Chelsea has signed Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic (pictured) on loan from Real Madrid for the season. The move was completed on the final day of the Premier League’s transfer window. The 24-year-old Kovacic was part of Croatia’s run to the World Cup final, where it lost to France. Kovacic has been at Madrid since 2015, joining from Inter Milan. Chelsea has also sold a player — goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois — to Real Madrid. The Belgian was replaced by Kepa Arrizabalaga after Chelsea met the goalkeeper’s 80 million euro buyout clause from Athletic Bilbao. Meanwhile, Wolverhampton has signed Belgium midfielder Leander Dendoncker from Anderlecht on an initial season-long loan. The 23-year-old Dendoncker’s move will become permanent next year. The central midfielder has made six appearances for Belgium, the most recent of which came against England at the 2018 World Cup.
Golf: PGA Championship starts in August heat for last time
The 100th edition of the PGA Championship began yesterday for the last time in the stifling heat of summer. Club pro Michael Block hit the opening tee shot down the middle at Bellerive Country Club. The course is playing long and soft because of rain on Tuesday and temperatures in the 90s that require PGA officials to keep water on the greens. The PGA Championship moves to the middle of May next year. Tiger Woods, defending champion Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy are getting most of the attention from the morning side of the draw. Block is among 20 club pros who qualified for this major. He is the first club pro in six years to qualify for the U.S. Open and PGA Championship in the same year.
Olympics: IOC disappointed UN won’t grant North Korea sports exemption
IOC President Thomas Bach says he is disappointed the United Nations will not allow sports equipment to be sent to North Korea. The International Olympic Committee’s request was rejected by the U.N. Security Council Sanctions Committee. Bach says “this makes it more difficult for the IOC to accomplish its mission to bring athletes from all over the world together to promote understanding and friendship regardless of political background or any other differences.” In a statement, Bach added that “it is all the more disappointing because the exemption asked for the easing of restrictions on sporting equipment only for a very limited number of athletes.” The IOC played a key role in allowing North Korea to participate in the Pyeongchang Olympics in South Korea this year.
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