Hong Kong Racing Tips: Low draw can prove the key for progressive Fire September 21, 2021 IT LOOKS as if the gods of fortune have smiled on highly progressive galloper HARMONY FIRE, who has an all-important low-draw number in the Clementi Handicap (2.45pm) over five furlongs at Happy Valley. The action takes place on the infamous ‘C+3’ course, where the width of the track is only around the length of a cricket [...]
Anthony Joshua signs new deal committing to Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing for the rest of his career September 21, 2021 British boxing superstar Anthony Joshua has ended speculation about a split from Matchroom by committing to a new deal with the promoter for the rest of his career. Joshua signed the contract today, five days before his heavyweight world title defence against Oleksandr Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. “I have heard that [...]
Premier League NFTs: Sorare aiming to launch digital fantasy football trading cards collection following similar deal with Spain’s LaLiga September 21, 2021 French technology start-up Sorare is hoping to launch a range of NFTs comprising digital fantasy football trading cards with the Premier League. The company, which has raised £500m from investors including SoftBank, has emerged as a major player in sport’s growing blockchain economy and recently struck a deal with Spain’s LaLiga. “We have had conversations, [...]
Legal Q&A: How referees’ pay could be hit by a tax dispute with HMRC and why this could have wide-reaching effects on the gig economy September 21, 2021 Lawyer Kevin Barrow explores the implications of an ongoing case between referees and HMRC. What’s this case about? It’s about whether PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) needs to deduct income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs) from payments it makes to referees whom it has engaged on a self-employed “gig worker” basis to officiate at [...]
Exeter’s chief problem: Why don’t they have a main sponsor? September 20, 2021 On Saturday, Exeter Chiefs’ Premiership campaign began with a 34-19 loss at Leicester Tigers. Remove the result, the return of the roaring terraces and professional rugby’s big kick-off, and you may have noticed a commercial anomaly in the away side’s kit: Exeter’s shirt was missing a main sponsor. Little more than a year ago, Chiefs [...]
Opinion: Why Derby County’s financial woes show that football is broken and needs fundamental change September 20, 2021 The unfolding disaster at Derby County should never have been allowed to happen, but sadly this is just the latest example of a game that has increasingly allowed itself to lose touch with reality. We have seen the collapse of FA Cup winners Bury and the demise of Macclesfield, while others, such as Wigan and [...]
England withdraw from World Cup warm-up tour games in Pakistan September 20, 2021 The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have withdrawn their men’s and women’s sides from the October tour to Pakistan. The men were due to play two warm-up games prior to the T20 World Cup, which begins in late October. England women were due to link up with the men and play two T20 double [...]
Why boosting physical activity is key to speeding up London’s pandemic recovery, by Prof Kevin Fenton of Public Health England September 20, 2021 In this guest column, Professor Kevin Fenton, London regional director at Public Health England, calls on businesses to prioritise employee health ahead of London Sport’s Active London conference this week. As we emerge from Covid-19 and set out to repair its impact globally, the success of London’s post-pandemic recovery will ultimately depend on the physical [...]
American Airlines reject Amir Khan claims, saying boxer ‘refused to comply’ September 20, 2021 American Airlines has rejected claims by Amir Khan that he was escorted from a flight in the US by police “for no reason”, saying the British boxer “refused to comply” with multiple requests by the airline’s crew. In a video posted on Twitter, Khan said he was trying to fly to a training camp in [...]
Tottenham Hotspur 0, Chelsea 3: Blues cruise in London derby underlines their Premier League title credentials September 19, 2021 Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have produced some memorable ding-dong battles in recent history. This wasn’t one of them, however, such was Chelsea’s overwhelming superiority. The visitors won 3-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but it would not have flattered them unduly had they triumphed by a greater margin. With four wins from five Premier League [...]