Olympics
ITTF Seeds Aruna, Assar in Top 16 of Paris 2024 Olympic Games
![Assar, Aruna, lead six other Africans to 2024 ITTF World Cups](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Assar-Aruna-lead-six-other-Africans-to-2024-ITTF-World.png)
Following the official seeding list for the Table Tennis competitions of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna and Egypt’s Omar Assar have been seeded in 14th and 16th places respectively in the Men’s Singles event.
Also, the likes of Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo, Egypt’s Mohammed El-Beiali, Algeria’s Mehdi Bouloussa, Senegal’s Ibrahima Diaw, and Congo Brazzaville’s Saheed Idowu are expected to know their first-round opponents when the draws take place on July 24.
According to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), the seeding list was based on the ITTF World Rankings released yesterday evening.
Aruna who is ranked 19th in the world has been seeded 14th while Assar rated 22nd has been seeded 16th and they are expected to begin their campaigns from the second round of the Men’s Singles.
In the Women’s Singles seeding list, Egypt’s Dina Meshref missed the top 16 list by a whisker to concede the 16th place to WTT Contender Lagos champion, India’s Sreeja Akula.
With this development, Meshref who is seeded 17th, and her compatriot Hana Goda seeded 20th will begin their campaign from the second round of the Women’s Singles.
Nigeria’s pair of Offiong Edem and Fatimo Bello as well as Cameroon’s Sarah Hanffou and Algeria’s Lynda Loghraibi will also begin their quest for glory from the second round of the Women’s Singles.
As table tennis celebrates its 10th appearance at the Olympic Games, this list sets the stage for captivating battles across all categories.
World No. 1, China’s Wang Chuqin takes the top seed in the Men’s Singles event and he is followed by compatriot and Tokyo 2020 silver medalist, Fan Zhendong.
Both players will be aiming to get their first gold medal in Men’s Singles and become the sixth Chinese player to take home the Men’s Singles gold.
French favourite, Felix Lebrun, seeded third, is a strong contender for a podium finish after a recent ITTF World Championships team silver medal and a strong showing at the WTT Star Contender Ljubljana.
Elsewhere, Brazil’s Hugo Calderano and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju have been named the fourth and fifth seeds in the Men’s Singles draw.
China remains a major force in Women’s Singles, but their top seeds face fierce competition. Sun Yingsha, with a recent World Championships title and World Cup victory, stands at the top of the list. The reigning Tokyo 2020 champion, Chen Meng, sits just behind, setting the stage for a potential clash and repeat of the 2020 Gold medal match.
However, the Chinese stars will face strong competition from the rest of the field. Japan’s Hina Hayata, seeded third, 2023 WTT Contender Lagos Shin Yubin of Korea Republic, seeded fourth, and Romania’s Bernadette Szocs, seeded fifth, have all proven their ability to threaten China in major tournaments.
There will be fierce battles in the Team Events and Mixed Doubles. China remains the top seed in both Men’s and Women’s Team events, but established teams like Germany and Japan are determined to dethrone them.
In the Mixed Doubles, China’s Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, the top seeds, will face stiff competition from Japan’s Hina Hayata and Tomokazu Harimoto who are seeded second, and third seeds, Korea’s Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin.
Olympics
AIU files appeal with CAS against America’s Olympic sprinter, Knighton
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Knighton.png)
The Athletics Integrity Unit said on Wednesday it has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the case that cleared American sprinter Erriyon Knighton of a doping offence, thus allowing him to compete at the Paris Olympics.
Knighton, 20, tested positive for a banned substance in March but avoided a ban as the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said an independent arbitrator ruled it was likely caused by contaminated meat and that he was not at fault and had not acted with negligence.
The finding cleared the 200 metres world silver medallist to run at the U.S. Olympic trials in June and he went on to compete in Paris where he finished fourth in the men’s 200m final.
The AIU, an independent body created in 2017 by World Athletics to manage integrity issues for the sport of athletics, said it has challenged the first instance decision that Knighton had established no fault or negligence.
“This appeal is against the decision of an arbitration tribunal in the United States that the athlete established no fault or negligence after USADA brought charges against the athlete for the presence of epitrenbolone and use of trenbolone,” the AIU said on X.
USADA Chief Executive Travis Tygart said in a statement on Wednesday he understood the AIU’s reasons for appealing the case, which he called an example of the system at work, before pointing a finger at the World Anti-Doping Agency.
“The real issue in this case is WADA’s bad rule. Trenbolone, the substance in Knighton’s case, is a known livestock enhancer and known to be found in the meat supply,” Tygart said.
“We have advocated for the rules around contamination to formally change for years, and WADA has refused to act swiftly.”
U.S. and global anti-doping authorities have been at loggerheads since the case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned substance before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but were allowed to compete.
-Reuters
Olympics
Paris 2024 French athlete gets suspended
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Muhammad-Abdallah-Kounta.png)
French 400-meter runner Muhammad Abdallah Kounta, who took part in the Paris Olympics, has been suspended by the French Athletics Federation after an X account dug up hate speech posted by the athlete, the sports minister said on Wednesday.
“The Federation’s president confirmed he has suspended the athlete and referred the matter both to the public prosecutor and to the Federation’s disciplinary committee,” Amelie Oudea-Castera said on X.
X account Sword of Solomon on Tuesday highlighted some tweets posted by Kounta between 2021 and 2024 in which, among other things, he professes hatred for Israel.
After the revelations, the athlete posted a picture of himself wrapped in a French flag on his social media accounts, saying he was sorry if he had offended people.
“I’m against genocides and all forms of racism or injustice and I don’t think I need to prove how much I love my country. People who were there in the Stade de France (where the athletic events took place) can attest that fact,” Kounta said.
– Reuters
Olympics
I will come back stronger and faster, declares Favour Ofili
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ofili.png)
Team Nigeria sprinter, Favour Ofili who was controversially denied the opportunity of featuring in the Women’s 100m race at the Paris 2024 Olympics has promised to bounce back stronger and faster.
That itself is the spirit behind the motto of the Olympic Games – Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger). If the addition, Communiter (Together) made to the motto by the IOC in 2023 is included, perhaps, the other members should also key into Ofili’s action.
She has posted on her X-handle a soul-lifting message that had close to 82 thousand views within 10 hours. Close to five thousand liked her post within a short time.
Her message reads:
“It’s easy to feel defeated, but every setback is a set up for a comeback. I’m proud of myself, this Olympic made me realize how strong I am and I’m grateful for the support I got from my coach,family and fans.
“Trusting God’s plan and ways is the only way to heal, because I know his plans for me is to give me a hope and a future. Thank you Paris for yet another lesson learned and thank you to everyone who has been with me along the way—this isn’t the end, it’s just another step in the story.”
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