The organizers of the Mexico City Marathon are investigating reports of “unsportsmanlike conduct” at August’s race following reports of cheating at the event.

The Sports Institute of Mexico City (INDEPORTE) said it is “proceeding to identify those cases where participants … have demonstrated an unsportsmanlike attitude during the event and will invalidate their times” in a statement from August 30. The race itself took place on August 27.

Following reports from Spanish outlet Marca that as many as 11,000 runners had been disqualified for cheating, INDEPORTE published another statement on August 31 expressing “regrets that some media outlets and certain journalist accounts on social media are disseminating incorrect information about competitors with irregular times.”

Authorities from INDEPORTE estimate that there are just over 2,000 runners who did not finish the international marathon on August 27 – whether that number refers to those who deliberately cheated or injured runners seeking a participation medal is unclear.

The results of this review are expected to be released on Friday, where they will report the precise number of those runners who did not finish the competition.

The Mexico City race has experienced cheating before, with organizers saying in 2018 that 3,090 competitors from the race that year were disqualified – though they did not specify the reasons for disqualification.

The Mexico City Marathon is one of World Athletics’ “Gold Label” races – the second-highest level of prestige for such events, according to the governing body’s regulations. That label refers to the existence of a world-class elite competition at the marathon.

Players competing in the top-tier of women’s football in Spain will go on strike for the opening two weeks of the new season after a pay dispute, players’ union FUTPRO announced on Thursday.

The dispute between the five unions representing the players – including many of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad – and Liga F primarily came about because of a disagreement in the minimum salary for players and the wage gap which exists.

“We consider the final economic proposal of Liga F to be unacceptable and the five unions keep maintaining that a firm proposal in regards to minimum salary has to be applied so that the footballers of our country have wages at the level of their talent,” a statement from FUTPRO read.

“The position of the league during the negotiations surprises and saddens us, which at all times has been immovable in regards to meeting the proposal made by the unions.”

FUTPRO said the players were asking for a minimum salary of €23,000 (about $24,600) be introduced for the upcoming season, rising to €25,000 (about $26,750) for next season.

However, it said that the league “kept itself practically immovable,” proposing a salary of €20,000 ($21,400) and, in the words of the unions, “making the negotiations impossible.”

The quintet of unions originally called for a strike during the first two matchdays last Friday, but following the failure of the last round of negotiations – including a last-minute meeting to try to avoid the labor stoppage – the unions are proceeding with strike action.

“It’s important to remember that the current minimum salary since 2019 is 16,000 euros ($17,100), an amount which by only applying the base rate rise of CPI (consumer price index) would rise to 18,554 euros ($19,900),” FUTPRO said.

“It’s a key moment to defend the working rights of our footballers and to have the commitment that the institutions which comprise the women’s football industry bet on the development and well-being of its protagonists.”

‘Incomprehensible attitude’

In a statement, Liga F emphasized its “firm conviction” of coming to an agreeable deal for both sides, including what it says, at one point, making an offer which would increase the minimum wage to €25,000 ($26,800) over three seasons, eliminating wage bias and providing other forms of care for players.

“The response by the unions was sharp, demonstrating an absolute immovability in its economic requests (25,000 euros for the current season and 30,000 euros for the next), without showing a willingness to negotiate their salary demands, as well as not valuing the benefits of family reconciliation and training offered,” Liga F said.

Despite what it said was an “incomprehensible attitude” from the unions, Liga F said it was willing to raise current wages by 25% to 20,000 euros, as well as tabling various other measures, such as “family reconciliation, maternity, breastfeeding and training benefits.”

In their statement, the unions deny that any measures regarding anything but wages were discussed in the final round of talks which were designed to avoid the strike.

The new Liga F season was scheduled to kick off this weekend, with the first game meant to be held on Friday night with Sevilla hosting UD Granadilla Tenerife.

A climate of change

The strike comes amid an increased focus on women’s soccer in Spain following the success of the Women’s World Cup and the fallout of the unwanted kiss from Luis Rubiales, the beleaguered president of the country’s soccer federation, to La Roja star Jennifer Hermoso.

On Wednesday, Hermoso filed an official complaint with prosecutors against Rubiales. Spanish prosecutors had opened an investigation into Rubiales on August 28, saying they would contact her within two weeks to “inform her of her rights as a victim of an alleged crime of sexual aggression.”

Hermoso’s legal complaint is the next step required for the Spanish justice system to proceed with a case against Rubiales, who has refused to quit as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Rubiales has apologized and described the kiss after the Spanish national team’s victory at the World Cup final on August 20 as “mutual” – a claim Hermoso denied, saying she was not respected. FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, suspended Rubiales for 90 days while disciplinary proceedings are underway.

Last week, the Spanish Court of Arbitration in Sport (TAD) agreed to open a case against Rubiales but rejected the government’s argument that his offenses were “very serious,” preventing his immediate suspension and forcing ministers to ask the tribunal to do it instead.

The unwanted kiss has prompted a major shake-up in Spanish soccer, with the government pushing for Rubiales to resign and RFEF removing Jorge Vilda from his role as coach of the women’s national team. He was replaced by Montse Tomé, the first woman in Spanish national team history to hold the position.

Hurricane Lee has strengthened into a major Category 4 storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 130 mph, according to the 5 p.m. EDT advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

“Additional strengthening is expected tonight. Fluctuations in intensity are expected after that, but Lee is forecast to remain a powerful major hurricane well into next week,” the center said.

Lee, which was a Category 1 storm earlier Thursday, has been intensifying with exceptional speed in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean, strengthening by 50 mph in the last 12 hours. The hurricane is expected to reach Category 5 strength as soon as Friday morning as it approaches the eastern Caribbean.

The hurricane is located about 780 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands, the hurricane center said in its 5 p.m. update.

The storm will likely reach its peak intensity this weekend and is still expected to be a dangerous hurricane over the southwestern Atlantic early next week, though it’s too soon to know whether this system will directly impact the US mainland.

Dangerous surf and rip currents will spread across the northern Caribbean on Friday and begin affecting the United States on Sunday, the center said.

Even more rapid intensification is expected because the forecast track takes Lee across some of the warmest waters in the Atlantic Ocean and through relatively calm upper-level winds – ripe conditions for a hurricane to grow more fierce.

Lee’s winds are expected to peak at 160 mph, or Category 5-strength, Friday night as it approaches the eastern Caribbean and is still expected to be a dangerous hurricane over the southwestern Atlantic early next week.

There is increasing confidence that the center of Lee will pass to the north of the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend and into early next week. Tropical storm conditions, life-threatening surf and rip currents could occur on some of these islands over the weekend.

Also Thursday, a tropical depression in the eastern Atlantic strengthened into Tropical Storm Margot, just a few hundred miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands, the center said. Margot currently has winds of 40 mph and steady strengthening is expected – the center is forecasting Margot to become a hurricane over the weekend. The forecast track shows the storm turning to the north over the central Atlantic early next week, but it is not expected to threaten any land areas as of Thursday.

Computer model trends for Lee have shown the hurricane taking a turn to the north early next week. But exactly when that turn occurs and how far west Lee will manage to track by then will play a huge role in how close it gets to the US.

Here’s what will steer the storm and two potential scenarios meteorologists are watching for how the US threat could play out.

How close will Hurricane Lee get to the US?

Several steering factors at the surface and upper levels of the atmosphere will determine how close Lee will get to the East Coast.

An area of high pressure over the Atlantic, known as the Bermuda High, will have a major influence in how quickly Lee turns. The Bermuda High is expected to remain very strong into the weekend, which will keep Lee on its current west-northwestward track and slow it down a bit.

As the high pressure weakens next week it will allow Lee to start moving northward.

Once that turn to the north occurs, the position of the jet stream – strong upper-level winds that can change the direction of a hurricane’s path – will influence how closely Lee is steered to the US.

Scenario: Out to Sea

Lee could make a quick turn to the north early next week if high pressure weakens significantly.

If the jet stream sets up along the East Coast, it will act as a barrier that prevents Lee from approaching the coast. This scenario would keep Lee farther away from the US coast but could bring the storm closer to Bermuda.

Scenario: Close to East Coast

Lee could make a slower turn to the north because the high pressure remains robust, and the jet stream sets up farther inland over the Eastern US. This scenario would leave portions of the East Coast, mainly north of the Carolinas, vulnerable to a much closer approach from Lee.

All these factors have yet to come into focus, and the hurricane is still at least seven days from being a threat to the East Coast. Any potential US impact will become more clear as the Lee moves west in the coming days.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin met on Monday in Russia’s southern coastal city of Sochi amid efforts to bring Moscow back into the critical Black Sea grain deal that was abandoned by Putin in July.

Television footage showed the two men smiling and shaking hands upon Erdogan’s arrival to Putin’s residence, where the Russian president suggested that he take a vacation in the Black Sea resort.

In remarks ahead of their talks, Putin told Erdogan that Russia is “open to negotiations” on the grain deal.

Their discussions were also expected to tackle a proposal from Moscow to supply one million tons of Russian grain to Turkey, which with financial assistance from Qatar would then be distributed to countries most in need, the official Russian news agency TASS said.

The supply of natural gas from Russia to Turkey was also expected be part of Monday’s talks, according to TASS.

After several hours of talks, Erdogan told a joint news conference that he and his Russian counterpart “will be able to reach a solution which fulfils the expectations soon.” Putin said that his country will be ready to consider reviving the grain deal “as soon as all the agreements on lifting restrictions on the export of Russian agricultural products are fully implemented.”

The first in-person meeting between the two leaders in nearly a year took place amid what experts say is a possible reconfiguration of the Erdogan-Putin “special relationship,” as the Turkish strongman feels more secure in his final term in office.

Shifting power balance

Erdogan and Putin last met face-to-face in October on the sidelines of an Asia summit in the Kazakh capital Astana. Today, they met as Russia’s war in Ukraine enters its 19th month, and as Erdogan voices clear support for Ukraine’s entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), of which Ankara is already a member.

The two men have long boasted a close friendship marked by shared interests and a keenness to challenge Western dominance, but Erdogan has in recent months taken steps that were not to Putin’s liking.

During Erdogan’s campaign, Putin agreed to defer gas payments as Ankara grappled with a pinching economic crisis. The Russian leader also inaugurated Turkey’s first nuclear plant in a virtual ceremony that only solidified Moscow’s support for Erdogan, while his election rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu was seen as too friendly with the West.

Ahead of his re-election, Erdogan hailed his “special” relationship with Putin as Western states pressured Ankara to join sanctions against Moscow. Turkey is the only NATO member that has not imposed sanctions on Russia.

But having secured his presidential seat, Erdogan now feels emboldened, said Asli Aydintasbas, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC. While the Turkish president may not be entirely “pivoting” to the West, he has shown an interest in improving Western ties, which have soured in recent years, she said.

In July, Turkey allowed the transfer home of Ukrainian commanders captured by Russia last year. The prisoners were flown back from Turkey where they been held since September under an agreement reached with Russia. Moscow at the time denounced their release, saying their transfer violated that deal.

Erdogan has also strongly backed Ukraine’s prospects of joining NATO, having stalled the membership of Finland and Sweden, which had irked Western allies.

“Without a doubt, Ukraine deserves to be in NATO,” Erdogan said in July, following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia said it was closely watching. Earlier in March, Turkey approved Finland’s NATO membership bid, and is continuing to negotiate Sweden’s application.

Putin’s ‘window’ to the West

Putin may have shown discontent with some of Erdogan’s recent actions, but he likely continues to value his ties with Turkey as his only “window” to the West, Ulgen said.

“The change in the power relationship, which is to the detriment of Putin and to the benefit of Erdogan,” Ulgen said, has allowed Erdogan to “capitalize on a wider space” when it comes to his ties with Russia.

The two men see eye-to-eye on several key policies, especially the need to rebalance perceived Western hegemony over global affairs.

For Erdogan, Turkey’s close ties with Russia have helped counter reliance on the West and have even bolstered Turkey’s international stature as a crucial buffer between East and West.

The reconfigured power balance between the two leaders could yet yield positive results with the efforts to revive the Black Sea grain deal, experts say.

The two leaders’ asymmetrical relationship has normally been defined with “Putin on top,” Aydintasbas said, adding that as Russia looks weaker, Erdogan is trying to increase Turkey’s influence in certain areas “without clashing with Putin.”

“Erdogan will make a case for the grain deal,” Aydintasbas said, “saying: this is good for you (Putin) and me (Erdogan). And me (Erdogan) looking good is important for you.”

“This is the delicate balancing act,” she said.

A fire burning at an oil depot in St. Petersburg has been extinguished, the Russian Emergency Ministry said on Telegram, after dozens of firefighters were called to the scene.

Videos from the area posted on social media showed a large plume of black smoke rising as explosions rang out.

The fire was first reported at 10:59 a.m. local time, Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said. A hangar of 80 by 10 meters (262 by 33 feet) was reported up in flames the ministry said.

The effort to put out the fire, which burned an area of about 800 square meters (8,600 square feet), involved about 100 people.

Russian online news outlet Fontanka reported the fire was at the Ruchi oil depot.

The cause of the incident is not yet known. No casualties have been reported so far.

Russian infrastructure such as oil depots have previously been targeted over its invasion of Ukraine.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz continued his impressive form at the US Open with a dominant 6-3 6-2 6-4 victory against Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals.

It means there will be three former champions in the men’s semifinals at this year’s US Open: Daniil Medvedev, who plays Alcaraz on Friday, and three-time winner Novak Djokovic.

Unseeded American Ben Shelton completes the semifinal line-up, from which Alcaraz and Djokovic, the tournament’s top two seeds, are the strong favorites to reach Sunday’s final in what would be a repeat of the Wimbledon showpiece in July.

“I think they are at a level of their own at the moment,” Zverev told reporters after facing the Spaniard. “The other guys have got to catch up. That’s as simple as that.”

Wednesday’s match was evenly contested until Alcaraz broke at 4-3 in the first set. The 20-year-old started to assert his superiority from there, breaking Zverev twice in the second set and at 4-4 in the third.

He completed the victory in two hours and 30 minutes – racking up 29 winners and electrifying the New York crowd with several huge forehands – before celebrating with an homage to Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, who responded to the Los Blancos fan on social media, saying: “Que maquina! (what a machine!) Keep going mate.”

Zverev, who was coming off a bruising five-set victory against Jannik Sinner in the previous round, said that he was struggling with discomfort in his left hamstring from the second set onwards, preventing him from generating speed on his serve.

“I think my biggest weapon was kind of taken away after the first set,” he said. “It’s difficult to even compete if you don’t have that.”

A year after claiming his first grand slam title, Alcaraz will now contest his fourth major semifinal. He holds a 2-1 advantage in the head-to-head match-up against Medvedev, including comfortable wins at Indian Wells and Wimbledon earlier this year.

“The last matches that I played against Daniil, I played a tactical game [and] played perfectly,” he told reporters. “I did pretty well, all the things that I had to do against him, so I think my game suits pretty well against that type of opponent, like Daniil.”

Alcaraz’s record at the US Open now stands at 16 wins and one defeat having matched Andre Agassi’s feat as the second man to reach the quarterfinals three times at the tournament before turning 21.

“I think I’m more mature now,” he said when asked how he has changed over the past 12 months. “I grew up a lot since last year. Last year, I was facing my first semifinal of a grand slam. Now, I’m facing my fourth one. I feel like I’m a totally different player.”

Madison Keys booked her place in the US Open semifinals with a convincing win against reigning Wimbledon champion Markéta Vondroušová.

The American cruised past her opponent with a 6-1 6-4 victory – much to the delight of the US fans at Flushing Meadows.

Keys stamped her authority on the occasion with a dominant start to the quarterfinal matchup. The 28-year-old won the opening five games of the match and looked in complete control.

After Keys took the first set 6-1, the second set was a much more competitive affair. The world No. 17 eventually broke Vondroušová’s serve in the ninth game of the second set to help seal a 6-1 6-4 win.

“I think I have had just a really good mindset going into the matches. Have been trying to be maybe just a little bit more emotionally balanced,” Keys said on her US Open success postgame.

After breezing past the world No. 9 in just an hour and 26 minutes, Keys has set up a semifinal matchup with Aryna Sabalenka.

The pair recently squared off against each other at Wimbledon where Sabalenka beat Keys in straight sets.

The American will be looking to exact revenge against Sabalenka in front of what will be a vociferous New York crowd.

“I think there is obviously a lot of things that I can take from the match. The No. 1 thing being she beat me,” Keys said on the lessons learned from their last meeting. “But I think that there is still going to be similar patterns and tendencies that she has that I can definitely lean into.”

Despite the July loss, Keys believes there were still positives she has taken from that matchup.

“In the second set at Wimbledon, I was up a break and I had chances. I was definitely in the match and had opportunities, so I think even though I lost that match, it wasn’t like I wasn’t in the match, and I had no idea what I was doing out there.

“So I think there is a lot of positives that I can take out of that match and try to implement [Thursday].”

Keys will face Sabalenka on Thursday evening following the conclusion of Coco Gauff’s match against Karolína Muchová.

After an almost six-month break, trades galore and an off-season full of drama, the National Football League (NFL) is back for season No. 104.

As is now customary, the annual curtain raiser sees the Super Bowl champions kick off the football season and, this year, the Kansas City Chiefs play host to the Detroit Lions in the season opener.

With Patrick Mahomes and Co. returning to Missouri as champions, the atmosphere at Arrowhead Stadium will be electric as the Chiefs look to be the first team to run it back since the New England Patriots in 2003 and 2004.

How to watch

The NFL season begins on Thursday, September 7 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The game is set to begin at 8:20 p.m. ET.

The season opener will be shown on NBC and Peacock in the US.

Fans outside of the US can also follow the action via the NFL’s Game Pass on DAZN.

How the teams fared last season

The Kansas City Chiefs enjoyed a season to remember in 2022/23.

Led by superstar quarterback Mahomes, the Chiefs boasted the joint-best record in the NFL after going 14-3 in the regular season.

Kansas City then beat the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cincinnati Bengals to earn a spot in Super Bowl LVII, where it beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35, in a thrilling classic.

The Detroit Lions showed glimpses of promise in what was overall an underwhelming season compared to their counterparts on Thursday, finishing the 2022 campaign with a 9-8 record and second place in the National Football Conference (NFC) North division.

The Lions did not advance to the playoffs and will be looking to go better this time around.

What to look out for?

MVP Patrick Mahomes

The opening game of the season will see reigning NFL MVP Mahomes put on a show in front of his home crowd.

The 27-year-old helped end Kansas City’s 50-year wait for an NFL championship in 2020 and he has since become an icon in the city for his performances for the Chiefs.

Following the Super Bowl LIV win against the San Francisco 49ers, Mahomes led the Chiefs to a second title in four years last season after winning an entertaining, incredibly high-scoring game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Mahomes took on Eagles QB Jalen Hurts in an offensive battle for the ages and the veteran came out on top against the new kid on the block.

The Chiefs ended up winning the duel 38-35 in the third-highest scoring Super Bowl of all time as Mahomes wowed again with his wide-ranging armory on offense, despite an ankle injury hampering his movement.

As a result of clutch performances like these, the two-time MVP has become the face of the league in recent years and at times looks like he is playing a different game compared to the rest of those on the field.

Mahomes will be looking to have another sensational year as he heads into the new season, leading the Chiefs to what he hopes will be another Super Bowl victory.

Will Travis Kelce feature?

A cloud is already hanging over the Chiefs’ opener – and potentially even longer – with Tuesday’s news of tight end Travis Kelce’s injury.

“Kelce hyperextended his knee today,” Kansas City coach Andy Reid told reporters after practice. “We’ll just see how he does going forward.”

While the star TE’s availability for Thursday’s opener is still in doubt, there is better news for Chiefs fans as, per NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, the injury does not look to be a long-term problem.

Young cubs becoming Lions

The Lions have some exciting talent on their roster and none more so than Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs.

St. Brown is a supremely talented wide receiver and is widely tipped to have a standout season in Detroit after a breakout year last time round. The 23-year-old will look to get his campaign off to a good start in a tough setting.

Running back Gibbs was selected with the No. 12 pick in the 2023 draft and is anticipated to be a problem for opposition defenses.

The 21-year-old may be smaller in stature, but this almost goes unnoticed when he steps on the field with his lightning speed a serious threat. Making his NFL debut, he will look to lay down a marker for the rest of the league to pay attention to.

Whatever happens on Thursday night, fans around the world will be ecstatic at the return of America’s biggest sport.

Hurricane Lee is expected to rapidly intensify in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday and will likely become a major storm by early Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The Category 1 storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 80 mph as of early Thursday, could reach near Category 5-strength as it approaches the eastern Caribbean.

Lee is located about 965 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands, the hurricane center said in its 5 a.m. Thursday update.

The storm will likely reach its peak intensity this weekend and is still expected to be a dangerous hurricane over the southwestern Atlantic early next week.

There is increasing confidence that the center of Lee will pass to the north of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend and into early next week. There is a potential for tropical storm conditions to occur on some of these islands over the weekend.

Swells generated by Lee are expected to reach portions of the Lesser Antilles on Friday, and the British and US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Bahamas, and Bermuda this weekend. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

It’s too soon to know whether this system will directly impact the US mainland, but even if the hurricane stays off the coast, dangerous surf and rip currents could threaten the Eastern Seaboard.

The storm had rapidly strengthened on Wednesday: Its sustained winds strengthened by 35 mph in the 24 hours after it formed as a tropical depression Tuesday morning. Lee is expected to reach Category 3 strength by Friday morning and potentially Category 4 strength by Friday evening.

Even more rapid intensification – defined as an increase in wind speeds of at least 35 mph in 24 hours or less – is expected in the coming days. The forecast track takes the hurricane across some of the warmest waters in the Atlantic Ocean and through relatively calm upper-level winds, which will allow Lee to explode in strength.

The waters in the Atlantic are not quite as warm as the steamy conditions in the Gulf of Mexico, which gave rise to Hurricane Idalia last week. However, sea-surface temperatures across the portion of the Atlantic Ocean that Lee is set to track through are still a staggering 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above normal after rising to “far above record levels” this summer, according to David Zierden, Florida’s state climatologist.

Been thinking a lot recently about how unusual the 2023 Atlantic water temps are. Imagine Lee headed into 1983 waters east of the Leeward Islands (27.5C)- 2023 Lee has 29.5C to work with- an astounding difference. Arguably doubles or triples the chance of Rapid Intensification pic.twitter.com/klSy5RhIUy

— Eric Blake (@EricBlake12) September 6, 2023

Lee’s maximum forecast intensity of 150 mph is equivalent to the strongest storm in the Atlantic basin this season – Hurricane Franklin – and stronger than any storm so far in the eastern Pacific. If Lee tops 150 mph, it will be the most powerful hurricane to roam either basin this year.

That forecast is also just 7 mph shy of Category 5.

“This storm definitely has the potential to be a Category 5,” Dunion said, adding that nothing in Lee’s forecast path is expected to hinder the storm’s development leading up to the weekend.

The last Category 5 hurricane to roam the Atlantic basin was 2022’s Hurricane Ian. Before that, 2019’s Dorian and Lorenzo were the most recent hurricanes to achieve the feat. Only 39 Category 5 hurricanes have occurred since 1924, according to data from NOAA.

Any shifts along Lee’s track as it nears the Leeward Islands would increase the threat of more direct impacts like heavy rainfall and strong winds. Anyone in the eastern Caribbean – including the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola – as well as the Bahamas will need to keep a close eye on the forecast headed into the weekend.

Lee is ramping up in intensity as the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season approaches. Sunday, September 10, is the climatological peak of Atlantic hurricane season, when the basin is at its busiest on average. A flurry of tropical activity surrounding this date is not out of the ordinary, but it can turn hazardous fast.

The 2023 Atlantic season has already been busy: It is tracking above average for a number of different metrics including number of named storms, number of hurricanes and number of major hurricanes, according to Philip Klotzbach, a research scientist at Colorado State University.

Here are his thoughts on leadership which have been lightly edited for clarity:

On what makes a good leader

Poppy Harlow: What does real leadership mean to you?

Ron Rivera: There are so many great examples out there of it, you know, from people like Nelson Mandela. I mean, just listening and reading to the things that he has said and wrote. There’s a lot of great examples. Be the leader that you would follow.

PH: What did Nelson Mandela teach you?

RR: More so than anything else is that you have to set the example. You have to, and then you’ve got to be committed and you’ve got to be willing to sacrifice. You know, I mean, he went to prison because he believed in something. And if you don’t believe in something that, that so much that you’re willing to go to prison, then maybe you’re not a great leader.

PH: You have said that you rely on this mantra: focus on what’s important, not, what’s interesting. Why?

RR: At the end of the day, what’s more important than the people you’re working with? So I like to focus on them. You know, there’s a great saying that says leadership is not about you, but it will start with you. And so, I’ve got to set the example and then I’ve got to follow up on it. And it’s hard to follow up all the time. I mean, every now and then, you got, you try to compromise, you try to work it out. But at the end of the day, you have to stick to your guiding principles.

PH: What about accountability in leadership? Do great leaders point to others when things go wrong or do they look into themselves?

RR: I think great leaders start with themselves. First and foremost, they’re the ones that will stand up and say, “Hey, that’s on me. I’ve got to be better at it.” You know one of the great lessons I learned from Andy Reid [Kansas City Chiefs coach], more so than anything else, is that it always starts with you. From the very beginning, it always starts with you. And then John Madden, who I reached out to and he became a mentor for me, said to me, he said, “Ron, one thing that you’ve got to understand is you can delegate the authority, but if you haven’t set the standard, if you haven’t told your coaches what you want and it’s not what you want, whose fault is that? Yours.”

PH: And that’s what John Madden taught you?

RR: Exactly. It’s that, I have to make sure that I’m crystal clear that this is what I want. And at the end of the day, it’s not. Then that falls back on me first.

PH: What are the three things you tell your players they control in this life?

RR: Oh, they control their attitude, their preparation, their effort. I call it their inner APE: attitude, preparation, effort. To me, first and foremost, the way you approach things, the way you do things, your attitude towards things, it sets the tone for everything else you do. The better prepared you are, the better you are to handle things. And then if you give them great effort, the type of effort it gives you a chance, then you can be successful.

On leading through adversity/negativity

PH: You have been leading this team through so many negative headlines. How have those three things played into really what has been the last few seasons?

RR: It’s been, you know, it’s been hard. But the mantra of pay attention to what’s important, not what’s interesting. For us, the important thing is as professional athletes, is preparation to play the game. You know, got a tremendous amount of respect for all of the things that go on because they are very important social issues, business issues, work issues. But what we do is football. And so, as football players, as a football team, let’s focus in on playing the game. And I always tell them, let me handle the other stuff, the interesting things.

PH: What do you think makes a good team great?

RR: I think having a sustainable winning culture. You know, you look at what Andy Reid has done, you look at what Bill Belichick [New England Patriots coach] has done, you know, guys like Sean Payton [Denver Broncos coach] who have had these long tenures as head coaches that have won championships. You know, Tom Coughlin, what he did in New York, that’s because they built a culture that can sustain the time and you can win, over time with that group of people. And that’s what you strive for. That’s what you work for.

PH: So greatness comes from culture, not just skill?

RR: Absolutely. I think it’s culture. It’s character. It’s a team being more like a family where you can rely on, you can trust on, you can be accountable to. I think you’ve got to create a positive culture that is built through character.

PH: You were brought in by the previous owner, Dan Snyder, and he told you, “I need you to come in here and change the culture in my organization.”

RR: Yes, he did. And let me work at it, and let me do the things that, you know, could hopefully get us going in the right direction. And I think we’re right close to where we need to be.

PH: Can one person, can a coach really change the culture of a whole organization?

RR: Not by himself. I mean, you have to be able to have the right people in place. You have to work with the right people around you. And you also, at the same time, have to make some very difficult decisions, tough decisions and decisions that impact people and families. But at the same time to be able to get to where you want to go, you’ve got to make those decisions and those sacrifices and commitment.

PH: What is the most difficult decision you made trying to change the culture of this organization? You said you have to make difficult decisions that impact players and families. What does that mean? What did you do?

RR: Well, there’s some players that you, you know, you have to let go either because it’s their career is coming to an end or they don’t fit what, what you do, or how you do it. You know, sometimes you got to make coaching changes. And again, those are all things that come back to me because, those are.

On using your platform for good

PH: One thing that I’m struck by is how central to moral issues and social issues professional sports are, particularly football. And you’ve talked about it as being surprising to you, that professional football, for example, has really become the center of so many of these social involved conversations. Why is that surprising to you?

RR: Well, back when I played, it was always initially, it was always about, you know, we stayed out of the limelight. Our focus was playing the game. And I remember when Charles Barkley used to say, and I think, you know, he’s right – you know, we shouldn’t be the one raising your kids.

PH: Well, what do you think now?

RR: It’s interesting because what I’ve learned is, especially when you watch, you know, somebody like a LeBron James step up to the forefront, do what he does and attack the social issues, that to me is impressive. I mean, you know, Megan Rapinoe being somebody that bring attention to so many social issues and made me realize now that I was wrong to think that way because now we have a platform and, if we present the platform properly, we can help – help with change. We can help with making things better or correct. And that’s kind of why I feel, now, is that I have an opportunity to help impact cancer funding and research.

PH: You and especially the players have these platforms. Is it not just an opportunity to speak out on these issues, but is it an obligation?

RR: I think it is. Because we are put on, on a platform giving an opportunity that, that again, we have to be very careful and very diligent with what we’re saying, what we’re doing, you know, because so many people do look at us now.

PH: During the controversy over kneeling, during what I’ll call the NFL’s kneeling-flag controversy, you went and re-read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, in the middle of all of that. Why?

RR: So we were going to sign Eric Reid, and he was one of the guys that, in San Francisco, he knelt with Colin Kaepernick. And so, I wanted to make sure I understood. And so, I went back and I re-read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. And it’s interesting because the whole idea that, you know, we’re allowed to do certain things, we’re allowed to protest is a God given right as an American, right? And as an American citizen, you’re entitled to those things. So I wanted to understand. And then the more I read and the more I looked at things, the more I begin to realize, that this was not about the flag. This was, they’re not denigrating the flag, or the military, what they were was they were trying to bring attention to bad policing, unfair policing, Injustice.

PH: Did it help you understand your players better?

RR: Yes, it did. It really did. And it made me realize, you know, that, again, if we really are going to be a free society, then we have to truly understand it. I mean, I have no issues with the Second Amendment because of the right to own guns. It is an American right. But I think the concern and thing is let’s make sure we have gun education, gun safety. I mean, let’s, let’s make sure that when we do things, we’re doing things for the right reasons because we truly understand, you know, what our laws are, what our Constitution says we’re entitled to, what the Bill of Rights protects.