Naomi Girma: Chelsea agree first $1m transfer in women’s football January 22, 2025 Chelsea are set to make USA defender Naomi Girma the first $1m transfer in women’s football after agreeing a world-record fee with San Diego Wave. Girma is expected to join the reigning Women’s Super League champions this week in a deal worth $1.1m (£889,000) – more than double the previous British record fee. The transfer [...]
English rugby chief Bill Sweeney defends bonus as critics call for his head January 22, 2025 Bill Sweeney, the embattled president of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), insists he tried to defer his controversial bonus but has defended his acceptance of the six-figure payment. Sweeney is facing a vote of no confidence after the bonus took his overall pay to £1.1m in 2023-24, a year in which the RFU made 42 [...]
Is Hamilton and Ferrari the biggest deal in sport, not just Formula 1? January 22, 2025 Lewis Hamilton tests his Ferrari today for the first time. Is this partnership one of the most iconic in sport? We take a look. Usually the thought of Formula 1 drivers testing their cars ahead of a new season wouldn’t even approach the realms of interesting. But at Fiorano Circuit near Maranello in northern Italy [...]
Ambani family on course for £100m London Spirit in Hundred auction January 22, 2025 The likely destinations of English cricket’s crown jewels in the Hundred auction are taking shape, with the Ambani family’s determination to buy 49 per cent of the London Spirit in a deal expected to exceed £100m forcing other bidders to look elsewhere. A consortium of Californian investors led by Nikesh Arora, chief executive of Palo [...]
Man United legend Bryan Robson to be hit with tax bill over ambassador role January 21, 2025 Former Man United legend Bryan Robson has lost a chunk of his IR35 case against HMRC leaving him exposed to a undisclosed tax bill
Lee can bring Home the Stayers’ Hurdle bacon January 21, 2025 BACKING the winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival is almost always a tough ask, but I think I’ve found a bet in the race seven weeks out. Defending champion Teahupoo is undoubtedly the worthy favourite to retain his crown after he comfortably won the race 12 months ago, and he sits at [...]
Dreams of Orange Moon rising over Cheltenham January 21, 2025 ALL EYES will be on Cheltenham this Saturday when the Cotswolds course hosts its Festival Trials Day, which could see a surprise outing for superstar hurdler Constitution Hill. Nicky Henderson announced earlier this week that the Unibet Hurdle (3:00pm) was a distinct possibility for Constitution Hill, having previously thought he would head straight to the [...]
Bentley ready to spur Lucky on to more Hong Kong Glory January 21, 2025 RACING takes place on the ‘C’ track at Happy Valley today, where the draw is an important factor in determining winners, especially in recent times. The statistics point to a golden highway for horses drawn with low numbers in sprints, and it is a similar scenario in extended-mile contests. Records show gallopers with double-figure numbers [...]
Purton’s Sights set on becoming all-time leading Hong Kong rider January 21, 2025 EXPECTATIONS will be high for jockey Zac Purton to ring the publicity ‘victory bell’ twice during the nine-race programme at Happy Valley in Hong Kong today. The city-track will be jam-packed with media and photographers hoping to catch the moment when Purton finally surpasses Douglas Whyte’s all-time riding record of 1,813 winners in the city. [...]
Afghanistan boycott ‘not way to go’, says England captain Buttler January 21, 2025 England’s white-ball captain Jos Buttler has insisted that a boycott of their upcoming match against Afghanistan over the Taliban’s treatment of women is not “the way to go about it”. The England and Wales Cricket Board has faced growing pressure from politicians and activists to boycott next month’s fixture with Afghanistan, part of the Champions [...]