With yesterday’s announcement of the Enhanced Games going ahead in 2026, I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether you think it’s a good idea or not.

It’s certainly controversial. Reply to this email to share your thoughts.

And, if it’s a topic that interests you, I’d recommend watching ‘Icarus’. It’s an amazing documentary that explores the world of performance-enhancing drugs.

£2 million ($AU4.18 million)
The size of the bonus that Ange Postecoglou will receive after coaching Tottenham to victory in yesterday’s Europa League Final. Tottenham beat Manchester United 1-0 in the final and claimed the club’s first trophy since 2008.

“I’m not extraordinary. I had a baby, I ran a race. It should be a totally normal thing.”
Ultra-runner Stephanie Case after winning the 100-kilometre Ultra-Trail Snowdonia, Great Britain’s biggest ultra-marathon event, in her comeback to the sport following giving birth. Case, a UN human rights lawyer, finished the race in 16 hours, 53 minutes and 22 seconds while stopping to breastfeed her six-month old baby, Pepper, at aid stations along the way.

On this day in 2021, American Phil Mickelson became the oldest men’s golfer to win a major after claiming victory at the PGA Championship aged 50.

⚽ Three Matildas stars are set to take to the field when Arsenal play Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League final on Sunday morning (AEST). Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, and Kyra Cooney-Cross are all a part of the Arsenal team that will play for Europe’s most prestigious football trophy. Defender Steph Catley said: “Playing in a Champions League final is – along with probably a World Cup final – as high as you can get. So it’s a proud moment for me, and looking back to that young girl, it definitely puts a smile on my face.”

🏉 The Geelong Cats held off a spirited comeback from the Western Bulldogs to win Thursday night’s AFL fixture 127-113. The Cats led by as much as 30 points in the third quarter before the Bulldogs reeled them back in and drew level midway through the fourth quarter. Jeremy Cameron and Shannon Neale were particularly impressive for Geelong, scoring six and five goals respectively. On the live ladder, the Cats have moved into fifth while the Bulldogs have dropped to sixth. 

🏉 Round 12 of the NRL opened with an upset after the Redcliffe Dolphins thrashed the top-of-the-table Bulldogs 44-8. The Dolphins crossed the line with seven tries by seven different players in wet conditions at Accor Stadium in Sydney’s west. The Bulldogs were without 11 of their regular first-grade players who were missing either due to injury or State of Origin, which begins next Wednesday. 

🏊 Australian Olympic swimming champions Cam McEvoy and Ariarne Titmus have spoken out against the Enhanced Games, a competition where athletes are permitted to take performance enhancing drugs usually banned by anti-doping associations. McEvoy told the Nine newspapers: “It doesn’t count in any way, shape or form when you take drugs or wear one of the banned suits, or both.” Meanwhile, Titmus told Nova Melbourne: “This is a bit of a kick in the bum to any athlete who’s ever worked their whole life to train.” The organisers of the competition announced yesterday that it will go ahead in Las Vegas in May next year.

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The second legs of the A-League semi-finals will take place this weekend, with four teams battling it out for the two spots in the Grand Final. 

Melbourne Victory face a tough task as they head to New Zealand for the second leg of their semi-final tie with Auckland FC. Auckland finished on top of the table during the regular season and have been the team to beat all year.

Last week, in the first leg of the semi-final, Auckland defeated Victory 1-0. Victory have not scored a single goal against Auckland in all three meetings between the two sides this season. 

The match between Auckland and Melbourne Victory kicks off at 4:00pm tomorrow (AEST). 

Western United will need to complete one of the greatest semi-final comebacks of all time as they attempt to overturn a three-goal deficit in tomorrow night’s second leg against Melbourne City. 

To make matters more difficult, Western have not scored against City in the last four matches between the two sides.  If City do live up to their tag as favourites, they will return to the Grand Final for the fourth time in five years after the club appeared in three consecutively from 2021 to 2023. 

The match between Melbourne City and Western United kicks off at 7:35pm tomorrow (AEST). 

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Formula One heads to the French Riviera this weekend for one of the most iconic races on the calendar, the Monaco GP. 

The Monaco GP has been raced in 70 of the 75 years of competition since the first year of Formula One in 1950. 

The track at Monaco is a narrow, winding street circuit, which can make overtaking more difficult. This means that the driver who qualifies in pole position has a greater advantage in Monaco than they would elsewhere, especially given that the width of the cars has increased over the years. 

In an attempt to make the race more entertaining, race officials have ruled that all drivers will have to make at least two pit stops this year. In previous years, most race strategies would only incorporate one stop. 

Having won the most races of anyone this season (four), Piastri is the favourite to win this weekend. The Aussie is looking to go one better this year after finishing second in Monaco last year. His greatest competition is likely to come from teammate Lando Norris or Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

McLaren has not claimed a win in Monaco since Lewis Hamilton with the team in 2008. 

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is the home favourite, having grown up in Monaco. He is also the defending champion. 

If Piastri wins this weekend’s Grand Prix, he would become the fourth Australian to win on Monte Carlo’s famous street circuit. 

Jack Brabham became the first Australian to win any Formula One race when he started in third and won the Monaco GP in 1959. Then, Mark Webber, who is Piastri’s mentor and manager, won the race twice in three years (2010 and 2012). 

Most recently, Daniel Ricciardo claimed a famous victory in 2018, starting on pole and holding off his rivals as his car threatened to fail him in the final 50 laps. 

The Monaco GP will start at 11:00pm on Sunday. You can watch the race on Foxtel or Kayo.