Tiger Woods has cast doubt on his participation in next month’s Masters, admitting his recovery from recent back surgery remains inconsistent.
The 50-year-old golf legend has not featured in a competitive event since missing the cut at the Open Championship at Royal Troon in July 2024.
Speaking after a TGL semi-final event, the five-time Masters champion revealed his health continues to fluctuate following lumbar disk replacement surgery in October.
Physical toll delays competitive return
Woods also suffered a ruptured left Achilles last March, adding further complications to a body already scarred by numerous career-threatening injuries.
Addressing his rehabilitation, the former world number one was frank about his daily physical struggles.
“Sometimes I have good days, sometimes I have bad days. Disk replacement is not a lot of fun.”
Tiger Woods
Recovery proves challenging for golf great
The 82-time PGA Tour winner acknowledged that his physical resilience has significantly diminished compared to his early career.
“I’ve had a lot of procedures prior to that, so the body doesn’t quite heal like it was when I was 24,” he added.
“Doesn’t quite bounce back. So I have good days when I can pretty much do anything, and other days where it’s hard to just to move around.”
Managerial success provides indoor consolation
While his playing return remains on hold, the veteran is currently acting as the manager for his TGL franchise, Jupiter Links.
His team successfully navigated the playoffs before securing an unexpected victory over Boston Common on Tuesday night.
Jupiter Links will now face Los Angeles in the inaugural tournament’s finals starting next Monday.
Resisting the urge to alter a winning formula
Despite expressing a desire to compete alongside his roster of Max Homa, Tom Kim and Akshay Bhatia, the captain opted to keep his successful line-up intact.
“I think that I have been trying to play each and every one of these matches,” he explained.
“But the guys here, this team, we have so much fun, I really don’t want to screw up the lineup, I just want these guys to keep playing.”
Anthony Joshua has resumed training under coach Iegor Golub in preparation for a heavyweight comeback later this year, following a lengthy break from the sport.
The two-time world champion stepped away from boxing after surviving a fatal car crash in Nigeria last year.
That tragic accident claimed the lives of two of his closest friends and left the 36-year-old recovering from his own injuries.
Reuniting with a proven coaching setup
The British fighter is now back in the gym working diligently on his technical craft and conditioning.
He has reunited with Golub, the Ukrainian trainer who successfully guided him to a six-round stoppage victory over American Jake Paul.
Recent images shared by the respected coach show the heavyweight undertaking heavy bag sessions and jump rope routines.
In an unexpected twist, former adversary Oleksandr Usyk is also present in the same training camp.
Former rivals share the gym
The unified champion, who defeated the Briton on points in both 2021 and 2022, was seen offering technical advice during a kettlebell exercise.
The undefeated Ukrainian is currently preparing for his own cross-discipline bout against kickboxing veteran Rico Verhoeven in May.
Speculation is already mounting regarding who will welcome the returning Olympian back into the ring.
Domestic rival Dillian Whyte has emerged as a sensible candidate as both men look to rebuild their respective careers following recent setbacks.
Promotional loyalty remains firm
Meanwhile, long-standing promoter Eddie Hearn has teased an imminent announcement regarding his star client.
The Matchroom Boxing chairman shared an archival photograph of a past ring walk on social media with the caption ‘loading’.
He also revealed that his marquee fighter recently rejected a lucrative approach from a competing promotional outfit.
He won’t mind me saying it, but AJ had an approach around the back, a couple of weeks ago.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Hearn confirmed that the rogue approach was immediately dismissed and forwarded directly to him.
Do you know how quickly he sent me the message, the screenshot? Seconds. ‘Let me know…’
Elsewhere in the heavyweight landscape, Tyson Fury is preparing to emerge from retirement next month against Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Ollie Chessum has admitted the fear of being chased down by French wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey caused him to panic and score far from the posts during England’s Six Nations defeat in Paris.
The towering back-row forward intercepted a pass on his own 10-metre line in the 51st minute and ran 60 metres unopposed.
However, the Leicester Tigers star touched down near the left touchline rather than angling towards the centre.
This wide positioning resulted in a missed conversion by fly-half Fin Smith.
England ultimately lost the thrilling encounter 48-46 to round off a highly disappointing tournament.
Fear of being caught
“I was adamant that there was a red scrum out lurking in the background that was going to bring me down.”
said Chessum.
“So I just pinned my ears back and hoped that no-one managed to grab on to my coattails and bring me to the floor.”
The 25-year-old revealed he has received significant teasing from teammates and family for not making the kick easier.
Bielle-Biarrey, who crossed the whitewash four times himself during the match, was in close pursuit alongside Matthieu Jalibert and Thomas Ramos.
None of the chasing French trio could reel in the English forward before he crossed the try line.
Exceptional sprint speed
Leicester coach Geoff Parling was entirely unsurprised by the breakaway score.
The coach noted the player’s top sprint speed has been measured at an impressive 9.3 metres per second.
“As soon as he got the intercept I knew he was going to score because I know how fast he is.”
stated Parling.
Parling praised the forward for continuously driving his team forward against the formidable French opposition.
Frustrating campaign for England
Despite an improved final performance in the French capital, Steve Borthwick’s side concluded a miserable championship.
The national team secured only one victory from five fixtures.
This poor run of form resulted in a dismal fifth-place finish in the final championship standings.
“It was a frustrating few weeks, there’s no hiding the disappointment and frustration.”
the forward added.
Following the match, the try-scorer immediately flew back to London Heathrow.
He then took a taxi straight to Welford Road to watch his club lift the Premiership Rugby Cup.
More than 80 human rights and sport advocacy organisations have urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to abandon reported plans for universal genetic sex testing of female athletes.
Multiple sources claim the IOC’s Protection of the Female Category Working Group has recommended the testing alongside a sweeping ban on transgender and intersex competitors.
The global sports body has not publicly confirmed the proposals and is expected to reveal official findings in the first half of 2026.
‘Catastrophic erosion of women’s rights’
A joint statement from groups including the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA) and ILGA World warned that the measures would severely undermine gender equity.
Andrea Florence, executive director of the SRA, fiercely condemned the reported policy recommendations.
“Gender policing and exclusion harms all women and girls, and undermines the very dignity and fairness the IOC claims to uphold.”
Payoshni Mitra, executive director of Humans of Sport, added that mandatory testing violates privacy and exposes child athletes to safeguarding risks.
Advocates also argue that prohibiting transgender and intersex athletes disregards the significant barriers and systemic disadvantages they already face.
Reversing decades of policy
The Olympic governing body previously ceased universal sex testing after the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Human rights groups contend that reinstating these protocols would directly contradict the organisation’s own 2021 framework on fairness and non-discrimination.
International bodies such as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the World Medical Association have previously denounced related interventions as discriminatory.
However, other major governing bodies have recently tightened their own regulations regarding female competition categories.
World Athletics introduced an SRY gene test for all female competitors prior to the World Championships in Tokyo.
British Paralympian Jo Butterfield is targeting historic gold medals at both the Summer and Winter Games following her return to elite sport after recovering from breast cancer.
The 46-year-old recently made her Winter Paralympics debut in Milan-Cortina.
She finished fifth alongside Jason Kean in the wheelchair curling mixed doubles.
The Rio 2016 champion now hopes to become the first Briton to top the podium in both Paralympic seasons.
Dual-sport ambitions
With her F51 club throw discipline restored to the summer programme, the dual-sport athlete plans to compete at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
She then intends to reunite with Kean for the 2030 Winter Paralympics in the French Alps.
“My plan is to try and do both in the next cycle.” Butterfield
“It should be easy to balance. I think curling are massively supportive, athletics is individual so it’s a little bit easier to fit in around the team sport.”
Overcoming adversity
Her journey to the ice followed a turbulent period of severe health challenges.
Left paralysed from the chest down in 2011 after surgery to remove a spinal tumour, the resilient competitor initially forged a highly successful career in para-athletics.
She pivoted to curling in 2022 after her throwing event was temporarily removed from the Paris 2024 schedule, only to be diagnosed with breast cancer the following year.
“It was two years ago I got the all-clear but the two years before that if someone said to me that you would be at Milan-Cortina, I don’t know if I ever really believed it.”
“I was going day by day thinking, ‘am I even going to be here next week?’ almost, never mind at a Paralympic Games.”
Milan-Cortina heartbreak
The newly formed British duo narrowly missed out on a semi-final spot in Italy.
After losing their opening two matches, they won three of their next four before suffering an agonising 11-10 defeat to the host nation.
“It was within grasp and that’s what’s really frustrating and really annoying because it’s quite an open competition.”
Despite the heartbreaking exit, her ambition to conquer both sports on the ultimate stage remains completely undimmed.
Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk will defend his WBC title against Dutch kickboxing superstar Rico Verhoeven in a highly anticipated crossover bout on 23 May.
The Ukrainian titleholder faces an unusual challenge as his opponent transitions from a decade of dominance in the Glory kickboxing promotion.
Verhoeven has only competed in one professional boxing bout prior to securing this unexpected championship opportunity.
Crossover challenge sparks debate
British bantamweight world titlist Jonathan Haggerty believes the challenger has earned his shot despite the monumental task ahead.
“He’s been a champion for years, undefeated,” Haggerty said.
“He’s just a beast of a guy really. He goes in there, demolishes people.”
The ONE Championship star acknowledged that fighting the best heavyweight on the planet will be incredibly difficult for the kickboxing specialist.
“I don’t think he’s got a chance really. Usyk’s the best in the world for a reason.”
Physicality against technical mastery
At 39 years old, the defending champion is entering the final stages of his illustrious career.
The younger Dutch challenger will attempt to use his significant physical advantages to disrupt the rhythm of the master technician.
Expert boxing trainer Peter Fury has been enlisted to help prepare the kickboxing legend for this unprecedented world title attempt.
“He is a unit, so Usyk’s just going to have to move,” Haggerty advised.
“Get stuck in, make it uncomfortable.”
Boxing world reacts
Former WBO cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith expects the technical gap between the two disciplines to be the deciding factor.
“It’s two different sports and I’d be surprised if Usyk doesn’t handily beat him,” Billam-Smith noted.
The veteran fighter admitted that while the matchup is unorthodox, it provides the kind of unique storyline that continually draws fans to the sport.
Having previously dismantled giants like Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, the former undisputed cruiserweight king possesses a proven track record of neutralising larger opponents.
Former world champion Richie Woodhall praised the southpaw’s exceptional ability to counter-punch while maintaining relentless forward pressure.
France winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey broke his own Six Nations try-scoring record with a stunning four-try performance to help Les Bleus secure back-to-back titles with a 48-46 victory over England in Paris on Saturday.
Antoine Dupont is widely regarded as rugby’s greatest current player, but a new attacking star is stealing the limelight in the French capital.
The 22-year-old speedster has emerged as an unstoppable force, taking his tournament tally to nine tries and surpassing the previous landmark of eight he set last season.
Chasing O’Driscoll’s all-time record
The Bordeaux Begles star has now crossed the whitewash in 10 consecutive Six Nations matches.
It is an unprecedented scoring streak that he will look to extend in next year’s competition.
Ireland legend Brian O’Driscoll holds the championship’s all-time record with a historic 26 tries.
However, the phenomenal French flyer is already just eight scores behind that landmark despite having played only 14 games in the competition.
‘The Erling Haaland of the rugby world’
During the epic weekend finale, the dynamic back demonstrated incredible footballing ability to chip the ball past Jack van Poortvliet for his crucial fourth try.
“He is running at over 10 metres per second – the fastest player in the Six Nations – and he has the deftest of touches. Dennis Bergkamp would be thrilled with that,” former England wing Ugo Monye told BBC Rugby Union Weekly.
“He is the Erling Haaland of the rugby world. Give him the ball and he will finish.”
More than just a lethal finisher
In terms of pure numbers, the prolific wide man scored 33 times for club and country last season.
That impressive return was just one shy of Manchester City striker Haaland’s total during the same period.
This season, the young talent has already registered 27 tries across all competitions and is aiming to better his previous campaign.
While some elite finishers are criticised for a lack of all-round contribution, the 22-year-old offers substantial value in defence.
“His defence is very good, and he is so busy,” Monye added.
Elana Meyers Taylor has become the oldest-ever individual Winter Olympic gold medallist after winning the women’s monobob at the Milan-Cortina Games aged 41.
The historic victory secures a sixth Olympic medal for the American, 16 years after she first claimed bronze at the Vancouver Games.
This latest triumph firmly cements her legacy as the most decorated black athlete in the history of the Winter Olympics.
A monumental two-decade journey
Achieving this career pinnacle required immense perseverance and a dedicated support system away from the ice track.
The veteran bobsledder balances her elite sporting career with raising two sons, both of whom are profoundly deaf.
Her eldest son also has Down syndrome, and she credits their wider community for providing invaluable backing throughout her pursuit of gold.
Speaking to the BBC’s More than the Score podcast, the new champion emphasised that her long-awaited victory was ultimately a massive collective effort.
Activism and climate concerns
Beyond her remarkable athletic achievements, the 41-year-old continues to be a prominent advocate for black athletes competing in winter disciplines.
The pioneering Olympian has consistently used her global platform to push for greater diversity and inclusion across the international circuit.
During her in-depth interview, she also highlighted the severe disruptions that climate change is already inflicting on modern bobsleigh racing.
Rising global temperatures present a growing threat to ice tracks worldwide, prompting urgent questions about the sport’s future and her ongoing role within it.