Amsterdam football club Ajax is favourite to take the league title this season among commentators for broadcaster NOS. All but one of the broadcaster's seven regular commentators put the Amsterdam club on top. Vitesse and PEC Zwolle are tipped to be this season's surprises. Ajax last took the championship in the 2013/14 season, having given way to PSV Eindhoven three times and Feyenoord of Rotterdam once in the past four seasons. 'Ajax will be champion, it just has to be,' said commentator Arman Avsaroglu. 'The transfer period is not yet over but the way things look at the moment, the case is closed.' This year's Eredivisie competition starts on Friday evening with a meeting between PEC Zwolle and SC Heerenveen. Ajax meet Heracules on Saturday while PSV and Feyenoord are both in action on Sunday. Finances The Financieele Dagblad, in its annual analysis of club finances, said on Friday that the difference between the big three and the other teams in the Eredivisie in terms of money is becoming more obvious. Ajax, Feyenoord and PS have all increased their budgets this season. However, the relegation of FC Twente, one of the richer Eredivisie clubs, means just AZ and Vitesse remain to challenge the leaders, with budgets of €20m to €30m this season. FC Utrecht, which did not qualify for European competition this season, has seen its budget drop to below €20m, and, the FD says, its most recent financial results show the club was in debt. Budgets AZ, which survived the bankruptcy of its biggest patron, has firmly established itself in the sub top, the FD said. Vitesse, however, is spending more than it has and is fully depended on guarantees from its owner, Russian Valeri Ojf. FC Groningen, which had a budget of €17m in 2011, says it will spend €16m this year and has sold fewer than 10,000 season tickets, for the first time in years.  More >

The Netherlands is currently lying third in the informal medals table at this year's European championships, which are taking place in Glasgow and Berlin. It is the first time that seven different sports - athletics, aquatics, cycling, gymnastics, rowing, triathlon and golf - have decided to join forces and stage their championships at the same time. So far the Netherlands has captured 10 gold, 10 silver and nine bronze medals, putting it firmly in third place behind Russia and Britain. Broken down into individual sports, the Netherlands is top when it comes to cycling, with five gold, one silver and three bronze. On Wednesday night Susan Krumins took silver in the 10,000 metres in Berlin, where the athletics championships are being held. 'My eyes were beginning to glaze over and I felt sick,' the 32-year-old said after she stumbled over the finishing line. 'I could hardly move my legs but I had to get that medal,' she said. Krumins won bronze in 5,000 metres at the 2014 championships. Diving A surprise winner on Wednesday was Celine van Duijn who won diving gold in the 10 metres board. 'I never dared dream of this,' she told broadcaster NOS. 'I had hoped to make the top five.' Van Duijn had never previously won a European medal. On Thursday, open water swimmers Sharon van Rouwendaal and Ferry Weertman both won gold medals, further adding to the Dutch haul. The championships end on Sunday.  More >

The Dutch women's hockey team have won the World Cup for the 8th time after beating Ireland 6-0 in the final in England. 'We have shown the best hockey and we are the best team here,' coach Alyson Annan said after the match. 'We had to prove we could do it and we did. We so wanted to win and I really enjoyed the game.' Oranje, the defending champions, put out England 2-0 in the quarter finals and defeated Australia on shoot-outs to reach the final.   More >

The Dutch skating association KNSB has written to the country's top speed skaters warning them not to take thyroid hormones in a bid to improve their performance, the Volkskrant said on Thursday. 'The KNSB believes in a clean, fair and doping-free sport,' the letter, signed by technical director Remy de Wit, said. 'We have had recent indications that athletes within the skating circuit are being prescribed drugs with are not on the WADA banned list but which have risks when taken without medical need. We want to warn you specifically about this.' The KNSB did not name names or say how many skaters are involved, but three skaters and one coach told the Volkskrant they are aware of the rumours. Thyroid hormones are used to stimulate slugging thyroids into working better, and can help lose weight and boost energy levels. Wada The Dutch doping authority has also written to world anti-doping agency Wada urging it to ban the drug, NOS said. The letter, which was also signed by the Dutch sports ministry, states: 'We have received indications from medical professionals that thyroid hormones are being abused by top Dutch athletes.' Cyclists and triathletes are also said to be involved, NOS said.  More >

Just a day after finishing second in the Tour de France, Tom Dumoulin is getting back on his bike for the Daags na de Tour race in Boxmeer. Organisers of the 80km race are hanging out yellow banners to welcome Dumoulin, who became the first Dutchman in 28 years to finish on the podium in Paris. Last year the town was decorated in pink to salute Dumoulin's victory in the Giro d'Italia. Dumoulin ended the Tour 1 minute 51 seconds behind Welshman Geraint Thomas, the surprise winner, with Chris Froome, who edged out the Dutchman in this year's Giro in May, a further 33 seconds behind. The 27-year-old from Limburg is one of several leading tour riders competing in Boxmeer, along with Steven Kruijswijk, who finished fifth overall, Bauke Mollema, Laurens ten Dam and Wout Poels. The short, flat course is best suited to sprinters such as last year's winner, Dylan Groenwegen, who is also competing and claimed two stage wins in the first week of this year's Tour. Race organiser Pierre Hermans said Mollema was a late addition to the start list after sponsors came up with extra cash to add his name to those of Dumoulin and Kruijswijk. 'Initially he was out of our range. We had reached the limit of our budget. But the extra sponsorship money meant we were able to bring Bauke to Boxmeer,' he told AD. The main race begins at 8.15pm.  More >