A ‘virtually unheard of’ legislative quirk has opened up huge revenue streams for sports facing financial difficulties – Australia is among other countries taking note The first payment was a surprise, given it was almost double the entire annual budget of Table Tennis New Zealand. The next year, however, the money kept coming. “Over the past 18 months [Table Tennis New Zealand] has had to adapt to a set of challenges that is virtually unheard of, not just to table tennis in NZ, but amongst all but the largest sporting organisations,” its annual report said. Continue reading...

The Northern Territory Racing Commission wields outsize power, but critics say its practices could be a lot more transparent

With three women, including the 1500m bronze medallist, into the 800m semis at the world championships, Australia’s quality is evident Expectations around Australia’s women’s 800m runners were already high when Claudia Hollingsworth broke the national record last month in Poland. Remarkably, in the same race, her compatriot Abbey Caldwell also finished under the old mark, crossing the line just behind the 20-year-old. Then the team for the World Athletics Championships was announced, and alongside that pairing was another name, Paris 1500m silver medallist Jess Hull. Australia’s track queen had decided to attempt the middle-distance double in Tokyo on the urging of her father and coach Simon, a former national level 800m runner. Continue reading...

Ahead of Friday’s clash with Brisbane, those who know him best say the Cats midfielder’s path through some dark times shows how far he has come Made-for-TV sports award presentations typically offer as much surprise as the sun at sunrise, so when Bailey Smith revealed at the All-Australian announcement last week he spent four weeks in a psychiatric ward last year, the shock reverberated around the AFL. Every aspect of Smith’s life, from his social media presence, to his relationships, the escapades out at night, and sometimes even his football, is the subject of one of Australia’s most insatiable creatures: Melbourne’s footy media. Ahead of finals sign up for our free weekly AFL newsletter Continue reading...

Veteran coach forced to endure worst half in club’s history as Roosters run up 40 points in AAMI Park embarrassment Friday was supposed to be a celebration of one of rugby league’s greatest coaches. But following the Roosters’ 40-10 defeat of the Storm, Craig Bellamy was not amused. After watching the worst half in Melbourne’s history, during which his team completed just five sets after half-time, giving up a 10-point lead and conceding 40, he was better described as enraged. Once known as rugby league’s human explosive, Bellamy said at his press conference this week that he had mellowed. But watching him on the television cameras pace furiously around an empty dressing room after full-time, it was the Bellamy of old. Ahead of AFL finals sign up for our free weekly newsletter Continue reading...

The Sydney Swans star says ‘nothing prepares you’ for a torn ACL. She speaks about the challenges of her gruelling recovery – and what she learned along the way “My knee ruled my whole world,” the Sydney Swans forward Chloe Molloy says, reflecting on her past year. As one of the AFLW’s leading players, she had been primed to propel the Swans towards the finals in 2024. But in training before the second round, she felt pain in her right knee. Molloy Runs sprints at Tramway Oval on 13 June Ahead of AFL finals sign up for our free weekly newsletter Continue reading...

The championship leader reveals to Giles Richards his secret to being ‘calm yet intense’, and why he and his McLaren teammate won’t fall out in their race for the title