Digest

GOLF

China's Yin officially installed as world No 1

China's Yin Ruoning is the new No 1 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings.

The 20-year-old Yin is the 18th different player to reach top spot and the fifth this year, a record.

She is the second Chinese mainland player to reach No 1 since the rankings began in 2006, joining Feng Shanshan (2017-18).

Yin is also the third player aged 20 or younger to hit No 1, joining Atthaya Thitikul (2022) and Lydia Ko (2015).

Yin had been expected to climb from No 2 to No 1 after her third-place finish at the Kroger Queen City Championship on Sunday.

Yin became a first-time winner on the LPGA Tour at the LA Open in March, then captured her first major title at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in June.

SOCCER

Pogba provisionally suspended for doping

Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance, Italy's national anti-doping (NADO Italia) tribunal said on Monday.

The test, performed after Juve's 3-0 Serie A season-opening victory at Udinese on Aug 20, detected testosterone, a hormone that increases athletes' endurance.

"In acceptance of the instance proposed by the National Anti-doping Prosecutor, it has provided for the provisional suspension of the athlete Paul Labile Pogba," NADO Italia said in a statement.

The 30-year-old Pogba was an unused substitute in the win at Udinese. If found guilty, Pogba could be suspended for between two and four years. He will now await the results of the B Sample test.

Blood donors offered free tickets to final

Blood donors have been given the chance to watch Sunday's Copa do Brasil final at the Maracana for free after the Rio de Janeiro State Sports Superintendence announced it was giving away 100 tickets.

The campaign organized in partnership with the Rio State Health Department is offering free entry to the first leg of the final between Flamengo and Sao Paulo.

The first 100 fans to donate blood at the Hemorio institute on match day will get the tickets.

"Our Hemorio has a lot to thank the initiatives that combine the passion for football, the passion for Flamengo, with the passion for saving lives," the state's health secretary, Luiz Antonio, said in a video post on social media.

BASKETBALL

LeBron, Curry among NBA stars eyeing Paris

NBA superstars LeBron James and Stephen Curry are among several top players interested in competing for the United States at next year's Paris Olympics, according to multiple reports on Monday.

Two-time Olympic champion and four-time NBA champion James has been recruiting fellow NBA stars for a US squad that seeks a fifth gold medal in a row next year in France, according to The Athletic.

Curry, a four-time NBA champion guard with the Golden State Warriors, has expressed a desire to play on the Olympic squad guided by Warriors coach Steve Kerr, ESPN reported.

The news comes a day after a US team of 20-something NBA stars left the FIBA World Cup empty-handed following losses to Canada in the bronze-medal game and to eventual champion Germany in a semifinal.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Achilles injury ruins Rodgers' Jets debut

Superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers was knocked out of the game with an Achilles tendon injury just four plays into his debut for the New York Jets, who rallied behind their defense to stun the Buffalo Bills 22-16 in overtime on Monday.

The Jets concluded their night with coach Robert Saleh joining a celebratory mob in the end zone, but the injury to Rodgers cast a shadow over their season.

After being sacked with 11:15 left in the first quarter, Rodgers initially stood up before sitting back on the turf. He eventually got on a cart but then walked into the locker room.

He was wearing a boot on his left foot when he went for X-rays. "It's not good," a somber Saleh said.

Rodgers, 39, was acquired by the Jets from the Green Bay Packers in the offseason. The four-time NFL MVP is entering his 19th season and had stated he expects New York to compete for a Super Bowl.

Agencies