youth-skateboard-event-local-charity-gnarly-success?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Nov 2021 11:17:33 +0000 When getting into any greatest of all-time (GOAT) debate in sport, the argument usually boils down to one question, or statistics, to be more accurate. LeBron James may never take basketball’s GOAT status from Michael Jordan unless he equals his six NBA championships. Jack Nicklaus will probably be regarded as the greatest golfer of all-time until someone wins 18 major championships (sorry Tiger). Wayne Gretzky probably has ice hockey’s GOAT status until someone can score more than 2,857... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155854/kamaru-usman-vs-georges-st-pierre-who?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155854/kamaru-usman-vs-georges-st-pierre-who?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Nov 2021 07:01:12 +0000 When Qatar was announced as the host of the 2022 Fifa World Cup, the international reaction in 2010 was equal parts bewilderment and disdain. Accusations of corruption in relation to the selection process were swift and rampant, and many cried foul, with the arid Arab nation winning the rights over the likes of the United States, South Korea, Japan and Australia. Questions surrounding the choice began almost immediately. How could a devout Muslim country, with its questionable attitude to women,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3155705/2022-fifa-world-cup-football-helping-bring-about-real-change-qatar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3155705/2022-fifa-world-cup-football-helping-bring-about-real-change-qatar?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Nov 2021 01:00:19 +0000 Zhang Weili’s rematch with Rose Namajunas at UFC 268 on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York seemed like a make-or-break moment for the promotion’s first bona fide Chinese star. After a split-decision loss to the American “Thug” (11-4), the 32-year-old Zhang (21-3) now has two straight losses, with the strawweight title – which at one point she looked like she may hold for years – firmly out of her grasp for now. “How far away is she from a title shot?” UFC president Dana White... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155158/zhang-weilis-gutsy-ufc-268-performance-proves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155158/zhang-weilis-gutsy-ufc-268-performance-proves?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Nov 2021 11:45:20 +0000 Two things are bound to happen this weekend in relation to UFC 268. The marquee bout on Saturday night’s main card at Madison Square Garden is likely to deliver a fight-of-the-year candidate, and Jon Jones will of course tweet about the whole thing from his sofa. On Saturday night, welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (19-1) will step into the Octagon for his fifth title defence, and probably defeat a resurgent Colby “Chaos” Covington (16-2) in a repeat of their barnburner from December... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3154875/jon-jones-continues-sad-slide-towards-ufc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3154875/jon-jones-continues-sad-slide-towards-ufc?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Nov 2021 12:00:12 +0000 Three year old French Bulldog Dela, who is a rescue dog, has taught her owner Stephanie Poelman a thing or two. “Patience,” Poelman said. “And of course unconditional love.” Poelman is a member of CrossFit Asphodel, which hosted the 2021 PupFit charity event on Saturday that helps raise money for local charities including Catherine’s Puppies and the Sai Kung Stray Foundation. So far they have raised more than HK$147,000 and Poelman, who has been doing CrossFit for 11 years and has lived in Hong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3154467/hong-kongs-crossfit-community-gets-together-raise-money?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3154467/hong-kongs-crossfit-community-gets-together-raise-money?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Nov 2021 12:00:20 +0000 It was a battle of the CrossFit icons all weekend in Austin, Texas, as five-time reigning champion Tia-Clair Toomey pipped Iceland’s Annie Thorisdottir at the death to take the 2021 Rogue Invitational. Toomey, who is originally from Queensland, Australia, but trains out of the US, finished up with 625 points after seven events over October 29-31 at the Dell Diamond, a 12,000-seat outdoor stadium. Former CrossFit Games champion Thorisdottir, who finished third at the 2021 event in August, led... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3154426/rogue-invitational-tia-clair-toomey-pips-annie-thorisdottir?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3154426/rogue-invitational-tia-clair-toomey-pips-annie-thorisdottir?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Nov 2021 08:00:42 +0000 The National Hockey League’s best of the best will be making their way to China in February for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Hockey fans across the planet are salivating at this tournament, as NHL players did not make the trip to South Korea in 2018 because of a number of issues between the players and league management. Now with a new collective bargaining agreement in place, the best 150 or so skaters will be packing their bags in early 2022 and heading into Beijing’s “closed loop” for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3153983/beijing-2022-five-nhl-players-keep-your-eye-winter-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3153983/beijing-2022-five-nhl-players-keep-your-eye-winter-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Oct 2021 03:13:40 +0000 Beijing is set to mark an historic achievement in February, when it will become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics. However, like almost every other Games before it, a number of headaches will continue to plague organisers right up until the moment the Olympic flame is lit at the opening ceremony. There is plenty at stake again for China, which will be looking for another soft power win similar to 13 years ago when it welcomed the world with an unforgettable opening... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3153902/100-days-out-winter-olympics-what-are-big-issues-facing-beijing-2022?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3153902/100-days-out-winter-olympics-what-are-big-issues-facing-beijing-2022?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:32:40 +0000 When reigning five-time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser announced his retirement in February, it sent shock waves through the sport. Pundits were quick to put their money on a number of successors to his crown as the “fittest man on earth” and one of the names thrown out consistently was Games rookie Justin Medeiros. The American exploded onto the scene at the 2020 CrossFit Games, lining up against Fraser in his rookie appearance and coming third, and at times, looking like he was testing the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3153181/justin-medeiros-ushers-future-crossfit-he-gets-set-rogue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3153181/justin-medeiros-ushers-future-crossfit-he-gets-set-rogue?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Oct 2021 14:00:16 +0000 Boston Celtics player Enes Kanter continued his assault on China with his fourth pair of shoes designed by Shanghai-born, Australia-based dissident cartoonist Badiucao. During his team’s game against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night in North Carolina, he wore a pair of white trainers adorned with the words “modern day slavery”, and once again posted an accompanying video message on his social media accounts. “Nike remains vocal about injustice [in the US], but when it comes to China, Nike... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3153670/nbas-enes-kanter-calls-out-nikes-silence-china-and-alleged-forced?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3153670/nbas-enes-kanter-calls-out-nikes-silence-china-and-alleged-forced?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Oct 2021 02:23:37 +0000 Beijing 2020 kicked off its torch lighting ceremony like any Olympics does, with a protest. Human rights activists sneaked past police and unfurled a banner that read “No Genocide Games” and waved a Tibetan flag in Greece at the ancient Olympic Stadium last week. Two people were arrested and major news networks across the planet picked up the story. Protests are now the norm when it comes to the Olympics. Tokyo 2020 was interrupted at almost every point of its torch relay with Japanese... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3153004/how-will-beijing-2022-olympics-differ-tokyo-2020?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3153004/how-will-beijing-2022-olympics-differ-tokyo-2020?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Oct 2021 14:00:15 +0000