Formula One

London: Formula One world champion Lando Norris has said it feels "surreal" he will soon be joining other sports stars and celebrities by having a waxwork likeness unveiled at London's Madame Tussauds. The 26-year-old British driver has been working with the design team at the nearly 200-year-old attraction to create a detailed replica of Norris from helmet to toe. Norris, born and raised in Somerset, southwest England, burst onto the Formula One stage in 2019 and last year the McLaren driver won his maiden Formula One world title. "It's pretty surreal to think I'll have a figure in Madame Tussauds, it's such a big honour," said Norris. "Working with the artists has been awesome, and seeing all the detail they've put into the figure is really impressive. I can't wait for fans to come and see the finished figure in London this summer." Steve Blackburn, general manager at Madame Tussauds London added: "From the moment we started working with Lando, it was clear we were creating something really special, and our team have been working at full throttle to ensure an exact likeness. "He's been fantastic throughout the process, patiently sitting still and not racing around as usual! "We're busy ensuring his figure is podium-ready and are incredibly excited to welcome guests to meet Lando's likeness in the coming months." The new figure of Norris will feature in Madame Tussauds London's Culture Capital zone, alongside fellow British Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton, and other sports stars including Cristiano Ronaldo, Mo Salah and Anthony Joshua.

Football

Paris, France: Iran will "boycott the United States" but "not the World Cup", Iranian football federation president Mehdi Taj said in a video released by the Iranian press agency Fars. Iran is currently scheduled to play its group matches in the US in this year's tournament. "We will be preparing for the World Cup. We will boycott the United States but not the the World Cup," Taj said in the video released on Wednesday. Iran's football federation has opened talks with FIFA about potentially relocating its matches from the United States, though the global governing body has so far maintained that the tournament's schedule remains unchanged. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that her country is prepared to host Iran's first-round matches if required, due to the conflict in the Middle East. Iran's participation at this summer's finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico has been in doubt since the war began last month, with President Donald Trump warning that the safety of Iranian players would be at risk if they travelled to the US. Asked directly if Mexico was open to hosting the matches, Sheinbaum told a press conference on Tuesday: "Yes." "Mexico maintains diplomatic relations with every country in the world, therefore we will wait to see what FIFA decides," she added. FIFA president Gianni Infantino initially said that Trump had given assurances that the Iranian team -- scheduled to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, followed by Egypt in Seattle -- would still be welcome. But the Republican president then triggered uproar last week after stating that Iran's football team should not travel to the tournament "for their own life and safety". Iran hit back at Trump's comments saying that "no one can exclude Iran's national team from the World Cup".

Qatar Sport

Doha, Qatar: Al Ittihad were crowned champions of the fifth Al Shahaniya Ramadan Tournament, held in a lively Ramadan atmosphere under the sponsorship of the Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB). Al Ittihad secured the title after defeating Al Mareekh 3–0 in the final, taking a 2–0 lead in the first half before adding a third goal after the break. Following the final whistle, Mubarak bin Farish Al Salem, Vice President of the Central Municipal Council, presented the trophy and gold medals to Al Ittihad, while runners-up Al Mareekh received silver medals. AC Milan won the Fair Play award, and Al Mareekh’s Abdulaziz Ramihi finished as top scorer with 16 goals. Al Salem praised the sportsmanship shown by both teams and stressed the importance of Ramadan tournaments in promoting competition in a festive atmosphere. Ali Ibrahim, Chairman of the Organizing Committee, expressed satisfaction with the success of the fifth edition, describing the final as highly competitive and well organised. He also expressed pride in the efforts made by all participating teams, praising Al Ittihad for their outstanding performance and well-deserved title. He extended his sincere thanks to the QIIB, the tournament sponsor, for its continuous support, which contributed to the success of the event. He also thanked QIIB Chairman Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani for his strong support of sports in general and the tournament in particular, as well as the bank’s CEO Abdulbasit Ahmad al Shaibei. He said the success of this year’s event reflected strong organisation and sportsmanship, adding that the committee looks forward to future editions.