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Sir Craig Reedie, who has died aged 84, was a pivotal figure in London's successful bid to stage the 2012 Olympics. As a member of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games from 2005 to 2013, he formed a highly effective partnership with Sebastian Coe, the bid leader, doing crucial work behind the scenes to secure the Games for London.Reedie's diplomatic skills and influential presence within the Olympic and Paralympic movement were instrumental in winning the support of British politicians and marshalling the votes of Olympic delegates. Coe credited Reedie with playing a vital role in London's bid success, saying that without his efforts, London might never have won the right to host the 2012 Games.Reedie's commitment to drug-free competition was unwavering. He was a founder board member of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) in 2000 and served as its president from 2014 to 2019. During his tenure, he clashed with the then IOC president Thomas Bach over Russia's state-sponsored doping regime, ultimately leading to Wada banning Russia from all international competition in 2019.Reedie's sports career began as a leading badminton player. He later became president of the International Badminton Federation and successfully campaigned for the sport's inclusion in the Olympics. His administrative work in badminton led to his appointment as chair of the British Olympic Association (BOA) and later as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), where he served as vice-president from 2012 to 2016.Throughout his career, Reedie was known for his tough but charming demeanor, earning him respect from his peers. He was knighted in 2006 and elevated to knight grand cross in 2018. The Sir Craig Reedie Badminton Centre in Glasgow was renamed in his honor in 2014.

Swiss ice‑hockey head coach Patrick Fischer has publicly acknowledged that he travelled to Beijing for the 2022 Winter Olympics using a fabricated COVID‑19 vaccination certificate. In a statement, Fischer described the act as a “serious mistake” and expressed regret for disappointing fans and officials. Fischer explained that he was caught in a personal dilemma, refusing vaccination yet unwilling to let his team miss the Games. "I was in an extraordinary personal crisis because I didn’t want to be vaccinated," he said, adding that he did not want to let his squad down. Swiss public broadcaster SRF presented evidence that Fischer had been fined nearly 39,000 Swiss francs (about $50,000) in 2023 for document forgery after purchasing the counterfeit certificate on social media. The coach disclosed his admission shortly after SRF’s confrontation. Despite the controversy, Fischer remains at the helm of the Swiss national team until after the World Championship scheduled next month, after which he is set to step down. The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation has stated that it considers the matter closed. Fischer, who has led the team since 2015, is among Switzerland’s most successful hockey coaches, guiding the squad to three Olympic appearances and securing three silver medals at the World Championships. Under his leadership, Switzerland reached the quarterfinals at the 2022 Olympics, a tournament that required strict COVID‑19 testing and saw the NHL abstain due to pandemic concerns. China imposed some of the world’s toughest COVID‑19 protocols for the Beijing Games, mandating vaccination or a three‑week quarantine for all athletes—a rule that Swiss snowboarder Patrizia Kummer chose to follow. The International Olympic Committee has not yet commented on the incident.

While travelling back from Aintree, a spotty Wi‑Fi connection caused the live stream of The Masters to freeze, prompting a moment of reflection: after witnessing the Grand National, a Champions League showdown between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, and the Premier League’s decisive fixtures, could any other month rival April’s sporting intensity? April consistently delivers a perfect storm of marquee events. Augusta National showcases world‑class golf, club football reaches a crescendo of tension, and the historic Grand National provides its own brand of drama. Meanwhile, the cobbled classic Paris‑Roubaix, the opening of the County Championship cricket season, the World Snooker Championship, and the iconic London Marathon all add layers to the month’s appeal. Some may argue for July, citing the Wimbledon‑US Open double‑header and the Tour de France, or point to quadrennial spectacles such as the World Cup and the Olympics. Yet those events are infrequent; April offers high‑octane action every year. The Masters alone epitomised April’s unpredictability. Rory McIlroy entered the final round with a six‑shot lead, only to slip back before rallying with four birdies in seven holes to clinch a historic repeat. Justin Rose surged with four birdies to seize a two‑shot advantage, then dramatically faltered with a bogey, a mis‑played chip and a five‑stroke hole that erased his lead. These swings underscore the razor‑thin margins that define Augusta’s final day – a single mis‑step on the 17th or 18th could rewrite the leaderboard. Club football’s April drama is equally compelling. The Champions League quarter‑final first leg between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich produced a staggering 40 shots, 16 on target, turning a seemingly routine tie into a nail‑biter. Similar fireworks unfolded in past Aprils, from Aston Villa’s epic battle with Paris Saint‑Germain to Inter’s 7‑6 semi‑final thriller against Barcelona, and the 2024 knockout drama that saw Manchester City survive penalties against Real Madrid while PSG outscored Barcelona 6‑4. In the Premier League, April often decides the title race. The 2024 season saw Arsenal toppled 2‑0 by Aston Villa, a loss that ultimately left them two points behind Manchester City. Earlier years featured similar turning points, such as City’s 2‑2 stalemate with Liverpool in 2022 that effectively secured their championship. The Grand National added its own chapter, with I Am Maximus clawing back from ten lengths behind to claim a second victory. Safety reforms have reduced fatalities – the 2024 race recorded seven fallers and seven unseated riders but, crucially, no deaths. On the roads, Wout van Aert edged out Tadej Pogacar in a heart‑stopping sprint finish at Paris‑Roubaix**, after five grueling hours of cobbles, punctures and relentless attacks. Van Aert’s emotional tears highlighted the race’s brutal beauty. All these narratives converge to make April a uniquely packed month of sport, offering a blend of historic tradition, high‑stakes competition, and unforgettable moments that keep fans glued to their screens.

The Victoria & Albert Museum has acceded to a Chinese printer’s demand to excise several maps and photographs from recent exhibition catalogues, illustrating how Beijing’s censorship apparatus can reach even Western cultural publications. According to documents obtained by The Guardian through freedom‑of‑information requests, the Chinese company C&C Offset Printing flagged a 1930s British‑empire trade‑route map as non‑compliant with the standards of the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP). The printer instructed the museum to either delete the page or replace it with an approved image. Faced with the request, V&A; staff approved the change, acknowledging that the map’s depiction of China’s borders triggered the rejection. An internal email noted the delay caused by the edit, stating that the catalogue’s production was paused while the offending page was revised. Cost considerations lie at the heart of the decision. Like the British Museum, Tate and the British Library, the V&A; routinely commissions Chinese printers because they can deliver catalogues at roughly half the price of European firms. This financial incentive, however, comes with the implicit obligation to obey Chinese content restrictions covering topics such as Buddhism, Taiwan, Tibet, Tiananmen Square and other subjects deemed politically sensitive. The museum’s compliance extended beyond the map issue. For a catalogue accompanying the 2021 Fabergé exhibition, the V&A; also removed a photograph of Lenin after the printer warned that the image could be considered “sensitive” by Chinese authorities. V&A; spokespersons described the alterations as “minor” and asserted that the institution maintains “close editorial oversight” when printing abroad. They emphasized that any change that would compromise the narrative would be rejected, and that the museum would relocate production if necessary. Other cultural bodies have responded differently. The British Museum declined to comment on how it handles similar censorship requests for at least eight publications printed in China, while the British Library claimed it has never encountered such issues. Tate Publishing, meanwhile, confirmed that Chinese printers have produced several of its children’s books but insisted that no content has ever been altered at a printer’s behest. A UK publisher who preferred anonymity highlighted the trade‑off: Chinese printing is markedly cheaper, yet the process introduces delays while materials are screened for politically sensitive content, especially references to Tibet or disputed borders. Former employee of C&C Offset Printing remarked that complying with Chinese government directives is standard practice for domestic firms, underscoring the systemic nature of the censorship. These revelations raise broader questions about the ethical implications of cost‑driven outsourcing for publicly funded institutions and the extent to which they are willing to compromise editorial independence to meet budgetary targets.

Nelson Mandela once claimed sport could spark hope where despair prevailed – a sentiment that now feels overly optimistic as climate change threatens every arena, from football pitches to alpine slopes.Extreme weather events are already cancelling competitions and rendering venues unplayable through floods, wildfires and storms. Rising heat and air‑pollution expose athletes to heat‑related illnesses, asthma and cardiovascular strain, while also increasing injury risk and diminishing performance for officials and spectators alike.Countries most vulnerable to climate impacts face the harshest sporting challenges. As Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley warned, athletes must compete on the conditions that exist, not on idealised pitches, while wealthier nations and governing bodies often look the other way.Historian David Goldblatt estimates sport’s carbon footprint rivals that of a small‑ to medium‑sized nation – roughly the emissions of Cuba to Poland. Yet the industry continues to chase growth, attracting sponsorship from fossil‑fuel giants and even entities reminiscent of the tobacco era.A 2024 “Dirty Money” report by the New Weather Institute revealed that state‑owned and private fossil‑fuel companies have poured at least $5.6 billion (£4.2 billion) into global sport across 205 active deals. The recent Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics relied on oil major Eni to fund artificial snow, while the upcoming men’s football World Cup – labelled the “most polluting ever” by Scientists for Global Responsibility – will be plastered with ads from Aramco, the world’s largest corporate greenhouse‑gas emitter, with emissions projected to be 92 % higher than typical tournaments between 2010‑2022.Fans and grassroots organisations are pushing back. Groups such as Surfers Against Sewage, Fossil Free Football, FrontRunners and Protect Our Winters are mobilising, while clubs like Forest Green Rovers and athletes such as Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins are publicly denouncing fossil‑fuel ties.Alternative sponsorships are emerging: Northern Rail backs the Rugby Super League, Metrobank partners with cricket, and Oxford United’s limited‑edition shirt celebrates John Ruskin’s “Study of a Wild Rose,” linking sport to environmental heritage.“The Hotspot” aims to surface the most compelling stories, analyse data, and chart a path forward for sport in a warming world. As the planet races toward a climatic finish line, sport must deliver its own last‑second victory.This excerpt is from the inaugural issue of The Hotspot newsletter. To subscribe, visit this page and follow the instructions.

World Aquatics has announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete under their national flags and anthems in international swimming and aquatic sports events. This decision marks the end of restrictions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The move follows a similar decision by the International Paralympic Committee, which allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their own national flags at the 2026 Winter Paralympics. Senior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sport nationality will be permitted to compete in World Aquatics events in the same way as their counterparts representing other sport nationalities, with their respective uniforms, flags and anthems. To compete, athletes from Russia and Belarus must pass at least four consecutive anti-doping controls. World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam stated, 'We are determined to ensure that pools and open water remain places where athletes from all nations can come together in peaceful competition.' This decision signals a further easing of limits on Russian and Belarusian athletes, who have been allowed to compete as neutrals since September 2023. The next world swimming championships will take place in Budapest, Hungary, in 2027.

Pope Leo XIV touched down in Algiers on Monday morning, becoming the first pontiff ever to set foot in Algeria, a nation of roughly 48 million people where Catholics number fewer than 10,000. The United‑States‑born pontiff, now 70, arrived at about 09:00 GMT aboard his papal aircraft, according to an AFP journalist on the scene. The historic landing opens a 11‑day, four‑country African itinerary that will see Leo travel to Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea after two days in Algeria. Over the course of the tour he will cover nearly 18,000 km on 18 flights, addressing audiences in Italian, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish. During his stay in Algeria, the pope will pay homage to the victims of the 1954‑1962 war of independence from France and will visit both the Great Mosque of Algiers – home to the world’s tallest minaret – and the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa overlooking the Bay of Algiers. He will also pray privately at a chapel dedicated to the 19 clergy murdered during Algeria’s 1992‑2002 civil war, though he will not visit the Tibhirine monastery, site of the 1996 monk kidnapping. The Vatican has scheduled 25 speeches for the 11‑day journey, covering topics such as natural‑resource exploitation, Catholic‑Muslim dialogue, and the dangers of political corruption. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni highlighted that the four nations face a “diverse set of challenges,” from authoritarian rule to human‑rights concerns. One of the tour’s marquee events is expected in Cameroon’s coastal city of Douala, where the Vatican anticipates a crowd of roughly 600,000 for a mass on Friday. Both Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea have long‑standing presidents who have faced accusations of rights abuses, underscoring the diplomatic nuance of Leo’s visit. According to recent Vatican statistics, Africa supplied more than half of the 15.8 million new Catholics baptized worldwide in 2023 – that’s 8.3 million new African Catholics. The continent also increasingly exports clergy, with Angola and Cameroon consistently ranking among the top producers of seminarians. Archbishop Jean‑Paul Vesco, head of the Algiers archdiocese, framed the trip as an effort to “build bridges between the Christian and Muslim worlds.” The pope’s broader African outreach follows a limited overseas record since his May 2025 election, which includes trips to Turkey, Lebanon and Monaco. By embarking on this unprecedented journey, Pope Leo XIV seeks to reinforce the Vatican’s commitment to interfaith dialogue, highlight Africa’s growing influence within the global Catholic Church, and encourage political leaders across the continent to address corruption and promote peace.

Los Angeles residents are facing sticker shock over the presale ticket prices for the 2028 Olympics, with many expressing frustration over the high costs. The tickets, which went on sale for local residents on April 2, range in price from $28 to thousands of dollars.Many residents found that the lower-priced tickets quickly sold out or were unavailable for popular sports like gymnastics and track and field, leaving them with more expensive options. A 24% service fee was also added to the ticket prices, which some residents found excessive.One resident, Kathy Dorn, spent around $1,200 on tickets to watch the rhythmic and artistic gymnastics preliminaries and the sailing finals. She was deterred from buying a ticket to a swimming event due to the high price of $558 per ticket for a two-hour event.Another resident, Tony Anthony, spent $11,000 on eight tickets for track and field events, with nearly $400 going toward the service fee. He noted that the lower-priced tickets were not available during his time slot.The LA Olympics committee has defended the ticket prices, stating that most of the $28 tickets went to purchasers in southern California and Oklahoma City. They also noted that the ticket prices are meant to ensure that the Games can break even without burdening the city with costs.The high ticket prices have raised concerns among residents, particularly in Inglewood, where the opening ceremony and some events will take place. Some residents are worried that they will be priced out of attending the Games and will have to bear the burden of traffic, congestion, and noise during the events.

Conversations about mundane topics are often dreaded, but research suggests that people enjoy them more than they anticipate. A study involving 1,800 volunteers found that participants enjoyed chatting about dull subjects, such as the stock market or vegan diets, more than they expected. The findings indicate that by avoiding potentially dull exchanges, individuals may miss out on the mood boost and health benefits that come with connecting with others. Elizabeth Trinh, a PhD candidate in management and organisations at the University of Michigan, noted that people tend to underestimate how interesting and enjoyable conversations about boring topics can be. Trinh and her colleagues conducted a series of experiments to gauge how people responded to conversations on dull topics. Participants were asked to predict how much they would enjoy discussing topics they considered boring, and then engage in brief conversations about those topics. The results, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, showed that people consistently found the conversations more enjoyable than they expected. The surprise enjoyment arises because individuals base their expectations on static components, such as the topic and the other person, rather than dynamic components, like the conversation itself. Trinh suggests that people may benefit from lowering the bar for what makes a conversation worth having and reframing conversational goals. Instead of focusing on enjoyment, individuals could think about what they might learn from the conversation. Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioural science at the University of Chicago, added that the fear of a boring conversation shouldn’t prevent people from starting one. “If a conversation is boring once you’re in it, you also have a surprising amount of power to make it better!”