Tokyo Olympics

Roger Federer and Johanna Konta withdraw from Olympics

Federer, 39, has suffered a setback with an existing knee injury.

The Swiss legend won doubles gold at Beijing 2008 and silver in 2012, losing the singles final to Andy Murray.

Konta, 30, has contracted Covid after withdrawing from Wimbledon when a member of her team tested positive and she was identified as a close contact.

Federer, now ranked number nine in the world, had two knee surgeries in 2020.

Semi Radradra joins Fiji 7s team in Tokyo

It has been several years since the 29-year-old played sevens rugby competitively.

Before meeting up with the team in Japan, Radradra participated in the Super Sevens Series that was held in the UK.

According to the Bristol Post, Radradra played for the Official Wooden Spoon Marauders Sevens team where they won the plate final.

Fiji has two matches on the opening day of the 7s competition.

They will face Japan on 26 July at 12pm (local time) before taking on Canada at 8pm.

Fiji will then play Great Britain on the next day.

Ex-Wallabies star Samu Kerevi named in Australian Olympic sevens squad

Kerevi has been named as the highest-profile member in Tim Walsh’s squad as Australia narrow in on the Games, where they will look to challenge for a podium finish.

The 33-test international confirmed his switch from the XV-man game to sevens in May following the completion of the Top League in Japan, where he had been playing for Suntory Sungoliath.

All Black Caleb Clarke named as reserve for Olympics

Clarke, who put his efforts into the sevens following Super Rugby Aotearoa this year, has been named as a travelling reserve.

The Chiefs player Etene Nanai-Seturo, who was in the same situation, has made the 12.

The men's and women's teams are both full of experience with the women's side including seven players who claimed silver in Rio five years ago.

Co-captain Tim Mikkelson, the most capped sevens player in the game's history, is joined by Scott Curry and Sam Dickson who have more than 50 World Series tournament appearances each.

ONOC saddened by withdrawal of Samoan weightlifters from Tokyo Olympics

Speaking to Loop Samoa, ONOC President Dr Robin Mitchell said they have been in discussions with the Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (SASNOC) in the past few days and they feel for the athletes and the administrators.

“We are very sad that the Samoa Weightlifting team will not be participating at the Olympics. They are the top within the region when it comes to the sport.”

“They have trained so hard to for the past few years to get to where they are and such decisions can be difficult,” he said.

Samoan weightlifters withdrawn from Tokyo Olympics

SASNOC released a statement this afternoon following the Caretaker Government’s announcement that Team Samoa was withdrawing from participating due to the high number of COVID-19 cases in Japan.

The Caretaker Cabinet decided yesterday (Wednesday) to prevent Team Samoa from travelling to Japan due to COVID-19.

The Caretaker Minister of Communications, Afamasaga Rico Tupa'i, said that with reports Japan has a 500 daily infection rate, the Cabinet decided prevention takes precedence according to RNZ Pacific.

Fiji’s Sprint King, Banuve Tabakaucoro qualifies for Tokyo Olympics

FASANOC has confirmed his name in the Team Fiji list.

Tabakaucoro is currently training in Australia preparing for the Games.

The 29-year-old will race against the best in the world as he takes up the universality spot for athletics.

Meanwhile, Fiji Swimming has submitted the names of Cheyenne Rova and Taichi Vakasama.

Rova and Vakasama are going to the Olympics through the universality spot.

Table Tennis will also be represented at the Games by Sally Yee.

Tokyo organisers to cap spectators at 10,000 per venue

Fans from overseas had already been banned from the Games but it has been confirmed that spectators from Japan will be allowed.

Capacity will be set at 10,000 spectators, provided it does not exceed 50 percent of a venue's capacity.

The Olympics are scheduled to begin on 23 July, while the Paralympics follow a month later, from 24 August.

Tokyo Olympics: Ugandan tests positive for COVID in Japan

The event was postponed last year, but is now going ahead despite a fresh wave of COVID-19 cases in Japan.

Uganda is also experiencing a surge in cases, which forced the government to tighten lockdown measures on Friday.

The unnamed Ugandan was part of a nine-member squad who had all been fully vaccinated, reports said.

The group - who included boxers, coaches, and officials - had also tested negative before leaving Uganda.

Samoa fails to qualify for Tokyo Olympics rugby 7s competition

The team was defeated 21-7 by Ireland in the final group match of the Final Olympic Sevens Qualifying Tournament in Monaco.

Samoa had a strong start in the men's competition, thrashing Mexico 69-5, Tonga 47-5 and Zimbabwe 33-7.

Samoa were no match for France in the semifinals, with the Pool B winners running out comfortable 33-0 winners but it was the Irish who prevailed 28-19 in the final to claim the final Olympic qualifying berth in the men's draw.