Two more golds at the Junior Pan American Games

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Saturday, August 23, 2025, p. 9

Mexican artistic swimming once again shone on the international stage with two gold medals won yesterday at the Asunción 2025 Junior Pan American Games, held in Paraguay.

After excelling at the recent World Aquatics Championships held last month in Singapore, where he earned a bronze medal, Diego Villalobos again climbed the podium by winning the mixed duet medal at the Pan American Games with Nayeli Mondragón, taking first place in the free routine with 313.1167 points, almost 60 points more than his closest competitors.

In the mixed duet technical routine competition, which took place on Wednesday, the tricolor team also placed first with 217.3984 points, giving them a total score of 530.5151 in both events.

The silver medal went to Chileans Theodora Garrido and Nicolás Campos, and the bronze to Brazilians Eduarda Mattos and Bernardo da Silva.

The other gold medal in artistic swimming came from Camila Argumedo and Daniela Ávila, who won the duets category after winning the free routine with a score of 240.3692. In the technical routine competition, held last Wednesday, the Mexicans also took first place, with 264.2933 points, for a total score of 504.6625.

Americans Anamaría Camero and Hyeonseo Ryou took silver, and Canadians Olena Verbinska and Charlie Breault took bronze.

Mexico's medal tally at the competition also increased thanks to the triumph of karateka Ana Herrera, who won the -61 kilogram division after defeating Brazilian María Simarro 6-1 in the final.

In the men's division of this discipline, Francisco Yoshii earned a bronze medal after completing his semifinals in the -75 kg category.

On the final day of athletics, the team comprised of María López, Regina Michel, Darell Zúñiga, and Alfredo Rodríguez took bronze in the mixed team triathlon. Amado Amador also earned third place by finishing the 800-meter final with a time of 1:49.14 minutes.

In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Roberto Márquez took bronze, crossing the finish line in 9:02.34. In the women's category, Sofía Peña earned a bronze medal with a time of 10:44.15. In the women's 4x400 relay final, the Mexican team also took bronze.

In artistic gymnastics, Aaron Ibarra won a bronze medal on the parallel bars, earning his second medal at the competition.

With one day left in the competition, the tricolor delegation has collected 125 medals in total (27 gold, 44 silver, and 54 bronze), holding onto fourth place in the medal table.

▲ Diana Flores, captain of the Tricolor flag football team, hopes the good results will be accompanied by more support. Photo by Germán Canseco

Erendira Palma Hernández

La Jornada Newspaper, Saturday, August 23, 2025, p. a10

With their two-time World Games championship, flag football seems to be all the rage. Dozens of fans seek out the national team members for autographs and photographs, acknowledging them as their inspiration. Given this situation and the medal they won a few days ago, field marshal Diana Flores quietly invites the authorities to provide them with more support in their quest to achieve their dream of an Olympic crown, while also acknowledging her aspiration to be honored with the National Sports Award.

"(The award) is one of the greatest honors and prides for any athlete in our country. We would feel honored, grateful, and blessed to be considered for it. We'll see what fate holds," she said at a private event with fans.

While receiving recognition from fans, Flores, along with some teammates such as Andrea Petrone, Ángela Funes, Victoria Chávez, Andrea Martínez, and Alison Salazar, expresses her intention that this moment of success for Mexican flag football not be fleeting, but rather that it will strengthen the foundations they have built with an Olympic medal and forge permanent growth.

“Mexico has a chance at Los Angeles 2028. We've received support for the World Games, but we're more excited about what's coming next. We trust that the right decisions will be made, that the right steps will be taken, and that the necessary support will be provided so our federation can continue supporting us,” Flores said.

The women's flag football team has been one of the fastest-growing in recent years. With a modest start, sacrifice, and now a greater spotlight, they have won three World Championship titles—in 2004, 2008, and 2012—while also celebrating their second gold medal at the World Games (in 2022 and 2025), adding to a silver medal they won in 2021. However, they know that their international competitors are also constantly growing.

"We are grateful for the support. However, we've already seen the level of support from other countries, and much more is needed. It's a path that requires everyone," the marshal added.

While the national team's achievements have received significant media coverage among fans and on social media, for now, Flores revealed that they have not been contacted by the presidency regarding a possible meeting with President Claudia Sheinbaum, which the team would greatly appreciate. "I still don't think we have an invitation, but we are very excited, very happy, and grateful for all the support."

César Barrera, president of the Mexican American Football Federation, made it clear that they have always received support from both the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sports and the National Center for the Development of Sports Talents and High Performance, but now that flag football has become an Olympic sport, they know they have access to new support, scholarships for players, as well as the opportunity to request assistance to play certain preparation games that would be key.

"We could have more specific preparations with certain trips and matches against other national teams, perhaps even bringing some to Mexico. The openness with CONADE is good; we've had several talks and have never received a no," he concluded.

Aldo Anfossi

Correspondent

La Jornada Newspaper, Saturday, August 23, 2025, p. a10

Santiago. The Argentine courts released the 104 Chilean fans arrested during the extremely serious violence that erupted Wednesday night in Buenos Aires during the match between the home team Independiente de Avellaneda and the visiting team Universidad de Chile—which ended in a 1-1 draw and was suspended—and also ordered the closure of the Libertadores de América stadium to gather scientific evidence of the brutal attacks that occurred there.

Of the 19 Chilean injuries reported, 17 were discharged, while the other two, although no longer life-threatening, remained in serious condition after undergoing neurosurgery and multiple fractures.

There was no official information regarding any Argentine fans being arrested during the incidents.

Prosecutor Mariano Zitto, in charge of the case, argued that the events "exposed the worst of our species," perpetrated by "a minority who don't understand that the rest of the spectators at the game are only there to have fun, not to try not to die or survive a horde of misfits."

He stated that the violence began before the match with the Chilean fans dismantling the restroom facilities and destroying the security cameras in the area, which "allowed part of the visiting club's stands to throw debris, scrap metal, masonry, and bottles into the lower section, where the home crowd was."

He explained that "a horrific spectacle in the stands deepened the conflict due to the serious—and still inexplicable—circumstances that allowed the unprecedented incursion of a large number of home fans into the visiting section of the stands, which gave rise to an extreme and inhuman level of violence."

But beyond the wild events, the allegations surrounding decorum, honorability, and sporting decency were legally transferred to the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), based in Asunción, Paraguay, to become a financial dispute, where both clubs will try to prove their innocence regarding the events to claim qualification for the quarterfinals of the Copa Sudamericana, where progress in each stage costs several million dollars.

According to the Argentine press, the charges are clearly more severe against the Argentines, given their role as organizers of a game that ended up being one of the wildest in world football.

But evidently, because the fans are engaged in a violent brawl, with Chilean spectators bearing the brunt, it will likely be U de Chile that will receive a less drastic sanction than Independiente, which is expected to be severely punished, according to the Buenos Aires press.

Meanwhile, Universidad de Chile President Michael Clark stated, "We have begun the necessary steps to ensure that this barbarity does not go unpunished. Club leaders, officials, and lawyers are in Asunción, Buenos Aires, and Santiago working in parallel to ensure justice is served and to defend all affected Chileans."

▲ During the announcement, FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented Donald Trump with the World Cup trophy, reminding him that only World Cup winners usually touch it. AP Photo

Europa Press and AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Saturday, August 23, 2025, p. a11

Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that the draw for the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, a tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be held on December 5th at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Meeting yesterday at the White House with administration officials such as Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, the two leaders confirmed that the Kennedy Center will host "one of the major milestones" on the road to the largest World Cup in history. "It is the national cultural center of the United States and a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, attracting millions of visitors each year to more than 2,000 performances, events, and exhibitions. In December, the iconic World Cup trophy will shine brightly in the venue," FIFA stated on its website.

The 2026 World Cup will be held in 16 cities across the three aforementioned countries, between June 11 and July 19, and will be the largest tournament organized by FIFA, with 48 participating teams—16 more than in the editions held between 1998 and 2022.

“It is a great honor to bring this world tournament and these incredible athletes, the best in the world, to the cultural center of our nation's capital,” said Trump, who, before hosting the event, visited the Kennedy Center to oversee the renovations his administration is underway at the facility.

“The 2026 World Cup will be the largest and most complex series of events in the history of sports, and the Kennedy Center will give it a phenomenal start,” the president said, emphasizing that this tournament is “a huge undertaking, like hosting multiple Super Bowls in a short period of time.”

As part of the ceremony, Infantino presented the president with the World Cup trophy, reminding him that it's an award that only "winners like him and Leo Messi" usually receive, the latter of whom he said was the last to hold the trophy.

“Can I have it?” Trump asked, raising the trophy with both hands. “It’s a precious piece of gold.” The US leader, wearing a cap that read “Trump was right about everything,” appeared to be joking, although the Club World Cup trophy remains in the Oval Office more than a month after Chelsea won it in East Rutherford, near New York.

Later, the FIFA boss presented Trump with a giant ticket—row 1, seat 1—for the World Cup final, which will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.

Trump, 79, also suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin might attend the World Cup, which the Russian national team will be unable to participate in due to a FIFA sanction related to the conflict in Ukraine.

Showing a photo he said Putin had sent him after their summit in Alaska last week, Trump said the Kremlin leader “really wants to be there.”

The United States was named co-host of the 2026 World Cup in 2018, during Trump's first term. Trump lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden, though he won a second term last year.

More than 24 thousand jobs

In a presentation at the Cabañas Hospice in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexican Football Federation Commissioner Mikel Arriola emphasized that the Cup will have an unprecedented reach beyond sports. He stated that the tournament will generate more than 24,000 jobs and generate more than $1 billion in potential revenue for the tourism sector, with a revenue of $3 billion, a figure 235 percent higher than that generated by a Formula 1 weekend in Mexico.

He also outlined the historic investment that the World Cup host cities in Mexico will receive in areas such as transportation, airports, stadiums, and urban projects, with estimated amounts of $1.385 billion in Guadalajara; $3.194 billion in Mexico City; and $3.866 billion in Monterrey.

With information from Alberto Aceves

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Saturday, August 23, 2025, p. a11

The Mexican national team's sports management announced the list of 23 players called up by coach Javier Vasco Aguirre for the first training camp, which will serve as preparation for the 2026 World Cup. Only players from Liga MX were included.

For this microcycle, which will take place from August 25 to 27 at the Mexican Football Federation's High Performance Center, the Tricolor manager will have less than half of the players with whom he won the Gold Cup in 2025, since those who play in Europe will not be attending, nor will those who were considered to participate in the U-20 World Cup, such as the young Gilberto Mora, who, at just 16 years old, stood out in that competition.

In this new squad, with a view to the next FIFA date in September, the presence of goalkeepers Sebastián Jurado, from FC Juárez, and Carlos Moreno, from Pachuca, stands out.

Chivas and América are the teams that will contribute the most players, with five and four, respectively. Defending champion Toluca will contribute only two players.

In the next FIFA matchday, Mexico will face Japan and South Korea in the United States. The match against Japan will be on September 6 at the Oakland Coliseum in California, while the second match will be played on Tuesday the 9th at Geodis Park in Nashville.

The squad list is as follows: Goalkeepers: Raúl Rangel (Chivas), Sebastián Jurado (FC Juárez), and Carlos Moreno (Pachuca).

Defenders: Denzell Garcia (FC Juarez), Diego Barbosa (Toluca), Ramon Juarez (America), Victor Guzman, Gerardo Arteaga (Monterrey), Eduardo Aguila (San Luis), Daniel Aceves (Pachuca), and Bryan Gonzalez (Chivas).

Midfielders: Diego Campillo (Chivas), Fidel Ambriz (Monterrey), Isaiah Violante, Erick Sanchez, Alexis Gutierrez (America), Diego Lainez (Tigres), Luis Romo (Chivas), Jesus Angulo (Toluca), Jorge Ruvalcaba (Pumas) and Ozziel Herrera (Tigres).

Forwards: Germán Berterame (Monterrey) and Armando González (Chivas).

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Saturday, August 23, 2025, p. a11

In preparation for the 2026 World Cup, officials from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) and the federal and Mexico City governments met at the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS) to strengthen collaboration, promote sports, and promote health.

During the meeting, the delegation visited the Pelé Room at the CISS hotel, where the Brazilian footballer stayed before winning the 1970 World Cup.

Afterwards, they toured the Independencia Sports Complex, which offers a wide range of activities such as boxing, swimming, yoga, soccer, volleyball, taekwondo, fitness, and specialized programs for seniors and people with disabilities.

▲ Photo @Fenerbahce

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Saturday, August 23, 2025, p. a11

Mexican defender Edson Álvarez arrived in Istanbul, Turkey, accompanied by his family, to complete his medical and enter transfer negotiations as a new signing for Fenerbahce, managed by José Mourinho, who finalized a loan agreement with West Ham, the Turkish league club announced. The national team player arrived at Los Martillos in 2023 and will sign a contract until 2028. With this transfer, he becomes the first tricolor player under the guidance of the controversial Portuguese manager, a two-time Champions League winner.