Slovakia's women's national team suffered a defeat against Poland in a Group C match. The Slovak team knew they needed to win by at least eight points to maintain their chances for first place in the group standings.
Slovakia's team finished 13th in a parallel team competition after losing to France in the quarterfinals. The Slovak squad struggled throughout the event, losing three of their four individual matchups in their only team confrontation of the competition.
Slovak cross-country skier Lajtman finished 15th in the men's 10-kilometer classic technique race at an international competition. The gold medal went to Adicoff, while Finland's Inkki Inola claimed silver and Sweden's Zebastian Modin took bronze. The result represents a solid mid-field performance for Slovakia's representative in the competitive Nordic skiing event.
A female tennis player competing at a tournament in Turkey received threatening messages demanding she lose her next match. The anonymous sender, using a British phone number, contacted the player around midnight before her match, warning that her mother would be kidnapped if she refused to comply. The incident highlights growing problems with data breaches in professional tennis, as personal contact information of players appears to be compromised. The player was alone at the tournament when she received the intimidating messages, which included images of weapons alongside the threats. This case underscores the vulnerability of athletes to match-fixing pressure and the security risks they face when their private information is leaked.
Slovakia's para hockey team achieved their first-ever victory at the World Para Hockey Championships, defeating Japan 5-1 in a decisive match. The Slovak team now sits in third place in the tournament standings with a record of one win and two losses. This historic breakthrough represents a significant milestone for Slovak para hockey, marking the country's first victory at this level of international competition.
Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich delivered dominant performances in their Champions League round of 16 first-leg matches. Meanwhile, Liverpool suffered a setback in their European campaign, losing 1-0 away to Galatasaray Istanbul. The results set up intriguing second-leg encounters as teams battle for spots in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Slovak hockey player Okuliar contributed an assist in Skelleftea's 3-5 loss to Rögle in Swedish hockey league action. The victory moves Rögle to fourth place in the league standings, while Skelleftea suffered a setback in their campaign.
Slovakia's national team defeated the United States 8-3 in what appears to be an international hockey tournament, bringing their overall record to three wins and three losses. The Slovak team has now completed six matches in the competition, having opened with a victory over Great Britain before suffering a loss to Latvia and then defeating Norway. The decisive win against the USA represents a significant result for Slovakia against one of hockey's traditional powers.
Brazil achieved a historic milestone in winter sports when Westemaier Ribera captured the country's first-ever Winter Paralympic medal on Tuesday. Ribera earned silver in the sitting cross-country skiing sprint event, marking a breakthrough moment for Brazilian winter sports. The achievement represents a significant accomplishment for a nation traditionally associated with summer sports and tropical climate, now making its mark on the international winter Paralympic stage.
Liverpool suffered a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in Istanbul in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie. The Turkish side took an early lead in the seventh minute when Victor Osimhen rose to meet a corner kick, heading the ball down to the edge of the six-yard box where Mario Lemina nodded it into the net. The result gives Galatasaray a crucial advantage heading into the second leg at Anfield, as Liverpool will need to overturn the deficit to advance to the quarterfinals of Europe's second-tier club competition.
Slovan Bratislava was eliminated from the ENBL basketball competition after suffering a 74-99 defeat to Voluntari in the round of 16. The team, coached by Aramis Naglič, will not repeat their success from last season when they reached the Final Four of the tournament. In this year's edition of the European North Basketball League, Slovan secured their place among the top 16 teams as one of the final qualifiers.
MŠK Žilina secured a 3-0 victory over AS Trenčín to advance to the semifinals of Slovakia's domestic cup competition. The win keeps Žilina's hopes alive for reaching the final, which is scheduled to take place on May 1st. The semifinal advancement puts Žilina one step closer to potentially playing in the final on home soil, as the venue for the May 1st match has domestic significance for the club.
The NBA fined Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić $50,000 for making a gesture that implied referees were bribed during a recent game. The incident occurred in the third quarter when Dončić was frustrated that officials did not call a foul in his favor. The Slovenian guard responded by making a hand gesture suggesting the referees were corrupt or paid off. The fine reflects the NBA's strict policy against players publicly questioning the integrity of officiating, with gestures implying corruption drawing particularly heavy financial penalties.
Kyle Walker, the 36-year-old defender, has announced his retirement from England's national football team. Walker was a key member of the squad that reached the European Championship finals in both 2021 and 2024, representing one of England's most successful periods in recent decades. The Manchester City player's international career spanned over a decade, during which he became a regular starter for the Three Lions and participated in multiple major tournaments including World Cups and European Championships.
Rudolf Jurčenko, a legendary goalkeeper coach who shaped generations of Slovak national team goalkeepers, has been inducted into a hall of fame. Jurčenko is considered a legendary figure in Slovak football, particularly associated with clubs Prešov and Slovan Bratislava. Throughout his career, he trained numerous goalkeepers who went on to represent Slovakia at the international level, establishing himself as one of the country's most influential coaching figures in the specialized position.
Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel claimed victory in the second stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico cycling race. Mexican rider Isaac del Toro of UAE Team Emirates finished second, while Italian Giulio Pellizzari from Red Bull completed the podium in third place. Both del Toro and Pellizzari crossed the finish line with the same time as the stage winner. Despite van der Poel's stage victory, del Toro maintains the overall race lead heading into the next stage.
Joey Barton, the former Manchester City and Newcastle United midfielder, has been arrested following an alleged assault incident near a golf club. The 42-year-old player from Huyton had a controversial career spanning several top clubs including Manchester City, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers, Marseille, Burnley and Glasgow Rangers. Barton also earned one cap for the England national team during his playing career. Details of the alleged incident and the circumstances surrounding his arrest have not been disclosed.
Slovak para-alpine skier Čupka placed 15th in the super-combined event at the World Para Alpine Skiing Championships. The competition proved challenging, with nine of the 26 competitors failing to complete the race. The super-combined event consists of a super-G run followed by a slalom portion, with the slalom section scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM local time.
The football match between Košice and Tatran Prešov has been rescheduled to Saturday at 6:00 PM following an agreement between all affected clubs and approval from broadcasters. The fixture, known as an eastern Slovak derby, switched dates with Slovan Bratislava's match against Podbrezová in the Slovak top division. The rescheduling required coordination between multiple parties including the clubs involved and television broadcasters who hold rights to air the matches.
The Slovak football league has imposed lifetime bans on players Jones and Yeboah following a match-fixing investigation. The league received alerts about suspicious betting patterns through its integrity partners and hired a legal firm to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. The lifetime suspensions represent the harshest penalty available for match-fixing violations in Slovak football, effectively ending both players' professional careers in the country.