Sports developments: Jesus comments on Ronaldo's departure, and Wang and Lin win gold in the Asian Games

Jorge Jesus, coach of the Portuguese national football team, confirmed that “there is nothing” that should prevent the players from “standing with me” after Cristiano Ronaldo left the training camp, according to the British News Agency.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star announced via his Instagram account the day before yesterday, Wednesday, his departure from the Portugal national team camp following discussions with Pedro Proenca, president of the Portuguese Football Federation.

Ronaldo participated primarily in Portugal's 1-0 victory over its host Wales last week, while he sat on the bench during the team's 2-1 victory over its host Norway last Sunday, without participating in that match.

Following Ronaldo's departure, Portugal returned to competing in the European Nations League, achieving a major victory with a score of 4-2 over its host, Denmark, yesterday, Thursday, so that the team sits at the top of the standings of Group D in the first level of the continental competition, achieving the full score so far with 9 points, after winning all of its first three matches, superior by a full margin of 6 points over the teams of Denmark, Norway and Wales, which came in places from second to fourth, respectively.

Jesus is putting his full focus on Portugal's next group match against its guest, Norway, the day after tomorrow, Sunday.

Jesus told Sport TV, in response to a question about whether he felt that the group stood with him after the Ronaldo crisis: “Yes, there is nothing that should prevent the group from standing with me.”

He added: “I understand the question. What matters is what we do. The things that happen do not divide the group. It did not divide us and will not divide us.”

When asked if he would accept Ronaldo’s return if the player so desired, Jesus said after the match: “It is a win with a high-quality performance, with four goals and a high-class level. “This cannot be ignored, as it is more important than everything that happened.”

The Portuguese coach concluded his statements by saying: “This is what I want to focus on.” “When they return to Portugal, the players will fight at the Estadio Dragao.”

Chinese Wang Xiu defeated her compatriot Zhang Shuai 6-2, 6-1 to win the gold medal in the women's singles tennis competition today, Friday, at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. This victory also gave her automatic qualification to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The final match between the two Chinese players was like a confrontation between two friends, as Zhang (37 years old), who won two Grand Slam doubles titles during her career, serves as a mentor to many younger Chinese players, including Wang, 25 years old.

Speaking about Zhang, Wang said: “She is someone I have great respect for. All the experiences she went through represent motivation and encouragement for me as well.”

Wang added: “However, the highest level of respect I can show on the field is to give my best when facing her.” Such is the nature of sports and high-level competition. “Where your actions speak for you.”

Wang qualified for the final, yesterday, Thursday, after her victory in the semi-finals over the most prominent candidate for the title, the Filipino Alex Ella, ranked 18th in the world, who preferred not to participate in the China Open Championship currently underway in the capital, Beijing, in order to play in Japan and represent her country.

Ella won the bronze medal, the same achievement achieved by the other losing player in the semi-final, Kazakh Yulia Putintseva.

Wang also spoke about Zhang's influence on her, even before the gold medal match, saying after her win over Ella: “Zhang Shuai has always been a great role model. She is very generous in sharing her experiences, and is very supportive of younger players like me. “She represents the strong bond of the team, and plays a big role in teaching us how to support each other.”

This will be Wang's second participation in the Olympic Games, noting that two years ago she lost in the Paris Games in the third round to Poland's Iga Szwiłtek.

Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting won an “exceptional” gold in the Asian Games on Friday, saying that she was “grateful that she was able to overcome the ordeal,” after she considered retiring following the great controversy that arose over her eligibility during the Paris Olympics.

The 30-year-old boxer defeated Chinese Yang Chengyu 5-0 in the women's 60 kg final in Nagoya, to win her second gold in the Asian Games, after being crowned in the 57 kg weight in Hangzhou three years ago.

Lin had revealed to Agence France-Presse before the start of the Games that she had considered retiring after winning gold in the Paris Olympics, but she wanted to continue her career, in part, to defy those who doubted her eligibility to participate.

She said after her victory in Nagoya that she was “waiting for that moment when the light breaks through the darkness.”

“It was not easy at all,” she added.

She continued: “It is rare that you finally reach that moment when you see the dawn, and I am very grateful to myself that I was able to get through all of that.”

Lynn and Algerian boxer Iman Khalif found themselves at the center of a widespread controversy over sexual eligibility during the 2024 Olympics, after current US President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and writer Jay Kay Rowling, along with other figures, made comments about the issue.

The International Boxing Federation had excluded the two female boxers from the 2023 World Championship, after announcing that they did not meet conditions related to sexual eligibility, without revealing the nature of the tests they underwent.

But the International Olympic Committee allowed them to participate in the Paris Olympics, considering that they were victims of a “sudden and arbitrary decision” issued by the International Boxing Federation.

Lin and Khalif both won gold at the Paris Olympics.

Lin said that winning the Asian Games is different from winning the Olympics, adding that its "importance is enormous."

She spoke about a previous experience, saying: “I simply felt that I wanted to collect my things and quickly return home. This is the thought that was controlling me.”

She added: “I no longer have any hope.” “I am very grateful to the coach because he always believed in me, and always believed that good things would happen.”

Lin was supported by a small group of Taiwanese fans who made their voices heard in the modest Nishio gym.

Thanks to the large height difference between her and her opponent, Lin took advantage of her superior arm range to impose her control over the fight, and entered the third and final round with a clear advantage.

She withstood a late attack from Yang to win the gold medal, before quietly celebrating her coronation.

Lin said she decided to compete at the Asian Games at a higher weight because she was "not afraid of death."

She added: "That's how people are. You want to see a different version of yourself."

She continued: “Since I already have a very strong record in the weight of 57 kg, I also wanted to give myself a different challenge, and see how far I can go.”

Lin declined to confirm whether she intends to defend her Olympic title at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

She said: “I believe that in the future we can also perform better, persevere until the end, and laugh at the end.”

Chinese Wu Yu, champion of the Paris Olympics, also won the gold medal after defending her title in the Asian Games in the women's 51 kg weight category.

Japanese Roy Yamaguchi gave the local fans a reason to celebrate, after he won gold in the men's 55 kg weight class.