Putin the boot in: Vladimir takes swipe at Britain over Russian sport ban lobbying March 23, 2023 Vladimir Putin has accused Russia’s critics including the UK of “using sports for unseemly purposes”. Putin said calls, led by Britain, for Russian athletes to remain banned from international sport were politically motivated. “Western countries are trying to use sports for unseemly purposes as a tool of pressure,” the Russian president told news agency TASS. [...]
I’ve seen 34 managers leave Crystal Palace and Patrick Vieira made me saddest – Ed Warner March 23, 2023 In my five decades supporting Crystal Palace I’ve seen 34 managers come and go (not including caretakers). Some resigned, others were sacked or left by the euphemistic “mutual consent”. One appeared to retire only to be reappointed this week – welcome back Roy! They ranged from the ‘aargh!’ (Alan Mullery and Steve Bruce) to God [...]
English clubs still want to join a European Super League, says Barcelona chief March 22, 2023 Leading English football clubs are still interested in joining a European Super League despite renouncing the project, says Barcelona president Joan Laporta. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur all backed out of the breakaway shortly after it was announced in April 2021. Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus remain keen to press [...]
Why Rory McIlroy’s balls decision could boost his Masters chances March 22, 2023 Rory McIlroy is considering playing with a shorter golf ball in the hope of boosting his chances of completing the career grand slam at next month’s Masters. In a bid to curb ever-increasing driving distances at elite level, golf chiefs are giving tournaments the power to make players use Model Local Rule balls which travel [...]
Euro 2024 qualifying explained: Who is in England’s group? Where and when is Euro 2024? March 22, 2023 The countdown to the next major international tournament in men’s football begins this week with the first Euro 2024 qualifying matches. Ninety-five days after the World Cup final in Qatar, England will kick off their campaign to reach the tournament on Thursday against Italy in Naples. For all the details on where Euro 2024 will [...]
The barking mad merger: What experts think of potential Ealing and Ospreys deal March 22, 2023 With the flow of stories about financial woes in rugby resembling an everlasting hospital drip, one development has caused much less of a stir than it might otherwise have. It revolves around Ealing Trailfinders, who are top of the second-tier English Championship, a position they have been in or around for the past decade. They have [...]
Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim emerging as favourite to buy Manchester United ahead of new deadline March 21, 2023 Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani are expected to make second offers for Manchester United this week. The Raine Group, which is running the sale for United’s owners the Glazer family, has set a deadline of Wednesday for revised bids. Both Ratcliffe and a party acting for Sheikh Jassim visited [...]
Exclusive: MP slams TikTok sponsorship with Women’s Six Nations as ‘disappointing’ amid calls to be wary of app and its data gathering March 20, 2023 A senior UK Parliamentary committee chair has questioned TikTok’s sponsorship of the Women’s Six Nations, calling the deal “disappointing”. Alicia Kearns, MP for Rutland and Melton and chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, told City A.M. of her concerns that the Chinese-owned social media platform is “being promoted through European and British Sport”. The app, [...]
Chelsea yet to make formal approach over playing matches at Twickenham Stadium March 20, 2023 Chelsea are yet to make a formal approach about playing matches at Twickenham Stadium while Stamford Bridge is rebuilt, City A.M. understands. The Blues are reported to have drawn up a shortlist of possible venues at which to play home fixtures should they demolish their ground and build a new 60,000-seater arena. Twickenham, seven miles [...]
Match of the Day: Audience peaked at 2.8m after BBC Lineker row while ITV’s Six Nation coverage tops 5m March 20, 2023 Two million viewers tuned in to watch Match Of The Day (MOTD) Live after Gary Lineker’s return to the BBC. The corporation said the coverage of the FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday, which was hosted by the 62-year-old presenter, saw an average of 2.1 million viewers based on overnight figures. An audience peak of 2.8 [...]