WORLD OF SPORT
▷▷▷ Most popular contest of the day A total of 2,042 mascot designs have been received for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after a competition launched earlier this month invited Japanese residents to submit their proposals, Games organisers have said. According to the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, a quarter of the total applicants were in their teens or 20s, while almost half of the submissions were received from people aged 30 to 49. There were 1,774 individual submissions and 268 group submissions, while several entries were created as a part of elementary school club projects. “Given the difficult conditions attached to the submissions, the number received was a satisfactory figure,” the organisers said in a statement. The judging process will narrow down the candidates to a final three or four, from which school students will vote on their favourite, and the winner to be announced in February.
▷▷▷ Biggest demotion of the day Germany defender Benedikt Hoewedes has lost the Schalke captaincy, with the new Bundesliga season set to kick off on Friday. He had been Schalke’s club captain since July 2011, but is regaining fitness following a groin operation in May. “He was disappointed, but he accepted the decision and he knows that, with the World Cup a year away, he can concentrate now solely on his football,” explained Schalke director of sport Christian Heidel. Hoewedes was Germany’s left-back in Brazil three years ago and played every minute of their seven games at the 2014 World Cup. “Even if I don’t agree with the decision, I have to accept it,” said Hoewedes, on Facebook. “As long as I am a player at FC Schalke, I will do everything I can for the club, the staff, the team and the fans.” Following his demotion, goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann will captain Schalke with midfielder Leon Goretzka as deputy.
▷▷▷ Biggest investment of the day The All England Club has secured a £175 million (Dh827.3m) loan facility to finance the construction of a retractable roof at Wimbledon’s Number One Court and other projects. The roof will cost £71million and should be completed in time for the 2019 event. The extra spending is revealed in the All England Club’s accounts at Companies House and also outlines other improvements planned on the site. Wimbledon makes £125m over five years from debenture seat sales and this profit will be used to pay off the loan, with extra income from TV rights, general ticket sales and sponsorship.