Jury out on Crystal Palace gamble ahead of reunion with Hodgson February 22, 2022 Crystal Palace face Roy Hodgson’s Watford tomorrow in a match that serves as a reminder of both their recent past and the significant gamble they have made on their future. After almost four unadventurous but reliable years under Hodgson, last summer Palace traded in the former England manager for a decidedly sexier brand of football [...]
No plans to move Champions League final from Russia, says Uefa February 22, 2022 European football chiefs Uefa say there are no plans to move the Champions League final from St Petersburg despite Russia invading Ukraine. The final of club football’s most prestigious competition is due to take place at the Gazprom Arena in the Russian city on 22 May. “Uefa is constantly and closely monitoring the situation,” the [...]
Saudi-backed golf tour ‘dead in water’, says Rory McIlroy February 21, 2022 Former world No1 Rory McIlroy believes Saudi-backed plans for a breakaway golf tour are “dead in the water” after more leading players turned their back on the talks. McIlroy also issued a stinging rebuke of Phil Mickelson after the US PGA champion indicated he would overlook his humanitarian concerns about Saudi Arabia in the name [...]
TV row comes back to bite Turkish football’s Super Lig rights sale February 20, 2022 Turkish football provided one of the most bizarre stories of last year when Fenerbahce president Ali Koc waged a public relations war with broadcaster BeIN Sports. Koc attempted to blame BeIN for bad results, cooking up an implausible conspiracy theory that it was manipulating replays shown to the video assistant referee to penalise his team. [...]
World No1 Rahm delivers another blow to Saudi golf league plans February 17, 2022 Men’s world No1 Jon Rahm has become the latest high-profile golfer to rule out joining a new Saudi-funded circuit. Leading players have been offered tens of millions of dollars to leave the PGA Tour and sign up to a new Super League competition fronted by Greg Norman and bankrolled by Saudi Arabia. “There has been [...]
Ed Warner: Commonwealth Games has earned extra life by embracing esports February 17, 2022 If you want to win a full bore rifle shooting medal at the Commonwealth Games you’ll need a keen eye, steady hand, ability to lower and control your heart rate, thousands of hours of practice – and a host city willing to include the event. However good you might be, then, Birmingham 2022 isn’t your [...]
Oracle Red Bull Racing sign record breaking sponsorship deal with Bybit February 16, 2022 Formula 1 team Oracle Red Bull Racing have agreed a world record sponsorship deal with cryptocurrency exchange Bybit. The three-year contract is believed to be worth $150m (£111m), making it the biggest crypto commercial partnership in sport in terms of yearly value. “I’m delighted to welcome Bybit to the Team,” said team principal and chief [...]
Fifpro boss Jonas Baer-Hoffmann on player power, biennial World Cups, Super League and Qatar February 15, 2022 There is a common thread that connects the two biggest football stories of the last 12 months, the failed European Super League breakaway and debate over biennial World Cups. It can also be seen in concerns about player welfare, disagreements over economic models and what global players’ union Fifpro says is a tidal wave of [...]
Teenage figure skating star Valieva cleared to compete at Winter Olympics February 14, 2022 Teenage Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has been cleared to continue competing at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics despite a failed drug test. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) ruled that Valieva’s provisional suspension could be lifted, meaning the 15-year-old is free to go for gold in the women’s individual event tomorrow. But Valieva [...]
Manchester United sign blockchain platform Tezos as training kit sponsor February 10, 2022 Manchester United have confirmed a training kit sponsorship deal with blockchain platform Tezos. The multi-year agreement is believed to be worth more than £20m a season, representing an increase on their previous contract with insurer Aon. It will Tezos appear on the training kit worn by both United’s men’s and women’s team, starting immediately. “This [...]