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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Sohini Desai

Dinaw Mengestu speaks onstage during the 2026 PEN America Spring Literary Gala at American Museum of Natural History

Arts And Culture

PEN America’s “Silent Moratorium” Prompts Very Loud Criticism

Hassan Abo Qamar is a writer based in Gaza.

Hassan Abo Qamar

Palestinian football fans displaced from their homes, which were destroyed by Israeli military strikes, watch Belgium vs. Egypt on a giant screen at the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza.

Soccer

What It’s Like To Watch The World Cup From Gaza

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

Mona Khalil, a Lebanese ecologist activist looks at a turtle at a coast in the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre 12 August 2002

Science

Mona Khalil, Who Devoted Her Life To Protecting Turtles, Killed By Israeli Airstrike

People take part in a No Stage For Genocide protest to demonstrate against Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria. Picture date: Saturday May 16, 2026. (Photo by Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images)

Politics

Eurovision Is Running Out Of Time

Samer Kalaf

Oklahoma City Thunder mascot Bison performs during a break in play

Journalismism

Oklahoma Newspaper Deletes Column Comparing Thunder To Israel

Jake Romm is a New York City-based writer and the Associate Editor of Protean Magazine.

Jake Romm

Franco Berardi’s ‘Thinking Gaza’ Fails To Think

Tom Ley

Free Press Dipshit Humiliates Herself In Public Again

Giri Nathan

Ons Jabeur of Tunisia reacts to Paula Badosa of Spain during practice prior to The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Tennis

Ons Jabeur Is Making It Harder For The Tennis World To Ignore Palestine

Albert Burneko

Trump To World: Please Help Me Un-Shoot My Own Leg Off

Donald Trump wearing his stupid hat in the situation room at Mar-a-Lago

Donald Trump Can’t Even Pretend To Explain The Plan For Iran

This picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency shows the site of a strike on a girls' school in Minab

Regime Change Is Blowing Up A School Full Of Children

Interviews

Cherien Dabis Discusses The Challenges Of Writing, Filming, And Distributing A Palestinian Movie

Dave McKenna

Supporters watch on from the Cusack Stand during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship final match between Kerry and Donegal at Croke Park in Dublin.

Gaelic Football

Gaelic Football Season Opens With Contested Gaza Protest Scoop

Young Palestinian choir members, attending an UNRWA-funded school, sing during a performance on July 18, 2023, in Gaza City.

Rolling Stone Makes The Absurd Claim That Women Are Not Allowed To Sing In Gaza

ICE agents stand at the scene where ICE agents fatally shot a woman earlier in the day in Minneapolis.

ICE Is Modeling Its Brutality After The IDF

Jasper Nathaniel

Good Settler, Bad Settler

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt speaks onstage ADL's Never Is Now event in New York.

The ADL Is Having A Mamdani Meltdown

Billy Haisley

Mateo Retegui of Italy celebrates during the European qualifier Fifa World Cup 2026 match between Italy and Israel at Friuli stadium. Final score; Italy 3 : 0 Israel.

Italy Makes Up For UEFA’s Cowardice By Ending Israel’s World Cup Chances

Patrick Redford

On September 14, 2025, in Madrid, Spain, the Vuelta a Espana comes to an unprecedented halt as the final stage is canceled with 56 km to go due to large-scale pro-Palestinian protests in the heart of the Spanish capital.

Cycling

The Protests Against Israel–Premier Tech Worked

ASHDOD, ISRAEL - OCTOBER 02: Some ships and activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, illegally seized by Israel, are brought to the Port of Ashdod (Usdud) under escort of Israeli naval vessels in Ashdod, Israel, on October 02, 2025. Israeli naval forces attacked 21 vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla since late Wednesday and detained at least 317 activists aboard, according to the official flotilla tracker. The detained activists are being transported to Israel's Ashdod Port, from which they will be deported to Europe, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry. (Photo by Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Israel Breaks International Law So That It Can Continue To Starve Gaza

On September 14, 2025, in Madrid, Spain, the Vuelta a Espana comes to an unprecedented halt as the final stage is canceled with 56 km to go due to large-scale pro-Palestinian protests in the heart of the Spanish capital. Despite a massive deployment of around 1,500 officers, demonstrators break through police barriers at Cibeles, chant ''Free Palestine,'' and block the race circuit. For security reasons, several pro-Israel sympathizers are escorted away from the area by Policia Nacional to prevent direct clashes. (Photo by Francesco Militello Mirto/NurPhoto)

La Vuelta Collapses Miles Short Of Its Own Finish Line

Pro-Palestinian protesters wave flags and shout as the peloton rides by in Poio at the start of the 16th stage of the Vuelta a Espana, a 172 km race between Poio and Castro de Herville, on September 9, 2025. (Photo by Miguel RIOPA / AFP)

Israel–Premier Tech’s Presence At La Vuelta Is Ruining The Race

BILBAO, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 03: A group of fans protest against Team Israel - Premier Tech riders by displaying Palestinian flags at arrival during the La Vuelta - 80th Tour of Spain 2025, Stage 11 a 157.4km stage from Bilbao to Bilbao / #UCIWT / on September 03, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

You Can Advertise The State Of Israel On Your Shirt Or Ride Undisrupted In La Vuelta, But Not Both

James Greig is a journalist and the Political Editor at <a href="https://www.dazeddigital.com/user/jamesgreig">Dazed</a>.

James Greig

Sally Rooney Dares The British Government To Follow Through

Kelsey McKinney

Starving Palestinians including women and children holding pots wait to receive food distributed by a charity organization as Israel continue to block humanitarian aid from reaching the Gaza Strip on August 10, 2025.