“Flag football is not a fad, but an inclusive movement.”

Adriana Díaz Reyes

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, May 18, 2025, p. a11

Flag football is not a passing fad. Its inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games program is just the beginning of a movement that aims not only to win medals, but also to build more inclusive and healthier societies.

Decades of work have finally paid off. Countries like the United States, Japan, and Australia have invested millions in its development, and more than 10 nations have declared it an official high school sport. This isn't a temporary thing, and the Olympics will be the icing on the cake , commented Diana Flores, a pioneer and figurehead of the sport in Mexico.

Flores' charisma and talent allowed her to appear before NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at public events, and she was even nominated to be part of the coaching staff of one of the 2023 Pro Bowl teams. She even recorded a commercial that aired during the halftime show of Super Bowl 57.

"I don't want to be the only one to achieve historic feats, because there's plenty of talent in Mexico. What's needed is support, guidance, and experience. It's time to support the new generations; that's how we'll build on those Olympic and world medals we've always dreamed of ," she added.

Growing in the face of adversity

On the road to the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games, the national team will face challenges that will test their resilience; however, Flores added, the Mexican women will rise to the challenge in the face of adversity.

In our sport, we have to do many more things than in other sports. In the case of women, we have to be entrepreneurs, teachers, students, mothers...; even so, we bring our sport forward, because Mexican athletes are strong and have a lot of heart , she commented.

Empowering women's sports is another goal of Flores, the first female flag football player to have artifacts displayed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The girls who participated today (yesterday) can change the narrative, show how much we can contribute. They must convince themselves that our gender can dream big and have opportunities, that there are no limits. We are a vehicle to shape society and build a better country , explained the player, who yesterday led a camp with 150 talented players at the Tecnológico de Monterrey Santa Fe campus. The flag , Diana added, is also a platform for players to access a student scholarship to secure their future.

Girls can aspire to study at a good university not only in Mexico but also in the United States; that will open many doors for them. We must bring sports closer to our young women because they should remember that we are a force; all we need is support, investment, and time. We must break gender and cultural stereotypes, and that is what our sport is doing.

–Why is Mexico a flag power?

–We are incredibly proud of our roots and culture; that makes us different and beloved around the world. I hope we can grow further this year with the support of the government and private sector.

The sport's goal this year is to reach the podium at the World Games, which will be held in August.

There's a lot of new talent on the team. We currently have a pre-selection of 18 players; it's a different kind of team, and I'm proud to share the field with them.

In 2028, Flores will be able to realize the dream she had as a child: going to the Olympic Games is something she's been waiting for for many years. The challenge begins now, and as players, we must find our best form on the field to reach the podium .

Afp and Ap

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, May 18, 2025, p. a11

Rome. Italy's drought at the Rome Open is over. After just over 40 years, a local player once again won the tennis tournament after Jasmine Paolini defeated second- ranked American Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-2 to celebrate a historic championship for her country.

The most recent Italian to win the Open was Raffaella Reggi in 1985 in Taranto, while in the men's category it was Adriano Panatta in 1976.

After that prolonged drought, Italy could now even achieve its first double of individual titles in Rome if top-ranked Jannik Sinner defeats Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in the men's final today.

Paolini can still add another title to her list, as she will compete this Sunday alongside Sara Errani in the women's doubles final against Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens.

On the Foro Italico's Campo Centrale, Paolini managed a break-and-break start better than her opponent and consolidated her lead in a 54-minute first set. By the second set, Gauff lost focus, committing an extraordinary 55 errors and losing two serves.

"It doesn't seem real ," Paolini said. "I came here as a kid to watch the tournament, but winning and holding the trophy is something I never even dreamed of ," she said while celebrating the title at home.

Until 2024, when she reached the finals of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, Paolini was primarily known for her doubles performances, a discipline in which she won seven titles, including gold at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

With the historic Rome Open championship, her career has gained momentum in the singles category. The Tuscan native secured her second WTA 1000 title after winning the 2024 Dubai International Championships and is poised for a rematch at Roland Garros, the next Grand Slam of the season, which begins next week.

I don't think I'm the favorite (for Roland Garros), I'll go there to do my best , stressed Paolini, who recently opted to work with Marc López, after having dispensed with her coach Renzo Furlan.

With victory in Rome, Paolini will move up to fourth in the world on Monday, equaling her career-high WTA ranking. Poland's Iga Swiatek, last year's champion who was eliminated in the third round in Rome, will be relegated to fifth.

In contrast, Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion who arrived as the third seed, lost her second consecutive WTA 1000 final after losing in Madrid two weeks ago to Aryna Sabalenka.