Letters to the Editor: It's not just L.A. The world isn't ready for a U.S.-hosted Olympics
A more pressing question: Is the world ready for the United States to host anything? Does anyone think the countries that participate in the World Cup will show up? Will fans? We've already banned people from one participating country, Iran, from traveling here and are in the process of denying visas and arresting thousands. Fans of the World Cup will not show up just to be herded through turnstiles into the arms of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Fast forward to the Olympics. Today's protests will not stop. How does this city get ready for the Olympics? For tourists? I am deeply ashamed of what is going on in this country and fully expect the rest of the world to boycott us the way 65 nations boycotted the Russian Summer Olympics in 1980 after Russia invaded Afghanistan.
Susan Polifronio, Los Angeles
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Washington Post
4 hours ago
- Washington Post
Euro 2025: Bonmati says Spain being 'the best team of the tournament' wasn't enough to win trophy
BASEL, Switzerland — Being the most skillful and technically best team at the Women's European Championship wasn't enough to get Spain the title on Sunday. The 2023 World Cup winner and 2024 UEFA Nations League title holder still does not have a European title for its stellar generation after a penalty shootout loss to England in the final after a 1-1 draw after extra time.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Spain may not have won – but at least this tournament shows how much has changed
Vicky Lopez expressed the feelings of the entire team. It was her first major defeat with the senior Spain side and she was sobbing as she collected the silver medal, unable to contain her emotions. The world champions had just lost the Euro 2025 final against England following a penalty shootout, falling at the final hurdle in their bid to add the European Championship to the World Cup they won in 2023 and the Nations League trophy lifted in 2024. The disappointment will be felt deeply. They were the favourites against the Lionesses, even though this was their first final in this competition. In fact, Spain had never previously won a match in a knockout game at a European Championship. But when the dust settles and the pain of defeat has eased, they can at least reflect that this tournament has represented a huge step forward for the Spanish national team. The final outcome might suggest otherwise, but they will surely remember Euro 2025 as a significant moment in the development of women's football in the country. The 2023 World Cup arrived amid a battle between the players and the Spanish football federation, the RFEF, that had been brewing for some time and exploded in September 2022 after the last Euros. The players were demanding minimum conditions that would allow them to perform at their best. They became particularly aware of this with the professionalisation of club teams, led by Barcelona, and saw the difference between playing domestically and internationally. For many of them, playing for the national team was like a trip back in time. What did they mean by that? Well, everything. The players wanted better. They wanted to go to competitions in good time to ensure recovery from the journey and avoid it affecting the first match. They wanted to travel in the most comfortable conditions possible to avoid fatigue. They wanted a nutritionist, analysis of their opponents and themselves, enough friendly matches to prepare, physical trainers, more physios, optimal training-ground conditions and elite training. They felt other teams already had all of this and that it put them at a disadvantage when they faced them. Because when talent was equal, the best-prepared team won. Another issue was the hotels. They were always isolated, far from the venues hosting the matches in each competition. 'We hardly had any friendly matches, we were staying in hotels located in industrial estates next to petrol stations… we didn't have the same facilities as other teams to recover quickly, and we had fairly limited staff,' former player Veronica Boquete told The Athletic about the 2013 Euros. Years later, that situation had not improved in line with the developments in the women's game. In 2022, the team travelled to Marlow, a small town west of London. For the 2023 World Cup, they were based in Palmerston North, a city in the middle of New Zealand's North Island, far from all the venues. After the group stage, they had to move to Wellington because there were concerns that the condition of the pitch could cause injuries and the facilities proved to be inadequate. This summer, the RFEF decided to base the team in Lausanne, a beautiful city with a lake in the centre of Switzerland, close to all venues. The location was convenient for transport and the players felt so comfortable that after each match, they asked to spend the night there instead of in a hotel in the city where they were playing — Bern, Thun, Zurich — except for the day of the final in Basel. The training ground chosen, the Juan-Antonio-Samaranch Stadium, is one of the best available in Switzerland and the same is true of their chosen hotel, the Hotel Royal Savoy. The RFEF requested that vinyl stickers be placed throughout the hotel where the players would be staying so they would feel at home and know how to get to where they needed to go. They also travelled with a chef and, for the first time, a maitre d'. The facilities included a room to help players who are mothers, such as Irene Paredes, balance their family life. It was also useful for Alba Redondo and her stepdaughter. It was a small room with children's games and a table and chairs for children, close to the dining room where families could eat in peace and where players who needed to could congregate after each meal to be with their little ones. Patri Guijarro is the yardstick for measuring the level of improvement. She was one of 15 players who asked not to be selected in September 2022 and did return to play in the World Cup. She did not want to come back until the conditions were optimal, until the improvement was real. For the 2024 Olympics and this European Championship, she decided she was satisfied the change had taken place. She returned, becoming one of the best players in the tournament. 'Now we have the perfect food, we recover better with more physios, a psychologist, comfortable travel, a gym in all the facilities… those details also make a difference on the pitch,' Guijarro said in an interview with El Mundo a few weeks ago. 'I remember that in England (Euro 2022), the food was always the same. When you're at the top, those details matter.' At Euro 2025 — and for the first time — two doctors and six physiotherapists travelled with the team, along with seven people from the communications department, one from ticketing and another from fan experience. The improvement is dramatic and it is keenly felt. Sources in the dressing room, who wished to remain anonymous to protect their positions, told The Athletic the players finally have confidence that they have professional conditions in absolutely everything. They also feel this is the first tournament they have played in where they have been able to focus solely on football. Since the team began making improvements, and as soon as they were given a truly professional structure, they have won a World Cup, a Nations League and reached their first Euros final in just two years. During this tournament, they have taken their game to new heights. Their identity is increasingly solid, with an unmistakable style of possession and positioning: tiki-taka. They finished top of Group B, unbeaten and having scored 14 goals. They were the highest-scoring of all 16 teams in the competition. In the knockout stages, they eliminated hosts Switzerland (2-0), beat Germany in extra time (1-0) and reached the final for the first time. They showed their strengths, with a midfield that knows each other perfectly, Aitana Bonmati, Guijarro and Alexia Putellas setting the pace for an enthusiastic team in attack. Defensively, there were some weaknesses but ultimately it took a penalty shootout to defeat them. Now, the players can rest. Their fight for better conditions has been admirable from the outside but devastating from the inside. Three years after it began, they can say it was worth it. The song chosen as the soundtrack for the Euros in the Spain dressing room was 'El principio de algo' (the beginning of something) by Spanish band La La Love You. And that's what this Euros feels like for Spain, the beginning of something. Even if they lost the final. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Spain, Soccer, La Liga, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Tom's Guide
5 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
How to watch UCI BMX World Championships 2025: live stream every event from anywhere
All eyes are on women's elite contenders Beth Shriever and Saya Sakakibara at the UCI BMX World Championships, after last summer's Olympics debacle. Shriever, who took Olympic gold four years ago, won all six of her heats in Paris but got boxed-in in the final and came last, with Sakakibara taking full advantage. You can watch UCI BMX World Championships 2025 from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for free. The 2025 UCI BMX World Championships run from Monday, July 28 to Sunday, August 3. Full schedule below.• FREE STREAM — YouTube (select events globally)• U.S. — Flobikes• U.K. — Watch on Discovery+ / TNT Sports• Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN risk-free It was Alise Willoughby who took glory at last year's UCI BMX World Championships, but the U.S. star isn't in action at the UCI Bike City of Copenhagen, as she just gave birth earlier this month. Reigning men's champion Joris Daudet will be braced for a fierce showdown with his French compatriot Sylvain Andre, with whom he shared the podium at both the UCI BMX World Championships and Olympics last year. The Rock Hill runner-up Niek Kimmann is also in action. The UCI BMX World Championships are split in two parts. The Challenge and Masters races take place from July 28-31, before the elite men and women and U23s take center-stage on August 2-3. Here's how to watch UCI BMX World Championships 2025 from anywhere — starting with free streams. We've also listed the schedule at the bottom of this page. Free UCI BMX World Championships coverage is available worldwide via the UCI YouTube channel, which is live streaming the Challenge events. Away from home? You may not be able to watch the action like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Fortunately, there's an easy solution. Use a VPN to watch Copenhagen 2025 for free — we'll show you how to do that below. Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the cycling on your usual subscription? You can still watch UCI BMX World Championships 2025 live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are, making it ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN — we explain why in our NordVPN review. NordVPN deal: FREE $50 / £50 Amazon gift card Boasting lightning fast speeds, great features, streaming power, and class-leading security, NordVPN is our #1 VPN. ✅ FREE Amazon gift card worth up to $50/£50✅ 4 months extra FREE!✅ 76% off usual price Use Nord to unblock YouTube and watch FREE UCI BMX World Championships coverage live online with our exclusive deal. Viewers in the U.S. can watch the UCI BMX World Championships on Flobikes. A subscription costs $29.99 per month, or $150 per year. Flobikes will be exclusively showing the elite men and women's action on the 2-3 August. If you're currently out of the U.S. but still want to watch the event, check out NordVPN, as explained above. The UCI BMX World Championships is on FloBikes in Canada too. A subscription will set you back CA$203.88 for the year or CA$39.99 on a monthly basis. Not at home right now? Use NordVPN or another VPN service to set your device to appear you're still in Canada. TNT Sports will host UCI BMX World Championships 2025 TV coverage in the U.K., across multiple channels. You can stream TNT Sports live online by subscribing to the Discovery Plus Premium plan for £30.99/month, or you can add TNT Sports through Sky, BT, EE or Virgin Media to watch via your television provider. If you're not in the U.K. right now but already subscribe to TNT Sports, try using NordVPN to watch as if you were back at home. The UCI BMX World Championships have previously been shown on SBS in Australia, but we haven't had any indication that will be the case this year. You can, however, watch the Challenge events free-of-charge on the UCI YouTube channel. If you're currently on holiday in Australia, one of the best VPN services will help tap into your home coverage of the race. We recommend NordVPN. Monday, July 28 — from 5 | Women: 12&U, 13-16, 40+Cruisers | Men: 12&U, 13&14, 15&16, 17-24, 25-29, 40-44, 45-49, 50+ Tuesday, July 29 — from 5 a.m.20" | Women: 8, 9, 10, 11 20" | Men: 8, 9, 10, 11Cruisers | Women: 17-29, 30-39Cruisers | Men: 30-34, 35-39 Wednesday, July 30 — from 5 a.m.20" | Women: 12, 13, 14, 1520" | Men: 12, 13, 14 Thursday, July 31 — from 5 a.m.20" | Women: 16, 17-24, 25+ 20" | Men: 15, 16, 17-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35+Masters | Men & Women Saturday, August 28:25 a.m. — Round 1: WJ, MJ, WU, MU, WE, ME9:25 a.m. — Last-chance qualifier: WJ, MJ, WU, MU, WE, ME11:40 a.m. — 1/8 finals: MJ, MU, ME Sunday, August 36 a.m. — Quarter-finals: WJ, MJ, WU, MU, WE, ME6:50 a.m. — Semi-finals: WJ, MJ, WU, MU, WE, ME7:20 a.m. — Finals: WJ, MJ, WU, MU, WE, ME We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
