The loneliest boycott in soccer history has come to an end: in 2017, Norwegian Ada Hegerberg quit the national team because she couldn't stand the lack of equality in terms of men's soccer. In 2018, Hegerberg became a world female footballer. When she continued to boycott at the 2019 World Cup, it was still an issue. Since then, it has also become quieter around her due to numerous injuries, and even more so around her boycott. But now the 26-year-old has surprised everyone with her return to the national team. Is someone groveling? No, a lot has changed in the Norwegian association in the meantime, perhaps also because of Hegerberg. Former player Lise Klaveness, for example, is now a woman at the helm of the association. "She has made it clear to me that there has been a lot of change in the system since then, new people who have provided movement," says Hegerberg, who now wants to fight for Norway at the European Championships.
They play in purple and white and make a young man in blue and yellow just the greatest joy: The footballers of VfL Osnabrück playing in the 3rd league have integrated the young professional Vikentiy Voloshyn, who comes from Ukraine, in their training. The 20-year-old is the first Ukrainian soccer player who has thus found a place in a team after his flight. The sports director of VfL Osnabrück, Amir Shapourzadeh, wants to give meaning to the young man stranded in a refugee shelter. "We hope that we can help him through this not only athletically, but on all other levels."
Alla-bitch, you women-haters: "In the end, the rejection has strengthened me" is the sentence you can write behind your ears. It comes from Amélie Mauresmo. The former world-class tennis player now reported in the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung" on how she was attacked as the coach of Britain's Andy Murray. Only because of her gender. Mauresmo overcame that as well as the hostility she experienced after coming out as homosexual at a young age. "I had broken a taboo, and they let me feel it," the 42-year-old recalls of the mood in her native France. In the meantime, however, this has been more than put to rest. In the spring, Mauresmo will return to Paris for the French Open - as director of the most important tennis tournament in her home country.
Promoting works: years ago, Biniam Girmay, who comes from Eritrea, was promoted by a development program of the Cycling world governing body UCI. Now the 21-year-old is the first African cycling world star. He won the Gent-Wevelgem classic in Belgium, marking the first victory by an African in such a race. The consequences were commensurate. "I got a thousand messages," fans waited outside his hotel. "Being the first African to win brings pressure," Girmay says. Hopefully, he takes it as an incentive, we want more successes of the new cycling star.
For this special moment we leave the floor to Gary Lineker. "Soccer is a simple game: 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes, and in the end the Germans always win." On the comeback of Dane Christian Eriksen in the national team after his cardiac arrest, a new Lineker went through the social media world, which we gladly share: "Wonderful to see Christian Eriksen score for Denmark - 287 days after we had to fear the worst. Fantastic."
You want more attention? At ISPO.com you'll get it: German snowboarders are top notch and deserve every bit of praise. Martin Nörl just became the first German snowboardcrosser to win the overall World Cup. Ramona Hofmeister managed to win the World Cup for the third time. To the German Press Agency, Nörl complained about too little public appreciation for his sport. "We are among the leading snowboard nations worldwide and would have deserved that," said the 28-year-old. We agree!
The honor comes late, but it comes: Saarland's champion in the shot put of the age group over 40 years of the year 2016 got the front page of the left "taz" cleared. We assume that Anke Rehlinger laughed heartily at the accompanying photo of her winning shot. Because after the SPD politician's sensational absolute majority in Sunday's state elections, the "taz" headlined Rehlinger's picture with the bullet in her hand: "Union and Left hit hard." We congratulate and are pleased about a successful athlete in top politics.
