FIFA President Gianni Infantino has welcomed the attendance of women and girls at a Hazfi Cup soccer match in the Iranian city of Mashhad on Sunday as an “encouraging development”.
With few exceptions, female fans have been banned from sports events in the Islamic republic since the 1979 revolution and FIFA faced calls for the men’s team to be banned from the 2022 World Cup over the issue.
Infantino has preferred a policy of personal engagement with the country’s leadership and hailed the access to the Imam Reza Stadium for some women and girls as another step forward.
“I was very pleased to learn about the attendance of women and girls at an Iranian Hazfi Cup game between Nassaji Mazandara…
[09:45, 4/11/2025] Aditya J Ahuja: Djokovic will play at ATP Finals, Italy fed president says
Novak Djokovic has confirmed his participation at the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy’s tennis federation chief Angelo Binaghi said, easing concerns that the 24-time Grand Slam champion may pull out of the season finale.
World number five Djokovic, who withdrew from the season ender last year due to injury, skipped the Paris Masters and has not played since losing to qualifier Valentin Vacherot in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals last month.
“We have confirmation that Djokovic will be in Turin,” Binaghi told Italian radio channel Rai Gr Parlamento on Monday.
The November 9-16 ATP finals feature the world’s top eight players, with Djokovic having won the tournament a record seven times and last lifting the trophy in 2023.
The 38-year-old Serb’s participation leaves just one qualifying slot open, with ninth-ranked Italian Lorenzo Musetti and eighth-ranked Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in contention.
Auger-Aliassime, who reached the Paris Masters final last week, withdrew from the Moselle Open in Metz on Monday, meaning Musetti could seal the last spot if he wins this week’s ATP 250 tournament in Athens.
(REUTERS)
