Indholdsfortegnelse for 2023-07-18 i Mercury

AVI APPEARS locked in dispute with the black economic empowerment (BEE) partner of its fishing products subsidiary I&J Limited after it decided last month to replace its partner of 19 years with a new grouping that is unknown in the fishing sector and which is headed by I&J’s non-executive chairperson Professor Brian Figaji. According to AVI, having been extended in 2012, 2018 and in 2022, the BEE transaction with Mainstreet 198 matured on July 1, 2023, having generated “significant value over 19 years”, including more than R202 million in net cash to Main Street 198. In line with the agreement, AVI exercised their call option and acquired the shares held in I&J from Main Street, upon maturation of the transaction. AVI has now entered into a new agreement with…

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has deployed field rangers to eMphendle in uMlalazi Municipality, northern KwaZulu-Natal, following reports that two lions were seen in the area on Sunday. Ezemvelo said the rangers had been deployed to search for the lions, however, it was unlikely that they were from the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi (HiP) Park as it was too far away. UMlalazi Municipality mayor Queen Xulu said the community of eMphendle was living in fear after the lions were reportedly spotted along the P710 route. “We applaud the swift intervention by the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife in treating this as a matter of urgency. However, we are of a firm view that the efforts of the search should be multiplied and escalated to all authorities and specialists.” Xulu added that their biggest worry was…

In a matter of one hour, 20 minutes, it was all over for Ons Jabeur. She had been knocked out in the Wimbledon final. She was devastated and cried inconsolably. For the second time, she couldn’t get her hands on the coveted Wimbledon trophy. The hopes of the Arab world and Africa were gone. What was even more painful was that she had lost to an unseeded player. But she promised the Wimbledon crowd she would be back next year, even stronger. It was Marketa Vondrousova, not Jabeur, who made history by becoming the first unseeded player in the open era to win at Wimbledon. Just last year she was a spectator at Wimbledon watching the games with an injured wrist. This year she was the queen of Wimbledon. In…

Recent events have brought into focus the importance of freedom of expression, including freedom of the press. The importance of free speech and expression as a valuable characteristic in a democratic society cannot be underestimated. In their efforts to provide the public with information about controversial yet important events, journalists in South Africa face constant intimidation, sometimes brutal deadly assaults, which restrict their ability to convey truthful information. It was Sir Winston Churchill who in 1949, offered these profound words: “A free press is the unsleeping guardian of every other right that free men prize, it is the most dangerous foe of tyranny. Under dictatorship the press is bound to languish. A vigilant press will continue to be the fourth estate, the vigilant guardian of the rights of the ordinary…

Following Chess South Africa’s suspension from the South African Sports Confederation (Sascoc) and Olympic Committee, civil rights organisation AfriForum said it was heading to court to challenge the decision. The organisation will turn to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, to set aside the decision. No date has yet been set for the application. AfriForum said Sascoc suspended Chess SA in April without any concrete reasons, which is contrary to Sascoc’s procedures in its constitution. Ronald Peters, manager of Afri- Forum Sport, said Sascoc’s decision is just another example of how official sports bodies in South Africa succumbed to political pressure and showed no backbone to promote and protect sporting codes – in this case, chess. “It is clear that the legitimate council has been worked out by politically driven agendas,…

An international study shows that both South African men and women are the worst drivers, in a comparative analysis with 20 other countries. The “Compare the Market in Australia” website, which offers comparisons between products, embarked on a study to establish which country has the highest number of fatal crashes between males and females. The study found that both South African males and females are the worst drivers in a comparative analysis of 20 other countries and that South Africans caused the highest number of fatal crashes, regardless of gender. It goes on to say that “males are responsible for 34.9% of fatal crashes, while females are responsible for 9.9%. When each of these is compared against the 19 other countries in the study, these results place South Africa as…

The eThekwini Municipality said a government delegation would hold a mass community meeting in Verulam tomorrow to find a solution to the challenges at the Buffelsdraai Landfill site after a shooting incident last week. The Mercury reported last week that the site was closed to the public after a group of waste pickers were shot at by security on Wednesday leaving one dead and 17 injured. The City said mayor Mxolisi Kaunda met yesterday with community leaders from Verulam to seek resolutions to the challenges facing the Buffelsdraai Landfill site. Participants in the meeting included deputy mayor Zandile Myeni; chairperson of the Governance and Human Capital Committee, Nkosenhle Madlala; ward councillors, the local Induna Yesizwe samaQadi, Marco Msomi; and representatives from the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta).…

The Durban rates boycott, spearheaded by the Westville Ratepayers Association (WRA) against lack of service delivery in eThekwini Municipality, has brought into sharp focus the power of associations to compel municipalities to take their mandates seriously. Frustrated by the high tariff increases that have been approved by the municipality, the WRA resolved to boycott the payment of municipal tariffs. The decision, which was announced on July 1, was informed by the fact that the City approved exorbitant tariffs while service delivery in the metro is almost non-existent. Rates in eThekwini went up by 7.9%, as opposed to the initial proposal of 8.9%. Water increased by 14.9% for residential customers and 15.9% for businesses. Sanitation went up by 10.9% for households and 11.9% for businesses. Refuse removal now costs 6.9% more.…

The failure of the G20 to achieve a breakthrough on debt restructuring for vulnerable countries is a “grave concern”, the head of a UN agency said yesterday as the body seeks pauses in debt repayment for poor nations amid rising poverty. The debt restructuring talks made little progress during the third finance meeting of the G20 countries in India. The bloc was unable to overcome key differences and low attendance. Zambia, locked in default for almost three years, struck a deal last month to restructure $6.3 billion in debt owed to governments abroad including China, but many challenges remain. The UN Development Programme has urged global finance ministers to give poor countries debt repayment breaks, estimating the Covid-19 pandemic and surge in inflation and borrowing costs had pushed an extra…

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to crack down yesterday against threatened no-shows for military reserve duty by opponents of his judicial overhaul plan, saying such actions were anti-democratic. With the religious-nationalist coalition set to ratify a key reform before parliament goes on recess on July 30, the opposition has stepped up a protest campaign and there have been threats by some reservists to refuse call-ups. With Israeli-Palestinian violence surging and a spate of recent confrontations on the Lebanese frontier, Netanyahu cast the reservist action as “eroding our ability to deter our enemies”. | Reuters…

US climate envoy John Kerry held four hours of talks with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing yesterday, calling for “urgent action” as the two countries revived stalled diplomacy on reducing planet-warming emissions. Climate talks between the two biggest greenhouse gas emitters came to a halt last year after Nancy Pelosi, then-speaker of the US House of Representatives, enraged Beijing by visiting self-ruled Taiwan, which China considers to be part of its territory. Kerry, a former secretary of state, has enjoyed comparatively cordial and consistent relations with China despite Washington and Beijing locking horns over Taiwan and other issues. Kerry met his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua in Beijing yesterday, with the two men speaking for around four hours, state broadcaster CCTV said. Both countries “must take urgent action on a number…

Dolphins chief executive Heinrich Strydom is disappointed Kingsmead will not be hosting the Boxing Day Test against India in its Centenary Year, but is looking forward to Australia arriving in Durban next month. Kingsmead hosted the Proteas’ first home Test upon returning from isolation in 1992 against India to kickstart the “Friendship Series” between the two teams. However, Kingsmead will only host a solitary T20 international on December 10 when India return for a full three-format tour during the upcoming summer. The traditional Boxing Day Test has instead been moved to SuperSport Park with Newlands hosting the second and final Test over New Year. “We are disappointed (not to host India in the Boxing Day Test), but Cricket South Africa have been very open in the process and we’ve been…

ESKOM and its former chief operating officer, Jan Oberholzer, would part ways by mutual agreement, it was announced by the power utility yesterday. The move came as a surprise and was announced late in the day. Oberholzer’s last day with Eskom will be July 31. Oberholzer was on a fixed-term contract to provide support to the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station long-term operation and Kusile Power Station projects. “Eskom expresses gratitude to Mr Jan Oberholzer for his dedicated service, expertise and valuable contributions during his tenure. We wish him well in his future endeavours, ” it said. | BR Reporter…

Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal CEO Neville Matjie says there is a great level of interest from investors for the Drakensberg cable car project, especially from Switzerland and France. He was commenting following a visit to the proposed site for the cable car project by KZN Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Edtea) MEC Siboniso Duma and other government officials. Speaking to The Mercury yesterday, Matjie said there was also interest from Austria and Russia. “The interest is mainly in infrastructure development because when you think of Austria, France and Switzerland, you think of the Alps and ski resorts. “So their interest is in the infrastructure development, as well as operations, that is ensuring that the cable cars are in line with international standards and have all the safety features,” said…

A state witness was questioned at length yesterday by defence counsel in connection with the City’s investigation that ultimately led to charges being brought against former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and her co-accused in relation to an alleged tender scandal. Gumede and her co-accused, who include former Durban city manager Sipho Nzuza, former exco member Mondli Mthembu, Robert Abbu, who was DSW deputy head, and Sandile Ngcobo, the former deputy head of supply chain management, among others, face several charges – including conspiracy to commit corruption, corruption, fraud, money laundering, racketeering, contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act and contravention of the Municipal Systems Act – related to a R300 million tender scandal. Owing to the matter, Gumede was recalled from her position as mayor in 2019, and became a…

Given the procedures required for placing a notice of motion on a council agenda, Visvin Reddy’s self-righteous indignation concerning the non-tabling of his motion censuring the speaker is laughable (The Mercury, July 17). By admitting that his motion was unsigned and not seconded, what did he expect? Having successfully moved many notices of motion in the council, besides having signed them and secured the endorsement of a seconder, to ensure they were correctly lodged, they were personally handed to the speaker’s secretary and a date-stamped copy obtained. Visvin’s other gripe about councillors not having offices in order to attend to ward issues is also questionable. In 15 years as a ward councillor I never had an office or needed one. Being out and about and visible in a ward is…

The other day I got a phone call from what purported to be the fraud department of my bank. They said somebody was trying to draw a large amount from my account. They asked me to send various details to a phone number so they could stop it. Not having progressed much further than the Nkandla party line when it comes to telephonic skills, I sought assistance from a lady, who freaked out and declared that I was being scammed. She somehow killed the telephone contact I had been given. That same evening a friend told me he’d been scammed for a couple of thousand. Phew! A couple of days later I got an SMS, purportedly from my cellphone service provider, offering to change the date of my monthly stop…

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says its organised crime verdicts increased by 21% and verdicts in complex tax matters increased by 20%. This is according to the NPA’s annual report for the 2022/23 financial year that was tabled in Parliament. NPA head Shamila Batohi said they had made notable progress in building a fit-for-purpose prosecuting authority. She said that apart from securing funding to fill hundreds of senior positions and recruit young law graduates to ensure the long-term human resource needs of the organisation, the entity had established numerous specialist positions to ensure effective prosecution in fields such as sexual and gender-based violence (GBV), commercial and organised crime, and environmental offences. Batohi said the NPA had successfully maintained high conviction rates and recorded a marked increase in case finalisation. “In…

A gang of criminals are on the run after attempting a drug heist at a police forensic facility in Silverton, Pretoria, on Sunday night. According to reports, the brazen criminals, wearing police uniforms, allegedly tied up the security guards on duty and took all their belongings. One constable was shot and was taken to hospital. Police confirmed the incident, saying they had launched a manhunt for at least 12 suspects. “The 12 suspects are believed to be using a white Ford Ranger bakkie. The motive for the attempt to enter the building is under investigation. One member, a constable, was shot and wounded during the attack. He has been taken to hospital for medical care. “Nothing was stolen from the building,” said SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe. Anti-crime activist…

COUNCILLORS in eThekwini Municipality have asked for more investment to be channelled to uShaka Marine World to turn the facility into a world-class tourist attraction. Councillors from different political parties said uShaka was the last real tourist attraction that remained on the City’s “Golden Mile”. The state of uShaka was discussed last week as the council approved additional funding for the entity. Last month, the executive committee (Exco) members recommended the approval of the transfer of grant funding of R129.6 million that has been provided for in the 2023-2024 operating budget for the entity. The bulk of that money would go towards funding the work of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research, a non-profit organisation based at uShaka that manages Sea World. During the full council meeting last…

Police have arrested two suspects who were allegedly operating an illegal hydroponic dagga laboratory at a farm in Fountain Head in the eMkhomazi area on the South Coast of KwaZulu- Natal. Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said in a statement yesterday that two suspects, aged 30 and 33, were found to be operating a clandestine hydroponic dagga laboratory. Netshiunda said police were doing routine patrols in the area on Sunday when they stumbled upon the illegal dagga laboratory. “One thousand two hundred dagga plants and dagga processing machines worth approximately R10 million were found at the lab,” said police. According to Netshiunda, police are closing in on a third suspect who is believed to be the owner of the dagga laboratory. Police said the arrested suspects will appear in…

Russia halted participation yesterday in the year-old UN-brokered deal which lets Ukraine export grain through the Black Sea, just hours after a blast knocked out Russia’s bridge to Crimea in what Moscow called a strike by Ukrainian sea drones. Russia said two civilians were killed and their daughter wounded in what Moscow cast as a terrorist attack on the road bridge, a major artery for Russian troops fighting in Ukraine. The Kremlin said there was no link between the attack and its decision to suspend the grain deal, over what it called a failure to meet its demands to implement a parallel agreement easing rules for its own food and fertilizer exports. “In fact, the Black Sea agreements ceased to be valid today,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. “Unfortunately, the…

SANA’A: The UN yesterday handed over a vessel that will take on board oil from a decaying tanker in the Red Sea, an operation aimed at averting an environmental catastrophe. The handover ceremony took place aboard the Nautica, which is being renamed the Yemen, in the presence of Yemen’s Huthi authorities who control the capital, Sana’a. An operation is to begin pumping 1.14 million barrels of crude oil to the Nautica from the FSO Safer, a rusting 47-year-old ship that the UN describes as a “ticking time bomb”. The Huthis have since 2015 been fighting a Saudi-led coalition backing the recognised government in Aden. Huthi officials say the ship will fall under their control. | AFP…

NEW YORK: Eli Lilly’s experimental drug Donanemab slowed the progression of Alzheimer’s by 60% for patients in the earliest stages of the brain-wasting disease, the Alzheimer’s Association said yesterday. For those patients, the drug slowed cognitive decline by nearly twice the rate Lilly reported in May for the trial’s overall treatment group. Lilly’s drug, Donanemab, like Eisai 4523.T and Biogen’s Leqembi, is an intravenous antibody designed to remove deposits of a protein called beta amyloid from the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, a number projected to rise to 13 million by 2050. | Reuters…

A Kenyan court yesterday acquitted a controversial self-styled preacher who claimed he could help infertile couples conceive “miracle babies” through prayer, citing insufficient evidence from prosecutors. Gilbert Deya, a former stonemason who moved to London from Kenya in the mid-90s, was accused of stealing five children between 1999 and 2004 to buttress his claims. Senior Principal Magistrate Robison Ondieki found the 86-year-old not guilty, ruling that the prosecution had not produced enough evidence to link Deya to the charges. The preacher, whose Gilbert Deya Ministries had churches in London, Birmingham, Nottingham, Liverpool and Manchester, was extradited from Britain to Kenya in 2017 following a decade-long legal battle to remain in the UK. Deya and his wife Mary claimed their prayers could see infertile and post- menopausal women become pregnant in…

Bafana Bafana coach for the Cosafa Cup, Morena Ramoreboli has reacted to his team’s third-placed finish in the competition. South Africa overcame Malawi on penalties after the match ended 0-0 and claimed the bronze medal for just the second time in their history. Ramoreboli, who won the competition with Bafana in 2021, could not repeat that feat this time around after bowing out in the semifinals to eventual champions Zambia. The experienced coach expressed that although he was proud of his players for overcoming numerous challenges, he still felt their final positioning could have been better. “Credit to the team, the association and the technical team, we did our best despite all the challenges we had during our preparation,” Ramoreboli said. ”I’m happy with what we did today and getting…

Ineos rider Tom Pidcock said yesterday he fancies Tadej Pogacar's chances in a titanic Tour de France title struggle he predicts could go to the wire in Paris in an "all-out war". Jumbo-Visma's Jonas Vingegaard is currently atop the overall standings, with Team UAE's Pogacar trailing by just 10 seconds in second place, with the Tour set to reach its climax on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday. "I think Tadej," Pidcock said when asked for his favourite to claim victory. "Jumbo seem a little bit anxious, worried, desperate, they are working too hard to make things happen," the Olympic mountain bike champion told reporters at his team hotel at the foot of Mont Blanc. "I’m afraid that wasn't too diplomatic of me ... Last year it just came together for them…

England have made one change to their team for the fourth Ashes Test against Australia, with fast bowler James Anderson replacing Ollie Robinson in the side that won at Headingley, the country's cricket board (ECB) said yesterday. The fourth Test begins tomorrow at Old Trafford, Anderson's home ground, where England must win to level the series. Australia lead the series 2-1 and even a draw would see them retain the urn. Anderson, England's leading wicket-taker in Tests (688), was rested for the third Test after the 40-year-old struggled to make an impact in the series with just three wickets in the first two matches. Robinson makes way after he was injured in the third Test, suffering from back spasms which saw him bowl only 11.2 overs in the first innings.…

FITCH Ratings has slashed South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for 2023 to zero on the back of intensified power cuts while pointing to elevated socio-political risks due to high unemployment rate. This comes as it maintained that the country’s sovereign debt was below investment grade. Fitch becomes the first ratings agency to firmly pronounce that South Africa’s economy will not grow at all this year, and it is a significant climbdown from the 0.2% it forecast in March. The ratings agency yesterday affirmed South Africa’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at “BB-” with a stable outlook. Fitch’s primary ratings analyst Thomas Garreau said South Africa's “BB-” IDR was constrained by low real GDP growth hampered by power shortages, high level of inequality, a high government debt-to-GDP…

The London-born actress, who inspired the Hermes Birkin designer handbag, has passed away at her home in Paris. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, took to social media to pay tribute to the late star, explaining Birkin “embodied freedom and sang the most beautiful words in our language”. He wrote on Twitter: “Jane Birkin was a French icon. A complete artist, her voice was as gentle as her commitments were ardent. She bequeaths us a legacy of songs and images that will never leave us.” Birkin moved to France in the 1960s and had a high-profile romance with the French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. Her acting credits included appearances in the crime comedy Kaleidoscope, and the 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile. Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, has…

When Covid-19 arrived here in 2020, South Africa was still in a far better economic position than it is presently. There was unemployment – yes – but not to the terribly high extent that it is now. Public hospitals and other health facilities for the poor were always below par. But they have deteriorated since. The quality of our infrastructure has gone downhill, with potholes extending nearly towards Sydney. All other municipal services, such as simple water and electricity, have gone to the dogs. Even posting of bills and statements from government departments encounter problems. Street lights are virtually non-existent nowadays. Sewage overflows are all over the place and even contaminates our drinking water. The price of food has shot up, aggravated by the war in Ukraine and by greedy…

Something I find both interesting and concerning is that senior ANC office-bearers often announce that matters of possible wrongdoing by other party associates will be investigated, but only years after the non-performance and after the matter has been raised by questioning opposition members or investigating journalists. If the granting of substantial loans or tenders for work to be done are not done or completed on time, then surely that information is (or should be) available to responsible Cabinet ministers, MECs or local government executives within the time frame of the planned completion date or even progress report. Negligence to timeously monitor the progress of work that is financed by public funds could well be classified as being complicit in fraud. There are far too many contracts that are not completed,…

Think of your Self. What shape are you in? How are you, the core inner-person, coping with the daily demands and pleasures of life? Are you too small? Do others see you as a pushover, ignore your needs, talk over you and make decisions for you that you’d prefer to make for yourself ? Are you too big? Do you bully others, think you can always get your way and live as if everyone and everything must be arranged around you? Some people zoom from too big to too small in an instant, depending on the environment and the company. This is usually not a good sign. It’s healthy to run or go to a gym and to eat wisely in order to get the physical body in shape. There…

FORMER president Jacob Zuma’s fate lies in the hands of Correctional Services commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale, after the Constitutional Court upheld a Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruling that found Zuma’s medical parole was unlawfully granted by former Correctional Services Department commissioner Arthur Fraser. Last week the Constitutional Court dismissed a bid by the Department of Correctional Services to overturn the previous SCA ruling. Zuma is currently in Russia “for health reasons”, his foundation said last week. The former president was handed a 15-month jail sentence by the Constitutional Court for contempt after he refused to testify at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture allegations. Zuma’s custodial sentence sparked the July 2021 unrest that saw KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng businesses looted and led to 350 people being killed. In its…

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has appealed to residents to exercise extra vigilance during winter after a fire gutted the Kennedy Road informal settlement in Clare Estate on Sunday morning, leaving one dead and more than 1 000 people displaced. In an update yesterday, the eThekwini Municipality said a 25-year-old man from the Eastern Cape was killed. Four people were injured, and 1 101 homes were destroyed, leaving 1 710 adults and 647 children without a roof over their heads. A child is also reportedly missing. Dube-Ncube said the provincial disaster response team had provided blankets, plastic sheeting and mattresses to some of the victims. She added that most affected families have sought temporary shelter with relatives, while others have been relocated to community halls: “Relief efforts are being co-ordinated from…

Villagers were ordered to leave their homes as two separate wildfires fanned by strong winds damaged houses southeast and west of Athens yesterday, authorities said. Several houses were damaged by a blaze that broke out in the village of Kouvaras, about 27km from the Greek capital, and spread fast to nearby settlements, a Greek fire service official said. Up to 150 firemen, 40 fire engines and 11 aircraft were trying to control the flames amid gale-force winds. Greek television showed a house and several cars gutted by the blaze, and smoke billowing from burning vegetation. The Greek Fire Service said that fire brigade services had been placed on standby duty in the wider Athens area. Around 1 200 children from a summer camp and residents of a rehabilitation centre were…

Beijing: Tens of thousands of people were evacuated in southern China and Vietnam yesterday as a typhoon barrelled towards land. The China Meteorological Administration said typhoon Talim made landfall on the coast of Guangdong province. Powerful winds, storm surges and lashing rains were forecast to hammer the southern coastline from Guangdong to Hainan provinces. The forecaster said the storm was expected to lose speed by today and weaken over northern Vietnam tomorrow. Authorities in Vietnam said they were preparing to evacuate about 30 000 people from the areas forecast to be hardest hit in Quang Ninh and Hai Phong provinces. | AFP…

Manila: At least 1 624 people displaced by the eruptions of the most active Mayon volcano in the Philippines are suffering from acute respiratory infections, the Department of Health said yesterday. Health Undersecretary Enrique Tayag said authorities in Albay province reported that some people in temporary shelters had been sick with coughs, colds and sore throats. There were no respiratory infections. Authorities have evacuated nearly 19 000 residents within the 6km danger zone at the foot of the Mayon volcano, 500km south-east of Manila, since its ongoing eruptions starting on June 8. The volcano continues to pose a threat to residents. | IANS…

LONDON: Singer Elton John appeared by videolink in a London court yesterday to give evidence at Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey’s sexual assault trial. Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty at London’s Southwark Crown Court to 12 charges of sexual offences allegedly committed against four men in Britain between 2001 and 2013. The British singer was asked about Spacey’s attendance at a charity event he hosted in the early 2000s, on the way to which Spacey is alleged to have sexually assaulted a driver. John said Spacey stayed overnight at his and his husband’s home in Windsor after the event, but said: “I can’t remember him coming down after that.” The prosecution also asked John about a photo of the complainant outside a London theatre as John left the venue. John…

Carlos Alcaraz is determined to quash any suggestions that his epic Wimbledon final win over Novak Djokovic represents the dawn of a new era despite all indications that tennis has witnessed a generational shift. On Sunday, the 20-year-old became the tournament's youngest champion since Boris Becker in 1986. His rollercoaster 1-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 victory prevented 36-year-old Djokovic from becoming its oldest champion. It also thwarted Djokovic's dream of equalling Roger Federer's best of eight titles at the All England Club and matching Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam titles. Alcaraz though is remaining cautious. "I don't feel that I have confirmed something that we all expected," said the world No 1. "I try to avoid what people say, what people expect because in the end it's…

From Pia Sundhage to Sarina Wiegman to Bev Priestman, the ninth Women’s World Cup will be a glittering showcase of some of the game’s most successful coaches but 20 of the 32 teams will still have men barking the orders from the touchline. Twelve female coaches represents a record number for the global showpiece, and is a significantly higher proportion than in most other sports, but some are questioning why it is still not greater. Vicky Huyton, founder of the Female Coaching Network, said a lack of success was certainly not a factor. Since 2000, all but one of the major women’s football tournaments - the Women’s World Cup, Women’s Euros and the Olympics - have been won by female-coached teams, she pointed out. Norio Sasaki, the man who coached…