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From the Olympics to the FIFA World Cup, international sports are global events that bring people together in a spirit of competition and rivalry. They are also an important part of a city’s culture and can be enjoyed by students and interns abroad, who often become fans of local club teams.

The first international sports were the ancient Olympic Games, a series of contests between representatives of city states in Ancient Greece featuring mostly athletic but also combat and chariot racing events. The Olympics were meant to be a peaceful competition where all internal struggles were put on hold for the duration of the event.

Today, international sport is organised by a network of governing bodies and international associations, known as the International Federations (IFs). The IFs are organisations recognised by the IOC to govern one or more sports at world level and supervise their everyday administration. They monitor the development of athletes, guarantee regular organisation of competitions and respect for fair play.

Despite this, international sport still faces major challenges in its quest to be a global peacemaker. Power imbalances are still prevalent, with elite athletes far more successful than their less-gifted counterparts, while corruption and nepotism in host countries can lead to money being diverted from the local population to benefit a select few. This was illustrated in Trondheim, Norway, this month when a group called Play the Game urged the organisers of the 2025 world ski championships to ensure a level playing field and transparency.

Historically, women have faced inequities in their professional fields, households and sport, but this has been slowly changing. Today, more women are taking on leadership roles in sports, leading to better policies and increased investments and addressing the challenges, from narrowing the pay gap to preventing abuse and violence.

However, barriers and bias persist. Despite the progress, men still dominate at the top level of sports, with only three out of 31 International Sports Federations having women in leadership positions. And, despite the efforts of female champions, there is still an assumption that men are better at sports than women, which discourages girls and women from participating in sport.

The current state of gender equality in sports can be attributed to the intersection of cultural and political barriers. For example, the allocation of resources and political support for women’s sport is often heavily influenced by traditional views that favour ‘men’s sports’ on the basis that they attract more spectators and revenue. This has been exacerbated by the fact that many women remain under-represented in decision-making structures, perpetuating male-dominated power dynamics.

To address these issues, policymakers and sport organisations need to take a holistic approach, including structural, social and cultural approaches. Increased funding for women’s sport, improved access to training facilities and a more balanced media coverage of women’s sports could help to reduce inequalities and encourage more girls and women to participate in sport. A user-friendly, secure and anonymous whistleblowing platform that is dedicated to collecting discrimination and harassment complaints can also be an effective strategy.

The world’s best NHL players take their talents to the Olympic ice in a tournament unlike any other. But they must also adapt to the unique rhythms and style of a game that can be played on smaller rinks and with different rules than those of the National Hockey League.

In the early years of the Olympics, teams from Canada dominated the men’s hockey tournament, winning six gold medals from 1920 to 1952. But the Soviet Union first competed in 1956, and quickly overtook Canada as the dominant international team. From 1956 to 1991, the Soviets won nine straight Olympic gold medals. In the 1990s, new story lines emerged: Sweden clinched its first gold medal in a shootout classic against Canada; Dominik Hasek led the Czech Republic (now Czechia) to a gold with his imperious goaltending; and the U.S. forged the “Miracle on Ice” in its 4-3 semifinal victory over the Soviets that lived on in sports mythology forever.

A key difference between NHL and Olympic ice hockey is that, during an Olympic match, players may not intentionally commit any illegal actions such as diving or fighting. Players who do so will be penalized and, in extreme cases, ejected from the game.

Mike Eruzione, then playing for the Minnesota North Stars, sent a long slap shot past Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak to tie the game with ten minutes left in the third period. Amid a crowd of jubilation, the U.S. won the overtime period, and the Miracle on Ice was born.

Athlete endorsements are an increasingly crucial element of sports marketing, tapping into the personal connections and influence that athletes have with their fans. Unlike sponsorship, where brands align broadly with a sporting entity, athlete endorsements leverage the trust and credibility that individuals elicit from their followers to directly recommend products or services, shifting consumer buying habits and influencing public perception.

Choosing the right athletes to endorse brands, ensuring authenticity, and measuring impact are key to maximizing the potential of athlete endorsements. For example, in the case of Nike and tennis star Serena Williams, the campaign “Dream Crazier” positioned her as an empowering role model for women, while also leveraging her resilience to drive engagement and foster brand loyalty. In addition to sales analysis, tracking audience sentiment through surveys and discussion forums can provide qualitative data that complements quantitative metrics.

Beyond ad placement, athlete endorsements can also be utilized in the form of collaborative content. This allows athletes to convey their own authentic experiences with the product, fostering greater authenticity. This was the approach taken by Hannah Kathleen Hawkshaw in her collaboration with Lierac Ireland & UK, where she created user-generated content (UGC) to share her own experience using the brand’s lift products.

Athlete endorsements are a powerful and unique marketing strategy that can be used in conjunction with other tactics such as event management, sponsorship strategies, NIL licensing, and more. By partnering with the right athletes, leveraging influencer marketing, and measuring impact, brands can build stronger relationships with their audiences, while generating a positive impact on their bottom line.

World Athletics Championship is the world’s premier track and field competition for senior athletes organised by the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations). The 2025 edition in Tokyo, Japan marked the milestone 20th World Championships since the first World championships were held separately from the Olympic Games in 1983. It saw a new global medal champion in Cordell Tinch, who won the 110m hurdles; Nicola Olyslagers crowned her second outdoor world high jump title; and Cole Hocker returned to form to win 5000m gold.

It was a dramatic final day at the championships in Tokyo with one world record and seven championship records broken or equalled. Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers won her second world outdoor high jump title with a clearance of 2.00m, while Poland’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Serbia’s Angelina Topic were tied on countback for silver. The men’s 3000m steeplechase also produced an exciting finish with Geordie Beamish (New Zealand) running down Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco to win the gold medal in a new world-leading time, with Amanal Petros of Tanzania in third place.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden became only the second female sprinter to complete a sprint treble at World Athletics, adding the 200m and 4x100m relay titles to her earlier 100m victory. The South Carolina native is bidding to add to her haul at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and she will face a challenge from fellow United States sprinter Noah Lyles. But Jefferson-Wooden says she’s used to big goals, having grown up in Georgetown and attended a small Division 1 college program in her early years.

Formula 1 is the world’s most prestigious open-wheel single-seat car racing competition. It’s a sport that requires skill, endurance and strategy. It’s also a sport that requires speed – drivers race around the world, at circuits as historic as Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps, travelling at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. And at the end of a season, only the top three drivers and teams can take home the coveted trophy.

The first driver to cross the finish line at each Grand Prix receives 25 points, with the remaining runners earning points on a sliding scale. Sometimes a shorter sprint race – known as a ‘sprint’ – takes place before the main event and can count towards the final standings. The team that has the most points at the end of the season wins the constructors’ championship.

Ferrari have competed in F1 since the very first season in 1950 and are still competing today with a driver line-up of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, while McLaren and Haas have made significant gains in recent years. Those newcomers join established giants like Mercedes, who have won 14 championships and are still competing with Ferrari in the battle to win the most titles.

Multi-champions include Juan Manuel Fangio, who won five titles in the 1950s; Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, who both collected four championships in the 1980s; and Sebastian Vettel, who took a remarkable seven consecutive championships from 2010 to 2013. Viewers can follow the latest developments and keep up with the action in our F1 standings section, which features graphs that show season progression, as well as tables that list both points and positions.

The Masters leaderboard is a mesmerizing sight to behold. Rory McIlroy, after a long career of near-misses and heartbreaks, has now made it into the play-off with Justin Rose, and is one shot off the lead. He has a chance to win his first green jacket, and the world is watching.

Bryson DeChambeau was the only player to card two rounds in the 60s through Friday, and he improved on that with a second-round 68. The American will tee off in the final grouping on Saturday with Rose, and he’s looking to get to within striking distance of winning his first Masters.

Rose stumbled a little in Round 3 after an impressive seven-under 65, but he wasn’t able to make up much ground with a three-over 75. He made a few mistakes on the greens, including missing a short putt at hole 16, and he’ll have to be better over the weekend if he wants to win his third Masters title.

McIlroy moved into the top-two with a round of six-under 66. He ripped a drive over the corner of the par-four ninth and played a beautiful wedge from 87 yards into the back bank to set himself up for a birdie. He had a few bogeys mixed in as well, but his three-shot improvement has him tied with Corey Conners for the lead. It was the best second-round score for McIlroy at Augusta, and he’ll look to build on that performance in the final two days.

As we see with many high profile athletes, retirement news often brings a lot of speculation about what the athlete is going to do next. This is a valid question, as retiring from the sport comes with many psychological and physical strains. It’s important that not only athletes, but also parents, partners, and coaches, are aware of these strains to support them throughout the process.

The largest shift for retired athletes is finding their identity outside of the sport. This can be harder for elite and professional athletes who have spent their entire life in the sport circuit. It is possible that this transition can be a bit easier for amateur long-time players because they may have more connections to their community.

In addition to finding a new sense of self, retired athletes are often forced to adapt to a different lifestyle. They have to learn how to stay fit without the help of training partners and the structured routine of competitions and practices. It is important for athletes to understand that this can be a difficult transition because it changes their normal daily activity and how they feel about themselves.

After retiring, it is important for former athletes to make wise financial decisions. Athletes can start to plan ahead and set money aside by investing their earnings in assets that produce income, such as real estate or business ventures. They should also consider obtaining term life and permanent total disability insurance to protect their investment. RBC professionals recommend that they also create a trust for tax purposes and to establish peace of mind.

Whether they helped bring down Jose Mourinho, led a march against their club owner or pushed back against plans to commercialize their sport, fans have a long history of using their passion for football as a tool for change. These stories remind us that fan protest isn’t a passing fad and can be a powerful force for social change.

Disgruntled West Ham supporters turned out in their thousands to protest the way the club is run ahead of a Premier League match against Crystal Palace. They marched from Stratford train station to London Stadium and held messages calling for owners David Sullivan and Karren Brady to resign. The protest was organised by fellow fans group Hammers United and ended at the directors’ entrance to the ground.

During the Civil Rights Movement, Black fans turned their passion for sports into a potent nonviolent weapon, marching and boycotting games to protest segregated seating policies. They plastered their communities with banners and were supported by Black newspapers that kept fans up to date on boycott information. Eventually, these protests helped change the makeup of professional sports teams and forced cities to confront their racism. Those lessons still resonate today. By focusing on the personality, hobbies and family of a person who is part of a news event, it helps readers connect with them and can help promote positive attitudes toward that person and the cause they support.

The US Open schedule has returned to a 15-day format, allowing more matches and giving players an extra day of rest between rounds. It starts Monday and culminates Sept. 6 and 7 with men’s and women’s finals at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The tournament is the fourth and last Grand Slam of the year, following the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner opens his title defense against Poland’s Magdalena Frech, and the world No. 1 will hope to continue his momentum against an opponent he beat in straight sets in their previous meeting in 2024. Home hopes Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, and rising talent Alex Michelsen, Learner Tien, and Brandon Nakashima also highlight a deep American contingent at Flushing Meadows.

Aryna Sabalenka, runner-up in 2024, and Jessica Pegula will also be in action on the opening day of play. And, of course, there is no shortage of star power as Venus Williams returns to the singles draw via wildcard.

Novak Djokovic will be among those looking to advance at Arthur Ashe Stadium, and he will take on Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie in his first match of the tournament. Carlos Alcaraz, the silver medallist in the men’s singles at the 2024 Olympic Games, and the owner of one of the most talked about haircuts in tennis will be another player to watch as he looks to get to the quarterfinals at the hard court Grand Slam. Iga Swiatek will be a popular name to watch as well, with the second seed playing Emiliana Arango in the first round.