In today’s news: Casey Stoney is named head coach of NWSL side San Diego, Team GB and Japan win preparatory matches for Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and Candace Parker becomes the first female basketball player on the cover of NBA 2K.
Casey Stoney announced as head coach of San Diego
Lionesses legend and former Manchester United manager Casey Stoney has been appointed head coach of NWSL expansion side San Diego. The 39-year-old announced she would be leaving the Red Devils in May after spending a successful three years at the club.
“I am extremely excited and motivated to lead San Diego NWSL on the field next season and beyond,” said Stoney. “Jill and this ownership group are deeply committed to building a world-class club both on and off the field and I look forward to being a part of creating our culture and style of play as a team. I am eager to begin work immediately ahead of our inaugural year of competition in NWSL next season.”
San Diego are set to join the NWSL alongside LA-based Angel City FC next year. The club will play its home games at the 6,000-seat Torero Stadium.
Team GB and Japan win preparatory football matches before Tokyo 2020
A number of friendly football matches took place today in preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Team GB took on New Zealand behind closed doors at the Todoroki Stadium. The side won the clash 3-0 after Nikita Parris hit the back of the net and Ellen White scored a brace. Team GB had been scheduled to face Zambia before they travelled to Japan, but the match was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Elsewhere, hosts Japan defeated Australia 1-0 through a Mana Iwabuchi penalty. The Netherlands also came back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Canada.
The women’s football competition at Tokyo 2020 starts on July 21st with Team GB’s match against Chile. The tournament will then run until the gold-medal match on August 6th.
Candace Parker becomes first woman on NBA 2K cover
Chicago Sky’s Candace Parker has become the first WNBA player and female athlete to be put on the cover of video game NBA 2K. The American is on the Gamestop Exclusive edition of NBA2K22.
Luka Doncic of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks is on the cover of the standard edition, while Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant and retired stars Dirk Nowitzki and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar feature on the 75th anniversary edition.
Parker joined Chicago Sky this year after spending 13 years at Los Angeles Sparks, where she won the WNBA in 2016 and was named MVP in 2008 and 2013.
Rebekah Stott returns to football after cancer diagnosis
New Zealand Rebekah Stott has played football for the first time since undergoing treatment for blood cancer. The 28-year-old first revealed her diagnosis in March, forcing her to cut short her time with Women’s Super League club Brighton.
Stott has now played a few minutes for Women’s National Premier League Victoria club Bulleen Lions, a team coached by her best friend. Although she only came off the bench briefly and played as a striker instead of a defender, Stott revealed how happy she was to return to the pitch.
“I think yesterday made me realise how much I had missed it,” she said, as reported by Stuff. “It has been nice to have a break and not train every day, but in saying that, I really missed the team culture and just being in that environment.
“Yesterday I was quite shocked at how good it made me feel and how happy I was just to get back on the field. Now I’m itching to get back on for longer.”
Johanna Konta withdraws from Tokyo 2020 Olympics
British tennis player Johanna Konta has withdrawn from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19. She had pulled out of Wimbledon after she was identified as a close contact of a member of her team who had coronavirus, before testing positive for the virus herself.
Konta was unable to train due to her symptoms, resulting in her "heartbreaking" decision to withdraw from the Games.
"This is a heartbreaking reality for me, as representing Team GB at the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016 is one of my most treasured memories from my career,” Konta wrote in a statement. “I'll be doing my best to get myself back to full health and fitness and ready to be competing again soon.”
The 30-year-old Konta reached the quarter-finals of the women’s singles tournament at Rio 2016. She also played alongside Heather Watson in the women’s doubles.
Olympic oath altered as part of drive for gender equality
The International Olympic Committee has updated the Olympic oath as part of their drive for gender equality. The words “inclusion” and “equality” have now been added to the opening line of the oath.
The change has come in time for the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. During the Ceremony, a male and female athlete drawn from the Japanese Olympic team will be joined by two coaches and two judges to recite the oath.
“We Olympians are role models and ambassadors,” IOC Athletes’ Commission chair Kirsty Coventry said. “We stand together to send out to the world a powerful message of equality, inclusion, solidarity, peace and respect.
“The Olympic oath-takers selected for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be fully gender equal and will take the Olympic oath on behalf of all the Olympians, judges, coaches and officials, who they represent, in the true spirit of solidarity.”
