NAIROBI TO HOST THE 2029 WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HISTORIC FIRST FOR AFRICA

This will be the first time the World Athletics Championships are staged in Africa with Kenya, the second-most successful nation in championship history, hosting the sport’s flagship event.

Picture by Stephen Pond/Getty Images

The World Athletics Championships will be staged in Africa for the first time in 2029.

Nairobi, Kenya, has been selected to host the 2029 edition following a decision by the World Athletics Council. 

Two years later, the event will head to Germany after Munich beat bids from London and Rome to secure hosting rights for the 2031 Championships.

"The quality, ambition and commitment demonstrated by all four candidates underlines the strength and global appeal of the World Athletics Championships," World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said Tuesday (15 September) after announcing the council's decision.

"Nairobi presented a compelling and emotional bid, and taking the World Athletics Championships to Africa for the first time will be historic." 

The decision was taken after a two-day meeting in Budapest, Hungary.

Kenya is the second-most successful nation in World Athletics Championships history, and previously staged the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in the port city of Mombasa, while Nairobi hosted the 2017 World Youth Championships and the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships.

Nairobi plans to stage the 2029 edition at its iconic Kasarani stadium which also hosted the World Youth Championships and has a renovated capacity of 48,000.

"We accept this honour and want to promise the global community that Kenya will continue to be a home of champions in matters of athletics," said Salim Mvurya, Kenya’s cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports.

"The world will come to a country where running is more than a competition, it’s our national story and where every generation believes that the next world champion can emerge from."

It is another step for Africa in welcoming major events. Next month, the continent hosts the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, and is in line to stage the FIFA World Cup for the second time in 2030 when Morocco co-hosts the event with Spain and Portugal.

Picture by Stephen Pond/Getty Images
A general view of the Kasarani Stadium.

Beijing, People's Republic of China, hosts next year's World Athletics Championships before the event heads to Nairobi. The event will then return to Europe in 2031.

Munich 2031 will mark the third time Germany hosts the World Championships after Stuttgart in 1993 and Berlin in 2009.

"For us, hosting such a major sporting event is far more than top level sport. We want to create an impact that reaches beyond the stadium. This World Championships are intended to encourage the young people to believe in their own potential," said Ronald Rauhe, the Minister of State for Sport in Germany.

- Evelyn Watta

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS, STEVE BALLMER AND KAWHI LEONARD HANDED BRUTAL PUNISHMENT AS NBA INVESTIGATION ENDS

The Los Angeles Clippers have been stripped of five first-round draft picks and fined $30million for breaching salary cap circumvention rules.

Additionally, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has been banned from all NBA and team activities for a year and player Kawhi Leonard has been ordered to pay the league $700,000.

The Clippers have had the book thrown at them by the NBACredit: Getty

The punishments come following the conclusion of an investigation that found the Clippers got around salary cap rules to sign Leonard as a free agent back in 2019.

NBA statement

An official release from the NBA read: "The NBA announced today that the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard have been penalized for violating the salary cap circumvention rules contained in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).

"This determination was based upon information developed through an independent investigation conducted by the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz.

"The investigation found a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations by the Clippers organization, a prior offender of the salary cap circumvention rules. As described in a summary report prepared by Wachtell Lipton, available here, the Clippers broke the rules by:

"Affirmatively initiating off-court income opportunities between Mr. Leonard and four companies doing business with the team: Aspiration Partners, Boingo Wireless, Daktronics, and Lockton Insurance;

"Facilitating endorsement agreements between these companies and Mr. Leonard;

"Inducing the companies to enter into these agreements by offering them business from the team;

"Paying personal expenses on behalf of Mr. Leonard and his representatives; and

"Failing to report improper solicitations for off-court income opportunities made on Mr. Leonard’s behalf through his then-business manager, Dennis Robertson.

"Mr. Leonard, through the conduct of Mr. Robertson on his behalf, violated the circumvention rules by pressuring the Clippers to assist him in obtaining off-court income opportunities, successfully obtaining those opportunities, and failing to reimburse payments by the Clippers for personal expenses.

Ballmer must cough up an eye-watering $30mCredit: Getty

"Based on this misconduct, the NBA has imposed the following penalties:

"The Clippers shall forfeit five first-round draft picks, one in each of the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, and 2033 NBA Drafts.

"The Clippers are fined $30 million.

"Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is suspended from all league and team activities for one year for knowingly seeking to help Mr. Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities, for approving a business deal that he knew was a precondition for Aspiration to enter into an endorsement agreement with Mr. Leonard, and for his failure to create conditions under which his organization abided by the NBA’s circumvention rules.

"Clippers President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker is suspended without pay for one year for being primarily and directly culpable for the impermissible endorsement arrangements and for providing false and misleading statements to investigators.

"Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank is suspended without pay for six months for his involvement with the impermissible endorsement arrangements and for approving impermissible expenses incurred by Mr. Leonard and his family.

Leonard, meanwhile, has been hit with a six-figure fineCredit: Getty

"The Clippers organization and personnel are subject to a compliance and monitoring program overseen by the league office for a period of five years.

"In connection with his violations, Mr. Leonard is required to pay the league $700,000.

"Mr. Robertson is banned from conducting business or otherwise engaging with NBA teams and their affiliates on behalf of or with respect to any player, employee, or other league or team personnel for a period of five years."

It was also revealed that the NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) made an agreement confirming the penalties.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said: “The NBA’s collectively bargained system for determining player compensation is a fundamental component of the basketball competition that the league oversees for the benefit of the teams and players and ultimately the fans.

"I am deeply disappointed by the flagrant violations of our rules and by the Clippers’ institutional and leadership failures that led to this misconduct. The severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations."

- Tom Hancock

CADILLAC TO USE OWN F1 POWER UNITS FROM 2029, FIA CONFIMS

Russ O’Blenes, Cadillac

General Motors will enter Formula 1 as a power unit manufacturer in 2029, the FIA has announced.

The US car making giant will join the championship with its own team, Cadillac, next year. It has already agreed a deal to use power units supplied by Ferrari.

GM previously confirmed it had begun work on a power unit for F1’s new regulations which will come into force next year, but had not set a date for its introduction.

The sport’s governing body has now confirmed GM will introduce its power unit in the fourth year after F1’s next engine formula is introduced.

“Welcoming GM Performance Power Units LLC as an approved power unit supplier for the championship starting in 2029 marks another step in the global expansion of Formula 1 and highlights the growing interest from world-class automotive manufacturers like General Motors,” said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

“Their dedication to innovation, sustainability, and competition is fully aligned with the FIA’s vision for the future of our sport. It also strengthens our commitment to making motorsport more accessible and inclusive worldwide—welcoming new manufacturers, advancing technology, and connecting with a broader, more diverse fan base.”

The development of GM’s F1 power unit is being steered by Russ O’Blenes (pictured), CEO of GM Performance Power Units. The company is due to move into a new building to begin construction of its F1 power unit in 2027.

Ben Sulayem recently cast doubt over the future of F1’s new engine regulations after stating the sport should consider switching to normally aspirated V10 engines. A meeting between the FIA, Formula One management and engine manufacturers two weeks ago in Bahrain resulted in a commitment to the planned rules cycle, meaning the incoming hybrids are expected to remain in use until at least 2030.

- Keith Collantine