WINTER OLYMPICS: Chinese organisers have confirmed participants in next year’s games will be strictly isolated from the general population and could face expulsion for violating Covid-19 restrictions.

Vice-mayor and Beijing 2022 organising committee official Zhang Jiandong told reporters today that those taking part in the games beginning February 4 must remain in a “closed loop” for training, competing, transport, dining and accommodation.

TENNIS: Emma Raducanu won for the first time since her US Open success as she made it through the first round of the Transylvanian Open.

Raducanu played behind closed doors, and came from behind to beat Polona Hercog 4-6 7-5 6-1.

It was just her second match since that astounding win in New York last month and she has finally been able to end the anomaly of being a grand slam champion without a win on the WTA Tour.

RUGBY UNION: Edinburgh’s Pierre Schoeman is one of four uncapped players named in the Scotland team to face Tonga in the opening autumn Test this Saturday.

The South Africa-born prop will be joined in making his debut by club colleague Jamie Hodgson.

Glasgow pair Sione Tuipulotu and Rufus McLean are the other two players who will make their first starts after head coach Gregor Townsend named his XV for the Murrayfield match.

FOOTBALL: West Ham have been granted planning permission to increase the London Stadium capacity to 62,500.

An extra 2,500 seats will be added once the club are given the all-clear, taking the former Olympic Stadium above Ashburton Grove and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the biggest club ground in the capital.

The long-term plans are to increase capacity as high as 67,000 in the coming years.