Sports
Authorities Demand Explanation from Arshad’s Coach Over Athlete’s Decline – SUCH TV
The Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) has written a letter to Salman Butt, the coach of star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, seeking the reasons behind a sharp decline in the athlete’s performance including his below-par show in the World Athletics Championship held in Tokyo last week.
The 28-year-old Arshad, who made entire Pakistan feel proud by winning gold medal with a record 92.97-metre throw at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finished a poor 10th in the world championship.
The AFP has asked several questions from Salman and directed him to submit his reply by Oct 5.
After Arshad’s gold medal show in Paris last year, the AFP had disassociated itself from his training programme and his participation in world events, giving the athlete and Salman liberty to take their decisions.
When the Pakistan Sports Board handed a cheque of Rs10 million to the AFP for training Arshad early this year.
The federation returned the same with an instruction to directly give it to the athlete.
According to the letter, the AFP asked Salman to submit a report about Arshad’s training activities from September 2024 to August 2025.
The coach was also asked to name the coaches, whose services were hired for Arshad during the said period, plus details about his participation in international events in the same time.
Salman was also asked to explain why Arshad did not participate in any Diamond League meetings, and whether he hired the services of any foreign coach or trainer during this period.
Moreover, Salman was required to submit the report of Arshad’s high performance training and his physical fitness level, and also if the coach made any contact with the federation or any other national institution during the past year or so.
Sports
Jamaica unveil snazzy kits ahead of World Cup playoffs
We’re four months away from the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but if they manage to qualify, Jamaica might have already sewn up the competition for the snazziest kits with their new home and away strips unveiled Friday.
Both ensembles have been designed in collaboration with the Bob Marley Foundation and as such are positively drenched in the vivid red, green and gold colors that have become synonymous with the legendary reggae star and Rastafarian culture.
The home shirt has a yellow-gold base overlaid with a weave pattern that makes it look like the crocheted garments and Rasta headwear Marley wore in the 1970s. There are also horizontal bands in black, red and green that span the shirt and feature a pattern intended to resemble vinyl records.
The away shirt is arguably even livelier, with the Jamaican national colors once again used to create a black alternative design that pays homage to the rocksteady rhythm of the island’s music.
The dark base is covered in line-drawn patterns inspired by soundwaves, vinyl records and even the reels of old cassette tapes. The Reggae Boyz/Girlz tag on the collar is also inspired by the font used by Marley’s record label, Tuff Gong. Added to that, the use of the classic trefoil logo in gold just caps everything off nicely.
Marley was known to love soccer and regularly played in matches against fellow musicians and even professional players, notably several members of Brazil‘s famous teams of the 70s. As such, there is a tag attached to the lower hem of both 2026 jerseys that bears a portrait of the icon alongside his well-known quote, “Football is freedom.”
All that’s left now is for Jamaica to actually qualify for their first World Cup since 1998. The Reggae Boyz finished second behind surprise package Curaçao in Concacaf Group B, meaning that two rounds of interconfederation playoffs in March still stand between them and a place at this summer’s tournament.
Sports
2026 Olympics: Top moments from USA-Denmark men’s hockey
After a commanding 5-1 win over Latvia, the United States men’s hockey team was back in action for Game 2 of the preliminary round in the 2026 Olympics.
Saturday’s game was against Denmark, which lost 3-1 to Germany in its first game. The United States won, 6-3.
The U.S. now sits atop Group C, with six points. The top team from each group gets a bye into the quarterfinal round of the tournament, which begins Wednesday.
Center Brock Nelson led the U.S. in scoring after one game, with two goals, while forwards Jack Eichel, Jack Hughes, Matthew Tkachuk and defenseman Quinn Hughes all had two assists. Forwards Auston Matthews, Tage Thompson and Brady Tkachuk were the other goal scorers in the opening contest.
More: Men’s hockey megapreview | Lapsed fan’s guide | Player rankings
Sports
Former Princeton star Caden Pierce transferring to Purdue
Former Princeton star Caden Pierce, the 2023-24 Ivy League Player of the Year, is transferring to Purdue, he told ESPN on Friday.
Pierce is sitting out this season to finish his degree at Princeton before playing his final season in West Lafayette in 2026-27. He announced his intentions to transfer over the summer before officially entering the portal in October.
The 6-foot-7 forward also considered UConn, Duke, Louisville and Gonzaga before picking Purdue.
“I went on all five visits, just looking for the place that felt most like home for one year for me,” Pierce said. “Purdue obviously has an unbelievable program that coach [Matt] Painter has built over the years. When I was on campus, with the coaches and with the guys, it felt like a great place for me. I wanted to be a part of that program. Mackey Arena is one of the best venues in college basketball, and I can be part of something special.”
Pierce, the younger brother of Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce and former North Carolina forward Justin Pierce, started 89 games during his three seasons with the Tigers. He won Ivy League Rookie of the Year as a freshman in 2023, playing a key role on Princeton’s Sweet 16 team, including a 16-rebound performance in a NCAA tournament second-round win over Missouri.
His breakout came as a sophomore, when he averaged 16.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game and won Ivy League Player of the Year honors. Among the 22 low- and mid-major conference players of the year in 2023-24, Pierce was the only one to return to the same school the following season.
He battled through injuries for most of last season, with an ankle injury in late December resulting in two fully torn ligaments and two partially torn ligaments. He nonetheless earned second-team All-Ivy honors, averaging 11.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
“I’m feeling great,” Pierce said. “That’s been the nice thing about this year. I’ve been able to address whatever deficiencies I had without feeling like I had to play through injury or whatever I had. I was able to move at my own pace, get my body feeling great and stronger than ever.
“It’s been a different, unique year. That’s the only way to put it. I’ve never taken a full year off of competitive basketball. It’s been a little bit of an adjustment. I’m still working out, getting all my work in, but it’s by myself. I’ve had limited opportunities to play 5-on-5. Being removed from a competitive environment for this long has made me gain a new appreciation for the competitive side of basketball and the camaraderie in the locker room.”
At Purdue, Pierce will be part of a sizable reload and should slot into the Boilermakers’ starting lineup immediately. Painter will lose four starters, including All-American Braden Smith and program stalwarts Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer. C.J. Cox is expected to return in the backcourt, while reserves Omer Mayer, Jack Benter, Gicarri Harris and Daniel Jacobsen could all see expanded roles.
The Boilermakers are also bringing in a top-15 recruiting class, a group that includes three SC Next 100 prospects: Luke Ertel, Sinan Huan and Jacob Webber.
“They’re losing a lot of guys, a lot of older guys, a lot of seniors,” Pierce said. “It’s going to be a younger team. One of the things that makes coach Painter so respectable is he didn’t promise anything throughout the process. ‘You’re still going to have to earn anything, but the opportunity is going to be there. You’re an older guy, make your presence felt in the locker room and on the floor.’ That’s kind of why they wanted me.
“It appeals to me. I’m really looking forward to making my presence felt. Getting in the locker room with a good group of guys and being a part of something.”
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