The biggest controversy of the 2021 French Open came to an end on Monday with Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal, but the debate around the four-time Grand Slam champ figures to continue for some time.

Osaka announced her withdrawal from the tournament via a Twitter statement after she was fined and threatened with a default for refusing to speak with the media, a choice she ascribed to concerns about her mental health. The situation has sparked a loud conversation about the mental health of athletes and the role of media in professional sports.

Serena Williams, the player Osaka grew up idolizing, just wants Osaka to be OK, though.

Speaking with reporters after her 7-6 (6), 6-2 win over Irina-Camelia Begu in the first round, Williams said the situation reminds her of past controversies she’s faced:

“The only thing I feel is that I feel for Naomi. I feel like I wish I could give her a hug because I know what it’s like. Like I said, I’ve been in those positions.

“We have different personalities, and people are different. Not everyone is the same. I’m thick. Other people are thick. Everyone is different and everyone handles things differently.

“You just have to let her handle it the way she wants to, in the best way she thinks she can, and that’s the only thing I can say. I think she’s doing the best she can.”

Williams’ support is well in line with the world of professional athletes, with many expressing their support for Osaka on social media after her withdrawal.

The 39-year-old Williams is obviously no stranger to controversy. In addition to a number of confrontations with chair umpires at the US Open, Williams and her sister Venus boycotted the Indian Wells tournament for more than a decade following an incident involving accusations of match-fixing and racial slurs from the crowd.

It’s unclear where Osaka and the world of tennis goes from here. Osaka clearly has a problem with how major tennis tournaments are currently run, and said in her statement she is taking some time away from tennis for her mental health. Tournament organizers have appeared to do little to accommodate the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Williams suggested Osaka become more proactive in seeking out help:

“I feel like there are a lot of articles and stuff that they put out. I think you really have to step forward and make an effort, just as in anything. You have to be able to make an effort and say, I need help with A, B, C and D and talk to someone. I think that’s so important to have a sounding board, whether it’s someone at the WTA or whether it’s someone in your life. Maybe it’s someone that you just talk to on a weekly basis.

“I’ve been in that position too. I’ve definitely had opportunities to talk to people, kind of get things off my chest that I can’t necessarily talk to anyone in my family or anyone that I know.

“For me it’s important to have awareness and make that step.”

We’ll see what Osaka and the organizers end up doing, if anything, but with Wimbledon only four weeks away, there isn’t much time for significant changes to be made.

No fewer than 11 Super Eagles players have pulled out of Friday’s international friendly against Cameroon in Austria, .

Coach Gernot Rohr initially selected a 31-man squad, before reducing the list of players to 23 last week.

However, that number has been dwindling over the last few days, leaving Rohr scrambling to find replacements in time for the game.

Kenneth Omeruo, Sadiq Umar, Frank Onyeka, Victor Osimhen, Semi Ajayi, Kevin Akpoguma, Zaidu Sanusi, Moses Simon, Simy Nwankwo, Ola Aina and Tyrone Ebuehi have all pulled out of the game, according to Rohr.

While the official reason for the other withdrawals have been medical, player sources told newsmen that outstanding debts owed by the Nigeria Football Federation have played a big part on their unwillingness to risk further injury.

“The players are not happy,” the source, who is one of the players who withdrew from the game, said

“They have not paid bonuses and allowances, nothing at all for the entire 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

“We have sacrificed by playing throughout the qualifiers without being paid. I think now, with all the injuries, it is hard for many of us to make the sacrifice to come and play a meaningless friendly when the outstanding bonuses have not been paid.

“It is better for us to stay away, recover properly, rest and get ready for the new season and the World Cup qualifiers.”

For Rohr, this presents a major logistical challenge, as he scrambles to make up a squad of 18 players less than a week before the match, though has attested that all the medical withdrawals are legitimate.

“We had nine defenders in the list, six now are out.
“They said they had some injuries and the doctors from the clubs said they need to rest because they have some pains. So, we got some medical attestations from the teams.

“Ola Aina told me yesterday (Sunday) that his ankle is painful and he cannot make it and the club physio said he cannot play. Then we have (Kevin) Akpoguma, we knew already he is injured and cannot play.

“Victor Osimhen is injured. He sent us an attestation. The meniscus in his knee is painful.

“(Zaidu) Sanusi is injured. He was in Paris to see a doctor, for surgery perhaps, but not for the moment. (Tyronne) Ebuehi sent us a message with a medical attestation that he cannot make it. And Semi Ajayi also says he has problems with his back and the physio says he needs two weeks of rest.

“Simy Nwankwo also, they sent us attestation from his club that he cannot make it because he is injured.”

To make up for the absentee players, Rohr called up some fresh ones as replacements: Valentine Ozornwafor from Galatasaray, Samson Tijani from RB Salzburg and Frank Onyeka from Midtylland, among others.

But even that failed to resolve the situation as players that he called up to replace the injured players, also ended up pulling out.

“I invited Tijani from Salzburg, who has told me that he is injured in training yesterday (Sunday) due to hamstring. And Frank Onyeka from Midjtylland, I called him but he cannot come either,” Rohr added.

Neighbours and Nigeria’s football rivals, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon have already assembled in Vienna, Austria ahead of the two friendly matches with Nigeria this Friday and next week.

Coach, Antonio Conceicao and his staff have shortlisted 28 players

They are staying at Hi;ton Danube Waterfront Hotel. According to Cameroon Tribune, the coach is using the two matches to rebuild the offensive of the squad ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in September.

In their last three matches, the Indomitable Lions scored just a goal which came in their 3-1 loss to Cape Verde which incidentally are one of Nigeria’s World Cup opponents.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Motting is expected to lead the attack for Cameroon. He could be supported by players like Karl Toko Ekambi, Christian Bassogog and Stephen Bahoken.

Among the new invitees to the squad are the duo of James Lea Siliki, a former France U-19 player and Yvan Neyou, the promising midfielder of Saint-Etienne Greens.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said on Monday (May 31) that talks over a new deal with forward Lionel Messi  are progressing well, and that the club will be announcing more new signings shortly.

Messi’s current contract expires at the end of June and he is free to discuss a move to another club, but media reports on Tuesday suggested an agreement was imminent

“We’re talking and it’s going well. It doesn’t depend on the audit,” Laporta told a news conference.

“Talks are ongoing with Messi’s people and, as I said, they’re going well. We hope to keep making progress. It’s not done but we know that Leo wants to stay.

“We’ll have more economic information when the audit is finished, but we had this operation in mind before that. I’m sure, as (new signing Sergio) Aguero said, that he wants to play with him.”

Laporta was talking at the presentation of Eric Garcia, a second new arrival at the Camp Nou this week from Manchester City following Aguero.

Both players will join when their contracts expires at the end of June.

He also said that more arrivals were imminent, and that the squad overhaul was designed to show Messi they can compete.

“It’s not a question of money for Messi, and he’s showing a lot of understanding. What he wants is a competitive team capable of winning the Champions League and La Liga,” Laporta said.

“We need to have big refresh and we’re working on it. There will be more presentations of players, we’re working to sign players that improve the first team.

“We need to balance the squad, you will see what’s being worked on. Next week there will be more news.”

Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum and Lyon striker Memphis Depay – both out of contract this summer – have been heavily linked to Barcelona.

Bayern Munich chief executive officer Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is retiring from the club six months earlier than expected, and will be replaced by former goalkeeping great Oliver Kahn.

Rummenigge made the request to step down from his position on June 30, and not Dec. 31 as originally planned, Bayern said in a statement on Tuesday.

“It is the most strategically sensible and logical time,” the 65-year-old Rummenigge said. “We’re coming to the end of the financial year, and at the same time a new phase is beginning with a new coaching team. The new season should be the responsibility of Oliver Kahn as the new CEO right from the start.”

Bayern will start the new season with former Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann in charge of the team. Nagelsmann is taking over from Hansi Flick, who left after leading Bayern to back-to-back Bundesliga titles and will take over the Germany team after the European Championship.

Rummenigge will continue to have a say in European soccer for the next three years. He retains his seat on UEFA’s executive committee which he took in April when he replaced Juventus president Andrea Agnelli, who stepped down amid the turmoil of the Super League plan.

Rummenigge, a former striker who scored 162 goals in 310 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern, became vice-president of the club in 1991. Since becoming CEO in 2002, Rummenigge has helped the Bavarian club increase turnover from 176 million euros ($215 million) to 679 million euros ($830 million). The public limited company behind Bayern posted a profit in every financial year during the period, helping build reserves rarely seen in debt-ridden European soccer.

“Together with (former club president) Uli Hoeneß, he shaped FC Bayern into one of the best clubs in elite international football — both in sporting and economic terms,” Bayern president and supervisory board chairman Herbert Hainer said.

Bayern won the Champions League twice (in 2013 and 2020) as well as 14 Bundesliga and 10 German Cup titles while Rummenigge was chief executive.

The 51-year-old Kahn is being entrusted with ensuring the successes continue. He joined Bayern’s supervisory board in 2019 with a view to becoming CEO in 2022 but will now take over on July 1.

“In the past 18 months, I have become acquainted with all facets of the club and know very well how FC Bayern works and what challenges lie ahead,” Kahn said.

Kahn joined Bayern from Karlsruher SC in 1994 and went on to win eight Bundesliga titles, six German Cups, and the Champions League in 2001. He made 86 appearances for Germany, winning the European Championship in 1996 and finishing World Cup runner-up in 2002.

Kahn was named World’s Best Goalkeeper three times, European Goalkeeper of the Year four times and German Footballer of the Year twice.

“We are all convinced that Oliver Kahn is the right man to successfully shape the future,” Hainer said.

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) on Tuesday June 1, confirmed the eventual qualification of Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.

According to a letter addressed to the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) and signed by ITTF Competition Director Gabor Felegyi, Aruna who is the first African in the history of the Olympic Games to make it to the quarter-final stage of the singles event is expected to join 85 others across the globe to compete in the men’s singles event at Tokyo Olympic Games next month.

It is with great pleasure, I advise the qualification of Quadri Arena to compete in the table tennis Men’s Singles event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, on the basis of World Ranking allocation according to the June 2021 ITTF Olympic Qualification Ranking,” Felegyi stated.

He however, stated that NOC is expected to confirm Aruna’s participation on or before June 16.

With this development, Aruna will be making his third appearance at the Olympic Games having featured in London 2012 and Rio 2016 and he will join his compatriots – Olajide Omotayo, Olufunke Oshonaike and Edem Offiong to compete in the singles event at Tokyo.

It was at Rio 2016 in Brazil that Arena stunned the world with his performance as the first African to reach the quarterfinal after edging out some of the best players in the world including former world number one, Timo Boll of Germany before losing to the eventual winner, Ma Long of China in the quarterfinal.

An excited Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of NTTF, Ishaku Tikon said he has been proved right with the confirmation by ITTF as the exploits of Aruna in the last two years were enough to secure a place for him in Tokyo.

“When Aruna got injured during the African Qualifying tournament in Tunis last year, I told the world that he will make it to Tokyo as he is ranked among the top 10 in the Olympic ranking.

Despite the setback in Tunisia, Aruna did not relent in his performance and for me I am so excited as a Nigerian because his qualification will surely motivate others to look up to him and aim for the best in Tokyo,” Tikon said. Already 64 players have so far been confirmed for the men’s singles event while the remaining six slots are expected to be allocated as wildcards

With the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon already gathered in Austria, their Nigerian counterparts in Friday’s friendly match in Vienna, the Super Eagles are also assembling in high number.

Super Eagles media officer, Babafemi Raji says 17 players are already in camp ahead of Friday’s first encounter. The second match is due for June 8.

Already in camp are the three goalkeepers – Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho and John Noble.

Also in camp are vice captain, William Troost-Ekong as well as Alex Iwobi, Shehu Abdullahi, Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidozie Awaziem.

Jamilu Collins, Etebo Oghenekaro, Valentine Ozonwafor, Anayo Iwuala, Abraham Marcus, Terem Moffi, Peter Olayinka and Samson Tijani completed the list of 17 players already in Austria.