Politics should be kept out of sports as they are designed to unite people, not divide them, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, reports TASS.

Putin thanked Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during their meeting for attending the Games of the Future, indicating that this sporting event is "of a humanitarian nature."

"I have emphasized repeatedly and I want to say it again: sports should be free of any politics, instead, they must bring people closer together. We have many participants (at the Games of the Future - TASS) from more than 100 countries. They have come from 104 countries, from different continents," Putin said at a meeting.

According to the Russian leader, among those who arrived at the opening ceremony of the Games of the Future are supporters of e-sports as well as traditional sports.

"Let's wait and see how this will look in practice. No doubt it will do good. What is more, in many countries around the world young people have an interest in new sports," Putin said.

In the president's opinion, it is "very good" that the event includes not only e-sports "which allow you to sit endlessly, but also movement, real sports."

MSH

Bangladeshi wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim is set to feature for Fortune Barishal in the forthcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Mushfiqur had played for Sylhet Strikers in the last edition. His price was fixed at 80 lakhs in the players' draft according to the category. Which means he was in 'A' category.

The top category player will play along with other star players like Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Khaled Ahmed in Fortune Barishal.

Neymar said he was relishing “new challenges and opportunities in new places” after he joined Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal Tuesday, becoming the latest big name lured to the oil-rich Gulf state.

The Brazil forward, 31, ends a six-year stay in the French capital and follows in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane in swapping Europe for the Middle East.

“I have achieved a lot in Europe and enjoyed special times, but I have always wanted to be a global player and test myself with new challenges and opportunities in new places,” Neymar said in a statement from the Saudi Pro League.

“I want to write new sporting history, and the Saudi Pro League has tremendous energy and quality players at the moment,” he added.

Neymar was “in negotiations” on Sunday to become the latest football superstar to decamp for Saudi Arabia, leaving Paris Saint-Germain just as Kylian Mbappe was brought back in from the cold by the French champions.

A source close to PSG told AFP that 31-year-old Neymar “no longer figures in the club or manager’s plans” with the Brazilian immediately linked to Al-Hilal in the Gulf kingdom.

Another source in Saudi Arabia said that “direct negotiations” between Neymar’s agents and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) were ongoing.